Eddie Carmel, The Jewish Giant (1936-1972) was born on this day. Born in Tel Aviv, not far from the stomping grounds of the Biblical Philistine Goliath, Carmel was raised in the Bronx and did most of his performing at the legendary Hubert’s Museum in Times Square. Advertised as 8’9″, he may have been as much as a foot and a half shorter, although he sure looks to be the hyped height in photos:
Carmel was normal-sized until he was around 15 or 16, when acromegaly set in. In addition to his work in circuses and sideshows, he was in demand for advertisements and appeared as monsters in two films, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962), and 50,000 B.C. (Before Clothing) (1963). He also worked as a professional wrestler. He retired in 1969 for health reasons.
Said to have the deepest voice in show business, Carmel was also in demand for voice overs. Thus, this fairly inexplicable 45. Jeez, he must have been a good sport.
(Travalanche) 
I saw him. He used to sell a wooden ring that he claimed fit his finger. It must have been a wooden ring from curtain rods or something like that.
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