Mike And Ike Matina: The Shortest Twins Ever
YouTubeMike and Ike Matina worked as actors and performers alongside their older brother.
Despite their names, Mike and Ike Matina are only loosely linked with the famous candy.
Born Bela and Matjus Matina in Hungary in 1901 or 1902, the twins were not the only members of their family to be shorter than average. Their older brother, Lajos (later known as Leo), was also short. However, Leo didn’t break any notable records like his siblings did. Mike and Ike stood an estimated 2 feet, 6 inches tall each, making them the shortest twins ever.
Mike and Ike began performing with their older brother when the twins were just 12 years old. They started their career in show business by participating in a traveling show put on by Carl Shaffer, a German showman.
The three Matina brothers eventually made their way to America, performing in the Phylises Circus in Texas, before joining the Johnny Jones exposition shows in Florida, where the twins received their nicknames.
In 1917, the twins joined the Ringling Brothers Circus. From there, the twins, alongside their brother, began to gain more notoriety. In 1936, Walt Disney reportedly used them as inspiration while creating the fictional animated dwarfs in the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Their most notable roles, however, were in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz. The three brothers each played Munchkins in the beloved film.
The three continued to work as entertainers, and it was rumored that the twins may have inspired the Mike and Ike candy (though this was never confirmed, as there were other urban legends focused on the popular treats).
Mike died tragically in a vehicle crash while he was on a tour in Suffern, New York in 1954. Years later, Ike died in 1965 of a heart attack. Then, Leo also died of a heart attack in 1975.
