John Aasen

Like Charles Chaplin's sidekick, Eric Campbell, Harold Lloyd needed his own giant when casting Why Worry? (1923) in 1922. Lloyd first had his eyes on George Auger (Cardiff Giant) who worked at Ringling Brothers sideshow as a giant. But Auger died before the film started and a search went out for a replacement. The producer Hal Roach heard of a shoemaker that was constructing a pair of shoes for a "Norwegian living in Minnesota", and his name was John Aasen. His mother was Kristi Danielsen (b. 1868) from Numedal in Norway. She emigrated to the US via Liverpool during spring of 1887. It is not 100% certain who Aasen's father was, but while working in Eggedal, Norway, Kristi Danielsen met the Swedish Nils Jansson Bokke who reached a prominent 244 cm in height. It had to have been "The clash of the Titans" when the couple met as Aasen's mother had her own merit with the height of 220cm. But the passenger list on board D/S "Rollo" listed Kristi Danielsen as single. Later that year Aasen was