Sandra Elaine Allen, the World’s Tallest Woman, died today. She was only fifty three. While I never knew Ms. Sandy Allen, I’ve known about her work for some time, which IMDB only scratches the surface of. I’ve seen her playing herself in various documentaries about “freaks” and their experiences in life, and she’s always carried herself with dignity. She seems like the kind of person you’d want to spend a lot of time with, who would be fun to talk to and also very caring and empathetic. She provided a warm glow in the otherwise bleak and stale Sid & Marty Krofft produced made-for-TV horror movie, Side Show, and as I just learned today, she was even in Fellini’s Casanova film!
Here she is in her youth, when a letter sent to the Guinness Book people landed her a listing and a job. Doesn’t she act like someone who’s finally coming into her own and getting some long overdue recognition? I know we’ve seen a lot of very talented people go in just a few short weeks, but this is one obituary that broke just a little bit of my heart to write.
I’m also a “Sandy Allen;” over the years I’ve come across Sandy Allen in print and in online articles so often I feel I know her. I was fascinated when I discovered ‘my name’ in Guinness. I was always impressed with her attitude and her work with kids. Condolences from this Sandy Allen!
It’s actually pretty amazing that you posted a comment here. When I was looking up articles on the other Sandy Allen, I ran into your website! It took me a second to realize you two were not the same person. I was thinking “all that fame, and a photographer too?”
I remember seeing interviews with this woman when I was a kid and I agree, she was so dignified and personable. I remember she took the crew of some show (“Real People”??) through her home so she could show them all her specially made giant things. that really makes me sad.