Schlitzie, possibly born Simon Metz, and legally Schlitze Surtees, was a American  sideshow performer and occasional actor, best known for his role in the 1932 movie Freaks and his life-long career on the outdoor entertainment circuit as a major sideshow attraction with Barnum and Bailey, among others.

In the 1960s, Freaks was rediscovered and enjoyed a long run as one of the first midnight movies, becoming a cult classic, and in 1994, it was selected by the National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The film became the public's major exposure to Schlitzie, who remains one of the more memorable characters in the film.

Schlitzie's iconic image has lent itself to many products, including masks, hats, shirts, models, clocks, snow globes and dolls. Additionally, Schlitzie has been cited as the inspiration for Bill Griffith's cult comic strip Zippy the Pinhead.

People who knew Schlitzie said he was affectionate and sociable person. He enjoyed dancing and singing.