How tall was Henry Fonda

Joseph Cuilly said on 27/Sep/23
Did anybody see the 1970 movie "There Was A Crooked Man"? It had Henry Fonda and Kirk Douglas in it. There were several scenes showing the two of them together. They looked to be about the same height. I don't believe that Kirk Douglas, even in his prime, was ever more than 5 feet 8 inches. Something wrong with that. Henry Fonda was 65 and Kirk Douglas was 53 in that movie. Henry Fonda must have been about 6 feet 1 at that time. He appeared to be about the same height as 6 foot 1.5 Gene Evans and about the same height, maybe even a little taller than, 6 foot 1 inch Victor French. And considerably taller than 6 feet tall John Randolph. Kirk Douglas must have been propped way up to look so tall.

affidavit David said on 27/Jan/23
His Navy measurements suggest he was or might 've been 6'0.75 barefoot. That might have bin his average height, 1.85m. Anthony Quinn was a tad taller, 1.86m. Fonda also looked more like 6'0.75 next to Stewart. Anyway, 6'1.5 straight out of bed. With that being said I'm not ruling out 1.86 for Fonda

Sonnecker said on 26/Jan/23
Henry looked everywhere like a (probably) clean 6'1" figure. 185/6 cm mark, without doubt. In The Longest Day he was about 55 and still looked around that mark. In Once Upon a Time in The West, clearly over 6' at about 60.

Henrik said on 25/Jan/23
I thought Fonda could look a believable 6ft 1.5 (187cm) on screen at times. While Grant would look a smidgen shorter than 6ft 1.25-5 (186-7cm) actors such as Melvyn Douglas and John Williams. I have seen far from all of Grant's work, but so far he doesn't come off as a 6ft 2 man to my eyes.

Arch Stanton said on 21/Jan/23
If you'd said to me that Bridget Fonda was Paul and Joanne Woodward's daughter I wouldn't batter an eyelid! Melissa Newman looks a lot like Paul, strong genes that guy.

Arch Stanton said on 21/Jan/23
Fonda looked a bit taller on screen than Burt Lancaster and Cary Grant IMO.

affidavit David said on 17/Jan/23
Fonda looks tall next to Wayne, despite the fact that Wayne's hair is quite bulky he doesn't look over 6'2.75 in that film in 1948. Looks 1.75 inches, tops, taller than Fonda I think. Maybe Wayne was 6'3.75 in dress shoes and 6'2.75 barefoot.

Henrik said on 15/Jan/23
Fonda with 6ft 2-listed Ward Bond in Fort Apache:

Click Here
Click Here

Fonda and John Wayne:

Click Here

Sandy Cowell said on 23/Nov/22
Yes, I guess Henry was tall, as indeed are all the family. I’m plumping for 6ft1.

Hey Arch - that’s FUNNY! I think Bridget looks like Princess Fiona from the Shrek movies!

talker said on 15/Aug/22
he had long arms and legs,looked 1.87m next to Jimmy Stewart and Fred Mc Murray.

Tall Sam said on 9/Sep/21
Yeah I still think 186 cm would quite feasible for Fonda, quite tall looking (I’d agree looked taller than Grant) he was for a 6’1”, Jim Carrey is someone who reminds me of his lanky frame.

Arch Stanton said on 7/Sep/21
Bridget Fonda looks a lot like Paul Newman to me!

Arch Stanton said on 7/Sep/21
185.4cm just about OK I think. I think 186, but he did get a few 6'0.5 listings there, which is surprising, as I thought he looked more of a decent 6'1 than Grant did.

Magnus 6'4" said on 8/Feb/21
The difference in the military measurements could be because he was 6’0 3/4. I think out of bed 6’0 7/8 possibly 6’1” and 6’0 5/8 - 6’0 3/4 by night time

Lankyweasel635 said on 12/Dec/20
The military documentation is definitely a good source Rob. Three measurements at 6ft 0.5in and three at 6ft 1in, almost think that you would change him to 6ft 0.75 in on here. However, as he would have been listed at 6ft 1in in the military based on any of these measurements, and was considered 6ft 1in most of his career and life, I'd stick with the 6ft 1in listing.

Jtm said on 5/Dec/20
I thought 6’1 but if he was measured 6’0.5

viper said on 3/Dec/20
The 72.5 must have been late afternoon.

Maybe night

MajordenisB said on 1/Dec/20
According to Henry Fonda's military file:

Physical examination 08/24/42: Height: 72,5 inches weight: 167 pounds
Physical examination 06/01/43: Height: 73 inches weight: 164 pounds
Physical examination 09/15/43: Height: 73 inches weight: 170 pounds
Physical examination 11/13/44: Height: 73 inches weight: 160 pounds
Physical examination 05/22/45: Height: 72,5 inches weight: 165 pounds

Arch Stanton said on 16/Oct/20
Quayle could often look 185 himself in numerous films but clearly didn't look it with Fonda. I think 186 is very arguable for Fonda still but it's only 0:25 diff.

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 24/Aug/20
Fonda looks every bit of 6ft1½ with Anthony Quayle (anywhere 6ft0½-1 range, IMO). I wouldn’t write that off as a peak estimate.
And if you watch On Golden Pond you’ll see that Henry was a bit taller than Dabney Coleman (at least 6ft). He looked to be still roughly around 6ft1 at the end.

Arch Stanton said on 29/Jul/20
Another comparison at 1:13 range, Fonda is nearer the camera but still looks taller when it's more level at 1:13.55 I see Fonda at 6'1.25 and Quayle at 6'0.5.

Arch Stanton said on 29/Jul/20
Quayle rather, Anthony Quayle and Anthony Quinn easy to do that!

Arch Stanton said on 29/Jul/20
Rob, there's no way Fonda and Anthony Quayle were the same height though. Watching my Wrong Man DVD and Fonda definitely looks a bit taller, I've found it here for you at 1 hr 3 minutes Click Here Now you could argue 6'0.5 for Quinn but I think you're too low with 185 for Fonda. Earlier in the film Fonda is stood against a height chart and looks close to 6'3 on the chart in shoes but it's from a distance. I thought 186 was fine, a bit over 6'1 isn't going to get him to claim 6'2.

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 20/Aug/19
Rob, could a little over this be possible?

Tall Sam said on 13/Mar/18
I believe Fonda was quoted as saying 6'1.5" also to biographer Howard Teichmann but I can't find a link of this statement. Do you think he could've been between these two claims, Rob, maybe around 186 cm?

John said on 21/Sep/17
Looked 6ft in Once upon a time in the West, 184cm prime probably about right

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 20/Jun/17
Really 186cm is fine. Right between the two figures he was normally described

Arch Stanton said on 15/Apr/17
In The Best Man (1964) Fonda towers above everybody else. If you didn't know his height you'd guess at least 6'2 in that film!

James said on 15/Dec/16
In some films he only looked six foot.

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 7/Dec/16
Fonda at a bare minimum of 6ft1....did not need lifts

James said on 3/Dec/16
Fonda wore a wig and had tons of plastic surgery, so why would he not wear lifts for some films?

Arch Stanton said on 22/Nov/16
Fonda would have been one of the least likely actors to wear lifts IMO.

mister_lennon said on 8/Nov/16
Fonda didnt wear lifts.
this james has a lifts obsession.

Rory said on 7/Nov/16
This James chap has surely got to be Banned, he's a broken record.

James said on 7/Nov/16
Fonda was 6'1". He wore lifts in "12 Angry Men".

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 9/May/16
Pulled off 6ft2 in 12 Angry Men. I wouldn't argue under this and the original 6ft1½ could still be closer...

AlexMahone said on 11/Mar/16
Fonda was exactly 6'1.5".

Tom said on 7/Mar/16
Fonda was exactly 6'1".

Sam said on 20/Nov/15
Possible some small lifts but I'm not really convinced, not a lot of guys with known height there in Once Upon a Time in the West other than notably shorter guys like Robards or Bronson. A bit of height loss was possible though as he was in his early 60s.

Larry said on 27/Oct/15
He probably wore lifts in "Once Upon a Time in the West".

Arch Stanton said on 25/May/15
In On Our Merry Way I thought he could look max 185 with Jimmy Stewart if not 184 at times, but there is a case for 6'3.5 for Stewart peak. Seeing how Fonda looked with legit 6'3" Ferrer and Stewart I think we can definitely rule out 6'1.5-6'2!! In some films Fonda could look 6'1.5" though, many he could seem about 186, and a few he could seem 6'0.5-6'1".

Jake: 1.84 m- 1.85 m said on 17/May/15
He really gave a superlative performance in 'On Golden Pond'.

Outlaw said on 8/Mar/15
About 6-7 years ago, I found a Henry Fonda biography at the local library. However, I can't remember the exact book, unfortunately. But I do remember a quote that came directly for Fonda's mouth: "I am six foot one and a half inches tall and ashamed to say, I've been married five times." Or somewhere along those lines was his quote. But since I've been Obsessed With Height for a long time, I made sure to remember how tall he claimed. And I believe this was correct for his peak height.

By the time of "On Golden Pond", though, he was probably around a flat 6'.

Arch Stanton said on 10/Dec/14
Agreed, not a one-note actor at all.

Sam said on 8/Dec/14
No, I don't feel that he was a one-note actor, he could be a quiet, internal kind of actor but there's diversity in his characters and integrity in his work.

John said on 25/Nov/14
Fonda wore lifts in "Once Upon a Time in the West". Quite a one-note actor.

Jake: 1.84 m- 1.85 m said on 23/Nov/14
He looked around 6ft 1in in 'Once Upon a Time in the West'. Definitely about 6ft 1.5in in his prime.

Sam said on 10/Nov/14
Rob, could you add Young Mr. Lincoln, The Ox-Bow Incident, My Darling Clementine and Fort Apache to his credits?

The man never gave a bad performance IMO. Fort Apache is one of his more underrated performances IMO, he could have been a cold Captain Bligh-type bad guy but you can't help find him sympathetic. I'd say it's impossible to root for Frank from Once Upon a Time... though, even though he was still entertaining.

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 29/Sep/14
You can see where Peter Fonda got his height

Jack said on 24/Jun/14
Yes, Fonda does look to be about 2 inches taller than Glenn Ford in Midway. He was in Western with Glenn Ford in the 60s. I forget the name. He looked about 2 inches taller then as well. How tall was Glenn Ford? Was he 5'10" or 6'? I would guess about 5'10" comparing him to other actors, making Henry Fonda about 6'. And Fonda was not pushing 80 in Midway. He was born in 1905, and Midway was made in 1976. That would make him 71. 71 is not pushing 80. I would say Glenn Ford: 5'10". Henry Fonda: 6', maybe 6'1". Charleton Heston: 6'3", although he was definitely shorter than that as an old man.

Jack said on 24/Jun/14
In My Darling Clementine, Victor Mature was clearly taller than Henry Fonda. How tall was Victor Mature? I have heard 6'1" and I have heard 6'2 1/2". Also, in Cheyenne Social Club, Henry Fonda did not appear to be as tall as Robert Middleton or Robert Wilke, both of whom I have seen to be listed as 6'2".

Arch Stanton said on 31/May/14
Fonda also looked 1.5-2 inches taller than Glenn Ford in Midway so by then I think 184 would be about right.

Arch Stanton said on 31/May/14
In Midway Heston had about 2 inches on Fonda and Coburn had about 1.5 inches on Fonda. I think by 1976 Fonda was nearer 6 ft,184 ish but he was pushing 80 by then and definitely would have lost some height.

Arch Stanton said on 24/May/14
He also edged Anthony Quayle out in The Wrong Man but barely a cm or two in in it when stood eye to eye. 6'1.25-6'1.5" is fine but if you downgrade him anymore I'll start complaining :-)

Arch Stanton said on 24/May/14
Rob in The Wrong Man he's stood against a height chart in shoes and he measures roughly 6'2.5" in dress shoes, not much under the 6'3" mark. I think 6'1.25 is really the lowest he was peak.

Arch Stanton said on 30/Apr/14
Looks about 3 inches taller than William Powell in Mister Roberts,

Arch Stanton said on 27/Apr/14
Fonda looks barely shorter than Ward Bond though, they look very close. When the camera level is even he looks 1-2cm taller. I wouldn't argue lower than this next to the Duke and Bond anyway. Agar though looks taller than 185cm and is the same height as Bond.

Arch Stanton said on 27/Apr/14
Looks a strong 6'1" next to the Duke in Fort Apache though, 187cm looks about right, or if Wayne was just shy of 6'4" then 186cm looks right.

Arch Stanton said on 27/Apr/14
Oddly looks shorter than 185 listed John Agar in Fort Apache.

Arch Stanton said on 20/Apr/14
I mean Walter Brennan, Fonda had about 1,5 inches on him. He looked 1-1.5 inches shorter than Ward Bond who I have at 6'2.5". So maybe 186cm is a better compromise. I don't think you could argue below 6'1 in comparison to most in his earlier films anyway. The shortest he looked I've seen is 6'0.5" next to Mel Ferrer. I need to check out those Jimmy Stewart and Charlton Heston films some time.

Arch Stanton said on 20/Apr/14
I preferred My Darling Clementine Sam of that era. I didn't dislike Oxbow as such, I just found it very limited and a bit bland in content.

Arch Stanton said on 20/Apr/14
Rob what convinced you to downgrade to 186? Although he could look shorter next to guys like Mel Ferrer he looked about the same height as 6'2" listed Victor Mature in My Darling Clementine and had about 1.5 inches on Ward Bond who could look a strong 6' himself. Fonda could look near 6'2 in a lot of his late 30s and early 40s films. I thought 187 was good for peak. 186 is OK too I guess, but I wouldn't go lower.

Zediah said on 14/Mar/14
Fonda was six foot.

Sam said on 28/Feb/14
You didn't like Ox-Bow, Arch? Not sweeping cinema with the kinetic camerawork and grand landscapes you usually expect in the genre, but thought provoking and very well acted I thought. Fonda did seem fairly tall in it, as I recall, Anthony Quinn even looked similar or a little shorter.

Arch Stanton said on 26/Feb/14
Yeah probably best not to add Oxbow it's not very good. A western shot in the studio!! Still, he was the tallest guy in the film at least...

Arch Stanton said on 26/Feb/14
Well, he looked near 6'2" in The Lady Eve.

Arch Stanton said on 25/Feb/14
Rob can you add Jezebel, The Lady Eve and The Ox-Bow Incident? I'd say those were among his biggest earlier films.

Jack said on 24/Feb/14
In films with Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda appeared to be considerably shorter.

Jack said on 15/Jan/14
In the movie Midway, Charlton Heston appears to be several inches taller than Henry Fonda. There was also a television show, either a tribute to Henry Fonda or Henry Fonda's birthday. Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda were standing together, and Charlton Heston was considerably taller.

Arch Stanton said on 11/Jan/14
You could argue 6'1" flat but I doubt he was under it.

Arch Stanton said on 11/Jan/14
@ Jim, evidence for that?

Jim said on 2/Jan/14
Brent was six foot exactly.

Arch Stanton said on 29/Dec/13
187 definitely looks accurate in Jezebel, Click Here George Brent on the right was listed at 6'1" and Fonda edges him out.

Arch Stanton said on 29/Dec/13
He does actually look 6'1.5-6'2" in Jezebel. He has a full head on a heeled Bette Davis.

James said on 26/Dec/13
Fonda can't have been any more than 6'1", he was clearly two or even three inches shorter than Mel Ferrer.

Arch Stanton said on 16/Dec/13
6'3 listed Mel Ferrer definitely looks about 2 inches taller than Fonda in War and Peace.

Arch Stanton said on 16/Dec/13
Rampage 6'2" looks pretty much impossible next to Mel Ferrer in War and Peace..

Arch Stanton said on 16/Dec/13
Well he did look near 6'4" Diavolo in that film. In War and Peace though there's a lot of actors who are taller like Mel Ferrer etc and Fonda doesn't really look over 6'1" in comparison.

diavolo said on 18/Nov/13
It's a well-known Hollywood fact that he wore lifts in Young Mr. Lincoln to look the President's height.

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 17/Oct/13
Rob, is there a chance that he was 6ft2?

Arch Stanton said on 29/Sep/13
Rob I figured it out why Henry Fonda looks 6'3"-6'4" in The Young Mr. Lincoln. Lifts. They show his shoes in the court scene and you can see they have high backs on them. They also have heels. He really looks very tall in the film, and with Lincoln's top hat, also added to it. He towers over everybody in the film. I think they tried to make him look as much like Lincoln as possible, including the 6'4" height which he actually look near in the film.

Arch Stanton said on 29/Sep/13
Looks rather lanky in Young Mr. Lincoln, long legs, seems a bit taller than this actually in this film.

Arch Stanton said on 19/Sep/13
Agreed, still looked 6'1" range in On Golden Pond and looked about 6 inches taller than Katherine Hepburn. Maybe they'd both lost an inch by then though but there looked about 6 inches between them.

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 5/Aug/13
He was a tall man. Near 6ft2 is about right for his peak. In On Golden Pond he still looked 6ft1 range. You can see where Peter Fonda got his height.

Sam said on 3/Jun/13
To me in Once Upon a Time in the West, Fonda looks just a bit over six foot. I don't know if he had lost a little height by that point at age 62-63 but he does look nearly 4 inches taller than Bronson in their final face-off. Certainly, in his earlier movies, Fonda did seem to be as listed.

kaplaaa said on 29/May/13
What height do you think he looks in Once Upon a Time in the West Rob?

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 5/Oct/12
Yeah looked between 6ft1-6ft2 in 12 Angry Men. On Golden Pond he looked closer to 6ft

Shaun said on 5/Oct/12
This guy is fast becoming one my favourite actors. Love his face and accent. Still looked 6'1" range in his later years.

Shaun said on 21/Aug/12
Film from 1973 I'm watching right now I'd guess 6'1". I can see the resemblance around the eyes between him and Jane Fonda.

richinkle said on 10/Dec/11
6'-1"+ at his peak. By 1968, in Yours, Mine and Ours, with Lucille Ball, he stands 3 1/2"" taller than Ball when she has about 1 1/2" heel advantage.

Ball is still 5'-7 1/2" at this point in her life, which would put Fonda at about 6'-1/2" at the age of 60.

Mark W. said on 2/Jun/11
Yes... 6 foot 1.5 is good... good that he says the half inch rather than rounding up... more or less the same height as Anthony Quinn in Warlock... good film for those who haven't seen it (1959)... some good scene stealing moments...

Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 17/May/11
6"1.25(186cm) at his peak

guyfrommars said on 26/Apr/11
Some good shots of Fonda's shoes in Young Mr. Lincoln:
Click Here
Click Here

His lifts are quite visible on the second picture. I guess they gave him 1.5" heels and 1.5" lifts to reach the height of Abraham Lincoln (6'4" or 6'5").

Joe said on 9/Feb/11
In Midway, and also on a TV show around 1978 where all of these movie stars appeared (I believe it was a tribute to Henry Fonda), 6'3" Charlton Heston appeared to be several inches taller than Henry Fonda.

Anonymous said on 25/Nov/10
I can buy 6'1 at the very lowest. He had a lanky physique and very, very long legs that made him look even taller.

Anonymous said on 29/Oct/10
Fonda was 2 inches shorter than The Duke.

Frank2 said on 21/Jun/09
Fonda was 6'1" peak and later on around 6'. I met him in the 1970s whne he was an inch taller than me and I'm 5'11".

Anonymous said on 18/Jun/09
The guy below is getting a bit mixed up with henry fonda with peter fonda.
I say henry fonda was a good 6ft 1 or so. In fort apache the duke did have a good 2 in half inches on him. In once upon a time in the west fonda was a lot taller than bronson and in warlock anthony quinn maybe just has a slight half an inch on him.

Anonymous said on 18/Jun/09
The guy below is getting a bit mixed up with henry fonda with peter fonda.
I say henry fonda was a good 6ft 1 or so. In fort apache the duke did have a good 2 in half inches on him.

Hugh 190cm said on 8/Apr/09
6ft1.75 peak. I'd say he was closer to 6ft1 by the time of his death. 186cm?

Hugh said on 10/Nov/08
There are guys on this page saying they met Fonda a few years ago when he is actually dead more than 25 years!!!!!!

Ed T. said on 15/Sep/08
At least 6'1". Saw part of "Midway" the other night and he appeared to have close to two inches on Robert Wagner. As he was probably 65 when Midway was made could see him at 6'1.5" when younger

adam said on 24/Jun/08
Definitely a close 6`2" and he had very long legs. Look at his westerns and where he holds his belt. It looks like 3/5 of his body are legs!!

patrick said on 3/Dec/07
I love your comment fun too Gonzalo!
The point is gentlemen recognize each other, whether it is between readers or actors. You as mike c and others on other pages, are real gentlemen as our favorite stars are or rather, were.
Too bad for ...the rest!
By the way, I don't consider myself as a gentleman...but I wish I'd be one!

patrick said on 29/Nov/07
I answered yesterday but that does not appear here today, so, I'll try to send it again! micke c.
Thanks anyway.

patrick said on 28/Nov/07
AH AH!!!mike c! I positively your sense of humor! Great, nothing but great!
You each time make my day mike!
The difference is indeed, between children: some are nice and others...
As for "Billy Bob's twin...ah ah ah! BUT, is it not "too much" for such a small planet!
About Henry Fonda, a Lord in his domain and out of it, it is true he appears differently from a film to another. He's always tall and very slender but he looks more or less tall depending the shot. I think that is due to co stars postures. I remember having noticed it when a young boy and already ad at movies and stars!
Always happy to communicate with you mike c!

mike c said on 21/Nov/07
Patrick, I think we've found Billy Bob's twin!! Ben? Nonsense must run in the family!!!!

mike c said on 21/Nov/07
Patrick, remember, when you're dealing with children, expect nonsense some of the time....trust me I know.

patrick said on 2/Nov/07
BEN, where are you from? I 100% agree sam and I'll add it is a shame to say anything including teh worst "non sense" ever to get a man, furthermore dead, that dirty!
I am not sorry as sam is because I would say on another page, "I am no gentlemn" when I read things like that.
First, I am really fed up with that "discovery", "lifts" which allows so many people to shrink ad libitum their height! Henry Fonda wearing lifts! That would be funny if it was not simply...
OK, and to think of a 5'8 H. Fonda? Why not 5'5?
As for him being "nasty", know that this man was considered by everybody as a gentleman. You met a pretender or you have invented the whole story;
"look before you speak" !
Ed Rob or anyone else: could you explain to me how sf and David could meet Henry Fonda "few years ago"? A spirit site...

sam said on 30/Oct/07
Sorry, BEN, that's pretty much impossible. The real Henry Fonda may have lost some height, but you must have seen a crotchety Henry Fonda look-alike.

BEN said on 29/Oct/07
I met Henry Fonda in Cleveland, OH in the late 1970's; if he's over 6 ft tall, I"m Superman!! he was very small-boned and could NOT have been more than 5'8", maybe 5'9"..I am 6'4" and definitely towered over him....so you guys saw him with his lifts on, I think..Met him right after a stage performance...had not changed clothes, etc..and asked for an autograph..he was very aloof and asked "is it precipitating"? as it had rained a lot that day.....not a friendly guy!!! and NOT TALL!!!!!!!!

Kramer said on 25/Mar/07
I met Henry Fonda in 1980. I am 6 ft. 1.5 in and he was definitely taller than me.

marlon said on 2/Mar/07
6ft 1.5 was the correct height for fonda as john wayne looked a good 3 inches taller in fort apache.

talker said on 8/Dec/06
i agree with 6'1.5".Fonda looked tall in all his movies untill old age, visually about an inch shorter than 6'3"ish guys.I think he was closer to 6'2"
than 6'1".In the book "the films of Henry Fonda" by Tony Thomas it says Fonda reached 6'1"in his early teens,so i figure he should have grown another inch
later on but maybe he grew only another 0.5".

Brad said on 14/Aug/06
6' 1" is correct. Nice guy. I talked about Omaha always being known as flat with no trees but hilly with trees so plenty you'd get lost in neighborhoods. He said he'd been saying that for 60 years and nobody believed him cause nobody went there to see it for themselves.

sf said on 16/Jun/06
Yes, I met Henry a few years ago, too. He was definitely much shorter than I thought, but I guess that is to be expected after someone's been dead for 24 years...

David said on 13/Jun/06
I met Henry Fonda six years ago. He was definitely taller than myself (6 ft. 1.5in), so I don't know what the source is for this stated height. I also met Jimmy Stewart and he too, was at least 6'3".