Dick Powell's Height
5ft 11 (180.3 cm)
American actor best remembered for films such as Murder, My Sweet, Footlight Parade, 42nd Street, Cornered, The Bad and the Beautiful, The Tall Target, It Happened Tomorrow, Johnny O'Clock and Pitfall.
Publicity Photo, via Wikimedia Commons
Publicity Photo, via Wikimedia Commons
Add a Comment14 comments
Average Guess (9 Votes)
5ft 10.33in (178.6cm)
5ft 10.33in (178.6cm)
zoki said on 11/Jan/19
In the movie Murder,My Sweet from 1944 Dick Powell was same height like Douglas Walton who is listed 5'11½" 1.82 cm, I guess that Douglas was no more then 5ft10 179cm in that movie in the role of Lindsay Marriott but Dick Powell was 5ft11 180cm for sure. i can't understand why people always say that some movie stars that always looked tall were shorter then they really were. Dick Powell was 5ft11 180cm, John Wayne was 6ft4 193cm, Errol Flynn was 6ft2 188cm, Elvis was 6ft 183 cm, ect...and that's it, get over with.
In the movie Murder,My Sweet from 1944 Dick Powell was same height like Douglas Walton who is listed 5'11½" 1.82 cm, I guess that Douglas was no more then 5ft10 179cm in that movie in the role of Lindsay Marriott but Dick Powell was 5ft11 180cm for sure. i can't understand why people always say that some movie stars that always looked tall were shorter then they really were. Dick Powell was 5ft11 180cm, John Wayne was 6ft4 193cm, Errol Flynn was 6ft2 188cm, Elvis was 6ft 183 cm, ect...and that's it, get over with.
Anita F.Jones said on 11/Oct/17
I just saw some of his films i've always like him there is just something about him the way he walked/talked & his acting is wonderful
he catches your attention He looked tall in this film very slim too & he could sure ride a horse. So i had to ask about his height.
Thank u so much for sharing this with me. I miss him & his wife .
I just saw some of his films i've always like him there is just something about him the way he walked/talked & his acting is wonderful
he catches your attention He looked tall in this film very slim too & he could sure ride a horse. So i had to ask about his height.
Thank u so much for sharing this with me. I miss him & his wife .
Arch Stanton said on 10/Sep/17
I'll try to see more of Dick's films and some comparisons. I'm surprised people think he was 5'8-5'10 as with Montalban he honestly could look nearer 6 ft.
I'll try to see more of Dick's films and some comparisons. I'm surprised people think he was 5'8-5'10 as with Montalban he honestly could look nearer 6 ft.
Arch Stanton said on 9/Sep/17
A good inch taller than Ricardo Montalban in Right Cross, really looked 6 ft in that film.
A good inch taller than Ricardo Montalban in Right Cross, really looked 6 ft in that film.
Arch Stanton said on 9/Sep/17
Actually looked a decent 5'11 er in Right Cross.
Actually looked a decent 5'11 er in Right Cross.
Charlie said on 30/Jun/17
I've seen many of his Films and i can tell you this man was not 5'10 not a chance.In the movie 42nd Street 1933 He was the same height as the male actors in the movie.I have him marked at 5'8. Think of it. 5'8 back in those days was very tall for a male. Average female who was born in 1900 was about 4'10. My Grandfather(My Dads father) who i always assumed was average was actually 5'4.My Grandfather was born in 1896 and he died in 1988. My Grandmother on my Moms side was born in 1899. She was 4'8" and My Grandfather (Her Husband) Was 4'10.They were considered very Short especially my Grandfather who used to get harassed in the 1920's. He told me that the average males back then were about 5'6. Now Powell was born in 1904 so 5'8 back then would of been a few inches taller than average.We are taller in this generation because of the Foods we eat in comparison to the 1930's. The foods are injected with hormones and other ingredients that tamper with the height.My conclusion is Dick Powell was 5'8 when he did 42nd Street.
I've seen many of his Films and i can tell you this man was not 5'10 not a chance.In the movie 42nd Street 1933 He was the same height as the male actors in the movie.I have him marked at 5'8. Think of it. 5'8 back in those days was very tall for a male. Average female who was born in 1900 was about 4'10. My Grandfather(My Dads father) who i always assumed was average was actually 5'4.My Grandfather was born in 1896 and he died in 1988. My Grandmother on my Moms side was born in 1899. She was 4'8" and My Grandfather (Her Husband) Was 4'10.They were considered very Short especially my Grandfather who used to get harassed in the 1920's. He told me that the average males back then were about 5'6. Now Powell was born in 1904 so 5'8 back then would of been a few inches taller than average.We are taller in this generation because of the Foods we eat in comparison to the 1930's. The foods are injected with hormones and other ingredients that tamper with the height.My conclusion is Dick Powell was 5'8 when he did 42nd Street.
Larry said on 20/Sep/15
I think Powell was closer to 5'10". He did look young for his age, although by the time he played Philip Marlowe he was starting to age badly due to the chain smoking.
I think Powell was closer to 5'10". He did look young for his age, although by the time he played Philip Marlowe he was starting to age badly due to the chain smoking.
Sam said on 29/Aug/15
He does look a bit of a dork in the photo, haha...but it fits with youth lead era of roles.
He does look a bit of a dork in the photo, haha...but it fits with youth lead era of roles.
Shadow2 said on 20/Aug/15
Rob, any chance you can use a better photograph of Powell than the one currently. For some reason he looks about 12 years old ! See if you can choose one where Powell was in his 40's, i.e about the time of "The Bad and the Beautiful". Thanks. (I think he was 5' 11", although seemed a fraction taller than Ricardo Montalban in that 1950 boxing film with wife June Allyson.)
Rob, any chance you can use a better photograph of Powell than the one currently. For some reason he looks about 12 years old ! See if you can choose one where Powell was in his 40's, i.e about the time of "The Bad and the Beautiful". Thanks. (I think he was 5' 11", although seemed a fraction taller than Ricardo Montalban in that 1950 boxing film with wife June Allyson.)
Steve said on 17/Aug/15
Powell is a puzzle. His official height was always 6'. But he looked more like 5'10". But in Johnny O'Clock he was about an inch taller than Lee J. Cobb who was around 5'10". So perhaps Powell was a solid 5'11".
Powell is a puzzle. His official height was always 6'. But he looked more like 5'10". But in Johnny O'Clock he was about an inch taller than Lee J. Cobb who was around 5'10". So perhaps Powell was a solid 5'11".
Sam said on 13/Aug/15
This book on RKO films notes that Mike Mazurki stood on a box and Dick Powell took of his shoes for their scenes in Murder, My Sweet (Powell's greatest noir) to maximize Mazurki looking monstrous. Not many stars would do that but Powell was a guy that everyone seemed to like, and had a interesting two-prong career as a "youth lead" in musicals then as a film noir tough guy.
Click Here
He was decent height for his generation, equal to a 6'1" kind of guy for that time. I'd gather that he listed his shoed height.
This book on RKO films notes that Mike Mazurki stood on a box and Dick Powell took of his shoes for their scenes in Murder, My Sweet (Powell's greatest noir) to maximize Mazurki looking monstrous. Not many stars would do that but Powell was a guy that everyone seemed to like, and had a interesting two-prong career as a "youth lead" in musicals then as a film noir tough guy.
Click Here
He was decent height for his generation, equal to a 6'1" kind of guy for that time. I'd gather that he listed his shoed height.
Sam said on 13/Aug/15
Thanks for adding. Could you add to his credits Gold Diggers of 1933, Pitfall, The Bad and the Beautiful and Four Star Playhouse?
Thanks for adding. Could you add to his credits Gold Diggers of 1933, Pitfall, The Bad and the Beautiful and Four Star Playhouse?
Arch Stanton said on 13/Aug/15
Hollywood Hotel too, but I thought The Tall Target was aptly named ;-)
Hollywood Hotel too, but I thought The Tall Target was aptly named ;-)
Arch Stanton said on 13/Aug/15
Thanks Rob, can you squeeze in The Bad and the Beautiful, The Tall Target, and It Happened Tomorrow?
Thanks Rob, can you squeeze in The Bad and the Beautiful, The Tall Target, and It Happened Tomorrow?
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