mike c said on 11/Mar/07
Dan,from Duke, We're,Glad We Knew You by Herb Fagenfor: his football years: Pages 9/10...By the time Duke Morrison entered Glendale Union High in 1921, he was six feet with piercing blue eyes....In his senior year, Duke shot up to 6'4" and 175 pounds. Glendale won the state championship in 1924 and Duke Morrison was suddenly attractive to college recruiters." Dan, some people just don't read or research, they just repeat the same ol' s***...Wayne was 6'4.5"..glad you're on board. Mike C
dan said on 10/Mar/07
when wayne was measured as a football player at usc,he measured 6'4",as he got older gravity,and poor health probably took its toll,many other actors that worked with the duke also wore lifts,it was a common practice in hollywood
talker said on 10/Mar/07
in the pic with H.Fonda posted by Gonzalo 28/2,JW looks one inch taller which would make him 6'2.5".
patrick said on 6/Mar/07
Tony G, it depends (noticing an inch difference); sometimes that clearly appears but most often, it's an illusion related to the positions of people, the angle, above all "non visible" ones, and many many other factors but teh medical chart!
How is standing a man can favour him or on the contrary, being a disavantage to him. Look at your own family photos: you can appear very different in relation to other members; Everybody van notice that without understanding why in "this one" "he" looks taller or smaller or "less tall" than in "that one"!
John Wayne ALWAYS looked very tall and not only tall; when young, i thought he was 6'7 by the time i did not see "the others" that tall; Just him and Clint Walker, Rock Hudson etc. There is a reason for that, no?
As for this inch difference, frankly, most often, the way of standing (like an "I" like R. Mitchum or a bit slouching or leaning head as VERY VERY OFTEN John Wayne did (because he was not boasting but simply human and friendly) is enough to lead you in mistaking you. I would dare to say it is the same with "women's figures": how many of them are very, VERY different let's say, in "size" (ok?) with clothes on or ...with no ones!
It is deceptive and so is the actor's heights; It is very rare to notice a real BIG difference between actors and actresses in spite of that goes from 5'5 to 6'4! Directors manage to equalize more or less the heights (Vince Vaughn and J. Aniston) unless they deliberately want to make this difference be visible; in that case they often have recourse to tricks to enhance the difference; So, a notably veryt tall guy will be able to wear lifts to tower even more others like in Superman II, 6'6 Jack O'Halloran.
Tony G said on 2/Mar/07
Can you really notice a one-inch difference?
Viper said on 1/Mar/07
Ive never seen John Wayne as short either. But not 6-4. At most 6-3, at most.
patrick said on 28/Feb/07
Once again THANKS a lot mike c and...make sure i am well and definitely Patrick! That is my real firstname; what's simpler to use it?
I am VERY impressed with your ability to calculate measures as you actually do; It is worthy of Detectives of Law & order! I utterly trust you!
What is amazing me is how many people seem to see John Wayne so "short"!
Frankly, i never heard that before! I remember being a child and after, hearing talking about him as big big dude and very tall; simply because he appeared so without need of comparing him or i don't know what else!
I thought Bob Mitchum taller when i was young until i saw him next to others like precisely, John Wayne. But NEVER NEVER, i saw him 6'2 andeven less 6'1 !!! Next time there will be somebody to say it was not him who played, why not? I am stunned in hearing 6'1!
Hey, "6'1 Wayne guys", you should have been very familiar with the Duke to know so well how high were his "lifts" ! I'd like to know what brand of toothpath he used; if you could inform me about it...
Gonzalo said on 28/Feb/07
DerekB, I guess you are talking about that great pic taken in such a reliable place to compare heights which is a submarine. That pic is so inconclusive; why you are all using that pic that proves nothing? Choose another one. John Wayne was never ever 6`1. It makes no sense. Check more photos instead of using the only and inconclusive one that back up your claims.
Do you have other photos in which Wayne looks 6`1? No? I thought so.
In this on for instance?
Click HereOr in this one next 6`1.5 Henry Fonda?
Click HereOh, yes, DerekB, I have found it. You must be talking about this pic
Click HereI would like to hear the opinion of Editor Rob about this John Wayne controversy. There has been a lot of talk about it, a lot of pics, what
Anonymous said on 28/Feb/07
Wayne was 6'1" maximum in ordinary shoes, which is why he looked 2-3 inches shorter than the 6'3" Gary Cooper. Cooper's body was also larger in that photograph. Wayne looked taller in his westerns by wearing 4 inch lifts.
mike c said on 27/Feb/07
Patrick, my apologies..I thought Ed. Rob had deleted my contribution...just didn't scroll downn enough..here's what I wrote about a yr. ago...
mike c says on 20/Feb/06 :
Interesting what one can do with mathematics! Looking at a picture and knowing or intelligently guessing the measurements of some of the items in the picture can help one determine certain facts. For example, the approximate height of a figure in a photo... Take the picture of John Wayne against the background of a log cabin, dressed in skins, with flat deer skin (could be another animal, but let's say deer) shoes on...Using mathematical ratios (the ones used by many a carpenter or furniture historian to duplicate furniture from pictures) one can say that in the picture of John Wayne, page 16, of.. The Duke, A Life in Pictures... it is possible to mathematically approximate his height. It's not that difficult if you understand that there is a ratio ( a mathematical relationship) between what an object measures in a picture and its measurement in reality. Let's say that in that picture (you'll have to buy the book to appreciate this or get the picture from the internet), when you measure the belt he has on, the belt measures 3/16" wide. I guess that in reality the belt measured 1 and
mike c said on 27/Feb/07
Patrick, you're not alone..I've been posting for quite a while now...posted a mathematical proof demonstrating that Wayne was a minimum 6'4" and most likely 6'4.5"..perhaps our distinguished Ed. will show it again..I should have saved it..but that was before I realized how this site works..they delete as comments are added and I understand that..I used a picture of John at age approx. 21 yrs or so standing against a background of a log cabin....wearing dearskin mocasins..first chance I get, I will resubmit the equation...it's not new...museums and carpenters have been using the equation for yrs..proportionals based on the measurements of objects in a photo to real life.....quite easy, in fact, just needs the ability to multiply and we know Viper can at least do that...Mr. Ed. please show my response..I think it was about a yr. ago.....love this site...John Wayne was definitely 6'4.5"...take it to the bank....patrick, you're growing on me...like your common sense...seriously hope you're not Tiger or Frank in disguise..While I miss them, it's good to know there are more of us out there....Mike C
DerekB said on 27/Feb/07
Hey, Viper may go overboard in downgrading people, but he still is the most trustable person here (aside from glenn and rob). Besides, i do happen to agree. He looked like a shrimpy 6`1 next to Gary "6`3" Cooper.
patrick said on 27/Feb/07
TOO FUNNY! John Wayne 6'2!
Anybody here to react?
Will i be the "only one"? So, i'll do;
I like you Viper because you are so "one track mind" and never change your way of dwarfing people notably known for being tall! Somewhere, that compels admiration in a way and i am serious;
Frankly, have you ever seen any Duke's movie to say that?
Actually, if so, John Wayne was not living in America when young but in Lilliput (Gulliver's travels super dawrfs island);
OK for 6'3 even though he is obviously taller but, i can admit...but6'2 !
I wish i'd be not alone in that debate and call people who think Viper or me is right, to tell it here. In advance, thanks!
Viper said on 26/Feb/07
I think The Duke was 6-2 or 6-3 barefoot. 6-4 in his cowboy boots
patrick said on 26/Feb/07
I think that for M. Viper, Goliath himself should be between 5'10 and 6' MAXIMUM !
It's very easy to see how us actors are tall in relation to other countries: when an American actor, above all an "old time" one, was involved in an Italian or French movie, he almost always towers over everybody!
For instance, Burt Lancaster who was not that tall in US, was almost a giant in the famous "Il gattopardo" by L. Visconti; the same in "the train" which takes place in France; Only few european actors are sometimes taller like Jean Reno or Yves Montand (who are (were: Montand is dead alas)"giants" though being "only" 6'1/5)or British ones.
So, contrary to what is often said here, Americans and actors too, are by and large much taller than the others as result, the very big and tall ones appear less easily so, while if they were in Europe, WOW!
Have you ever seen Charles de Gaulle in a documentary? He was exactly 6'4 and made appear EVERYBODY in France as toys ! Rare were those who reached his shoulders! That is a fact. In Europe, except in current Holland, in Swede or even in Germany, John Wayne and so many others alike, would have appear like a sequoia among poplars! Look at him at 65 or so in "Brannigan" which takes place in London: he towers on everybody, once more and frankly i don't care whether he wore lifts or not! he was ill and had undergone one hundred times what would have kille anybody else!
mike c said on 25/Feb/07
Viper, with all due respect, I guess reading and mathematics are out of the question...
Viper said on 25/Feb/07
I still havnt see any good evidence that has the Duke at 6-4 or 6-4 1/2.
josh emery said on 24/Feb/07
the dukes height was 6ft 4 .5 inches as he said that in the film the quiet man
patrick said on 22/Feb/07
So do I Kevin; Even so, he did not wear a wig all along his career (not before the 50ties) and if he wore heels it's essentially because he made a lot of westerns! So, his costars did the same; I wear myself cow boy boots because I love that and that pushes me up! In "civilian films" he did not wear them and the costars either!
Do you know that he hated his wig and never wore it in daily life?
We all miss men like John Wayne or Robert Mitchum and so many others...
kevin t said on 20/Feb/07
This whole thing with Wayne's height has become mythology. Makes no sense to me; I admire the REAL John Wayne--the actor who wore 3" heels and a toupee.
patrick said on 7/Feb/07
Thanks in turn Mike c !
I think that people are not for the most, really aware of how we miss such a man like John Wayne in our "mean" today's world.
The same with all the big men quoted below: These men were simply at the height of the mythology the embodied and made live.
Today, event though there are good actors and movies, it is difficult to be run away with actors just for themselves.
This buys gretaer than nature remained fantastic even in a bad movie; i enjoy watching any movie with John Wayne just because he's in even though i am perfectly able to distinguish "Mc Q" from "Rio Bravo" !
But John remains John. Question of internal size; that lies in his soul and no matter you disagree or not his political points of view: he was A MAN and assumed what he was; whteher it was was dangerous for his popularity or not;
He was a honest man prior to anything else.
Who could play Ben Hur after Charlton Heston? The only one man i found having something very "special" and really different than the others, something from "out there", it's Tom Welling. You maybe will disagree but please, observe him and look how simple and always natural and cool, gentle and yet strong he appears. But that is very rare; The actors of today "play being
cool" for the most part; they are not; Clooney or Pitt and even less Cruise "play" what they are supposed to present to their audience; Nothing to do with Cary Grant both so handsome and so funny (very rare), Spencer Tracy: "the" humanity before you in a man! I could enumerate them for long;
These men could be right or not their life (from Errol Flynn to Gregory Peck) they wer in the screen "magic"; The system at the time,, allowed that and producers, tycoons "knew" who was a "star"; It is different since the late 60ties event though today's stars are still loved as divinities;
For me, that "smells fake" now except for some movies and actors of course.
"Other time, other customs"; I am not passeist at all but who replaces if only guys like Robert Redford (who was never J. Wayne!)or the excellent Gene Hackman? Owen Wilson ??? Ewan Mc Gregor ??? LOL ! You know what said Robert Mitchum when he was asked what he thought about new (in the 70ties) stars (De Niro, Pacino, Hoffmann etc.)? "THE ARE ALL SMALL" !
mike c said on 5/Feb/07
Thank you, Patrick...I appreciate and respect your comments. Another BIG FAN of the DUKE..mike c.
patrick said on 5/Feb/07
Sirs, i am a HUGE fan of the Duke; he embodies both strength and gentleness, both seriouness (capable of inspiring fear) and permanent sens of humo; Look at his invisible but so present eternal smile.
I have MANY DVDs of his 30ties early carrier; he very young and VERY VERY TALL; Broad shouldered as nobody else except the "giant" Victor Mc Laglen, his friend.
John was nothing else than an actor; born to be one i mean;
WXhen i was a little boy (between 8 to 16), i did not consider him as an actor: he was "John Wayne" and nothing else; There were all the others i loved like Gary Cooper, C. Gable, Fonda, Stewart, Douglas etc. BUT ONLY ONE JOHN WAYNE.
I wouldn't have been able to talk about his qualities or if he was or not handsome what was so obvious with Cary Grant for exemple; No, i was watching John Wayne and that was all!
That being said, i would add something which in any case, "reduces" the Man: John Wayne wore lifts from the late 50ties and abve all from the 60ties not to look taller than he really was but just to stay as tall as he would be;
After his operation in 64, he couldn't keep his height but who would have played the 4 sons of Katie Elder just after that BUT HIM ?
Another great guy and wonderful actor, Rovert Mitchum, was a close friend of him and laughted at this habit because Mr Wayne was already so tall;
I think he did not want to be diminished to his audience he loved, really loved and respected.
He wanted to offer them a constant image of what he knew to represent unto people and the even concept of America.
Something "bigger" than a simple question of self pride.
Everybody can notice how very tall men like Clint Eastwood or Donald Sutherland have been hit by the age and John Wayne less tall than..."John Wayne was supposed to be", that simply would have been impossible.
mike c said on 3/Feb/07
I guess doing your homework and finding out for yourself is out of the question. Read some books and carefully watch his movies, especially the early one, e.g. The Quiet Man, etc. and then decide for yourself.
Jesse said on 2/Feb/07
I have always heard that John Wayne always wore lifts.
mike c said on 30/Jan/07
Just finished reading Duke, We're,Glad We Knew You by Herb Fagen...many pages of quotes from people who knew him, worked with him, and truly respected him...I recommend this book....no, I'm not an agent of Barnes and Noble...see in particular: Christopher Mitchum/page 205.."He walks into a room and suddenly everybody knows he's there. His voice carried. His stance, an attitude, a position. It's a presence. It leaps at you. Plus the fact that Duke was close to 6'5" with large hands. He was a big guy." And guys, from John Mitchum: "I introduced him to my son-in-law. My son-in-law is only 5'5". I'll never forget taht when Wayne met him, Duke, who is 6'4", reached over and said, 'I'm John Wayne!' Well, who else could it have been!" and for his football years: Pages 9/10...By the time Duke Morrison enered Glendale Union High in 1921, he was six feet with piercing blue eyes....In his senior year, Duke shot up to 6'4" and 175 pounds. Glendale won the state championship in 1924 and Duke Morrison was suddenly attractive to college recruiters." There are many other references to his height..I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did..What a legacy! The respect and awe so many famous people had for him...the Duke..6'4"+ in my book.
mike c said on 20/Jan/07
Talker, you seem to be a gentleman...I don't think you're being disrespectful....You're right, we don't agree on Wayne..so what. I think the truth is somewhere in between our arguments. Who really cares if JW was 6'4" (and he was!!!..just kidding!) or 6'2.5"...still, one of my heroes and I'm 60...compared to the crap out there today, his movies are a refreshing respite from all the bulls*** life throws at us...Still think Jimmy Stewart was great, abeit, a tad shorter than the Duke..Hudson? what a waste of talent and manlyness!..Just bought Duke, We're,Glad We Knew You by Herb Fagen. Just happen to see it in a book store..pages 23-24 are interesting..in quoting John Ford, the author write the following: John Ford to Duke-"I used to be a fullback. You think you can take me out?" Morrison (JW) looked at the director. "Yeah, I know I could." Ford and Duke then crouched down, knuckles on the stage floor and started slamming into each other. But age 32, Ford hadn't broken a tackle since 1914, while 21 year old Duke Morrison at 6'4" and 200 pounds, was in prime physical condition. Talker, just another side of the coin. Take care. mike c.
talker said on 20/Jan/07
MikeC like i said,i did send the stills to the editor but like other times in the past,there was no comment,even though i believe they are very enlightening.
Maybe you can rent this movie on DVD and check yourself what i'm saying.Look at the scene in the bar and freeze it where Hudson and Stewart are face to face.About Wayne you know we disagree,i also have a great book on Wayne,The complete films of John Wayne,by MarcRicci and Boris Zmijewsky,with hundreds of photos.I've seen the Duke in most of his films and own at least a dozen of his movies on dvd,i also like him as an actor and its silly some of you think we are disrespectful to his memory.The Duke was a movie actor,and like we all know movies are the art of illusion.
mike c said on 19/Jan/07
talker, Jackie says on 1/Sep/06:
"I also have a documentary about Rock Hudson in which Tony Randall, Doris Day and several others all state Rock was a solid 6'6". Doris Day told and anecdote about "Pillow Talk" where Hudson has to drag Day from her bed and carry her to his apartment. I'm paraphrasing here that she says "but this big, strong 6'6" man had back problems, like so many tall people experience, so the props department built him a harnas(sp) that was concealed by his coat and my blanket, that gave him the necessary support to be able to carry me for the distance....."
Talker, we'll split the difference...John Wayne 6'4" firm.( no argument)...Jimmy Stewart 6'3"..Rock Hudson 6'5" or a tad more .....Wayne did lose .5 inch since his twenties....maybe you can mail the stills to the editor...he has my address as he also has yours...I'm not, and I'm sure you would not, gong to print my e-mail address on this site...maybe Ed. Rob can send them to me..Also, with all due respect (you appear to be genuine)buy The Duke, A Life in Pictures...tell me he's 6'2"/3" after seeing those photos...look at the early Duke...regards, Mike C...ps. I've seen The Undefeated and Hudson appears to be about 1" taller...but the research presented from his site sure makes it difficult to accept less than 6'5"-6"...and Wayne at one time was 6'4.5"....again, buy the book....you'll see why I'm so convinced.
Cantstop25 said on 19/Jan/07
Unless Jimmy Stewart is 6`5, than John Wayne is 6`4, and Hudson is 6`6.
Carl said on 19/Jan/07
If you watch 'The Undefeated' as I did two days ago, you can clearly see gievn what surface they may have been or not that both The Duke and Rock were actually very similar in height if not the same! Watch the movie and you will see that in some scenes the duke is abit taller than rock and then rock abit taller than the duke depending on posture or surface! They really were very similar in height....Kind Regards.....Carl
Gonzalo said on 17/Jan/07
I saw the film "Send me no flowers" years ago. I was very surprised to see that Clint and Rock were very similar in height. I remember Clint Walker from "The dirty dozen" in which he looks huge next to tall guys like Donald Sutherland or Lee Marvin. I think Hudson was 6`5. You should watch the movie instead of making judgements from an inconclusive picture.
In that pic with Wayne Rock looks taller, but not even an inch. From that pic, Wayne is 6`4
kevin tuma said on 16/Jan/07
"HEIGHT MAN-Talk about camera angles, the photo with Wayne and Stewart is totally inconclusive because Wayne is closer to the camera."
If it's the photo I'm thinking about, he's about a foot closer to the camera.
Wayne and Stewart are side by side in the photo in my gallery, and Stewart is clearly 1" to 1.5" taller than Wayne. He also has a noticeably larger head than JW.
Anthony said on 16/Jan/07
If Rock was only 6'4, then why does he look 4.5-5 inches taller than 6'1 Yves Montand in that Paramount group shot. Rock was 6'5 minimum and probably was 6'6. Even Doris Day herself sadmitted he was.
mike c said on 16/Jan/07
Talker, on the Hudson pge. Gary says on 30/Jul/06:
I still think Rock was 6'6". The picture with Clint Walker was on a slope. Clint was also wearing boots, while Rock had flat shoes on. When they stood next to each other on level ground, they were the same height. I agree that Clint looked huge next to Rock, but it had nothing to do with height. It was because of his great build. Rock had a great build as well, but nowhere near Clint's. Rock was very muscular. Clint was extraordinarily muscular. Rock looked massive in all of his roles opposite other leading men. Clint was the only guy who could make Rock look "small."
talker said on 16/Jan/07
Mikec,Hudson was 6'4"like everybody says,not 6'6",its very simple to see that in the movie "send me no flowers " with Doris,when he is next to 6'6" actor Clint Walker who is 6'6",Rock looks clearly 2"shorter.
HEIGHT MAN said on 15/Jan/07
Talk about camera angles, the photo with Wayne and Stewart is totally inconclusive because Wayne is closer to the camera.
mike c said on 15/Jan/07
I guess the boots the people around JW are wearing don't count..no, not the 2-3 inch boots...and guess the JS photo showing JW taller in the Shootist doesn't count as also the fact that in only one scene (the doc's office) does he appear to be as tall as JS...guess camera angles are out....and JS might be wearing loafers..given the fact that it's a western and "there's" horse s*** and mud all around....hmmm. different westerns I've grown up with!
Parker said on 15/Jan/07
talker - i've never seen any evidence that Wayne was shorter than 6'4. What 'evidence' are you referring to?
kevin tuma said on 15/Jan/07
Here's my new John Wayne photo Gallery.
Click HereCheck out several candid shots of Wayne in his 3" Cuban heels, and a half dozen not-so-larger-than-life still shots from old movies.
Also one of my pics pretty much puts to rest the argument over who was taller--John Wayne or Jimmy Stewart.
Editor Rob
pretty huge heels, 6ft 3 is something that isn't unheard of in the press.
In a 1934 Deming Newspaper article he was described 6ft 3.
kevin tuma said on 15/Jan/07
I'm don't mean any disrespect to Wayne. Some people measure heights with shoes on. Wayne wore high-heeled cowboy boots in all his western movies, and the heels are where his rolling walk comes from. Actually if John Wayne wasn't a boyhood hero of mine, I wouldn't notice--I just happen to have a book full of his old photos, and if you look carefully, it's pretty obvious.
He was a big man, but he wasn't the height of a basketball player. That doesn't make him a liar, it makes him an actor. He also advertised "Hair Trigger" on TV commercials in the 70s, while wearing a toupee..!
Anonymous said on 14/Jan/07
Just found this piece of conflab whilst browsing images of the duke as im a portrait artist and was gathering some images to paint from, the fact that the guy was as large as life and a heart the size of a basket ball and brought hours of entertainment,inspiration and pleasure through his movies makes him stand taller than most in my books, i reckon he'd get a kick out of reading a discussion like this.....adios
talker said on 14/Jan/07
actually,Wayne did say he was 6'4.5",in the Quiet man,but evidence shows otherwise....
HEIGHT MAN said on 13/Jan/07
Hey mike c check out in The Shootist when Wayne and Stewart first go into the back room for Waynes examination. When Stewart pulls the curtain across PAUSE IT. You'll see that they are just about even and Stewart has a noticeable hunch.
kevin tuma said on 13/Jan/07
Gonzalo says: "In The shootist, Wayne looks almost two inches taller than Stewart."
No, he doesn't. He looks *bigger* than Stewart because Stewart was a scrawny guy, but he appeared one inch shorter than Stewart, just as he did in Liberty Valance. The evidence that Wayne was ever taller than 6' 2" is very flimsy.
People base these guesses on their perception of an actor's honesty. But in all likelihood the movie stars' heights, especially in Golden Age Hollywood, were provided by their publicists. I don't believe Wayne was ever quoted anywhere saying that he was 6'4" or 6'6". If you study his photos carefully, he appears to be 6 1.5" to 6'2" throughout most of his career.
I think it's a myth that he wore lifts, however. What he wore, in all of his cowboy films, were boots with 2 1/2" heels. On a big-boned man who's 6'2" and well over 200 pounds, wearing a ten-gallon hat, that channels a lot of size.
Mr Mayfair said on 10/Jan/07
Check out the size of Wayne's feet (and handprints)in the cement in Hollywood, they are not those of a Man standing 6'4"! He may have stood 6'2" when young.
But he normally built up heels and/or lifts especially in his later years when he had lost quite a lot of his height, about 2 inches, due to illness?
Gonzalo said on 9/Jan/07
In The shootist, Wayne looks almost two inches taller than Stewart. Height man, talk about Liberty Valance but not about the shootist. In the Shootist Wayne is clearly taller. Watch also The Searchers, with Wayne barefoot next to Jeffrey Hunter. Wayne is three inches taller.
mike c said on 8/Jan/07
I watched The Shootist again....Height Man, please tell me in which scene you see Stewart with flat shoes..remember, it is a western and, considering the horse s*** and mud everywhere, boots with high heels had a specific purpose..The version I have and have seen at least a dozen times clearly shows Wayne's height...taller than Stewart...of special interest, as I've previously stated, is the scene in which JW is barefoot at the foot of the bed standing next to Ron Howard (5'9" in boots....) a blind man can see the difference and "it ain't no 2-3 inches"..pick a scene, use the pause button and get a still that shows Wayne shorter...share it with us....see my comments on 6 Jan 07...
HEIGHT MAN said on 6/Jan/07
Duke looked about an inch shorter than 6'3 Steve Forrest in The Longest Day. More proof that he was about 6'2 without his cowboy boots on. Also, in The Shootist, he is MAYBE eye level with 6'3 Jimmy Stewart but Wayne has cowboy boots on and Stewart is in flat shoes. John Wayne was NEVER an honest 6'4.
mike c said on 6/Jan/07
FRANK 2 SAID: I'm not sure that Wayne lost an inch by the time of 'The Searchers'. That movie was from 1956 and Wayne was only 49. Duke was one to hold his height to the very end. If he lost any height at all, it would be in his movies from the 1970s. Even his last film, 'The Shootist', he is consistently taller than the 6-3 1/2 Jimmy Stewart. I have seen the photo of the two from the movie that you submitted a while back and Stewart is a hair taller. That is not indicative of the movie. Duke is taller throughout. It starts with their first meeting in Stewart's office.
SOME MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT! GUESS WE HAVE A PATTERN HERE! MAJOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS BY THE TIME THE SHOOTIST WAS MADE....
Paul said on 5/Jan/07
All of this downsizing of Wayne is beyond absurd. He was 6'3" minimum and probably an inch taller at his peak. There is too much documented evidence with him towering over legitimate 6 footers to suggest otherwise. I saw a still in a magazine recently of British actor Dennis Hoey who was 6'3" or maybe a bit more standing directly next to Wayne and Wayne was at least as all.
Hard to believe his 100th birthday is this year. Makes me feel old too.
Anthony said on 5/Jan/07
I think The Duke was 6'2-6'3 barefoot, 6'4+ in hiscowboy boots. Hudson IMO was a solid 6'6. In the pic below, ROck looks 5 inches taller than Yves Montand, who was 6'1. Montand is the actor standing on Wayne's right.
mike c said on 31/Dec/06
Roy's Nephew says on 23/Jul/06
I'd always assumed Rock Hudson was about six foot four, but I was wrong..
John Wayne was over 6' 4", probably by about half an inch. Take a look at the film "The Undefeated" and when you see Wayne & Rock Hudson (very briefly) side by side on LEVEL GROUND (mostly they're on sloping ground) you can see that Hudson was at least an inch taller than Wayne. This would make him close to 6' 6". His legs were extremely long, and when he sat down he lost a lot of his height advantage over other actors. ("Undefeated" was made around 1968, I think, and Hudson was in his early 40s, & I thinkJohn Wayne was around 20 yrs. older, so his height could have declined a bit at that point..... CANTSTOP25 use the pause button on the remote and look at the ground, floor, terrain, etc...then look at the footwear...visit the Hudson, Eastwood, etc. sites...then you can make a decision..Don't drink and drive tonight.
mike c said on 31/Dec/06
Cantstop25..have you read below?...open up any sites?...which version of Valance and the Shootist are you watching...I mean, really watching...read below my mail and that of Gonzalo, Tiger, Frank 2, etc....by the way, put on the Shootist and when JW and JS are facing each other...in a number of scenes..pause the movie and keep on pausing until you get a still that shows them inches away from each other, and in straight up posture....but that may take a little work...Happy New Year...love the debate...
mike c said on 27/Dec/06
Gonzalo,you're a caballero...always polite. Will try to somehow scan the picture I have of Marvin, Eastwood, Hudson, and the Duke...great photo...a little different from the JT photo....in the book I mention, it's so clear...Happy New Year!
Gonzalo said on 27/Dec/06
Merry Christmas, Mike C. And merry Christmas to everybody. You really do your homework, you know my comments of different actors! I think Marvin was 6`1 minimum and 6`2 maximum. It is clear that Wayne was two inches taller, putting Wayne on 6`3 or 6`4.
But, you know, Mike C, it is difficult to tell how tall people are. If I think William Hurt is on the verge of 6`2, then Marvin is also 6`2. But I have also seen Marvin shorter than 6`1 Robert Mitchum. So, all these things leave me confused and they make me contradict myself. That
mike c said on 21/Dec/06
Gonzalo says on 28/Mar/06
Hurt is 6`2. He was a 5 or 6 cms shorter than Jeff Goldblum in the Big chill. He is slightly taller than Kevin Kline so I think he is clearly 1`87-88cm. And a very good actor indeed.....Gonzalo, with all due respect to you, doesn't that make Marvin also 6'2"...and in my pic, Wayne two inches taller...what am I missing? Did you mean to say that Marvin was at least 6'2"?.If so, the Reef pic. shows JW clearly at least 2+ inches taller....Feliz Navidad!
talker said on 21/Dec/06
i havent seen Donovan's reef recently,but i'll try to take a look at it.I saw Valance recently and i'll say it again Wayne was shorter than Stewart,
i dont believe he had lifts there.
I also saw a 1941 Wayne movie "lady from Louisiana",actor Ray Middleton was taller than Wayne there.Middleton was the first actor to portray Superman but i cant find listing of his height.
Gonzalo said on 21/Dec/06
Mike C, that last pic is taken from Donovan
Glenn said on 18/Dec/06
True Cantstop.
S to the C said on 16/Dec/06
im lookin at aspects of the picture i saw of john wayne and gary cooper, he is a lil shorter than cooper and cooper couldnt b 6'5". because that would b an overstatement 2 his height, i would say because of that photo, john wayne is about 6'2" at the most
mike c said on 14/Dec/06
Gonzalo, I'm not disappointe. You're a gentleman; an intelligent one at that!..JT, thank you for the web page...Hundreds of JW's pics!..I went through them quickly, but will definitely revisit during the Christmas holiday when I get a breather from school. Gonzalo, are you referring the JT's web page with the 61 pages of pics. of the Duke?..You mention Connors. I saw pics. with Connors, Wayne, and Clayton Moore (The Long Ranger..6'1")..in one with JW close to Connors..only a couple of inches less..Connors was 6'6" I've read...The Duke looks taller and then shorter in myriad pics. What are the strange things you've seen?...Of course I went thru. the 61 pages very quickly...loved the pages! JT, this is great!!! The birthday cake page is diff. from mine...Wayne definitely looks taller than Stewart...bottom line, guys, I respect your opinion..great research. Let's have fun. Remember, camera angles!
mike c said on 13/Dec/06
JT, that is not the photo in the book I have. Rock is standing next to Wayne..your pic may be one of a series taken.....I will try to scan my pic. and send it....Wayne is bending forward as in your pic. but you can tell he's taller than Stewart....also, while I didn't get a chance to see Valance again, I put it on for a few minutes....the kitchen scene is very interesting.....Wayne IS taller by more than an inch...check it out...when the two approach each other, hit the pause button and keep on hitting it..until you can freeze the very last frame before they start to go away from each other. The beauty is you can see what they're wearing..but, if you get a moment, check out the scene with Strode (Pompey) and Wayne...they're standing face to face and, guess what?..Wayne appears a tad taller..then of course...Pompey, a football player and personal friend of Ford was 6'4" tall...but, I guess that's not enough for those of you that insist Wayne was 6'2" or shorter...Gonzalo, are you going to the dark side? You mention the Quite Man...I know you remember the bar scene when Wayne walks in (check out the shoes) and soon encounters Victor McLaglen...the man he'll soon fight..read Victor's bio....6'3"...a powerful boxer...Wayne is clearly taller..of course he was much younger than when he did the Shootist......me alegro que escribes sin insultar....Mike C. PS..guys, when JW did the Shootist he was courting death..one lung taken out, back trouble, and very much overweight..still one of the greatest...on this agree with JT Gonzalo,et.al..the current stars aren't even in the same league....
Gonzalo said on 12/Dec/06
In The searchers and in The quiet man Wayne stands barefoot and still looks very tall, much taller than Jeffrey Hunter in the first case, about three inches.
I have said before in this site that the lifts rumours might be true but I haven`t seen any evidence so far (no, the pic with Cooper is not an evidence for me; the pic of the cake...mmmm, so, so). Anyway, Wayne was no less than 6`2. I am not sure he was 6`4 1/2; that`s Tim Robbins`height and Robbins looks taller to me than Wayne. I always thought Wayne was 6`3.
In the page you sent JT there are some great pics: Wayne next to James Arness, looking fairly tall and next to at least 6`5 Chuck Connors, looking not much shorter.
I totally agree with what you say in the last paragraph, JT. Current stars suck in many cases
JT said on 11/Dec/06
Gonzalo, Stewart is in the background in that pic with Wayne so it's misleading. There's no doubt Wayne was a tall man though. I'm just not sure if he ever was 6'4". If someone could post a vid cap where he is standing barefoot next to 5'7" Lucille Ball (in tennis shoes I think) from that I Love Lucy episode, Wayne did not look close to 6'4" to me. Wayne looked no more than 6'2", even accounting for Lucy wearing shoes. He's in cowboy boots for every other scene. My sister is 5'6" - 5'7" and I'm 6'4" and a head size taller than she is in pictures, so I know pretty well from personal experience what the height difference should look like.
I love those old Hollywood photos too. It's embarrassing to even mention the current "stars" in the same breath with these guys from the past.
mike c said on 10/Dec/06
Talker, do yourself and your friends a big favor a buy the pictoral history of John Wayne..go straight to the page showing Clint 6'4"), Lee 6'2"), Roc 6'5", John W.,Jimmy Stewart (6'3"), Earnest Borgnine *5'11" at prime)and two others...JW is bending down to cut a cake.look at the wall behind the men, the fixtures. Tell me Stewart is taller...they're all dressed in suits...oh! I forgot, Wayne is wearing lifts in his dress shoes just as he did in the pic. with Reagan, Sinatra,Martin, and Hope...Homework? I've done mine..At 60, I make up my own mind, I do read, and I don't take what others have said at face value...hope you're young enough to learn the same....ps buy The Duke, A Life in Pictures
talker said on 9/Dec/06
MikeC,its amazing what you see that others dont....i just finished watching Valance again,you mean to tell me Wayne looks taller than Stewart in that movie?The best scene where they are standing one next to the other is where Wayne is teaching Stewart how to shoot,you mean to tell me Stewart doesnt look a little taller than Wayne there? Also look at the scene where Wayne nominates Stewart and walks up to him.He looks MUCH shorter there.
Instead of telling others to do their homework,why dont you do yours?
mike c said on 8/Dec/06
jt, don't flatter yourself with your shoe size..it means spit!..why aren't the pics with the Coop, Rock, Hutton helpful?...do some work and stop repeating what you've heard .....buy John Wayne, the Man behind the Myth...shoe size 11.....height very very tall....it's amazing how you and a few other on this page draw conclusions from hearsay and no homework...as for the Lucy pic, revisit and watch him on the cot getting a back massage....yep, 6' or just a tad over.....and Lee was 6' as well....break down and buy The Duke, A Life in Pictures.....Barnes and Noble sells it....Tiger, are you still around?
Jason said on 8/Dec/06
I think he wore a size 9. You know what they say about men w/small feet! :0
Kidding about the last bit...
As for his height, 6'2'' and change I'd say as well.
JT said on 7/Dec/06
I have no idea whether Wayne was a legit 6'4" or not. The photos with Cooper, Rock Hudson, Jim Hutton, and his appearance on I Love Lucy where he is barefoot are not helpful to his case though. Didn't Wayne have very small feet also, which would not be consistent with a 6'4" guy? I'm 6'4" and wear a size 12 and read somewhere that Wayne's shoe size was much smaller than this.
Glenn said on 7/Dec/06
I kinda agree James.cause why the lifts rumors for a 6-4 guy?
mike c said on 6/Dec/06
Kevin T...I don't think you've watched "Valance" carefully....see it again..watch the kitchen scene, notice the footwear, and especially notice the hotel scene with Oppie AKA Ron Howard..... with all due respect as you may be genuine, your argument has no merit....am I the only one who has access to some of the comments stated below? I'm 60, grew up in a carpenter's house....I can build a house and I DO have an eye for measurement.....JW was indeed 6'4" or taller....see his earlier pics. in particular The Quiet Man..and for God's sake read....
POD said on 6/Dec/06
If shorter than advertised, Wayne can't be under 6'2"-6'3".
Sometimes i find hard to belive him a full 6'4" or as some say 194cm, but 6'1"?
C'mon that's bull
Kevin T said on 6/Dec/06
No question that Wayne was a big man, a tall man, and a heroic figure but I find the 6' 4" publicity height about as credible as Marilyn Monroe's weight being listed as "120 pounds". Wayne appeared to be, to my artist's eye, about 6' 1" in stocking feet, or around 6'3" in cowboy boots. It is a fact that his height and size were a big part of his image, the same way Schwarzenegger's muscles are a signature item. As for the "proof comparisons" with actors who were 6'1" and 6'2", who says the actors in question were that tall..? Lee Marvin did not look 6' 2" to me--he was about 5' 11" or 6' 0". Ronald Reagan was not 6' 2"..he was at most 6' 1", as proven by photo comparisons with Jimmy Carter and G.H.W. Bush. Jimmy Stewart appeared taller than Wayne in both 'Liberty Valance' and 'The Shootist', and he was officially 6'3".
mike c said on 3/Dec/06
Talker, glad you have knowledge of "The Big Trail"..at least you've read something about the Duke! Our argument, and if you've read the myriad comments below, is whether or not JW was 6'4" inches tall or taller.....scroll down if your computer allows it....plenty of proof to show once and for all that the Duke was in fact 6'4" tall or taller barefoot....of course you might have to buy several books on his life and do a little more homework....mathematically and in pictures he was indeed 6'4" tall or maybe 6'4.5"....what is the name of the movie you mentioned?...buy The Man That Shot Libery Valance and The Shootist..Jim Stewart was 6'3"..compare JW to JS and 6'2" Marvin and tell me JW was shorter..of course you just might go out and buy the book I've mentioned a dozen times..The Duke, A Life in Pictures..no, that would be too easy...you just might be able to compare the Duke with Eastwood, Hudson, and Stewart in suits and dress shoes..no, that would be too easy..seriously, glad you're part of an intelligent debate.
u.ntouchable said on 3/Dec/06
and about this lift buisness, its known FACT that wayne only used lifts LATER in his life, in around the 1960's because of his declining health and his weight which became a big deal, when someone puts that much weight, even on a big frame...its hard to maintain his presence.
u.ntouchable said on 3/Dec/06
talker, those pics you posted.
did you NOT notice that marvin was almost standing straight up when the Duke in BOTH pictures was slouchng, look at his knee and posture...he is deffinetly not his full height there, and clearly in the second photo his knee is bent with his usual posture, so he would definetly be in the vicinity of 6'4.
talker said on 3/Dec/06
Mikec,that was when Walsh cast JW in THE BIG TRAIL,he was 22 and slim and wearing mocassins,(and saying indians are his friends!!!)i have this movie,Wayne looks tall but not huge like in later career.He doesnt tower over anyone in this movie,just looks regularly tall.There are scenes with costar Margueritte Churchill where he looks barely over 6',but generaly i'd say he looks a little over 6'2" which is my opinion about him anyway.
mike c said on 2/Dec/06
Gonzalo, I sent this yesterday, but I think it was lost in e-mail limbo....in the book John Wayne, the Man Behind the Myth, director Raoul Walsh is quoted on pages 23-24, "I was strolling around Fox lot one day and as I walked by the property department, saw this young feller come out-about 6 feet four inches in height....I said, How would you like to be in picture?" that was 1930...!!!! Gonzalo glad you're still around. Mike
mike c said on 2/Dec/06
Talker, look at Wayne's knees in both pics. and the chin line...you do know that Jimmy was 6'3" and Marvin 6'2".....study the pics and watch the movies...
Brad said on 2/Dec/06
Years ago I asked a late radio host here how tall Wayne was since he dated his daughter Aliysa (spelling), he said 6' 4" and "one big man".
talker said on 1/Dec/06
The 4"lifts is a joke,I dont believe people can walk in 4"lifts,its ridiculous.I can believe 2"lifts which is still enormous.
Glenn said on 1/Dec/06
Its weird that such a tall man has lifts rumors.Clint Eastwood never did.
Gonzalo said on 30/Nov/06
Well, that pic again...
The lifts rumour is and will be always there but we haven
Matt said on 30/Nov/06
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but I've heard that Wayne used to wear boots with up to 4-inch heels, which would make him appear to be gigantic, assuming he was actually 6'4''. Can anyone verify that?
mike c said on 24/Nov/06
Talker, with all due respect...can't use geometry here...need a full shot..head to toes for both and a familiar object to prepare a proportional equation to solve...see my proof below..Feb 20, 06....interesting what you can do with math...love the discussion though....at least everyone is being a gentleman about it....ed. Rob posted a pic with Wayne and Scott...they're dancing or walking with a girl in between them.....if I use your reasoning, Wayne is definitely taller, again!....hope Rob would show it again.....I think Frank 2 sent it, not sure. Happy Thanksgiving! Mike
Carl said on 24/Nov/06
John Wayne is the taller one in that pic, just look at the position of head and eyes, he a good inch taller than cooper!
Parker said on 23/Nov/06
Impossible to tell any height difference from this image in my opinion. The camera is looking up at them both.
Glenn said on 23/Nov/06
mike c -I know Wayne was tall.but why the notorious rumors of lifts? the greatest one being someone said back then,they buried him in his lifts.
mike c said on 22/Nov/06
Talker, you have not done your research and it's clear that you are repeating what others have said about JW.....just read below.....one more time! Watch The Shootist...carefully watch the scene between Ron Howard (5'9") and the Duke in the hotel room...JW is barefoot....RH is wearing boots...tell me JW doesn't tower over the kid and tell me he's not at least 6'4" tall...and also, watch the scene when Jimmy Stewart examines JW...please don't tell me JW is wearing lifts...by the way, the Coop was 6'3" and Wayne WAS taller...buy the book I've mentioned a dozen times...then again, don't buy it...that way you can just go on arguing..with all Due Respects. Mike
talker said on 21/Nov/06
i found that photo and sent it to the editor.Can you please put it up mr.editor
so that people can judge for themselves?
talker said on 20/Nov/06
i've seen in some book a photo of Wayne next to Gary Cooper at some studio party,where they both probably were wearing regular shoes,Cooper was taller than Wayne,just a little.I believe Cooper was near 6'3" and Wayne was just under that.Wayne managed to look incredibly tall in his movies because like many have witnessed,wore lifts that probably made him 6'5" or so.
If he was 6'2.5",he wasnt a short man of course and he only needed like 2" inch lifts which doesnt sound strange to me.I believe thats why he had this peculiar walk about him.Some have wondered why he would wear lifts since he was already tall but i think he just wanted to tower over everybody,it was his style of acting to look big.
mike c said on 6/Nov/06
A great photo is to be found in "The Duke, A Life in Pictures"...John Wayne standing next to Jim Hutton...Wayne sure looks 6'4.5" to me...buy the book and then we'll argue.....also, watch The Shootist and Wayne next to 6'3" (documented) Jim Stewart! Tell me Wayne is shorter.....look at the boots they're both wearing.
HEIGHT MAN said on 5/Nov/06
in Hellfighters check out the scene in the hospital when Duke is standing next to 6'5 Jim Hutton. I would say there is AT LEAST a 2.5 inch difference between Wayne and Hutton
mike c said on 23/Oct/06
JT, did you see The Shootist? Check out the seen with JW and "Opie"..JW is barefoot..Opie is 5'9" ..tell me Wayne is 6' tall....
JT said on 14/Oct/06
Anyone have any stills or vid caps of the "I Love Lucy" episode where 5'7" Lucy is giving Wayne a massage in the trailer? I always thought Wayne was 6'4" but he honestly looked several inches shorter in that scene, where he was barefoot.
Mike T said on 5/Oct/06
First of all I must mention that John Wayne is one of my favorite actors of all time. With that being said, I believe his true height to be right around 6'3". If you watch Rio Bravo, which was made in the late 50's, pay attention to actor John Russell who played Nathan Burdette. He is listed as 6'3". When he and Wayne walk into the jail when he first arrives into town, you will notice that their heights are almost identical. If anything Russell looks slightly taller. Just my observation.
Todd B said on 4/Oct/06
I used to deliver to an old lady that was the female voice of movietone news during the 40s and 50s. Her husband was a middle level director during this same period. She had an extensive photo collection of her and a great many movie stars of this era. One of them was her and her husband at the beach with several other people, one of which was John Wayne. They were all barefoot and it was quite obvious that the duke was at least 6 ft.4. I say this because as an old lady, my client was at least 5 ft9. She was 85 years old when I saw the picture so she was about 35 or 40 when it was taken. She was standing with John Wayne next to her. If she was 5 ft10 back then, the photo clearly shows that he was at least 6 in. taller than her. I saw he was 6 ft4 minimum.
Anonymous said on 30/Sep/06
stacey, there was a Rock Hudson quote about John Wayne on the net once and it said something along the lines of 'Wayne wore lifts and a corset and had small feet'. I do think Wayne must have been at the least 6'3'' and probably was 6'4'' at least in his prime. If you watch the films he is obviously a big man and it is not because of camera angles.
stacey said on 27/Sep/06
I must add my name to the list of people who believe that john wayne being 6'4" tall is somewhat of a tall tale.. Not for any other purpose except seeing his boot imprint in concrete in front of the chinese theatre in hollywood ... anyone else been there and seen this?
Gonzalo said on 21/Sep/06
Well, Mike C, I think they don
mike c said on 19/Sep/06
Thanks, Gonzalo...as an elementary school principal been going through state mandated assessments...takes a lot of time...we did very well and I'm proud of my staff...in almost all the movies of JW, due to camera angles and land elevation, his height appears to change....was nose to nose with Rock Hudson in the Undefeated in certain scenes (especially the fight scene) and slightly shorter in some shots...buy the book I mention a few times..when you see the photos of the Duke in his early 20's and celebrating his birthday with the likes of Hudson, Eastwood, Marvin, and other greats the debate is over..you'll truly enjoy the photos...I hope Tiger is still around and has bought it....talk about leyends! Our supposedly movie heroes today aren't even in the same league as Wayne, Marvin, Eastwood,etc. cuidate. ps...Marvin was 6'2"..in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance the Duke is at least 2-3 inches taller than Marvin and 6'2" Van Cleef....guess he had lifts!
Gonzalo said on 18/Sep/06
It was hard to tell who was taller, Ryan or Wayne. When they met at the headquarters, right before their last mission, Wayne appeared clearly taller; but I have seen pictures and Ryan seem slightly taller. 6`3, 6`4, in any case Wyane wasn
CC-Tron said on 16/Sep/06
Robert Ryan is not 6'4. Maybe in boots. He's more like 6'2 IMO. Also he's been listed at different heights ranging from 6'2 to 6'4. So 6'4 is questionable.
mike c said on 15/Sep/06
Great, Gonzalo!..been busy lately and haven't visited this site as I did earlier in the year. You're so right! 6'4" plus...my Feb. 06 math lesson...see below..proves without a doubt...6'4"+..I challenge anyone to prove me wrong....just buy the book...interesting: proves Clint's height also...and Marvin's, but we know there are a few people who just can't imagine the Duke as anyone taller than 6'..cudiate, hermano!
Glenn said on 15/Sep/06
I met Sophia.5-8 sounds right.
Gonzalo said on 15/Sep/06
Sophia Loren was very tall, 5.8 I think. Take a look at her next to Wayne.
Click HereWayne next to James Stewart. I watched this movie recently (Wayne`s last movie) and he looked very, very tall.
Click Here
Gonzalo said on 15/Sep/06
I guess he looks tall in this pic. To say he was under 6
anon said on 11/Sep/06
I believe wholeheartedly that John Wayne was over 6'0" and maybe more. I know his granddaughter and she is atleast 5'11" or an inch shorter since she was inches taller than me and I stand at 5'6". His 13 yr old great granddaughter is already half an inch taller than me. Coincidence that his descendents are so tall? Probably not. Especially since they're females and females tend to not grow that tall unless they have very tall parents and grandparents.
I haven't been in touch with his granddaughter in atleast 2 months or so but maybe if I do speak to her I can ask how tall he was and see if she has an estimate.
Regus said on 1/Jul/06
Watch him in any of those early movies he did-the Big Trail or whatever, from the thirties, when he was hardly in a position to control how they shot him or what size the extras would be, etc. He towers over his co-stars(Gabby Hayes, etc) it's not even funny. One of my co-workers told me she saw him in person in Boston back in the mid-60s. He was most def. 6-4.
Frank2 said on 29/May/06
Watching In Harm's Way I noticed that Wayne wore regular shoes and towered over everyone except for 6'5" George Kennedy. The Duke was about an inch shorter. Wayne was several inches taller than 6'1" Henry Fonda. I now have no doubt he stood 6'4" barefoot.
Larry said on 29/May/06
Hi Jason - Ahhh... that was a Jimmy Dean song. I wouldn't think it was Big John Hamilton. But I recall the song from my junior high days: "BIG BAD JOHN!"
I think the John we all knew & loved was more like 275 pounds and he had a VERY nasal voice. Well, so DO I being from the same area of Texas. :-) I asked my cousin about seeing John Wayne & he said Mr. Wayne looked about 6'4" and weighed maybe 260-270 when he saw him. He didn't get a look at footwear.
That would have been about 1968.
Frank2 said on 26/May/06
About as hilarious as wasps in one's pants.
Jason said on 26/May/06
Larry, I remember once hearing this song on the radio called ''Big John''. Was an old song about some dude called Big John lol. Said he was 6'6'' 245lbs if I remember correctly. Was it about the Big John you're talking about?
Tiger said on 24/May/06
I know that Clark/McFly/Harvey is a nut; we all know that! Rob: I think you should let this clown have his remarks posted. They are great comic relief. It is fun to watch a person of this nature make a complete idiot out of himself. He is so dumb that he's actually hilarious!
Larry said on 23/May/06
I never saw Mr. Wayne in the flesh, but my cousin did in 1967. I'll ask him about the details when I see him. He stated that Mr. Wayne was his height at the time, which would have been 6'4". Also, we were good friends (my family) with a sometime actor named John Hamiliton (AKA: Big John). He owned a barbeque restaurant in San Antonio, Texas when I was a young man. John Hamilton stood 6'6". He was 1" taller than I. He was in a couple of movies with John Wayne (The Alamo & McLintock) and he said he was about 2" taller than John Wayne. He had a photo of them in his restaurant.
Mikex said on 20/May/06
Wayne was a very big man by the standards of the time although of course there were always guys who were bigger. Although I'm somewhat of a liberal in my views I think that he was a superb actor and his politics should not distract from this. There's a story about an awards ceremony at which Wayne is given an award. Laurence Olivier is there and someone turns to Olivier and disparages Wayne's acting skills. Olivier replies to the effect that Wayne is a superb actor who is capable of things that he himself can not dream of. By the way i hope Frank2 is still contributing to this site as his comments are always interesting.
Tiger said on 12/May/06
2 nights ago, on public television (PBS), there was an excellent documentary on the relationbship between John Wayne and John Ford. It discussed how they worked with one another, the films they made together, their political views, and how they became close friends over time. As I watched it, the show stated twice that Duke Wayne was 6-4 1/2.
sam said on 11/May/06
Wayne was no taller than Jimmy Stewart. He was 6'3" in his heyday and about 6'2 1/2" later. Jimmy was 6'3-6'3 1/2". Heston 6'2". Eddie Albert was 5'10".
Frank2 said on 30/Apr/06
In the film The Fighting Seabees, John Wayne is taller than Dennis O'Keefe who was at the very least 6'2". Both men wear regular shoes and in long shots where they're together it's clear that Wayne is taller and taller by sometimes two inches. No ramps, no boxes and no lifts.
mike c said on 28/Apr/06
Frank 2..what wonderful pics!..especially love the shot of John Wayne in London while shooting Brannigan. Tiger, can't resist a little mathematics here! JW measures (on my computer screen) 5.25" and the belt he has on measures 3/32"..again, using proportions of elements in a pic. to their true measurements I've come up with 77" for Wayne....3/32" (.09375)divided by 1.375" (actual measurement of the belt in real life [measured some of my own for this])is equal to 5.25" divided by X (Wayne's real height)..see below for the steps involving cross multiplication and solving for X..Wayne, Frank, with what are apparently normal shoes measures a full 77"..6'5"..add the inch for the heel..he's lost 1/2inch since the log cabin shot....love a challenge! Frank, why don't you write a book (unless you've already done that)..your pics. and info. are priceless.! Remember guys, let's have some fun..enough crap out there..we don't need anymore, especially on a site that should be fun!Rob, this is my favorite page!
richinkle said on 26/Apr/06
Incidentally, I'm watching a 1955 episode of I Love Lucy with John Wayne. Wayne is wearing 2" - 2 1/2" cowboy boots, and Lucy is wearing about 2 1/2" to 3" heels. Wayne is no more than 7" or 7 1/2" taller than Ball, who comes up to somewhere between his nose and mouth (it's hard to tell exactly because she's wearing a handbag on her head). In another scene, Wayne in 1/2" slippers is about 5" taller than Desi Arnaz in 2" - 2 1/2" heels. With Lucy at 5'-7 1/2" and Desi at 5'-9 or 9 1/2", John Wayne is easily about 6'-4".
Frank2 said on 26/Apr/06
I'm talking about those on the far left who totally disregard religion, disregard the Constitution, embrace communism and desire to install a radical brand of socialist government to replace of what we have. They should cause you greater concern.
George H said on 26/Apr/06
Frank2: (off-topic) Surely you are not saying there are no "God-loving lefties" around? That being a "lefty" or being "God-loving" is mutally exclusive? Frankly (how appropriate) some of your and Tiger's remarks and theories about the course our nation should fare, cause me great concern, especially since I am stationed overseas at the moment.
I apologize, Editor, for going off topic here, but I couldn't ignore those remarks.
Tiger said on 25/Apr/06
Frank2: I very much admire you the more I read your commentary. Very well-said and I very much agree! As far as Duke's height and what a small number think of him negatively, he has and always will endure. He will always be a legend and larger than life. No one can take him down! I would say most would want our great country to get back to the ideals that Duke represented and I think most have never lost those ideals. The one great thing about our country is that, no matter what piece of garbage comes along and no matter who tries to be "heroic", we always seem to get back to what makes this nation the best. We will always endure and outlast those who basically stand for nothing!
George H said on 25/Apr/06
Wayne was a physically big man, period. I never heard about him wearing lifts, and at his size I doubt it would be necessary. However, claiming that anybody who doesn't agree with Wayne's politics is un-American is BS!!! I have two nationalities, one of which is American and I am a Liberal and I am seriously incensed when rightwingers immediately claim somebody's unpatriotic or doesn't love his country or is anti-American, just because he doesn't share their conservative views. Sorry, just had to get that off my chest, guys.
Frank2 said on 24/Apr/06
I knew Albert since he and his wife were friends with my folks. When he was younger he was a solid 5'11". In the film Madison Avenue (1962) he's about an inch taller than 5'10" Dana Andrews. I haven't seen Brother Rat in years so I can't remark on the height difference between him and Reagan. I never saw An Angel from Texas. I do know that Reagan was 6' after he left office since I met him on at least two occasions and both times he was an inch taller than me.
Tiger said on 24/Apr/06
Frank2: AMEN on all accounts! Perfectly said! Most today would run with their tails between their legs. We saw what people were made of in the 60s; our country turned to instant _____.
Frank2 said on 24/Apr/06
Wayne did a lot of USO tours starting during WW II up through Vietnam and to my knowledge was always greeted with respect. When the Duke toured Vietnam, he was cheered. Wayne wore Capt. Stephen P Hanson's "Prisoner of War" bracelet after the Marine was shot down over Laos, Vietnam. Sadly, Hanson never came home but John Wayne stayed in contact with his wife and young son. Wayne wore that bracelet in his later films and never took it off.
By the time the United States entered WW II, Wayne was 35 years old. He was later given 2-A classification, "deferred in support of [the] national . . . interest." Other older actors such as Henry Fonda enlisted, but remember that famous actors were mostly held back from the front lines. To my knowledge, of all the famous, established stars who entered WW II, only Jimmy Stewart put his life on the line by flying 20 combat missions, earning the Distinguished Service Medal, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and four Air Medals. Stewart retired as a Brigadier General in the Air Force Reserves. Tyrone Power enlisted in the Marines and became a flight trainer stationed in the States. Later he did reportedly get to fly in supplies to troops stationed at Iwo Jima, but shortly after Power had enlisted, he returned to Hollywood at the request of 20th Century-Fox, to complete one more film, 1943
Paul said on 24/Apr/06
Frank2, in your opinion, could Eddie Albert have been 6 foot in the 1930s/early 40s? The reason I ask is that I've seen several Warners films in which he appeared with Ronald Reagan and I can't see 2 inches of difference between the two (6'1" vs 5'11"). They look very close in height. Check out Brother Rat or An Angel from Texas for two films in which they appeared in many scenes together.
I'm starting to think Reagan was perhaps closer to 6 foot than 6'1" (maybe 6'0.5"). It's been a while since I read it, but I think Reagan mentioned in his first biography that he was quite undersized as a youth (being something like 5'3" as a middle teen) but then he had a late growth spurt that elevated his height to just over 6 foot.
Tiger said on 24/Apr/06
Bleemo: excellent commentary on Duke's height, but can you document for us where Duke was booed off-stage? If it is well-documented, then there should be something to look at.
Frank2 said on 23/Apr/06
"By the way, while they were making North to Alaska in 1960 Capucine actually witnessed the lifts being fitted into Wayne's boots each morning while he was putting his wig on."
This asinine, ill-informed statement shows that little common sense is being applied. It's virtually impossible to fit four inch lifts inside standard cowboy boots. A person couldn't get their foot inside if that happened.
The trouble ain't that people are ignorant: it's that they know so much that ain't so.
-- Josh Billings
Tiger said on 23/Apr/06
Mike c: well-said again! Hope all is well! Frank2: more great photos. However, when one is as ignorant as McFly or Harvey, does it really matter and are they worth the debate?!!!! I tend to think not!
Frank2 said on 23/Apr/06
God bless you too, Mike!
Gonzalo said on 23/Apr/06
Well, we are not even saying that Wayne was just 6 feet but we are also arguing that Wayne was a good actor! That looks too much to me. So Wayne was like women when they wear 5 inch heels! I can
mike c said on 23/Apr/06
Frank, what great pictures! The one with Henry Fonda is special..that was one of the scenes that came to mind as I read Harvey's remarks regarding Wayne's political views and "obvious lack of talent and height..you must have a "treasure of photos!"
mike c said on 23/Apr/06
Great pics. Frank...I like you a lot! Wayne was indeed only 6' tall...because all your photos and those of other intelligent people are doctored! Harvey has all the answers....of course, he's not only a mathematician, but a history buff who has absolute proof that Wayne was a short, no talent
C actor...hey, when you're wrong, you're wrong!..wonder if he's a friend of the other genuis McFly...hope I've gotten his spelling correct. Seriously, you need a little common sense when you look at a photograph...guess Harvey has a problem with perception and proportion...look at the surrounding elements, e.g. cars, fences, log cabins,at nauseum!..then make a ridiculous statement that Wayne was only 6'1" at most.....Ed. Rob..still love your pages in spite of what I've read from a couple of individuals who, I think, are not using their intelligence when they make statements that are just ridiculous..Hi Tiger!ps Frank..I agree with you that Wayne did more for the morale of the troops during WWII than any soldier fighting on the front...he WAS a great actor, human being, albeit with numerous flaws (except for Harvey, he's perfect and his politics are just what we need right now with Iraq and Bush)and, he was a good role model for our youth...not the crap we get from actors and athletes today...
Frank2 said on 23/Apr/06
Wayne with 5'10" Richard Widmark:
Click HereWayne with 5'10" Charles Coburn:
Click HereWayne with 6'1" Red Skelton (slouching) and 5'9" Tommy Smothers:
Click HereI don't think they made ski boots with lifts:
Click HereWayne next to 6'1" Henry Fonda:
Click Here
Frank2 said on 23/Apr/06
Wayne in London during the filming of Brannigan:
Click HereThey don't look like lifts or elevators to me.
Another shot:
Click HereAnd another:
Click HereWayne didn't wear lifts in this film:
Click HereAnd towered over everyone.
He doesn't look like he's wearing lifts in this shot:
Click HereLooks pretty tall to me:
Click HereAnd unlike a lot of actors who were and are bald, Wayne didn't care if he appeared in public without his hairpiece. Burt Reynolds wears his to bed! I think he also wear lifts to bed!
Frank2 said on 23/Apr/06
God bless you tiger! We may disagree on how tall some actors were, but we're both on the same page as to the value of their colossal talents as well as how they benefited society as a whole. Harvey claims Wayne never did "a single heroioc thing in his life" which just goes to show how ignorant the man is. I won't go into details, but I will say that what Wayne accomplished through his acting did as much or more for American moral during WW II than what any soldier on the front line firing a gun happened to do. I also suspect that Harvey would be the first to run off to Canada if we ever ended up drafting people for the armed forces.
Tiger said on 22/Apr/06
Frank2: I did not know that about 'High Noon'. Thanks for clarifying that. A little like Dirty Harry throwing away his bagde at the end after killing Scorpio in the original 'Dirty Harry'? I don't think it has anyhthing to do with being anti-American, just getting the 'bad guy'.
Frank2 said on 22/Apr/06
In fairness to Harvey, Wayne did dislike High Noon with a passion and repeatedly said so. What irked him was the marshal throwing his badge away at the conclusion of the film. He felt it was degrading somehow and anti-American. Later when he starred in McQ, Wayne purposely had it written so he throws his badge away in order to work better capturing the criminals and then at the film's conclusion conveniently accepts it back when it's handed to him by his boss played by Eddie Albert. And in that film, Wayne didn't wear lifts and was five inches taller than Albert who was about 5'11" when he was younger.
Frank2 said on 22/Apr/06
For what it's worth, I have an actor friend who once worked with Mitchum, even got him to autograph an unauthorized bio about the star. Bob signed it with the amusing comment, "Guilty as charged!"
My friend asked Mitchum about the lifts crack and Mitchum admitted it was just a joke. Anyone who knew Mitchum understands he was a practical joker who didn't take much in life that seriously. He was also a certified genius who could talk on almost any subject with authority.
Frank2 said on 22/Apr/06
No, I'm not irritated. Just laughing my ass off! If Bob Mitchum was only 5'11" then I guess I'm only 5'9". That makes George Segal 5'8" and Jeff Kramer 5'6" and Deidre Hall 5'5" and Tippi Hedren 5'2" and all the stars I've met over the years two inches shorter including Elvis who now must have only been around 5'9.5"!
Editor Rob
time to downgrade Elvis!
Mikex said on 22/Apr/06
Harvey I reckon your right. Your evidence conclusively proves Wayne was 5'8'' in his boots with lifts while standing on a box. Also don't forget the stetson. All told Wayne was probably about 5'2'' or 5'3''. Also I saw Clint Eastwood today at the garden centre and he was shorter than me and I'm barely 5'7''. No wonder they call Hollywood the dream factory.
J-Dog said on 22/Apr/06
Frank2 you are right about Wayne's longer torso. I also don't understand how some people can in vein try to downgrade those who aren't even suspect by throughing the whole "he wore lifts" assumption, and where is the proof? Cowboy boots or not assuming that he got 4" from them is ridiculous.
mike c said on 21/Apr/06
Hi Tiger! Just when I thought it was safe to go into the water...we've provided enough proof on Wayne's height to convince a jury yet there are still people out there that won't accept the facts...I love it!...Tiger, am I the only person who can scroll down and actually read what we've repeatedly said regarding the Duke...my math,your comments, and the wonderful pics from Frank 2 (I still like you Frank!)...to say that John Wayne was only six feet tall in spite of all his pictoral history and documentation. It borders on nonsense!.. I especially love it when one can ascertain an actor's height while he's getting a massage...yes, he was just 6 feet tall...saw the same episode a number of times...sorry, can't agree..read my opinions below!Editor Rob, am I the only one that can see what I've written regarding the Duke? My dad always told me, "Tell a lie enough and soon people begin to believe it".
Tiger said on 21/Apr/06
Frank2: thanks for the great photos! You are much better at that than I am. Harvey: have you changed your opinion yet?
Frank2 said on 21/Apr/06
I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion. They're also entitled to be foolish. John Wayne, who I saw in person, stood next to and shook his hand, towered over this 5'11" pilgrim. He was at least 6'3" by the time I saw him which was in the 1970's. His station wagon had the door height increased so he wouldn't bump his head getting in and out! He had a very long torso. I know since I have one myself. If my legs were proportioned correctly I should be 6'3" myself. I have problems bumping my head in cars. My father-in-law is 6'5" and towers over me yet his torso is exactly the same length as mine. When seated we're the same height. But he has legs that go on forever! So did Wayne. And wayne had talent that went on forever!
Wayne and director John Ford:
Click HereFord was a six footer! That's the huge Cinerama camera.
Wayne and 6'1" Bob Mitchum:
Click HereWayne and 6'2" Ray "Crash" Corrigan:
Click HereCorrigan played in a lot of westerns and even played the monster in the sci-fi film It the Terror From Beyond Space, a low budget 1950's cheapie that inspired Alien.
Here's another with Crash:
Click HereAnd Crash in his alien suit:
Click HereThe girl looks like she's having fun! FYI That suit was designed to fit another actor who became ill at the last minute so Ray literally filled in. The costume barely fit him and in the film as well as in this shot his chin can be seen sticking out of the mouth in the face mask. In the movie it looks like a tongue.
Wayne and 5'2" Liz Taylor:
Click HereEven with her bad back, Liz wouldn't be caught dead without wearing at least four inch heels when being photographed.
Wayne with Barbara Walters:
Click HereThat was a splendid interview.
Wayne and Bob Hope:
Click HereWayne and 6'3" Chuck Roberson:
Click HereChuck was a stuntman by trade, but acted in several Wayne films. They were good friends.
Wayne with famed film composer Dimitri Tiomkin (center):
Click HereDimi was my height or 5'11". Tiomkin wrote scores for many great Hollywood westerns including such classic Wayne films as Red River, Rio Bravo and The Alamo.
5'10" Jonathan Winters and Wayne:
Click HereI doubt Wayne is wearing lifts here:
Click Here
Mikex said on 20/Apr/06
Oh come on Harvey! John Wayne 6'1'', only a dyed in the wool Commie would believe that.Joke. I think he was 6'4'' when young. However 6'4'' could legitimately cover anything fom 6'3'' 1/2 to 6'4'' 3/4 so maybe there were other 6'4'' guys a little taller.
JT said on 20/Apr/06
I've heard stories saying John Wayne was anywhere from 6'4" down to 6'0". Watch the "I Love Lucy" episode where he guest-stars. He wears his cowboy boots, so he naturally appears tall. However, when Lucy gives him a rub-down, he's barefoot and really doesn't look much above 6'0". He's still the Duke and a great American.
Tiger said on 19/Apr/06
Frank2: I'm not sure that Wayne lost an inch by the time of 'The Searchers'. That movie was from 1956 and Wayne was only 49. Duke was one to hold his height to the very end. If he lost any height at all, it would be in his movies from the 1970s. Even his last film, 'The Shootist', he is consistently taller than the 6-3 1/2 Jimmy Stewart. I have seen the photo of the two from the movie that you submitted a while back and Stewart is a hair taller. That is not indicative of the movie. Duke is taller throughout. It starts with their first meeting in Stewart's office.
Gonzalo said on 18/Apr/06
I admit that it surprised me to see Elam was 6`2. He looked tall to me but not that much. I thought he was 6 feet or 6`1 at the very most.
It seems that everything is getting clear about Wayne`s height. And about Wayne`s talent
Mikex said on 15/Apr/06
Difficult one this, at least 6'3'' but was he 6'4''? Great actor though whatever his height and I think unfairly maligned in some quarters a bit like Chuck Heston. He was right wing but in the freedom loving as opposed to facist sense of the word.
mike c said on 29/Mar/06
Guys, the current issue of Italian Cooking and Living, March 2006, page 41 shows a vintage picture of John Wayne and Dean Martin cooking pasta...1965....very impressive height difference..easy 5 inch difference + for Wayne...great photo..think it provides yet another proof of JW's height..but, maybe he was wearing lifts!
Gonzalo said on 27/Mar/06
Hi, guys. I saw
larry said on 19/Mar/06
So, Frank2: Was Mr. Wayne 6'4" at his peak? He describes himself as 6'4.5" in THE QUIET MAN. Raining like the dickens here in Texas! Flooding all over the place. Having been a zoologist for decades, harmonious wouldn't be my first choice of a word to describe nature. :-) Nature can certainly be beautiful, but there is a brutal, indifference to it too. I've learned to observe, record, and accept it.
Something I always liked at John Ford's movies were his locations! :-) They were a character in themselves. Mr. Wayne seemed to "act" so much better with Ford and Walsh, and another director who I can't recall. I agree: THE SEARCHERES was one of his best. I loved RIO GRANDE and SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON too.
mike c said on 17/Mar/06
Today is St. Patrick's Day and I'm going to sit back, relax, and watch The Quiet Man again...beats all the other crap on the tv with the possible exception of the Cooking Channel. and Emeril, Mario, and Bobby....and yes, I'll have a few beers in memory of The Duke, Barry, Ward, Victor, and of course Maureen...what a wonderful time..and so much talent..! Tiger, today, if a person feels passion for what he/she believes in, it considered a weakness...it's weakness in the eyes of those that just don't feel any connection/passion to an ideal, an idea, a point of view....we live in "now" society and the only thing important is "what I want"...what a shame we've come to this..perhaps, soon, another JW will come along....
Tiger said on 17/Mar/06
Frank2: ditto on the Duke! The very best at what he did! A true legend! The most impressive thing about Duke, among all his great attributes, was his unshakeable belief in his values. He carried them consistently to the end of his life. Society, today, lacks those values; we have gotten soft.
Frank2 said on 17/Mar/06
Did you ever see the interview Wayne did with Barbara Walters shortly before he died? Talk about one classy man! Boy! Do we need his kind his days! Wayne stood for what he believed in and took a lot of heat for it from his peers (or inferiors!) in the land of make believe. But he remained steadfast right to the very end. He loved his country as well as his fans. He took great pride in his work and was a deeply spiritual human being who had enough sense to realize that man didn't create God. What gets me is when I hear people knock the notion that something vastly more intelligent than us is behind everything we know as the universe. They think it was all just created by accident. Yet these same people can't create out of nothingness the simple beauty of a flower nor can they explain why nature is so harmonious. Truly amazing.
mike c said on 16/Mar/06
John Wayne loved John Ford...Ford saw something in JW and gave him his first break...JW didn't take himself seriously, he took his job, his country, his friends,and his ideals seriously..so self-deprecation, pretending to stumble, is par for the course..he wasn't full of himself and that's why he has endeared himself to many of us..He was great because he played John Wayne...no frills, no bulls***..just plain emotions and passion on the sleeve for everyone to see. Gonzalo, I agree with you 100%. Duke was great and Maureen was and still is beautiful...a great actress and a wonderful human being...she makes all of the new comers look like amateurs! I still have a crush on her...wonder if she would go out with a 59 yr. bachelor with two grown daughters who have no idea how great she was/is?.I'm going to try to get a copy of The Searchers...if anyone knows where I can buy a copy, write in. Frank 2, I've always read Chuck was 6'6"...
Frank2 said on 16/Mar/06
The Searchers is my personal John Wayne film. I've seen it so many times I know almost all of the dialogue. It's a film that cannot be watched just once. It's one of those rare movies that if it happens to be on TV and I switch to it when I'm just flipping channels I always stop and end up watching it to the finish. And I have an excellent letterboxed DVD of it. It's a very complex film. And Wayne gives an Academy Award performance as Ethan Edwards, a man who's prejudices are at odds with his true feelings. It took me a long time to figure out the real meaning of the film. But I started watching it back when I was just a kid. My dad took me to see it when it first came out. My father was huge western fan and would drag me to see just about anything that came out in that genre. We went to see The Big Country in 1958. That's another masterpiece. By the way, Rob, If you add Charles Bickford to the list, he was about 6'1". Burl Ives was about 5'11 and 1/2" so 6' would cover it. Heston and Peck were both 6'3". Ex-baseball player turned actor Chuck Connors was at least 6'5", maybe even 6'6". I saw him a few times walking around Century City when I worked at Fox Studios. He was a big man!
Barry Lane said on 16/Mar/06
I came face to face with John Wayne in London 1974, he was here filming Branigan. I must say as old as he was at that time, he was a huge man, he towered over everybody around him & he didn't have cowboy boots on either. I won't ever forget it.
Gonzalo said on 16/Mar/06
Mike C, I read that in the book "Print the Legend - Life and Times of John Ford" by Scott Eyman. For my birthday I got another book about Ford written by Joseph McBride; I haven
Tiger said on 15/Mar/06
No doubt! 'The Quiet Man' is a masterpiece. Duke Wayne truly demonstrates that he is a great actor in that movie. He never, ever got the true credit he deserved for being a great actor. To me, if there is any doubt about Duke's acting ability, all one has to do is watch 'The Quiet Man' or 'The Searchers'. My all-time favorite movie of anyone is 'The Shootist', a biography of Duke's life; it is outstanding! And Clint is my all-time favorite along with Duke; they are the 2 best in my book. The truly great ones are no more, except for Clint! O'Hara is also outstanding in 'The Parent Trap' (1960).
mike c said on 15/Mar/06
Frank, that did it! I like you and I appreciate what you said about the Duke. Loved O'Hara...thought she was great. And you're 100% right..she WAS the perfect match for JW..I watch The Quiet Man a lot and each time I focus on one of the actors..they were all great! I think Tiger agrees!I agree, Gonzalo, the bike scene and the subsequent shots bespeak a lot about their talents..great love scene..very believable...not the crap we get today...my favorite scene, because I love action, is the fight scene and the moments leading up to it..comedy, action, and great entertainment. I think Clint Eastwood used the idea in his orangutan movies..also love Clint...you see, the old movies did it before the new kids on the block...guys, enjoy reading all your comments..without the name calling and tough guy attitude..don't get me wrong, I like a good debate, but I think you all agree this should be fun and for me it IS! Keep it coming, guys!! ps.Gonzalo, Maureen had her baby on the scene of The Quiet Man as JW had his children there in the movie....where did you read that about Ford...she truly was a beautiful woman!
Frank2 said on 15/Mar/06
I was watching Turner Classic Movies and O'Hara was on telling how she had to once drive The Duke home from a party. She sort of had an idea where he lived, but wasn't quite sure. All of a sudden Wayne ordered her to pull over to the curb. When she asked him if that was his house he said, "No. I just want to get a drink." They both walked up to this house and Wayne rang the doorbell. This was very late at night. A couple opened the door and were shocked to see two big Hollywood stars standing there. Wayne asked for a drink and they invited them in. To this day O'Hara wonders what in the hell those two people thought after having them show up at their home unannounced so late in the evening. Maureen O'Hara's brother, Charles Fitzsimmons was a close family friend. I'd see Charlie at my home a lot when I was a kid. Maureen too. Charlie became a successful TV producer after a brief stint as an actor. He had a small speaking part in the 1953 b&w version of Titanic. He's one of the ship's officers, the one with a thick Irish accent. At one time my mom auditioned for the role of Esmeralda in the 1939 Charles Laughton version of Hunchback of Notre Dame. She told me that the film's director William Dieterle informed her in a thick German accent that she was too fair a complexion for the part. My mom was a blonde with very light skin. Redhead O'Hara got the role at the tender age of 18. Her mother would drive her to RKO each day and then home. Oh, and Maureen is quite tall, Id say at least 5'7". She was a perfect match for Wayne. I love The Quiet Man. The film is an absolute masterpiece and anyone who says The Duke couldn't act will have to explain away all the juveniles that populate the screen today who are called "actors." None could rate even being a flunky for The Duke.
mike c said on 14/Mar/06
Rob, see! We can discuss height, have fun, and respect each other....I think there's hope for Frank...Even Tiger seems tranquil..testing must be over. Hope you did well, Tiger. Gonzalo, in the English version of The Quiet Man Barry is taking John to his home town and, while on the buggy asks, "6 foot six?" to which JW responds, "6 4 and one half."....great shot of his shoes...still one of my very favorite movies....enjoyed reading what you wrote guys!
Gonzalo said on 14/Mar/06
Congratulations, Rob, for he page. It
Tiger said on 13/Mar/06
Rob: did you know that there is an on-line article about celebheights.com? It is titled 'Male Hollywood Stars Don't Stand As Tall As We Imagine' by Mark Roth, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette(3/3/06)
Click HereI think that is pretty awesome! Great Job!
mike c said on 13/Mar/06
Frank, pal 'o mine..read my comments below regarding the Duke and Jimmy....by the time he did The Shootist, JW had gone thru' hell and back physically..hope with all the photos you have of stars you have the ones in The Duke, A Life in Pictures! Mitchum was good, but not great..no in the league of JW....I'll debate that anytime. Glad everyone is civel and respectful...let's have fun with this. Has anyone on this page beside the Tiger seen The Quiet Man?..come on, admit it!
Gonzalo said on 13/Mar/06
Mike C, thank you for your sentence in Spanish. It was perfect! Take care
Gonzalo said on 13/Mar/06
Mitchum was a couple of inches shorter than Wayne in El Dorado. Wayne was taller than Stewart in the Shootist, although in that picture they look the same height, or maybe Stewart looks a little bit taller. In The man who shot Liberty Valance, one of Wayne`s real masterpieces, JW and James Stewart were very similar in height. Woody Storde was also in that movie and the three of them looked the same height. Strode is reported to be 6-4.
PS Mike C, you have to see The Searchers.
Tiger said on 12/Mar/06
Frank2: watch 'The Shootist' and you will see Duke consistently taller than Stewart throughout. Very obvious! 6-4 1/2 Duke to 6-3 Stewart. That is my all-time favorite film and I've seen it I don't know how many times. Martin said he, himself, was 6-1 on that program? I do agree, though, the Dean Martin celebrity roasts are a great way to estimate the heights we have come to know about. Almost every star of the era appears in some way.
Frank2 said on 12/Mar/06
This is Mitchum with Wayne:
Click Here I only see a two inch difference. To Tiger, when Mitchum appeared with Dean Martin he was a lot taller. A LOT TALLER!! When he appeared as a surprise guest on Dean's TV program and came out from behind the door he looked so big next to Dean that it prompted Dino to say, "I'm six foot one and he makes me look like nothin'!" That line just cracked me up to no end. Here's The Duke with Jimmy Stewart:
Click Here They seem to be the exact, same height. It's from The Shootist which was Wayne's last film.
mike c said on 12/Mar/06
Frank, what is Jo Ann Pflug wearing...3 inch heels...? What year was the photo taken...still think Gonzalo's photo is a gem!
Tiger said on 12/Mar/06
I don't know Frank2: I think Sinatra looks alot more than 5-7 in the different-angled photo of the one above.
Tiger said on 12/Mar/06
Wait a minute Frank2: no way I am going to try and visualize Duke's height; certainly not against a JoAnn Pflug,please! He is 6-4 1/2 period. Been through that, done that! The Martin, Sinatra, Wayne, Hope, Reagan photo above shows Duke tower over everyone AND it shows Martin and the 6-1 Reagan almost the same height. Also, you have the 5-11 1/2 Hope standing next to the 6-1 Reagan. This photo, from any angle (we've seen at least 3 now)is a classic with all these American icons and it is a good reflection of the documented heights we've seen.
Frank2 said on 11/Mar/06
Here's another shot taken of the above:
Click Here
Frank2 said on 11/Mar/06
Here's the Duke with actress Jo Ann Pflug:
Click HereJo Ann is about 5'9", possibly 5'9 & 1/2" barefoot so Wayne msut have shrunk some when thi photo was taken. I worked with her on The Fall Guy TV series. Nice lady.
Tiger said on 11/Mar/06
mike c: well-said. We are all having a pretty good discussion. I have seen Garner in too many movies and on TV to vision him less than 6-3. Of course, now he is older and has had some major physical problems. His knee injuries/surgeries have been well-documented over the years. In 'Rockford Files', he stood very tall. Even with 6-4 Clint and 6-4 Sutherland in 'Space Cowboys', he was still very near his 6-3, if not his 6-3. In regards to Nelson, I have a couple teen mags from the early 60s that I'm going to look through and see what I can find. A half an inch to one inch, to me, is no sweat. More than that is sweat.I think Frank2 is fine, but some of his recollections are hazy, I think. Although, he has convinced me, somewhat, that Jerry Lewis MAY not be 6 feet. I think, for now, 5-11 is more accurate, peak height-wise. Dino is taller than Lewis. But, Lewis did explain why this is. I don't know. Enough for now!
mike c said on 11/Mar/06
Tiger, 5 days of testing plus make-ups!!!Now, Frank 2, I'm 59 and been around the block more than you would like to know...seriously, I'm a great fan of the Duke and Clint, and James Garner always had a special place in my heart because he's a great actor...the man is believable!!! No way was he 6'1" in his prime..by the way, you're obviously very sincere so don't take this as an afront...I just don't agree with you , because I've seen too many photos of JG and I can't buy it...you may be right, but, for now, Frank 2, let's just say we'll split the difference...The Duke, no doubt 76" plus, JS almost 75", and JG close to 75" who knows the real height!..beginning to like you Frank. Tiger, what do you think, is there any hope for Frank 2.? ps, when I was growing up I remember hearing that Ricky was 6'+...again, guys, we're talking about the width of the average man's tumb!!! Editor Rob, love this chance to unwind and have fun...ppss..Frank, by the 60's I read that Garner was having terrible health problems regarding his back...trust me,I can read and do understand the English language.
Tiger said on 11/Mar/06
Frank2: when you initially submitted the photo of Garner and Nelson, you said there was a 2-inch height difference! (5-11 and 6-1)
Frank2 said on 11/Mar/06
Regarding Ricky with Garner, there's a clear three inch difference. They're both equally hunched. Look, I've seen both on numerous occasions and I'm telling you people, Ricky or Rick as he later wanted to be known, and Garner were the heights I've listed, no more, no less. I stood next to Garner and Sidney Poitier and noticed Poitier was taller by at least an inch. I first met Garner in the late-sixties so I doubt he had shrunk any by then. And Rick, well, I saw him grow up. I used to visit General Service Studios where they filmed the Nelson family's TV series. Ozzie was about 5'9" and David is about 5'10 & 1/2". David is quite stocky and looked shorter on film.
Tiger said on 11/Mar/06
mike c: 5 days of testing ? yikes! I thought 3 were exruciating! Good luck with that. Try to get some grading and some lesson-planning done. That's how I used my time while the kids were testing. I think I am going to buy that Martin/Lewis book also. I was never really into them until I came to this website. See how Rob opens doors for all of us :) My all-time favorite movie, by anyone, is 'The Shootist' (1976), Duke's last film. One can see how Duke and Jimmy Stewart were still awesome. Duke still had the height edge by just a bit.
mike c said on 11/Mar/06
Yep! add 1-2 inches to Garner in the pic. if he were straight. Remember the pic. with R. Scott and the Duke..the Duke was several inches shorter..no way, Jose! ps. Tiger I'm exactly 5 school days from T. Day...state tests...5 days of agony for my kids....keep up the good work!
Tiger said on 11/Mar/06
Said photo looks more like 6-3 Garner (slightly slouching forward) with 6-1 Rick Nelson(slightly slouching forward and bent at the knees). Nonetheless, a great photo!
Glenn said on 11/Mar/06
I had talks with autograph dealers from the 70s who told me that estimate.they could be wrong.they told me hendrix mightve been 5-8! bruce lee 5-7,jim morrison 5-11,john lennon 5-9.etc.
mike c said on 10/Mar/06
Now guys, that's much better..eveyone sharing and providing info. in a manner that invites debate, promotes respect, and yes, makes it fun to contribute. Frank 2 is calm...we can tell by the response to Tiger....and Tiger, I hope you're done with the testing....will buy the Lewis and Martin book this Sunday...my only day off! ...Gonzalo, bien dicho..me alegro que estas de acuerdo con la idea de que esta pagina es para diversion...translation..Gonzalo, well said..I'm glad you agree with the idea that this pages is for fun..I don't recall seeing the Searches, but will get it ASAP..sounds like a great movie..enjoy!
Frank2 said on 10/Mar/06
Here's 5'11" Ricky Nelson with 6'1" James Garner:
Click Here
Tiger said on 10/Mar/06
'The Searchers' is one of the best films ever, by anyone. I can watch that film over and over. I have the 3 tape + 1 'Carson Collection' and it has the famous Carson/Webb 'clapper caper'(Dragnet spoof) and it is hilarious! On the same tape, they have a monologue blooper where the overhead microphone doesn't drop down to its normal position, so Carson is not as loud as he should be. He says, "What the hell is that thing doing way up there ? I'm 5-11, not 6-5. Ed, can you reach that? " Of course, ever the quick-wit, Johnny goes and grabs a stool from behind the curtain, brings it out and stands on it. Everyone goes nuts! Classic!
Frank2 said on 10/Mar/06
Wayne was usually taller. I watched The Spoilers last night on TCM and Wayne appeared to be slightly taller than co-star Randolph Scott who was a solid 6'3". Wayne made Jeffrey Hunter look small in The Searchers and Hunter was 6' tall. I know since he and my dad were very close friends. I saw Hunter quite often. And Glenn, where did you hear that Carson was only 5'9"? By the way, on the classic Carson-hosted Tonight Show where jack Webb appeared, the two men were the same height. I worked with Jack "just the facts mam!" Webb at Universal on a godawful TV series about a policewoman and her police dog. Webb was exactly 5'10". He loved to drink and each day at 4PM he's stop work when he was supervising in the editing room and invite the editor Bob Leeds and yours truly to his office for cocktails. I did it only twice since Webb would keep filling my glass to the brim with Scotch. Fortunately I lived only a couple of blocks away from the studio and could stagger home! Webb was a fascinating guy. He told me a lot of great stories. He was one of a kind.
Gonzalo said on 10/Mar/06
Well, guys. I think we should all take it easy and enjoy the debate. In this page we are talking about Wayne and Frank2 said he was 6-3 in his sixties, which makes easy to believe that he was taller at his peak. Let
Glenn said on 10/Mar/06
I heard carson was 5-9.
Editor Rob
I wonder if anybody can remember Pele on Carson's show...
Frank2 said on 10/Mar/06
I gave you evidence with Carson's broze statue. Why make it smaller than he was in real life? If you don't belive me then go there and see for yourself. Jack Benny's bronze is nearby and they have him accurately standing at about 5'7" which is what he was in his youth. My mom worked with him in radio and she told me he was that size. I knew a lot of folks at NBC and they all knew Johnny Carson to be about 5'10". I was friends with Perry Massey who was an exec at NBC Burbank. He worked with Carson going back to when he originated the Tonight Show in NYC. One night he was out with Carson for drinks when Johnny spotted a very attractive woman seated across from them at a table with two rather rough-looking men. Carson ask Perry if he would go over and ask her to join them. Perry looked over and immediately realized that the woman was seated with two mob figures! He told this to Carson, but Carson kept demanding to meet her. Fortunately Carson was so loaded that Perry was able to get him out of the bar before things got too hot to handle. True story which I can now tell since Johnny has passed away. Carson was one of a kind and no one will ever replace him. Leno doesn't measure up nor does Letterman. We lost a comic genius when he died. And Johnny was a pretty nice fellow. Not easy to know, but nice just the same. And very fair in his dealings. In other words a class act all the way. He just would get a little crazy under the influence.
Tiger said on 9/Mar/06
mike c: we are doing state-mandated testing right now; I hate every second of it. I wish they would just let us teach. I have seen that Martin/Lewis book you mention and it does have some great photos! This website is fun and it should always remain so. I love reading and contributing!
mike c said on 9/Mar/06
Tiger, I'm getting my school ready for state mandated testing...same bs you might be going through...this page is a welcome respite from the stress of running a school....recently saw pics. of Lewis and Martin at the local Barnes& Noble...will go back there to buy the book...some great pics of Jerry and Dean...very young, near a mic....I'm sure the shoes are regular shoes..they both look like 6 footers to me...sure wish I could scan the photos and attach to this message...glad the Wayne debate has quieted down for now...how anyone could argue his height given all the research and, yes, proof, is beyond me....I think the best pics are the ones of JW in front of the log cabin and Gonzalo's pic...and his anecdote about the Duke in Spain....if nothing else, this page is great entertainment; a time to put our energies into somehting that should be fun...given the myriad problems we all deal with on a daily basis...Keep up the great work Editor Rob...Tiger, don't stop..you make a lot of sense...and Frank 2, relax, I don't think anyone thinks you're not genuine..it's just that we require a little more proof than "I knew him" or "I met him"...because for every pic. you produce, we'll come up with one that just might dispute it...bottom line, let's have fun with this...remember we're getting excited about an inch. or so (and most of us are not girls!!)...the width of my thumb..I'm 5'6" in bed, on my back, in the morning...more about 5'5.5" around quiting time at the stable.....! Can't wait for the response.
Tiger said on 9/Mar/06
Frank2: I have absolutely no problem with someone disagreeing with me. I know that you disagree with me. I know that I am pretty good about documenting and submitting credible information. I'm for finding and researching before I form an opinion. I try to state my opinion through some sort of "evidence". I think this website is all about that. Do you have a picture ? a quote ? a reference ? We don't know you at all and you have made alot of claims. This is the kind of stuff one reads in tabloids. In journalism, they call it the "unnamed source". I guess your "unnamed source" are your recollections. As cool as it is that you have met so many people, you have to look at from the perspective of us who have not had that good fortune AND don't see things matching up.
Frank2 said on 9/Mar/06
I saw Wayne in person on several occasions and yes, he was very tall! I'd say he was 6'4" when he was young. When he did Rooster Cogburn at Universal he looked like he was more in the vicinity of 6'3". The truth is that Tiger doesn't like it if anyone disagrees with him or with what he reads at official sites. If I ever decide to make my actual name known and start publishing photos, Tiger will be the first to eat crow. And one more time with Dino. I saw him several times and not once did he ever appear to be taller than 5'10". With his lifts on he was just under six feet. Why on earth would I make this up? As for George Burns, by the time he was in his eighties he had shrunk down to where I could look over his head. I'd say he was about 5'6" by then. The last time I saw him was at a black tie event and he was walking by with two six foot tall (in their heels) gorgeous women. He looked VERY happy! And to Tiger, Carson was 5'10". His bronze statue in front of TV Academy Headquarters in North Hollywood on Lankershim Blvd. shows him to be that height. I saw him several times and on each and every single occasion he was at least an inch shorter than me. So when you asked was Carson lying about his height? The answer is yes! But then I'd say most people lie about their height. So what?
Tiger said on 9/Mar/06
mike c: I'm here, man. I'm trying to make sense of this Frank2 guy and I'm not sure I am going to get anywhere. How is it going with you ? I have been hanging out mainly on the Elvis and Dean Martin pages lately. I've been told by Frank2 that my research doesn't matter because HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT AND HE DOESN'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS!
Gonzalo said on 9/Mar/06
Wayne was tall, very tall. I don
mike c said on 8/Mar/06
My apologies again editor Rob, in trying to correct spelling, etc, I inadvertently hit the submit button...I think the second message is the one I was trying to send...this gets better and better..where are Gramps and Tiger?
mike c said on 8/Mar/06
Frank 2..Hmm! Small intellects? I agree that to be a star one has to have drive, feel very good about oneself, have high self-esteem, but that does not mean, my friend, they are not capable of intelligent thoughts...I may be reading you wrong, but anyone in the league of Wayne or Martin has worked very hard to achieve fame and, trust me on this, by natural talents that you or I would gladly welcome if offered to us by the Universal Spirit.....Wayne was 6'4.5 in youth...read my notes below, and I've seen a ton of pics on Martin...very close to 6'..and yes, I'm looking at the shoes..maybe you know something the rest of us don't..don't doubt your sincere thoughts for a moment, albeit dubious.
Tiger said on 8/Mar/06
Johnny Carson has stated his height as 5-11 many a time on his show. Is he lying ? It is also documented in several locations(on the web and in reference books). Frank2: I think you have the ego!
Glenn said on 8/Mar/06
Frank2,I dont doubt you,but you wouldve put me to shame in photo department if you took pics.why did wayne look so tall? 8 inch lifts?
Frank2 said on 8/Mar/06
Look, I can readily understand people's reluctance to accept what I'm saying as fact. After all I could be some nitwit kid just pulling people's chains. But so help me God I'm totally legit. So when I say Ricky Nelson wasn't 6'1" or Dino was just 5'10" I'm telling you what I've seen for myself. Had Dino or Ricky been what their official heights say, I'd admit it freely. You have to get into the mindset of celebs. Their egos are as huge as their intellects are small. If average people out there knew some of these folks as I do they'd not appear so glamorous to them. I remember one day I had to take my car in to be serviced. At the same dealership in Beverly Hills was Sharon Stone. Without makeup she's a fright! And yes, she's 5'8". Anyway she was really screaming at the service manager about her Aston Martin DB-7 convertable not running well and at one point said loudly that she is known to be a real bitch! The service manager calmly looked her straight in the face and said, "Now that I do not doubt for a second!" Well, I cracked up and she turned to me and gave me a look.....well...if looks could kill I'd be dead!
Viv said on 8/Mar/06
Frank2 - I enjoy reading your thoughts here. And, I do believe you've met and know/knew a lot of celebrities. But, it's difficult for the members here to just "go on" someone's words without knowing who they are and not having pictures of said person and the celebrity together. Pictures help a lot. A member here, Glenn, knows quite a few celebrities himself and he gets pictures of himself with them and he notes their heel height, possible lifts, etc. With pictures and the knowledge of things such as heel height, etc. to go on when the picture was taken, it's a much clearer way for the people here to actually deduce for themselves the heights of celebrities. Anyone can say anything, but pictures help greatly in surmising a celebrity's height (if all manner of complicating factors: heel size, possible lifts, etc. are taken into account). The people who read this site are not stupid for not agreeing with you. We're only trying to take in all the information we are getting to make a sound and educated guess. Rob is really good at weeding through all the information here and coming up with the most likely height of a celebrity. So, I trust what he comes up with.
...And, getting back to John Wayne's height, I've always heard 6'4" for him...I'll ask my fiance who has met him, too (in a bar, no doubt), and see what he says. He has met a few celebs when he was in Colorado and California. So, I'll see what I can come up with there.
Paul said on 8/Mar/06
I can buy Hope at 5'10" in his younger years based on observation of his movies and still pictures. One of his earlier movies (I forget which) references him as that height. Hope in his 90s had diminished to the point where he was several inches shorter than Jay Leno when he last appeared on the Tonight Show. He was also several inches shorter than Tony Danza when Danza co-hosted his last network special.
Whatever size Hope was, he was a true giant in comedy and that is what we should remember.
Editor Rob
I've yet to add Hope here, actually a lot of heights from golden era I've not added because I've not got as much knowledge or seen enough of their shows/films
Frank2 said on 8/Mar/06
Nope. Hope was five ten in his youth. Later he was as short as five foot six. Look, I'm not some flake who's here just to add a bunch of BS to this forum. I knew plenty of these people, far more than most of you. My dad was a rather successful film producer who at one time owned and ran his own independent studio. My mom was an actress in botyh radio and the movies. At one time my uncles owned General Service Studios in Hollywood. That's where I met Ricky Nelson and the whole Nelson family back when they filmed their series. George Burns kept an office there until the day he died. Bob Cummings shot his series there. And Bob was only 5'10". I've got pictures of Hope with my dad and they were the same height. My dad was slightly under 5'10". Hope was never just under 6'. Bing Crosby was 5'8" and wore lifts and Hope only appears to be an inch or two taller at best in all the films they made together. Hope looks like a shrimp next to Anthony Quinn in The Road to Morocco. In the same film he's measured for a coffin and the guys doing it say he's 5'11" which was put in there to make him look bigger. What will it take to sink in that what I'm saying is the truth?
Tiger said on 7/Mar/06
From the 'Movie Encyclopedia' (1987 Williams): "Bob was the essential all-around comic. He could do stand-up, vaudeville, movies and television. He did a great Chaplin impersonation on a whim. You would think it was Chaplin, except for the fact that Bob stood a hair under 6 feet tall." I think the reference assumes we know that Chaplin stood 5-5.
Tiger said on 7/Mar/06
Where is it stated that Hope was 5-10 ? He was 5-6 in his seventies ? What ? I think I see a pattern here. There was another visitor to this site (don't remember his/her name) that was always down-grading everyone's height. Strange, because that person, also, just made statements and never documented nor gave any type of evidence; they just spoke.
Frank2 said on 7/Mar/06
Bob Hope was never 5-11 1/2. NEVER!!! My God! I knew Hope. My dad directed him in a commercial. I saw him over the years and he was at the very most 5'10". By the time he got into his seventies he had shrunk to about 5'6".
mike c said on 6/Mar/06
Correction,editor Rob, sorry, wrote 4 instead of 5...meant five...guess was overwhelmed by the proof!Great Picture!!!!
mike c said on 6/Mar/06
Great photo, Gonzalo! What a wonderful piece of history...four men who impacted on our society in a very positive way, albeit with faults..they were human, but in public, at least, represented good role models...I applaude you for the find....now, is it my imagination or does the Duke have a good 4-5 inches on Ronald? Do you suppose John W. was wearing boots and lifts because he knew he would be photographed with these men? Tux. and boots!
Gonzalo said on 6/Mar/06
Strong debate about Wayne
Tiger said on 5/Mar/06
But, in that photo above, Hope is just about as tall as Reagan and Martin. Reagan and Martin are the same height. Duke is definitely slouching forward. Martin is 6 feet even, Reagan 6-1, and Hope 5-11 1/2. These are all pretty solid, documented heights (though I have seen Martin listed at 5-11 on a couple websites, but mainly have come across 6' even). We have debated and discussed Duke Wayne alot on this page. I have never thought him any less than 6-4 1/2. Hudson is a bad example because he is listed places at 6-5 or
even 6-6. If going by movies, Hudson and Wayne were the exact same height all throughout in 'The Undefeated' (1969). Arness was 6-7. He would make anyone look shrimpy. Not a good comparison.Duke Wayne is definitely 6-4 1/2. I have seen some opinions and theories presented here and they just don't add up. Please see my research below and my research on the Dean Martin page. I don't think Editor Rob will let me repeat everything I've submitted and take up so much space.
Editor Rob
I know in at least one biography of Hudson, the author described him as 6ft 5...
Frank2 said on 4/Mar/06
Dean wasn't six feet. More like five-ten max. So was Jerry. Reagan was at least six feet at the time of the photo. Hope was about five eight by the time of that photo. He had been as tall as five-ten when he was younger. I have a shot of him with my dad who was just under five-ten and Hope appears about the same height. As far as Wayne's height, I think he was closer to six-three. I just watch some western he was in with Rock Hudson who I know for a fact was six-four and The Duke was shorter by at least an inch, possibly two. Also in the film Big Jim McLain, Wayne is obviously a lot shorter than James Arness. A LOT SHORTER!
mike c said on 4/Mar/06
My humble apologies ed. Rob...I thought for a moment you went over to the dark side....love your pages. Mike
Editor Rob
there'll be some obvious signs if I ever turn to the dark side...Arnie will become 6ft 2.5, Cruise will shrink back to 5ft 7.
mike c said on 3/Mar/06
I guess original thought is out in this type of internet communication page...forget the movies, the photos, the fact that he towered over everyone...yep! he wore lifts..someone said so!...I hope your comment is made tongue in cheek, editor Rob....I truly do...or else you're having a problem accepting the proof...pictures/books/math.......they had Jerry Lewis as short as 5'6"..I saw all his movies in the 50's and early sixties..no way, Jose! 6 feet or very close to it!!! Wayne? 6'4"/6'4.5"...do yourself a favor and go to original sources..and break down and buy The Duke, A Life in Pics. but, then again, your stirring up debate...good job!
Editor Rob
read the height I list him and the first quote at the top of this page for my opinion. I'm merely illustrating to people who read this page, that in the past, several actors and other folk have spoken about Wayne wearing lifts, Darin, Rock Hudson, Cicelino etc. Whether they are true or not is another matter, but they are interesting for various reasons. If a rumour gets around that 'Mr X' wears lifts, then other people can then begin to believe it and so other celebrities might then have heard this and speak about it...
Tiger said on 3/Mar/06
Well: who is everybody and did Capucine see Duke wear lifts or did she "hear" about it from somewhere?
Lou said on 22/Feb/06
My aunt got the Dukes autograph while he was shooting True Grit- her brother,(My dad) was 6'4" in his prime so compared to my father she is positive that Wayne in his boots looked 6'5"- so without boots, a solid 6'4"
mike c said on 21/Feb/06
Tiger, thanks, I really studied hard for this test!...I also taught bilingual Middle School math for 24yrs...currently a principal in an elementary school...most of my friends are 6'2+....some even 6'4"+ and I've gotten used to tall guys and gals in pics..they just stand out....the formula I used came from Wood Magazine, Oct. 5, 2005 issue 165..article on duplicating furniture from pics..of course, we'll hear from one or two "scholars" who still insist JW was 6'tops...appreciate your common sense...
Tiger said on 21/Feb/06
Mike C: now that's a lot of information :) It is a great point and I think one can estimate a height mathematically, though I've never seen it done. No doubt in my mind that Duke was 6-4 1/2 and maybe a little more. Your formula and ratios do assume, but no doubt you've come to a height familiar to us all! I am a middle school math teacher and I can say your calculations are correct and you get full credit for showing your work :)
mike c said on 20/Feb/06
Interesting what one can do with mathematics! Looking at a picture and knowing or intelligently guessing the measurements of some of the items in the picture can help one determine certain facts. For example, the approximate height of a figure in a photo... Take the picture of John Wayne against the background of a log cabin, dressed in skins, with flat deer skin (could be another animal, but let's say deer) shoes on...Using mathematical ratios (the ones used by many a carpenter or furniture historian to duplicate furniture from pictures) one can say that in the picture of John Wayne, page 16, of.. The Duke, A Life in Pictures... it is possible to mathematically approximate his height. It's not that difficult if you understand that there is a ratio ( a mathematical relationship) between what an object measures in a picture and its measurement in reality. Let's say that in that picture (you'll have to buy the book to appreciate this or get the picture from the internet), when you measure the belt he has on, the belt measures 3/16" wide. I guess that in reality the belt measured 1 and
Viper652 said on 14/Feb/06
Most college heights are inflated by 1-2 inches Tiger. Even the NFL inflates about half the players in its league by the same amount. Its possible that Wayne's height was legit though.
mike c said on 13/Feb/06
Tiger, don't you see that there was a plan way back in the 1920's when JW played football for the Un. of Southern Calf.: "let's all add inches to his height...He has the potential to be a very famous American some day. Hey, 6'4.5" sounds good!!"...why didn't I see this before!! It's so obvious!
Tiger said on 13/Feb/06
I should clarify that I was measured at 6-1 1/4 my senior season in high school in all three sports. Anyway, watch the NFL combines on ESPN every year and you will see heights down to the nearest 1/8 of an inch (source: Chris Mortensen, ESPN analyst/insider). The one that sticks out in my mind is Tom Brady of New England. He attended the combine in April of 2000. He was listed at 6-3 5/8 and in the Patriot media guide he is 6-4. Hardly 1-2 inches. In addition,I played sports with a number of guys who were recriuted for college and one of the first things they had done were extensive physical measurements, especially height and weight.
Tiger said on 13/Feb/06
Viper652: How do you know this? When high school players are recruited and attend the various tryouts and combines, height and weight are measured to the nearest 1/8 of and inch. I played high school football, baseball, and basketball and was always measured at 6-1 and 1/4. My current height is a little over 6-1. The USC roster back in 1925 may be inaccurate, but why would it be? No one knew that Duke Wayne was going to be a world famous legend and icon.
Viper652 said on 13/Feb/06
That roster is not accurate, because they inflate most players by 1-2 inches in College football.
Gotxo said on 11/Feb/06
Tiger: Congratulations for doing so an interesting finding.
In th searchers he towers over Jeffrey Hunter, who looks to be 6' to 6'1", wich is
a very difficult thing to achive if he was the same height as some mad guy has pointed.
mike c said on 10/Feb/06
Excellent research, Tiger! In the book I bought, The Duke, A Life in Pictures, page 16 shows him against a log cabin background(1930)...there's no argument; flat buckskin shoes!..very tall and no lifts or stilts in sight!!As a man who grew up in a carpenter's home, I know that the diameter of most of the logs is at least 10"+..a conservative measurement..let McFly do the math!...But, let's continue the discussion...love it when people just talk and don't bother to at least do a bit of research to make it interesting...what happened to Gramps? He made a great deal of sense as you and a few others do. I'm enjoying this!
Tiger said on 10/Feb/06
From 'John Wayne: An American Legend'(1986 Smith)- John Wayne attended USC on a football scholarship from 1925-27. The 1925 football roster lists Duke
as a "6-4 3/4 in and 215 lb defensive end" Talk about a rare piece of information. I found this book at a library in the biography section. The author of the book cites the University of Southern California as the source of this info.
Tiger said on 3/Feb/06
Mike C: again, very well-said. McFly is not worth trying to reason with on any level. He doesn't bother me much. I think his write-ins are hilarious. Take a look at the Elvis page; McFly really shines over there, although a lot of his comments have been eliminated. I think they are being eliminated for a reason. We've seen enough responses from people to know that no one takes him seriously at all, nor does he have any credibility. I think at this point, he is a minor nuisance.I just wonder why someone would continually display a lack of knowledge and act as if it is okay.
Tubbs said on 3/Feb/06
According to McFly, Richard Harris was 5'10, Roger Moore 5'11, and Michael Caine 5'7'5". I think we all know he is messing about and is just after a reaction from someone, the sad thing is though, it works everytime! The Duke was 6'4".
mike c said on 2/Feb/06
Tiger, the sad part is that McFly apparently refuses to go to sources that contradict his opinion, albeit lame as it is. It's one thing to provide some weak evidence to back up a claim, it's another matter entirely to speak with authority yet not have one bit of evidence. The Quiet Man is proof that Wayne was 6'4"+ if he would only take the time to watch it...of particular interest is the bar scene with McLaglen. Of course, if you want more than one bit of info. you would want to carefully view the scene when Wayne approaches McLaglen's house to ask to date his sister...look at the height difference between award winning Barry Fitzgeral and Wayne...Fitz. was 5'4"..a blind man can see the diff. and look at the shoes JW is wearing...give me a break McFly. By the way,by the time True Grit was filmed, John already had a lung and two ribs taken out...ergo, the hunched position/appearance in many photos..have ribs removed and tell me you can stand up straight. Besides, there's a 50 to 80 pound diff. in weight from the Quiet Man (pre-sugeries) and True Grit..but then, again, he's still 6'1" because, because...McFly enjoy the movie if you can find the time to think clearly.
6 foot 1.5, 16, still growing said on 31/Jan/06
yep, that sounds correct. I was at the YMCA a couple of months ago and I saw an older looking guy (around 60 something) who claimed to be around 6 foot 6, and looked it. We talked about height for a while and we came to a discussion about how short celebrities are these days. And then the conversation led to John Wayne and him saying that he saw John Wayne back in the day and was surprised to see that he was at least 2 inches shorter than him, given that ALL his costars are constantly TOWERED over by him in the movies.
Tiger said on 31/Jan/06
Loved 'The Quiet Man'. One of Duke's best movies. He really gets acknowledged for his acting in that film. Sometimes that gets lost in the legend: Wayne is a great actor. The man was truly bigger than life on screen and off.
mike c said on 30/Jan/06
Tiger: Amen!! Hope you rented The Quiet Man! You sound like an intelligent man..enjoy the book!
Tiger said on 30/Jan/06
To Editor Rob: the first sentence in my respnse may not be clear. I am saying that Duke was 6-4 1/2 and I have never,ever doubted that. Would you please post this ? Too early on the west coast.I don't want anyone "trying" to figure out what I'm saying; they shouldn't have to. THANKS and SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE! "Pilgrim: How bout another whiskey!"
Tiger said on 30/Jan/06
Mike C: I have never, ever doubted that Duke was less than 6-4 1/2.
He is that and always has been. Jimmy Stewart has always been 6-3, Clint has always been 6-4,and I have seen Hudson listed as tall as 6-6 (2 sites that I will try and remember). A lot of people on this website speak without ever doing their homework or offering any evidence; they just throw out opinions and back them with garbage like 'lifts' and other nonsense. I have seen that book in stores and it is excellent; I am going to purchase it. Your response was well-said! To the Duke: "Gimmee a whiskey pilgrim!"
mike c said on 29/Jan/06
Tiger, good research! Babyboomer, what a great experience!!Just bought from Barnes & Noble..The Duke,A life in Pictures..by Rob L. Wagner....pages 76 and 77 are very interesting....page 76 shows the Duke with Jim Hutton..reportedly 6'5"/6'4.5"...now, I may be wrong, but the chin lines show equal height...of course JW could be standing on a chair!..better yet is page 77..the Duke with Clint, Jim Steward, Rock Hudson and others 6' or better..all in suits...no boots..now, maybe the Duke is on stilts..but, he's bending forward to cut a piece of cake...hmmm! could it be he's at least 6"4".?.Steward was 6"3", according to many sources..and Clint, he was 6"4" in his prime!!!...very eye opening this pic...Hudson was reportedly 6'5"..this picture should quiet the people that insist Wayne was only 6'2" or even less...love it!!!! Buy the book! I'm not a paid ad. for Barnes and Noble..just a fan of one of the best heroes we've had...he was not perfect, but we can't argue with the messages his movies espoused!
ColinG said on 29/Jan/06
I've only just read this piece. Thank you very much, Tiger!
"Who is Barry Norman?"
That made my day. Fellow Britons will know what I mean...
Tiger said on 25/Jan/06
From an interview with Ann-Margret after acting with Duke Wayne in 'The Train Robbers' (1973): source- 'Movie Review' magazine 1973. "Working with Duke has been one of the highlights of my career. He is a giant in legend, not just size. One does not expect a man 6-4 1/2, chiseled and rugged to be a softy. Well, let me tell you. Duke is one big teddy bear and I love teddy bears."
babyboomer said on 25/Jan/06
Hi! I saw Mr. Wayne with Glen Campbell and the female lead (Kim Darby?) at the premiere of True Grit in Dallas, Texas. The Duke was wearing a black suit and loafers (they LOOKED normal to me!). Mr. Campbell was the one in cowboy boots (with very high heels, maybe 2.5 inches). As I've stated elsewhere, I'm 6'4" (actually a tad over at 194 cms) tall and Mr. Wayne was the same height as me. Glen Campbell looked MAYBE 5'11" IN the boots, but more like 5'10.5" to me. Mr. Wayne was very broad-shouldered and was a bit heavy then. I didn't see any sign of a "girdle" either. Kim Darby was about 5'2" IN platfiorm shoes. I'm a big man at 230 pounds and the Duke was probably 260ish then.
mike c said on 14/Jan/06
Mikex..Wayne was tall by any standards..taller than Ward Bond (6'3") and Victor McLaglen (6'3") who stared in a couple of movies with him. Just when did the meeting with Wills take place..before 1955? All movies deliberately empahsize the qualities of the staring man/woman....that's why they're the leading characters...rent or buy "The Quiet Man".. you'll no longer doubt Duke's height...very, very tall..6'4" at death, no, but 6'4.5"-6'4" in his prime..
Tiger said on 14/Jan/06
Who is Barry Norman ?
Editor Rob
he's a uk film critic...equivalent I guess of US roger ebert...
Mikex said on 7/Jan/06
6'3'' I reckon. In a biography by Gary Wills a guy speaks of meeting Wayne for the 1st time and seeing surprisingly that he was taller than Wayne. This guy was 6'4'' exact. Also Barry Norman the film commentator wrote about meeting Wayne and stated what a big guy he was, at 6'3''. Although Wayne was clearly a very big man by the standards of his time, his movies deliberately emphasise his size. Wayne always appears bigger than anyone he appears with although this is unlikely to have been the case in reality.
mike c said on 25/Dec/05
Great pics. Xhavier...you've done your research...remember the camera angles! Mentally move JW back a half foot or so...check the chin lines and shoulders..perhaps RS wasn't 6'4"...Wayne was 6'4.5" according to a few sources....but, glad you agree he was at least 6'4"...glad some people can discuss without using names and or the term nutriders...still have no idea what it means and I've been around the block more than once.
Xhavier said on 22/Dec/05
Look at these pictures:
http://www.americanphoto.co.jp/photosearch/Previews/CIN00325_374.jpg
http://www.bonniechurchill.com/waynebwsm3.jpg
He is with known 6'4" Randolph Scott, I agree for once that John Wayne was 6'4" in the early years and whole heartedly agree 6'2" during the middle years and probably 6'0" near the old old old years.