How tall was Charlton Heston

Charlton Heston's Height

6ft 2 ½ (189.2 cm)

American actor, best remembered for starring in movies like Planet of the Apes, Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, El Cid, The Big Country, Soylent Green, Antony and Cleopatra, The Three Musketeers, Earthquake and Touch of Evil. I read in an edition of the 1983 Philly Inquirer Heston saying: "I'm 6 feet 3" although earlier in his career, in a December 23rd 1956 Chicago Times it mentioned, "Charlton Heston is six feet two, looks taller because he says, 'Most five-foot-ten actors say they're six-foot-two. I really am.'"

How tall is Charlton Heston
It's wonderful working with Charlton [Heston]. I'm five feet 9 ½ inches in high heels and still look up to him. Every girl, you know, likes to feel she is tiny.
-- Eleanor Parker
Every actor must deal with his physical equipment. I am 6 feet 3 inches, weigh 200 pounds and have this broken nose that caused me to be cast as Andrew Jackson, Michelangelo and Moses.
There was a British journalist who noted the disparity between my six feet three and Michelangelo's five feet eight. "Don't you feel you're a bit large for the part?" he asked sardonically.
   "No," I said, "I think I'm a bit small."
The whole business of performers' heights is widely misunderstood by the public. The film frame is an oblong; everything and everybody photographed within it are composed in attractive balance by the cameraman and director.
My shirts always come from Douglas Hayward when I am in London. I have them specially made because I can't find shirts to fit. I'm 6ft 4in, about 204lb and have a 45in chest.
-- Sunday Times (1990, June 17)

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Add a Comment409 comments

Average Guess (73 Votes)
6ft 2.74in (189.8cm)
Arch Stanton said on 24/Nov/23
He looked about 1.5 inches shorter than 6'4 Vincent Price in The Ten Commandments. Difficult to see a full 6'3" with him.
Arch Stanton said on 4/Mar/23
He was about 1.5 inches barefoot shorter than Gregory Peck in boots though they didn't look like thick cowboy boots. Probably about the same height, in most of their scenes the ground wasn't even and either could look a bit taller in the Big Country. I don't know about Steve Reeves but it seems Heston was in a tiny minority of actors of his generation who were into fitness and didn't smoke. He was very straight laced and people like Richard Harris found him a real bore.
berta said on 7/Feb/23
sorry to see he claimed 6´4 one time. always pretty honest about his height then claimed that?
Original said on 31/Jan/23
6'2.5" to 6'2.75 if Clint Eastwood was 6'3.5 in his peak.
Gert Henriksen said on 11/Oct/22
About time to make it 6'3, I think. Judging from the average guess.
affidavit David said on 27/Jul/22
I'm sorry but I don't see him under 6'2, even if he'd been 6'2.25 a fair amount of actors should've been downgraded a bit. The Average Guess is telling you how tall he was
Tallerornot said on 12/Jul/22
Love his movies. Tall giy no doubt. He was a weak 6'2. He was slightly more than an inch shorter than 6'3.25 Clint Eastwood.

He was also shorter than strong 6'2 Muhammed Ali.

If he says he was 6'2, why list him at 6'2.5?
affidavit David said on 6/May/22
Being 6'2.5 or 6'25/8" was quite something in those days when the average height was around 5'8"
Tech noir said on 1/May/22
6-2.5 peak. 6-4 claim is silly. A standard big guy. Nothing exceptional.
Joseph Cully said on 9/Mar/22
I was incorrect in what I said about Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne. In the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, John Wayne looks a tad taller. Maybe an inch or half an inch. In the first part of the Shootist, when John Wayne first comes to town, Jimmy Stewart appears to be a couple inches taller than john Wayne. But then John Wayne takes his hat off and you get a better picture. John Wayne then is clearly a tad taller than Stewart. Toward the end of the movie, when Stewart and Wayne are talking and Stewart suggests that Wayne may want to end his life early, Wayne is clearly taller than Stewart. Like by an inch or so. I think that Wayne was about an inch taller than Heston, and Heston was about 2 inches taller than Henry Fonda.
Hong said on 8/Jan/22
Click Here Here's Heston with 6f2.5 listed Sydney Poitier,they both look pretty similar too me.
Hong said on 7/Jan/22
Click Here Here's Heston with 6ft5.5 range Chuck Conners,he's looking his listed height of 6ft2.5 there,Conners makes a big guy like Heston look average,that's of course if you didn't know how massive Conners was.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 3/Jan/22
Definitely not a full inch below Cooper and Stewart...in some photos he actually looks taller!

Click Here
Click Here

In better physical shape though...naturally broad-shouldered, had better posture and worked out for the most part...the other two were rail thin (probably nothing past a buck 60 each), slouched, guzzled brandy like tap water and puffing through 6 packs of smokes a day...at least Cooper was
Gert Henriksen said on 2/Dec/21
Arch Stanton, 6'3 agree.
Arch Stanton said on 30/Nov/21
189.6 is very precise!! I think it's safe to say he cleared 6'3 out of bed anyway.
affidavit David said on 28/Nov/21
I consider 6'25/8", 189,6cm to be the most likely peak height for Mr. Heston, 1cm under 6'3. That would mean 6'3.25 straight out of bed.
Tall In The Saddle said on 19/Nov/21
@Beau Dare

Sincere apologies for missing your post addressed to myself. Anyway, my pleasure brother and I’m glad you enjoyed the clip.

Maybe it’s a generational thing but it seems there aren’t as many great legends as there used to be. It’s amazing how many talk shows Ali appeared on - but obviously the man knew how talk and with a good deal to say. LOL.
affidavit David said on 15/Nov/21
Stewart certainly was 6'3.25, looked at least 2.5 inches taller than Henry Fonda in " on our merry way".He once claimed he was 6'3.5, so what I think is he truly was 6'3.25.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 8/Nov/21
Heston was edged out by Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart so the full 6ft3 is less likely. But I suppose 6ft2¾ is reasonable if we were to move the other two to 6ft3¼


Rob, could that be argued?
Editor Rob
if you gave them a 1/4 over 6ft 3 then yeah you might also say Heston has a good chance of 2.75
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 5/Nov/21
Rob, is 190cm a possibility?

6ft2 was downplayed deliberately so he wouldn't lose out on parts like Gary Cooper. The full 6ft3 I'm not sure I'd give him even though he could pull it off at times...the 6ft4 claim I can't get my head around. In shoes he'd get it easily enough but it kinda runs counter to his other claims...
Editor Rob
I've not been convinced on a full 6ft 3 for Heston, but could buy 6ft 2.5, maybe 2.75 at a push.
Tim Canpbell said on 23/Oct/21
Heston was 6"1' at the highest. There are photos of him and Joe Cannut who doubled in Ben Hur and was 6 foot 2 inches tall. Heston looks an inch shorter. There is a photo of Chuck with Joseph Cotten who was 6 foot 2 inches tall. Chuck is about 1 inch shorter. And Chuck declared in his biography that his "official height" is 6 3. If he was really 6 3, do you think he said that is official? His skinny body and skinny face made him look taller than he actually was. In his 80s, George W Bush met with Heston and 6 0 GWB was an inch taller than Heston.
Sinclair said on 17/Sep/21
Rob, who would you say was taller at peak, Heston or Sidney Poitier?
Editor Rob
I recently added a quote from heston claiming 6ft 4, or at least in the paper it quoted him saying that...which seems to go against his usual 6ft 3 claims.
I'm still not convinced heston was 6ft 3 barefoot, but looked above 6ft 2. It really could be a toss up with some of these guys like heston and sidney.
Beau Dare said on 2/Aug/21
Many, many thanks "Tall in the Saddle" for your film clip of Muhammad Ali and Charlton Heston on David Frost's talk show. I had the great pleasure of meeting both of them when I was starting out as an actor/ screenwriter in Hollywood. Both of them were kind, gracious men. Both 6'3". Ali treated me like a family member as he hugged me, and Heston and I struck up a correspondence that lasted till the end of his life. They were both a huge influence in my career, and won't be forgotten.
Bobby said on 8/Jul/21
I remember reading that Charlton Heston was 6'3. I'm surprised he'd have only been a solid 189 cm guy.
Tall In The Saddle said on 23/May/21
@Hong

Looks like Cooper is standing standing on the down slope of the ramp so Heston has ground advantage.
Click Here. I think other photos of the pair generally show an edge to Coop.

Gert Henirksen previously linked a clip with legit 6’3” Steve Allen and Heston. Click Here Too bad Allen goofs so much but I still detect a slight edge to Allen. Allen also edged Ali when he interviewed him in 1963.

Just imho Heston was awfully close to 6’3” but not quite there. Possibly a 6’2 3/4” guy. Opposite Vincent Price he appeared to be dropping more than 1” which may also be an argument for Price himself being a touch over 6’4”.

Another cool clip of Muhammad Ali meeting Heston on a talk show. They appear pretty much on par height wise. With gun to head maybe give Heston the tiny edge. It seems Ali held Heston in high regard just as he did Clint Eastwood.

Click Here
Hong said on 23/Jan/21
Click Here
Hong said on 23/Jan/21
Click Here Cooper and Heston look pretty similar in height.
Hong said on 23/Jan/21
Click Here Here's Charlton with 6ft3 listed gary Cooper.
Gert Henriksen said on 23/Jan/21
I think it is safe to say that Heston was 6'3 as he said himself. Here with 6'3 Steve AllenClick Here
Arch Stanton said on 24/Oct/20
He was a very commanding, serious type of guy even in his earliest films. Clearly a no-nonense type of guy, the type who would throw out drunk guys at parties and be a killjoy type. He looked moody, angry even in his earlier films. His son Click Here looks a genuine 6'4 I think, no resemblance there.
Mister lennon said on 21/Oct/20
I really think that Peck was a little bit taller than Heston. He looked taller in the big country movie and in real life.
I think:
Peck: 190-191.
Heston: 189-190.
strawberry Jerry said on 20/Oct/20
Hard to say which one was taller, Rampage, anyway, I've been watching Pony Express (1953), maybe the ground was uneven and favoring Heston, I don't know, but at 1:01:50,approximately,a 29-30 year old Heston was virtually eye ball to eye ball with 6'4 Forrest Tucker whose frame was enhanced by his cowboy hat. This is one of the few movies where Heston looked a strong 6'3.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 13/Oct/20
Interesting Rob, I actually would've given Peck to edge
Hyper said on 22/Sep/20
@Rob

do you think Heston is referring to Yul Brynner? Asking for a friend. LOOOL!
Editor Rob
He probably would have a few actors he could think of that inflated.

Oh and if anybody wants to see the quote 'in print': Click Here.
Sinclair said on 25/Aug/20
Rob, who would you say was taller at peak, Gregory Peck or Charlton Heston?

Heston seemed at least 6’2.5” range, he was of a similar height to Gregory Peck. I would guess Peck to have been slightly closer to 6’2.75” than Heston but I cannot be definite on that.
Editor Rob
I would say the odds could be slightly more for Heston edging Peck out, but for me, it's very close
Gert said on 4/Aug/20
Not 6'2, again, please. Heston was 6'3 peak according to most sources and himself. He has been seen beside several 6'2 actors and is clearly taller. A lot of pictures of him and his son 6'3 Fraser too, shows Heston at 6'3 - except for later years, when Heston - like Clint Eastwood - had lost quite lot of height due to illness, etc.
Jtm said on 30/Jul/20
6'2 peak for heston is definitely more believable than Cooper.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 27/Jul/20
Rob, is 6ft3 at all arguable?


Gary Cooper also claimed 6ft2 and that was clearly a lie
Editor Rob
Not as convinced of a full 6ft 3 for Charlton, but over 6ft 2 yes.
Tall Sqm said on 29/Jun/20
He did look around as listed with Jim Hutton, who I believe is listed at 6'4.25" with the latter looking about 2 inches taller. He also looked pretty close to even with Gregory Peck.
Canson said on 29/Jun/20
@Hiroshi: that’s the case with many celebs
Nik said on 29/Jun/20
R.I.P Charlton Heston.
Hiroshi said on 29/Jun/20
People or fans of Chuck Heston overestimate his height. He openly said his "official height" is 6 ft 3 in suggesting he is shorter. In Ben Hur, Joe Kanutt stunt doubled for Chuck. Joe was 6 ft 2 in officially. There is a photo of Joe and Chuck standing nest to each other in the same cloths. Joe is definitely taller than Chuck by at least an inch. Chuck could have been 6 ft 1in. In his older years, he stood by GW Bush who is 5 ft 11 in.They were almost the same height. That is understandable. He might have shrunk one inch plus.
strahberry Jerry said on 8/Mar/20
Heston looked a legit 6'2.5 next to 6'4.25 Vincent Price, oddly enough he managed to pull off 6'3 next to Lee in The three Musketeers( despise the fact he had to limp and slouch a bit because he was playing the part of Richelieu) and 2 inches taller than 6'1 Richard Johnson in The crucifer of blood, for sure. I also loved the guy but I guess his peak height might have been hovering around 6'2.5-6'2.75, definitely never under 6'2.5 but not over 6'2.75.
Arch Stanton said on 29/Feb/20
Mark(5'9.5") said on 1/Sep/17
.... ROB, THE BIG G IS BACK!!
Glenn said on 31/Aug/17
I met him at an airport when he was older. I am 6 3 and he appeared to be about 5 10. I was way taller then he was at the time. Loved the guy in every way so no reason to make this up.

Sure you are G! LOL! :-)
Arch Stanton said on 29/Feb/20
Jim Hutton was around 6'4.5, Heston about two inches shorter.
Gert185cm said on 23/Nov/19
Jamestherealone. How do you know?
Beau Dare said on 4/Oct/19
I first met Charlton Heston in the Encino library in Los Angeles in 1996, when I was working there as an actor/ screenwriter. He stood a solid 6'3", a good 2" taller than my 6'1". He was very casual and charming and we struck up a correspondence till the end of his life. Happy birthday, Chuck.
Jamestherealone said on 23/Sep/19
He was no more than 1.88 or 1.89. He never was 1.90, let alone 1.91. He is exactly as tall as Rob listed him, if not even 1.88 flat.
Unsub 5'10" said on 16/Apr/19
I can see Heston has no less than 2.5 inches on Sepp Maier in the pic. Sepp would need to be wearing a tuque( with its typcal pom-pom on top) to be at Heston's level.
Gert Henriksen said on 11/Apr/19
6'3 Heston and 6'1 famous German goal keeper Seppmaier..Click Here
Kent Twitchell said on 4/Feb/19
I was with him off and on during 1994 on a project we were doing. One time I photographed him in his wife's photo studio and he posed in his stocking feet. He was certainly 6'3'. I have photographed other tall people who posed standing up including basketball legend Dr. J. and Heston was super tall. Many tall actors including Gary Cooper didn't like to admit being over 6'2" even though they were.
greg lehmann said on 22/Oct/18
"Take your stinking paws off me,you stupid dirty ape!" 6'2" Charlton Heston screamed in the 1968 classic The Planet Of The Apes,one of many great movies Heston made in his career,along with ultra stunning performances in his Best Actor Oscar winner Ben Hur,The Ten Commandments,and The Agony And The Ecstasy. Since Heston worked as an artists model,he felt "right at home" doing The Planet Of The Apes. But it was his 1956 What's My Line? mystery guest appearance I best remember Heston for. When Douglas Fairbanks Jr. got a "no" answer over Doug's question if he had appeared on Broadway,Arlene Francis swooped over and guessed Heston! Also fought to smother efforts of "radicals" to ban people from owning guns,although I NEVER want to own guns,since the gun owner and not the robber will more likely die in a crime involving guns!
Neelasish Sen Roy said on 31/Aug/18
Charlton heston was solid 6'3" or 6'2.5" tall in his peak 1950's, Rob?
Unsub 5'10" said on 24/Jun/18
You betcha, Berta, minimum 189-90, but I've seen enough of him to think he was 6'2.75, 1.90, same height as Peck. Sometimes he could pull off 6'3 though, but I'm still not convinced he was the full 6'3.
Gert185 said on 2/Jun/18
This is a never-ending story. 6'3 peak according to 99 % of sources. And to Mr.Heston himself and fellow actors. Just look at all his movies. He has played apposite several 6'2 actors and looked comfortably an inch taller.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 15/May/18
He still looked at least 6ft2 in the early 90’s (edged out Will Smith)
berta said on 13/May/18
the guy looked 189,5 range peak. maybe 190? at his death he was (i think) in the 182 range
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 3/May/18
He was comfortably over 6ft2 flat
Gert185 said on 7/Feb/18
Glenn 31/august,2017, I met Heston in 1999 at Ralphs supermarket in Studio City. I am 6'1, without shoes, and I was wearing heavy Nike with a big sole, I was standing right next to Heston, at 76, and he was at least an inch taller than me in flat shoes. So how he could have been 5'10 when you met him? (unless you met him very close to his passing. He lost a lot of height) . Maybe he was not standing upright. All sources say 6'3. Including himself.(excluding the above unclear quote of 6'2, which I read as him saying that he is 6'2, because he's more, he is 6'3) About time to correct his height back to 6'3 here in this forum. Average guess is almost there, anyway. Not that it matters, really. Everybody here is just guessing.
Ian C. said on 7/Jan/18
Very close in height to Christopher Lee (at least six-four) in The Three Musketeers. Also, about two inches shorter than Jim Hutton (six-five) in Major Dundee. It would seem that a man who would lie about his height would try not to appear shorter than other actors, and Heston was willing to appear shorter than Lee and Hutton.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 16/Dec/17
Him and Gregory Peck were eye to eye in The Big Country...
Dreampuffe(5'9.5") said on 22/Nov/17
The old listing is better. This at absolute low.
James said on 30/Oct/17
Heston was probably downplaying his height if he said he was 6'2". He looked taller than Gregory Peck in some scenes in "The Big Country", although Peck looked taller in other scenes.
KH said on 27/Oct/17
Heston was obviously a tall man. You just have to see him in movies when he was a young man like the Ten Commandments and Ben Hur to see that. I have no problems personally with people listing there morning heights as there true heights even though we don't go by it generally here. I mean your average person if they went to the Doctors and got measured at 6'3 at 8:00 AM they are not going to say they are 6'2.5 because thats how tall they are at dinner even if that is the truer height.
Height Sky said on 28/Sep/17
Weak 6'3 = 6'2.75
Height Sky said on 28/Sep/17
His claimed not convinced me in absolut, weak 6'3
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 25/Sep/17
6ft3 in the morning is very likely
Mark(5'9.5") said on 1/Sep/17
.... ROB, THE BIG G IS BACK!!
Unsub 5'10 said on 8/Aug/17
Hudson once said: Hollywood is seldom what it seems...Some actors' heights did seem to fluctuate; especially those of Errol Flynn, Stewart Granger, David Niven, Burt Lancaster, who, by the way , was listed at 6'2 but didn't look over 1.82 standing next to Heston. Anyway, it's obvious some of them resorted to wearing lifts occasionally but I don't think this was the case with Heston. Heston's 6'2.5 is fully consistent when you compare him to other actors. So, he wasn't under 6'2.5, in any case a bit over that. We needn't go far to find examples, not only in his movies but also at the "Opening Ceremony Of The Academy Awards" in 1988; a 65 year old Heston shakes hands with 6'4 Chevy Chase. I think someone posted this link. I'm at a loss here, maybe Heston was wearing cowboy boots that matched his dinner jacket and Chevy decided to go barefoot that day 'cause his shoes were too tight on his feet, L.O.L. Oddly enough, The fact is they were extremely close in height, at first I thought it was because Heston was closer to the camera but as Heston walked away I noticed they were virtually the same height. My guess is that Chevy wasn't 6'4. So there may be no other option than to downgrade Chevy Chase, to 6'3?. Let's not underrate Heston's height, eh?, he may not have been the full 6'3 but at least 6'2.5 seems quite fair.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 7/Aug/17
He edged out a young Will Smith in the early 90's...he had to have been near 6ft3 at some point.
movieguy said on 7/Aug/17
To correct my earlier statement about Gary Cooper looking taller than John Wayne I now realise there are other photos of the two where they look very similar in height. On youtube there is a video of Clint standing in for Heston at the Oscars where Heston arrives late, someone previously posted a link to this I believe. There is brief clip of them standing together, both look tall with Eastwood slightly taller although he has much higher hair.
Arch Stanton said on 7/Aug/17
6'2.5-75 for Heston is really arguable. I wouldn't guess him at a 191 6'3 though.
Arch Stanton said on 7/Aug/17
The funny thing Gert is that a guy on Clint Eastwood's page reckons Clint was MAX 6'2 peak, so is basically arguing that Heston was 6 ft range.
Tim said on 6/Aug/17
Chuck Connors was 6'5" and Chuck Heston looks 3-4 inches shorter. Heston wrote in a book that his "official height" is 6"3". What do you think it means? To me it means that he is shorter. I think he was 6"2" at the peak and 6"1" on average.
mvieguy said on 4/Aug/17
Gary Cooper looked taller than Heston in Wreck of Mary Deare. Cooper was a genuine 6'3'' at least. There is a photo of him looking a bit taller than John Wayne although could be angles.
Unsub 5'10 said on 1/Aug/17
Slightly taller than Heston in the airport, yes, by 2cm. Stewart himself said his peak height was 6'3.5, most likely 6'3.75 I.M.O, that's the reason why he really towered over Henry Fonda in the forties. My perception fluctuates from 189 to 6'3 for Heston, mostly 189-90 in Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, Secrets of The Incas where his "tallness" was mentioned several times. In The Three Musketeers I didn't see him under 6'3 next to Lee, I had a good look at them. So either 189-90 or 6'2.75, also the same height as Peck in The Big Country. I think 6'2.25 would be a bit of an understatement for him. As for Connors, he was barely an inch shorter than James Arness who was at least 6'6.5. At first sight Cooper looked a tad taller than Heston
Dan said on 30/Jul/17
Unsub...how do you know Connors was at least 6'5.5"?? There is also a very clear picture of Heston shaking hands with the 6'3" James Stewart at Fiumicino Airport when both were still reasonably young, and Stewart is definitely taller than Heston--by close to an inch--and Stewart wasn;t 6'4".
Unsub 5'10 said on 26/Jul/17
I'm sorry to break this to you, Connors was nothing under 6'5.5, maybe 6'5.75, Eastwood at least 6'3.75. I think 6'2.75 for Heston would be accurate whatever controversy it may stir up, he was 6'2.5 in his sixties for sure.
Mister lennon said on 26/Jul/17
I think he was a solid 6'2 guy at peak. 188-189 range.
Dan said on 25/Jul/17
For once, I agree with Arch Stanton. Heston gives away too much height to the 6'5" Chuck Connors to be 6'3", and he looks about even, maybe a tad shorter than Clint Eastwood, whom I put at 6'2.5" peak.
Gert, Denmark said on 25/Jun/17
Arch Stanton. If you read Marc Elliot's new book about Charlton Heston, on page 14, you will find the information about Heston's correct height: 6'3, it clearly says. Apart from that strange quote in Chicago Times from 1956, Heston himself always referred to his hight as 6'3. And who is to doubt him? Anyone can see for himself in his movies. And I've seen all of them. Even met Mr.Heston at Ralphs in 1999. Still a tall man at 76. And by the way why is Gregory Peck at 6'2.75 190cm, and Heston in the "Average Guess" section 189.9 at 6'2.76. Not at big deal. But….
Gert, Denmark said on 23/Jun/17
Arch Stanton: I give up.
Arch Stanton said on 23/Jun/17
Heston also claimed 6 ft 2 though. There's no chance of a 191cm 6'3. 190 is arguable.
Gert, Denmark said on 19/Jun/17
Click Here

6'3
Arch Stanton said on 30/May/17
@Unsub 5'10 yes, 6'3'25 in the morning peak isn't unreasonable. But he really never looked a legit 191-2 guy like Stewart and Cooper did.
Danimal said on 30/May/17
Rob, you should add Soylent Green and The Omega Man. They are both classic early 70's Heston movies he has starred in.
Editor Rob
I have to limit a description, but I agree those are probably some of the most recognisable films associated with Charlton.
Unsub 5'10 said on 24/Apr/17
I mean, 189.5cm, not meters
Unsub 5'10 said on 24/Apr/17
So Arch, in your opinion,do you think he was more like 189.5 m( a few fractions over 6'2.5) at midday and 6'3.25" straight out of bed?
Arch Stanton said on 22/Apr/17
Don't forget Gert that Heston claimed 6'2 as well.
Arch Stanton said on 22/Apr/17
No he doesn't look it in every movie Gert at all, in fact I can think of very few of his films where he looked like a proper 191 6'3 guy. I bet you've not seen as many of his films as I have. I suggest you watch Arrowhead (1953). If Heston was 6'3 Palance was more like 194cm.
Gert, Denmark said on 8/Apr/17
Except for that somewhat strangely unclear statement from Heston in 1956 Mr. Heston always referred to his height as being 6'3. In his books too. So why would an unclear statement from 1956 determine his height here in this forum??? I don't get it. As I told several times I met Heston in Studio City in 1999, stood right beside him in Ralph's supermarket, when he was 76. Believe me he was 6'3 at peak. And he looks it in every movie - through the 1970's, at least. Clearly taller than the older Copper on the pictures below.(Rampage) Etc.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 3/Apr/17
Well, then if Cooper was still 6ft3 at that point then a bit over it peak is highly plausible
Arch Stanton said on 3/Apr/17
@Rampage. If you watch Wreck of the Mary Deare though Cooper was a little taller than Heston. Heston has great posture in that photo and Cooper slouching. Cooper was in bad shape healthwise by then and could have lost a bit from peak anyway.
James said on 3/Apr/17
James Stewart was 6'3" by his own admission.
mister_lennon said on 3/Apr/17
Agree. Heston always looked more a strong 6'2 guy than a 6'3.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 2/Apr/17
Arch Stanton said on 2/Apr/17
A full 6 ft 3 for Heston doesn't fit in most films I've seen. Really a strong 6'2 fits nearly everything time. Never looked as tall as Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper types.

Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Unsub 5'10 said on 2/Apr/17
I quite agree with you Gert, besides, Stewart was 6'3.25 and possibly 6'3.5. After having met him a few years back, you may also have come to a conclusion: why not place him, at least, at 6'2.75? eh?
Arch Stanton said on 2/Apr/17
Never once saw Heston look 6 ft 4 in shoes.
Arch Stanton said on 2/Apr/17
A full 6 ft 3 for Heston doesn't fit in most films I've seen. Really a strong 6'2 fits nearly everything time. Never looked as tall as Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper types.
Gert, Denmark said on 31/Mar/17
In The Greatest Show on Earth, James Stewart wore big Clown shoes. I think it's about time to correct Heston's height here back to the 6'3, he was according to himself and to most sources. And used to be on this website. Not that it's that important - a couple of centimeters, but still. (A fun fact: In the new book about Heston "Heston: The last Hollywood Icon", it is told that Heston grew 8 inches in one year, when he was 15 or 16) and became the tallest boy in class)
Unsub 5'10 said on 25/Mar/17
You may be right Gert, I've just watched The three Musketeers 1973 with Heston and Chris Lee, at about 34:40 they are walking alongside each other thru a passageway and I'D say Heston looks 6'3 despite the fact he was not walking fully straight. The impression is he looks 6'3 throughout the whole movie. In The Greatest Show on Earth he looks at least 2cm shorter than Stewart though.
Gert, Denmark said on 23/Mar/17
Read the new biography: "Heston: The last Hollywood Icon" and you will find out that Charlton Heston was indeed 6'3.
Unsub 5'10 said on 14/Jan/17
In " The Crucifer Of Blood"( 1991) Heston still looked near his peak, and had two inches on Richard Johnson( 6'1"). I guess, by that time Heston might have been around 6'2.25". I think he was certainly somewhere between 6'2.5-6'2.75 in his younger years, and that seems to be the Average Guess as well.
Sandy Cowell said on 9/Jan/17
He was in the film I saw last night called, 'In the Mouth of Madness', the main star of which is Sam Neill.
It was made, I believe, in 1993, and Heston still looked impressively tall in it. I reckon he might have been 6ft1.5 in that film, but at least 6ft2 when he made those biblical epics.
Without doubt, he is a legend of a star and I thought it was great that he turned up in an apocalyptic John Carpenter movie - and such a scary one at that! 🆒
Hijopotamus said on 30/Dec/16
Erin Leigh, what kind of trolling was that?
In The Big country there are scenes where Peck appears taller than Heston but the scene where Peck wakes Heston up and stands in front of Peck barefoot you can see Heston taller on a flat ground.
In any case both over 6'2".
James, where is the proof he admitted wearing lifts?
James said on 27/Oct/16
Peck admitted he wore lifts to play Abraham Lincoln and Captain Ahab.
mister_lennon said on 23/Oct/16
Peck wearing lifts is bullbagoogle for me, i did mean.
mister_lennon said on 22/Oct/16
How do you know it, james???

Proofs???

Because i think that peck wearing lifts is bullbagoogle
Gert185 said on 22/Oct/16
Erin, I am 6'1 and I met Mr. Heston in Ralph's supermarket in December 1999 at Coldwater Canyon, Studio City, CA, he was (at 76) at least 1 foot taller than me. And please have a look at the photo of Mr. Heston and German soccer goal keeper Sepp Maier (this page October 4th) Sepp Maier is 6'1 and Heston is clearly at least 6'3. The photo is from the early 1990's or late 80's. Or might even be from about the time you met the other Heston with that gold nugget ring on his finger :-)
James said on 21/Oct/16
Peck did wear lifts actually, just like John Wayne and Rex Harrison.
Arch Stanton said on 19/Oct/16
@Gert, watch that film fully, at 40 minutes I believe it was you can see Palance is taller even if ground is unlevel.
Erin Leigh said on 19/Oct/16
I met Mr. Heston in the summer of 1984. He was not over six feet tall. He wore a beautiful leather jacket, had a nice gold nugget ring on his finger and the softest hands. I was surprised at how skinny his frame was but he was still Moses.....just a tiny one! Lol...
Gert185 said on 18/Oct/16
Actually a little funny to argue about 1 centimeter or so, but Heston is 6'3 according to most sources. And certainly looks it. And Arch Stanton, if you can tell who is the taller one in this clip with Palance and Heston, you're very good.

Click Here
mister_lennon said on 15/Oct/16
Peck didnt wear lifts. A 190 guy wearing lifts. That is just silly and ridiculous.
James said on 13/Oct/16
Peck wore lifts like other tall actors including John Wayne, Stewart Granger and Errol Flynn.
Arch Stanton said on 12/Oct/16
Agreed with Mister Lennon, Heston was a bit shorter than Peck. Not a chance of 6'3 for Heston with Palance in Arrowhead, Palance was noticeably taller, I think 6'3.5 for him is fair.
Arch Stanton said on 11/Oct/16
Had a good look at him in Ruby Gentry. I think we're spot on 6'2.5. Didn't look as tall on screen as Cooper or Stewart but looked taller than a lot of the 6'2 listed guys. I think he'd have cleared the 6'3 mark out of bed though.
mister_lennon said on 11/Oct/16
Peck was taller than heston. Peck was 190 and heston 189. Peck never wore lifts. That is false and ridiculous a 190 man wearing lifts??? For what?? Come on. What a joke.
in the bug country, we could see it. And in real life too. Peck was a little bit taller than heston.
both very tall guys.
josh jeffords said on 10/Oct/16
Wow thats funny I never figured Heston was that tall he got tons of roles where other guys had to hide their stature.
But unlike movies photos are hard to fake and he is way taller than 6 1 dudes.
He did occasionally look tall but that is way over average.
James said on 9/Oct/16
Heston looked taller than Peck when Jim McKay returned from being away. Peck probably wore lifts to look taller than Heston for the other scenes. "The Big Country" was so overlong and preachy in its left-wing politics.
Gert185 said on 7/Oct/16
Clearly at least 6'3 on the photo with Sepp Maier. Photo is from late 80's or early 90's. Soon there will be a new biography out about Heston, I've heard.
Unsub 5'10 said on 5/Oct/16
Good pic, Gert
Unsub 5'10" said on 28/Sep/16
MacMurray was pushing 47 in 1955, a little too soon to start losing height.
Arch Stanton said on 26/Sep/16
The More I look at Far Horizon though the more Heston seems to edge out MacmUrray, not the other way around, but then Macmurray may have lost height early by the 1950s.
Arch Stanton said on 26/Sep/16
Click Here


Check out 4:50 -6 minutes with 190cm Fred Macmurray. Heston can look both shorter and taller depending on camera angle! Close in height.
Arch Stanton said on 25/Sep/16
People really need their eyes tested if they think Heston was taller than Peck in The Big Country.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 23/Sep/16
Heston and Peck could have been roughly the same (both near 6ft3) but Stewart and Cooper were a little bit taller I reckon...
James said on 23/May/16
Peck actually admitted wearing built up shoes for some films including "Moby Dick" and "The Blue and the Gray".
Tom said on 1/May/16
First off, I'm a different Tom than the one who claimed Peck wore 'built up shoes'. He wouldn't have needed to since he was a solid 6-3. Sometimes I wonder where people get such silly notions
Unsub 5'10" said on 30/Apr/16
Then it's obvious Heston was 6'3 when he was young
jervis said on 27/Apr/16
Google borsari images for lots of good height comparisons
jervis said on 27/Apr/16
Google Brosari images for lots of good height comparisons.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 25/Apr/16
Rob, would be fair to say that Gary Cooper may have lost a bit of height by this stage?


Click Here

From The Wreck of The Mary Deare, one Cooper's last performances...
Editor Rob
yeah he may have shipped a cm by that stage.
Tom said on 16/Mar/16
Matthau often appeared shorter than his actual 6'2" because he slouched a lot.
Tom said on 15/Mar/16
Matthau didn't wear built up shoes Alex. Peck always did, just like many other stars including Richard Burton and Marlon Brando.
Roberto said on 13/Mar/16
In fact in some photos taken in the set during breaks Heston appears taller than Peck. I think Heston was up almost 192 cm.
AlexMahone said on 11/Mar/16
Tom, please. Are you a simple troll? Rob, why publish you a troll comments? Tom you have no proofs that Peck had built up shoes. Please, read here some funding with links. Otherwise abstain from this unfounded assertions.
Editor Rob
Tom has been around a long time on here...
Tom said on 9/Mar/16
Heston said he wasn't allowed to wear shoes in the fight with Peck because of the slight difference in height.
Roberto said on 7/Mar/16
One thing is certain: all these great actors exceed 190 cm. Maybe not Garner.
Tom said on 7/Mar/16
Heston was clearly taller than Peck. In any case Heston was wearing ordinary shoes and Peck had built up shoes.

Garner was only 6'1" so he was noticeably shorter than the others.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 6/Mar/16
Heston, Cooper, Peck, Stewart, Coburn an even Garner. If you were to put them in a line up, the difference wouldn't be that noticeable.
Roberto said on 5/Mar/16
I agree. Charlton Heston is taller than Peck, Cooper, Garner and Coburn. Poitier is one inch more low-Heston. Heston is one inch more low-George Kennedy and Kennedy is 194 cm. Poitier 189-190.
Tom said on 4/Mar/16
Heston was taller than Peck and Cooper.
Roberto said on 29/Feb/16
Charlton Heston was considerably taller: a very big man. Heston is clearly one inch taller than Sidney Poitiers and 1 cm taller than Gregory Peck and Cooper. I see all movies and much photos and videos. Heston is a tower!
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 28/Feb/16
189-190cm peak
Roberto said on 17/Feb/16
Ciao! Heston was certainly 191cm.
Tom said on 25/Nov/15
Heston was taller than Peck. Both Peck and Cooper were known to wear lifts.
Larry said on 23/Sep/15
Heston was slightly taller than Peck.

Cooper wore lifts in many of his later films including "Vera Cruz", "They Came to Cordura" and "The Wreck of the Mary Deare".
Arch Stanton said on 22/Sep/15
No Cooper didn't wear lifts LOL. Cooper in lifts would have been a lot taller than Heston, I'm sure Steve would agree. Peck was a smidge taller than Heston I thought, but the uneven ground and posture at times could make Heston seem easily the same. There's one scene in which Heston is barefoot and Peck in boots and accounting for the boots you can see that Peck would still be a bit taller.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 19/Sep/15
Nearer 6ft3 than 6ft2.
About the same as Peck
Larry said on 19/Sep/15
Cooper wore lifts in "The Wreck of the Mary Deare" - Heston didn't.
Unsub 5'10" said on 15/Sep/15
He didn't look under 6'2.5" when he was well into his sixties, let alone as a young man, so I guess his peak height was close to 6'3.
Gert185 said on 17/Aug/15
Gonzalo, thanks for the pictures of Lancaster(6'1) and Heston, clearly at least 6'3 here. The saga goes on! And on! He did lose a lot of height later it seems, though. Who doesn't!
Get Shorty said on 10/Aug/15
As I kid I remember reading a publicity article for 55 Days at Peking. The article put Heston's height at 6'6". Sounds like they just added the standard 3". I thought it weird that his co-star (Ave Gardner) was the same height in posters for the film.
Editor Rob
the publicist was a gentleman from New York, called Mr G Cunningham Senior.
6'4" loser said on 4/Aug/15
6'3" all day every day even in his coffin. Way taller then Sydney Poitier and Burt Lancaster both listed at 6'2" so with shoes easily Heston was closer to 6'4" which is a fact.
Armandy said on 21/Jul/15
6'2.75 peak
Gonzalo said on 3/Jul/15
Heston and Lancaster. Lancaster looks short next de Heston
Click Here
Click Here
Gonzalo said on 25/May/15
Heston and Chuck Connors
Click Here
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 22/May/15
Towering over Terry Wogan.
Gert185 said on 2/May/15
In this very funny interview, Heston clearly says he is 6'3 - and looks it!…..Click Here
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 17/Apr/15
190cm could be closer for his peak
Arch Stanton said on 7/Apr/15
190cm is possible earlier in the day but I don't think he really looked a proper 191cm guy. Both Peck and Cooper were a bit taller.
Chuckie Cheese 2 said on 6/Apr/15
I'd say he was 6'3" in his prime. He was variously desribed as 6'3" and 200 lbs in the Ten Commandments, 1956, and 6 ft 2, 190 pounds in Ben Hur 1959. He looked every bit of 6 ft 2, that's for certain!
spaniard 68 said on 9/Mar/15
At least in "Skyjacked"(1972) if we freeze the image at 58:11 we can notice Heston is a half inch taller than a 32 year old James Brolin listed at 6'3.25"( maybe Brolin was really a bit under that height).Gert,you said that at the time you met him back in 1999 he was more like 6'2"( he was 76), that means he should at least have been 6'3" at peak.He was also considerably taller than Anthony Quinn...Eastwood is also an example of height loss.
Gert185 said on 9/Mar/15
I wrote and forgot…it should be…."- he and 6'4 George Kennedy….
Arch Stanton said on 3/Mar/15
Does anybody know if he had a medical problem with sweating or something LOL. In most films I see him in his face is always sweating and he always looks boiling hot!!
Arch Stanton said on 2/Mar/15
Well, Heston could pass for a legit 190cm with guys like Welles and Kennedy put it that way. I still think overall 6'2.5 is the best fit.
Arch Stanton said on 2/Mar/15
Steve, did you see Airport 75 and Earthquake? Heston looked barely shorter than George Kennedy in them!!
Steve said on 26/Dec/14
In this photo with Robert Wagner and Jimmy Stewart, Heston appeas as tall as Stewart:

Click Here
Steve said on 24/Dec/14
Check out the lifts Jack Hawkins wore in Ben-Hur.

Click Here

And Hawkins wasn't short. He was around 5'11".

I believe Heston was 6'3".
spaniard68 said on 6/Nov/14
Yeah, Heston could've lost a bit of height too, but not so much as Peck, he had a better posture than Peck and was seven years younger.I think that Heston's peak height was exactly 1.90m and that of Peck 191.5m ...so in that pic Heston was perhaps 189.5cm and Peck 189cm...There's this film, Pony Express, Heston struggles to look as tall as Forrest Tucker. If Tucker was really 6'4" then Heston was 6'3".They both looked imposing at a time(1953) when the average height in the States was 5'9"
Gert185 said on 5/Nov/14
…and Heston had probably lost some height too, just like Peck, at the time the photo was taken, so….?
spaniard68 said on 4/Nov/14
At least in that pic, Heston's eye level is a few millimeters above Mr Peck's, it's obvious.Years back, Peck was around 2cm taller but he started losing height as he aged, that's the proof, it's also noticeable he has a stoop in that photo and could've lost 1 inch from his peak height, most likely..
Gert185 said on 4/Nov/14
To Arch who says on 2/Nov/ 14 .."Heston's hair is fooling you. Fooled by Heston's hair?" Ok, I rest my case!
Arch Stanton said on 2/Nov/14
And don't forget Gary Cooper claimed 6'2"!! Cooper could look 192cm peak granted but by his last years he didn't look over 6'3.
Arch Stanton said on 2/Nov/14
Gert185 says on 1/Nov/14
Why should a man like Charlton Heston lie about his height? He was so frank about everything else I.

What part about the above "I read in an edition of the 1983 Philly Inquirer Heston saying: "I'm 6 feet 3" although earlier in his career, in a December 23rd 1956 Chicago Times it mentioned, " Charlton Heston is six feet two, looks taller because he says, 'Most five-foot-ten actors say they re six-foot-two. I really am.'"" didn't you read. Heston can't be both 6'2" and 6'3". He's claimed both heights. Truth is that very few people really know their precise height and it's likely he got measured near both marks at various times in the day. 6'2.5 therefore seems the most plausible and what he generally looked. Watch The Wreck of the Mary Deare , Cooper had Heston by about 2cm, not much in it like with Peck but he wasn't a proper 191cm 6'3" guy.
Arch Stanton said on 2/Nov/14
Peck looks a bit taller than Heston in that pic too, Heston's hair is fooling you.
Arch Stanton said on 2/Nov/14
Yes he was! In most comparisons Peck had poor posture or was standing on lower ground, that's why in some of the photos he doesn't look any taller. The barefoot comparison with Peck in book on level ground indoors you can see that even if Heston had on boots he'd be a little shorter than Peck.
Gert185 said on 1/Nov/14
Click Here

Picture og Peck and heston on the same level. There are several pictures of the two taking turns to look the tallest. Probably because they are not standing on the same level.
Gert185 said on 1/Nov/14
Peck was not taller than Heston in THE BIG COUNTRY. I just watched it. It is the other way round,, except for the barefoot int. scene. Met Heston in 1999, stood right beside him in Ralphs in the water aisle. At 76 he was at about 2 inches taller than me. A little less maybe. If you read most literature about him, including his own books he states that is/was 6'3. But he lost a lot of height due to his late illness in his later years. Why should a man like Charlton Heston lie about his height? He was so frank about everything else I.
Arch Stanton said on 25/Oct/14
@Mike1961 Try watching The Big Country, Peck was a bit taller than Heston and when Heston was barefoot and Peck in boots you could see that no way would they be the same height both barefoot.
Jake: 1.84 m- 1.85 m said on 18/Oct/14
Looked at least 6ft 2in in 'Planet of the Apes'.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 30/Sep/14
"Charlton Heston height: 6ft 2.75in (190cm)"
JACK said on 29/Jul/14
I agree with Arch Stanton about what he says regarding John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart in the Shootist and the Man Who Shot Liberty. It might have to do with the shoes that they were wearing. In the Shootist, at the first of the movie, where he first meets Jimmy Stewart in town, and Jimmy Stewart tells him that he is dying, it looks like Jimmy Stewart has a couple of inches on John Wayne. Later in the movie, when Jimmy Stewart is telling John Wayne how painful it will be for him right before he dies, John Wayne looks like he has a couple of inches on Jimmy Stewart.
Arch Stanton said on 15/Jul/14
Heston was barely shorter than Gary Cooper in Wreck, probably 2 cm shorter max but they did look very close although Cooper might have begun losing a bit by his last years. Of course like Jimmy there's a case for a 192 peak which they could both often look but I think 6'2.5" is a very good shout for Heston, better than 6'2" or 6'3", looked the same height on screen as Joel McCrea. I'd lean more towards 189-190 range though than 188 like McCrea as when you see him next to guys like Gary Cooper and Orson Welles he can often look more a weak 6'3" guy than 6'2" flat. 6'2.5" I think is spot on, but early in the day I think he could have measured 190cm in his younger years.
Arch Stanton said on 15/Jul/14
@Jack

Seriously? I thought John Wayne looked 1-2 inches taller than Jimmy Stewart in the Shootist and they looked a very similar height in Man Who Shot Liberty!
Arch Stanton said on 15/Jul/14
That's odd Spaniard as I thought Heston looked the most rugged and in the best shape I'd ever seen him in in Planet of the Apes. In some scenes he looked very imposing, like the cliff top scene where he looked a lot bigger than 6'2. Heston's grown on me over time, but he still turns me a little cold as an actor and unlike Jimmy Stewart was in a lot of mediocre films, although his gems make up for that.
spaniard68 said on 11/Jul/14
Stewart was 6'3.5" for sure.I came across something very curious, if you search for " the Opening of the Academy Awards in 1988" you will see Chevy Chase say hello to Heston from 2:50 to 3:03.Chevy was listed as being 6'4", my guess is he was 6'3.5"..well, the fact is that they look about the same height in the video,... was Chevy Chase wearing flat shoes?,maybe so ,was Heston in his peak height?..dubious, he had already turned 65..He looked a solid 6'3" standing next to Chevy.He doesn't give the impression of being under 1.90m, at least in the video...Standing next to other tall actors he was a tad shorter but this may be accounted for the fact they were between 6'3.5" and 6'4"...Cooper,Kennedy, Peck, etc,..oddly enough he didn't look so tall to me in Planet of the Apes.I think, sometimes, the screen makes people look smaller.
JACK said on 10/Jul/14
In a couple of movies, Earthquake and Airport 75, Heston appears to be the same height as George Kennedy. Kennedy was about as tall as Wayne, as can be seen in several pictures that they were in together. I think that Stewart stooped a lot in his movies. I would say that he was 6'3.5" when standing straight, even in his old age. However, at times he did not appear to be that tall. In The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, he looks to be a little shorter than John Wayne. In the Shootist, at the first of the movie, he appears to be a couple inches taller than John Wayne, who was quite old and sick by that time. Was John Wayne actually dying of cancer when he made The Shootist? Later in the movie, When Stewart and Wayne are talking about what it will be like for Wayne in the end, Wayne was clearly a couple of inches or so taller than Stewart. That could be accounted for by Stewart wearing higher shoes earlier in the movie, but not so later.
spaniard68 said on 4/Jul/14
Regarding your question about Heston and Wayne I honestly don't know which of the two actors was taller.Maybe Wayne was the taller of the two, most likely...oddly enough in some pictures Wayne looked 1.5" shorter than Cooper who I think was more like 6' 3.5".In other pictures Wayne looks as tall as Cooper....I'd lean towards 6'2.75" for Heston, I'm not quite sure he was a solid 6'3".On the other hand Heston was more slender than Wayne but that doesn't mean he was taller.By the way, I think some actors should be upgraded to 6'3.5"...Cooper, Jimmy Stewart and Peck.
JACK said on 1/Jul/14
Yes, I would say about a two inch difference between Heston and Fonda in Midway. Maybe a little more. Also, Fonda was 71 at that time and had likely shrunk some. He was probably about 6' 1" in his peak, but only about 6' in Midway. So if Heston was 6' 3", that would make Fonda slightly under 6' 1" in Midway. I don't think that Fonda lost much height as he got older. He still looks tall in On Golden Pond. He is considerably taller than Jane in that movie. He is also taller than Dabney Coleman, who is billed as being 6' 1".
spaniard68 said on 28/Jun/14
Wayne's height is still an unsolved mystery to me.Anyway, I took the trouble to watch Midway, I froze the image at 28:12 and clearly saw there is a 2.20"-inch height difference between Fonda and Heston.How do I come to that conclusion?. very simple, because after drawing a horizontal line across the screen you can notice Fonda's eyes are pointing directly at a spot located in the middle of Heston's upper lip.....from eye level down to that point there are 5,5 cm, that's to say: 2 inches plus one fifth..so, no way was Heston 3 inches taller than Fonda...that's my opinion, by the way, Fonda was quite old in the movie but still had a good posture,so did Heston.
Jack said on 24/Jun/14
Was Charlton Heston taller than John Wayne? In various movies and other shows and various shots, John Wayne appears to be about 2 inches taller than Henry Fonda. In Midway, and another show that I saw (I believe that it was a tribute to Henry Fonda), Heston is clearly several inches taller than Fonda. That would make Fonda 6', Wayne 6'2", and Heston 6'3". Of if John Wayne was 6'4" as he was supposed to have been, Fonda: 6'2", Wayne: 6'4", Heston: 6'5".
spaniard68 said on 16/Jun/14
Planet of the Apes; Awesome movie, it was released in Spain in 1975...humans were being chased thru the cornfield by bad-tempered apes, I was amazed and shocked at the same time. Ben Hur: Messala cracking the whip over Heston's head, literally,.. excellent special effects for both films, just worth watching.
Arch Stanton said on 12/Jun/14
Barely shorter than Gary Cooper in Wreck of the Mary Deare too, 2 cm looks accurate.
Arch Stanton said on 12/Jun/14
He really looked a solid 6'3" in Planet of the Apes though. There is a scene at the end when he's standing next to the girl on the clifftop and he really looks towering. She must have been short as he was looking over a foot taller.
Arch Stanton said on 9/Jun/14
Rob can you add The Ten Commandments, El Cid, The Big Country, 55 Days at Peking, Khartoum, Antony and Cleopatra, The Three Muskateers and Earthquake?
Arch Stanton said on 9/Jun/14
Looks about right in El Cid too. I'd lean towards 6'2" than 6'3" barefoot though if I had to go by full inches.
Arch Stanton said on 31/May/14
In Midway Heston had about 2 inches on Fonda and Coburn had about 1.5 inches on Fonda. I think by 1976 Fonda was nearer 6 ft,184 ish.
Arch Stanton said on 31/May/14
@Jack. You're forgetting that Fonda was pushing 80 by Midway and Heston was still in his 50s and unlikely to have lost much height. Fonda measured 6'2.5" in shoes in The Wrong Man, he wasn't under 186 peak, even if he did look shorter next to Hepburn's 6'3 hubby Mel Ferrer.
Jack said on 15/Jan/14
In the movie Midway, Charlton Heston appears to be several inches taller than Henry Fonda. There was also a television show, either a tribute to Henry Fonda or Henry Fonda's birthday. Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda were standing together, and Charlton Heston was considerably taller.
Sam said on 8/Jan/14
He still looked at least at the six foot mark next to Michael Moore, when the latter "attacked" him in Bowling for Columbine.
spaniard68 said on 7/Jan/14
I read he lost quite a few inches in his later years.I confirm having seen a photo of him and George Bush Junior when Heston was very old and Heston was not taller than Bush, thus, Heston ended up being 5' 11".Anyway, let me get this straight, if he was not under 6'2.5" ( 1.89 plus a few milimeters), that would be as much as saying he was full 6'2.5"( 189.5cm)during the daytime and between 6'2.75"-6'3" in the morning...it's only a suggestion.I think he was closer to 6'3" than to 6'2".Someone commented on this site the complete truth was full 6'3" for him, that person met Charlton in person.
Arch Stanton said on 5/Jan/14
Doesn't look under 189 either next to Orson Welles in Touch of Evil and if anything can look 2 inches taller at times.
Arch Stanton said on 21/Dec/13
6'2.5 also looks spot on in comparison to 6'1" listed Richard Johnson in Khartoum, Heston looks 1.5-2 inches taller.
Arch Stanton said on 21/Dec/13
He really is a lot taller than Lawrence Olivier in Khartoum, looks about 5 inches taller.
Arch Stanton said on 21/Dec/13
I think 181-82 for Niven, I wouldn't bet on him being closer to 6 ft put it that way. Heston again looks 6'2-6'3" in Khartoum.
spaniard68 said on 19/Dec/13
So if Niven was 5'11" , then Heston was around 3'5 or 3'75" taller than Niven.Most people I know who are 5'9,5" say they are 5'11"...I really am not.
Arch Stanton said on 17/Dec/13
I doubt Gary Cooper lost much if any height, he was only 60 when he died, maybe he dropped a cm or two. He could look a weak 6'32 in Love in the Afternoon next to Hepburn but in They Came to Cordura could still look near 6'4" next to Rita Hayworth as he looked in the late 30s early 40s.
Arch Stanton said on 17/Dec/13
Same here Sam.

Heston looks taller here: Click Here

Cooper looks taller here. Although posture of both and camera position isn't ideal Cooper to me looks the bigger of the two:

Click Here
Click Here
Click Here

I'll try to watch The Wreck of the Mary Deare later this week.
Arch Stanton said on 17/Dec/13
spaniard 68 says on 3/Oct/13
In 55 days in Peking we can see Heston maintain a good body posture throughout the movie, maybe because he was performing as a soldier...he dídn´t use to do this in THE BIG COUNTRY, I think he is 3 weak inches taller than Niven, Niven was perhaps 5'11,75" tall...Niven used to have a good posture all the time, this fact may allow us to determine their height difference more accurately...does anybody agree with me on this height difference between them? 21/2" or 2,75"...just out of curiosity

In all honesty having seen at least half of Niven's films, I think Niven was more likely closer to 5'11 barefoot than 6ft. Watch The Bishop's Wife for instance and it's difficult to buy anything over 5'11 next to Cary Grant who looks about 2 inches taller and Grant has often looked no more than 184cm in a lot of his films (see him next to Tony Curtis and Doris Day for instance) but I think a flat 6'1" is OK. Heston always looked between 6'2" and 6'3" to me.
Sam said on 12/Nov/13
When I click on the link for Heston-Cooper shot, I just get a homepage for Warner Archives.
spaniard68 said on 11/Nov/13
I would say Gary Cooper is standing on a higher level than Heston, besides Heston had a tendency to tuck his chest inwards, which made him lose a Little bit of height, in spite of all that , I think Heston seems slightly taller than Cooper in this picture, Cooper was 57 an Heston was 35, it´s likely Cooper had already lost a bit of height, maybe half an inch, I dunno. It is said Heston himself lost about 3 inches later in life, I never got the chance to shake hands with him like you did, Gert, so, I cannot confirm this.
spaniard68 said on 10/Nov/13
Gert, it´s obvious you speak from experience,evidence speaks for itself,thanks for posting these photos
Gert said on 8/Nov/13
Click Here
Gert said on 7/Nov/13
Click Here
Gert said on 7/Nov/13
I would say to call the difference between Heston and Boyd in Ben Hur "slight" is an understatement, judging from these photos: stephen Boyd and Charlton heston. At least about 8-10 centimiters.
Sam said on 4/Nov/13
I guess it makes sense to split the difference between his two claims, but I think Heston was pretty near 6'3" at his peak.
spaniard68 said on 2/Nov/13
Yes, they almost look the same height, maybe Chevy Chase was not a full 6'4" guy, perhaps he is 6'3,5" at the most, in the morning, and rounds up his height; some people measure themselves with their shoes on, but nevertheless I believe Heston was very close to 1.90m, between 1.89,5 and 1.90...other times he looked shorter than that...maybe because the other actors were wearing lifts.I have been watching several scenes in Ben Hur where he is talking to Messala, Stephen Boyd who was 6',and there was not too much of a height difference between them, of course Heston was slightly taller..my guess is Stephen Boyd was wearing lifts....He was tall even at 65, not the tallest but quite tall, give or take 1cm or 2,
Gert said on 28/Oct/13
Click Here

6'4 Chevy Chase saying hello to a clearly 6'3 Heston, even at & 65!
Arch Stanton said on 5/Oct/13
Dunno Spaniard, but in Guns of Navarone Peck looked about 3-3.5 inches taller than Niven and if he was 5'11.5" peak then Peck looked 6'3". Agreed, 189cm fits Heston well.
jtm said on 5/Oct/13
i thought 188cm was more accurate.
Lorne said on 4/Oct/13
Awesome! 189cm is perfect, right between his claims...
spaniard 68 said on 3/Oct/13
In 55 days in Peking we can see Heston maintain a good body posture throughout the movie, maybe because he was performing as a soldier...he dídn´t use to do this in THE BIG COUNTRY, I think he is 3 weak inches taller than Niven, Niven was perhaps 5'11,75" tall...Niven used to have a good posture all the time, this fact may allow us to determine their height difference more accurately...does anybody agree with me on this height difference between them? 21/2" or 2,75"...just out of curiosity
spaniard68 said on 2/Oct/13
Maybe ground unevenness can give us a wrong impression of their true height, Mr Heston tends to slouch quite a bit in some shots, he did not use to stand up straight all the time unlike Mr. Peck who I think used to keep a better posture....nevertheless I´m starting to think Heston was 6'2,5" and Peck, I dunno, 6' 2,5" OR 6'3"...oh boy, were movie actors tall those days!!!
spaniard68 said on 2/Oct/13
Maybe ground unevenness can give us a wrong impression of their true height, Mr Heston tends to slouch quite a bit in some shots, he did not use to standing up straight all the time unlike Mr. Peck who I think used to keeping a better posture....nevertheless I´m starting to think Heston was 6'2,5" and Peck, I dunno, 6' 2,5" OR 6'3"...oh boy, were movie actors tall those days!!!
Arch Stanton said on 2/Oct/13
Peck lost quite a lot of height by his later years though, looked nearer 6'1" later on. Click Here Heston looks noticeably taller than Peck here for instance, Peck seeming to have shrunk to around 6'1 and Heston still near his peak.
Arch Stanton said on 2/Oct/13
Thanks Rob, I think this is spot on now. I've seen a lot of his films now and I think somewhere between 6'2 and 6'3" barefoot is what he was. He looked about 2 cm shorter than Jimmy Stewart.
Arch Stanton said on 30/Sep/13
Rob pause at 92:44 on that link. Heston is barefoot and Peck in boots which I think give about 1.5 inches. That should be a good way to reassess whether he might have been a smidge taller than this barefoot. I think Peck looks almost 2 inches taller but if he was 6'3" at 1.5 boots that's 6'4.5" and would make Heston minimum 6'2.5".
Arch Stanton said on 30/Sep/13
Click Here Pause at 87:18 for a comparison of Peck and Heston without hats and ground probably more likely to be even. Peck looks about 2 cm taller I'd say. But if Peck was 190 then 188 for Heston makes sense. Maybe 6'2.25" would be better I dunno!
Arch Stanton said on 30/Sep/13
A flat 6'2" I think is a bit low, somewhere between 6'2" and 6'3" I think is around what he was. A strong 6'2" guy, doubt he dipped under 6'2".
Arch Stanton said on 30/Sep/13
Rob would you consider an upgrade to 189? I really think he looked it most of the time and he does look very close in height to Peck in The Big Country.
Editor Rob
since he claimed both 6ft 2 and 3, maybe 2.5 is what he could have been, he could look that mark, maybe it is a better fit
Arch Stanton said on 30/Sep/13
@Spaniard68. No, Heston wasn't taller. The reason was ground uneveness and Heston often wearing a cowboy hat and Peck not wearing a hat so in some shots and stills I'm sure Heston seems a bit taller. They look close in height though agreed, but I think Heston was more 189 and Peck more 190cm.
Arch Stanton said on 30/Sep/13
@Spaniard68, Heston never appeared medium height, even in films with 6'4" guys he looked big because unlike a lot of taller actors he was well built to boot. I think he was between 6'2" and 6'3". He looked 190cm a lot. I agree that it's difficult to think that Peck and Jimmy Stewart were the same height, but I've seen probably a dozen of Peck's films and he really did look around 6'3", very long legs, longer than a typical 6'2" guy. That said, in Twelve O'Clock High he was eye to eye with 6'2" Dean Jagger.
Spaniard68 said on 26/Sep/13
After watching THE BIG COUNTRY I have to say Mr.Heston looks at least 1/2 inch taller than Peck..When Mr Heston was standing barefoot in front of the boot-clad Peck he did not appear to be shorter than Mr. Gregory...which really struck me...it is crystal clear to me Heston was 6'2,75", maybe 6'3" in the prime of his career.Hence it is hard to imagine Peck being 6'3"..I doubt he ever was.Besides, Heston was usually surrounded by tall people who made him seem to be medium height...which he was not; remember the Planet of the Apes, the Ten commandments,Ben Hur,etc.We very much admire both these two awesome actors here in Spain, their memory lives on within us.
Arch Stanton said on 6/Sep/13
Got to say he looks nearer 6'3" than 6'2" in Ben-Hur, one of the most solid 6'2" guys I've ever seen anyway... I think 6'2.5" might be right for his peak.
Arch Stanton said on 30/Aug/13
Just checked and Stewart is in flat mocassin like shoes as the clown.
Arch Stanton said on 30/Aug/13
I agree Gert that Heston can look 6'3" quite a bit.
Arch Stanton said on 30/Aug/13
It's the scene where somebody gets trapped under the thing. Vincent Price is briefly stood alongside Heston and he really looks near 2 inches taller. That photo is strange as if you watch the scene in the film he noticeably taller than Heston. Plus Heston is a bit shorter than Jimmy Stewart in the Greatest Show on Earth, although I haven't noticed if he also had clown shoes on yet.
Arch Stanton said on 30/Aug/13
Watch the film people. Price has around 2 inches on him.
Arch Stanton said on 30/Aug/13
Looks 6'3" in the Greatest Show on Earth
Gert said on 2/Jul/13
To Arch Stanton: Take a look at the photo of Heston and Price (Outlaw), June 22)- where are the two inches???? Here they look exactly the same height!
Gert said on 2/Jul/13
I met Heston myself at Ralphs supermarket at Coldwater Canyon in 1999. I am 6'1 and even at 76 Heston was at least an inch taller than me. To Arch Stanton: saw Heston as same height as George Kennedy, legit 6'4,(Airport 75 James Brolin, legit 6'4( in Skyjacked)...so 6'3 is according to himself and most sources the correct peak height. Heston and Price were never standing at the same level in Ten Commantments, so it would be difficult to judge. Why not contact his son, Fraser, and ask him? Heston lost a lot of height - hence the many different and often confusing photos with other stars. (ex. James Stewart, etc)
Outlaw said on 22/Jun/13
Like Rampage, I believe Heston was also 6'3" in the prime of his career

Here is a picture of him and Vincent Price (6'4"): Click Here
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 15/Jun/13
Looked a solid 6ft3 in his early career. I don't get the 6ft2 claims. Maybe he lowered himself because of that whole thing about taller actors getting overlooked for main parts. He could've been 189cm, but no less. He looks taller than Will Smith in that photo from the early 90s when he would've been almost 70.
jtm said on 31/May/13
thanks for the downgrade. 6'2 was his real height.
Arch Stanton said on 30/May/13
@Gert. Legit 6'4" Vincent Price had 2 inches on Heston.
Peterx said on 26/May/13
I met Heston at a tennis event at his Coldwater Canyon home in the 80s. We shook hands. I'm 6'1 and he was at least two inches taller. He was also followed around by a diminutive servant with a pitcher of martinis.
Gert said on 24/Mar/13
Heston biographer Mike Munn, 1986:p 13:"...and only recently (Dark City, 1950), has his six-foot three inch frame broadened around the chest and shoulders". P. 29:...".. the smallest kid in class, but by the time he was sixteen he had shot up to six foot two inches. He was skinny as a rake, but towered over many of his peers.....". Any boy who is 6'2 at sixteen would surely grow another inch or two before he reaches twenty. Heston always said his height was 6'3, so why doubt that. The 6'2 refers to his sudden shooting up at sixteen....a story he liked to tell. Hope that clears up things.
Anonymous said on 22/Mar/13
6'3 peak. The above height isn't correct.

Heights are barefeet estimates, derived from quotations, official websites, agency resumes, in person encounters with actors at conventions and pictures/films.

Other vital statistics like weight or shoe size measurements have been sourced from newspapers, books, resumes or social media.

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