How tall was Howard Hughes

Howard Hughes Height

6ft 3 (190.5 cm)

American film producer, director and pilot best remembered for directing Hell's Angels and The Outlaw and producing films such as Scarface, Jet Pilot, The Las Vegas Story, Behind the Rising Sun and Sons of Sinbad. At age 18 he claimed 6 feet 2.

Howard Hughes 1938
Acme Newspictures, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Well, the statistics are that I am six feet, three and three‐quarters inches, which is what I have always been —just barely under 6 feet 4. As to the weight, I would guess in the 140 to 150 area. I am thin.
-- The NY Times, 1972

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Add a Comment23 comments

Average Guess (22 Votes)
6ft 3.24in (191.1cm)
Andrey200 said on 29/Nov/22
192 range
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 30/Mar/21
slim, I think Ryan Reynolds wouldn't have been a bad choice...
Tall In The Saddle said on 14/Mar/21
I wouldn’t overly fixate on the passport listing. It was self reported and while some might measure themselves every other day the majority of people aren’t so obsessed. An 18 yo Hughes, while still possibly growing at any rate, might’ve been referencing a measurement some period of time prior, with further growth quite possible in the interim.

Anyway, the photo linked previously with Grant is clearly in artificial favour of Cary. There is another photo of the pair online and though slouching a bit, Hughes is clearly taller and 6’3” is reasonably arguable. Never 6’4” but got away with that claim due to being lanky.
Slim 6'1" said on 23/Jan/21
In 6’2.5 territory
Jeff2000 said on 6/May/20
I link the scan of his passport which stated he was 6’2”/188cm at 18 years old. Click Here
Editor Rob
That's interesting he said 6ft 2 at age 18.
Canson said on 11/Feb/20
He didn’t shrink two inches
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 8/Mar/18
I think 191-192cm is arguable and 193cm out of bed.

I can believe his claim was maybe an early morning measurement
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 8/Mar/18
Apparently he weighed 90lbs when he died! Imagine that at 6ft3
Slim 181 cm said on 26/Jun/17
RampageClover, who told you DiCaprio wore lifts in the aviator? Do you have pictures? Yes his foot looked oddly shaped while wearing those canvas shoes but still.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 14/Jun/17
DiCaprio was a terrible choice to play him. Even with lifts he failed to capture his looming presence. Really a guy like Lee Pace would have been better.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 14/May/17
Similar build to Sacha Baron Cohen...I think he may have been a strong 6ft3
Arch Stanton said on 1/Dec/14
I think the 6'3.75 was probably a shoe measurement.
Arch Stanton said on 26/Nov/14
I read a good review of Hell's Angels which compares Hawks to James Cameron in that technically and action wise it's masterful but the acting and screenplay neglected and mediocre. Avatar was much like that.
Arch Stanton said on 26/Nov/14
Rob can you upload Click Here (a good one for proportions) and update with Eccentic American film producer, director and pilot who directed Hell's Angels and The Outlaw and produced for films like Scarface, Jet Pilot, The Las Vegas Story, Behind the Rising Sun and Sons of Sinbad.
Editor Rob
I think the almost 6ft 4 was probably too high for him.
Sam said on 27/Oct/14
Yeah that's what I see Maio, 6'2.5". There's pretty much now way he could look that close to Cary Grant and be 6'3.75"...the shorter listed Jimmy Stewart had more height on Grant than Hughes.
Sam said on 22/Apr/14
Rob, would you agree he doesn't look 6'3.75" with Cary Grant?

In the past, on the other hand, I recall having seen a video of Hughes standing near John Wayne and not looking much shorter. Can't find that now.
Editor Rob
there's not many great photos of them, he can look taller, how much is harder to say.
Sam said on 25/Jun/13
There's no way he was 6'3.75" unless Grant is standing on a stool!:
Click Here
Jack said on 25/Jul/11
I stood in front of Howard Hughes in Las Vegas outside of the Mint Hotel. I am 5"4" and he stood about a foo taller. That would make him about 6'4". A photograph was taken of Howard Hughes standing in front of a black Cadillac Limo with Levar B. Myler (a senior penthouse aide) to his left and John H. Meier ( a business manager and participant in Watergate) to his right. In the Cadillac's front passenger seat sat John M. Holmes Jr. (another senior penthouse aide) A complete description can see if you search for Levar B. Myler.
Mathew said on 17/Mar/11
PatB says on 3/Aug/10
Well whatever he was in real life he has been doomed to be portrayed by much shorter men in the movies.

lol, what a curse.
Robert Jay said on 24/Dec/10
I recall a TV documentary that showed Hughes' pilot's license and the numbers 6"-3" and 150 lbs. stand out in my mind. Addicted to pain killers since a 1946 plane crash, and weakened from a poor diet, peeing into mason jars was his only option. Perhaps he had kidney stones and saved the jars to detect if the stones had passed.
Demetrius J. Justice said on 28/May/07
In the book, Citizen Hughes,the author-Michael Drosnin- claims that H.Hughes was 6ft6.Looking at pictures of him surrounded by people, most of them barely reach his shoulders.
ForensicNYC said on 9/Aug/06
The original AVIATOR looks 6'3" in his prime...
Click Here
Before the billions...
Click Here
During the billions...
Click Here
A very sad ending...
Click Here
Click Here
Click Here
Jonathan said on 16/Feb/06
my grampa worked in one of his film, as a camera man and said that he was a tal one but more like 6'-2 not 6.375, my grampa use to be 5'10 now he looks 5'8ish maybe 5'9

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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