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Antoine says on 3/Mar/10
Marco, Ali McGraw as acutually 5,4!
yellooo says on 4/Feb/10
anyone know how tall his grandson, Steven R. McQueen (jeremy from vampire diaries) is? he looks tall to me, but then i heard he's only like 5 ft 9.. Marco says on 11/Jan/10
I think Ali Mcgraw is under 5'8''. Mcqueen was between 5'8'' and 5'9''. barjbar says on 31/Dec/09
I also agree the mug shot proves it. He's at the 5'9 mark in a pair of shoes. I read he was wearing sneakers the night he was arrested. The pic with Bud Ekins he also looks very short. I'm a big fan of his movies and I never thought he was more than 5'8" He only played opposite of short women: Suzanne Pleshette, Anita Corsaut, Jeanette Nolan, Susan Oliver. In the final scene of "The Sand Pebbles" where the camera shows full length shot of Mcqueen standing next to 5'7" Candace Bergen you can see he's wearing military boots with large heels and she's wearing flats, shoes with no heels, and he's equal in height with her. In one scene from "Wanted Dead or Alive" a character asks, "Why do you carry such a big gun?" and Mcqueen answers, "'cause I'm an itty, bitty, fella." 5'10" at least in your bare feet, is not short. Danimal says on 31/Dec/09
Listed at 5'9.5" on imd.com I believe. Aleks says on 31/Dec/09
Karl Malden was 6'1". Parker says on 31/Dec/09
Wow - I've not visited this page for some time and amazed people are still suggesting he was 5'8.
I thought Rising's pic of McQueen stood next to his 5'8 wife would have killed the debate.
Here it is again.
Click Here barjbar says on 30/Dec/09
In "The Cincinnati Kid" when he grabs 6' tall Karl Malden he looks quite a bit shorter. About 5'8". In "The Great Escape" he barely looks taller than Richard Attenborough. In a scene from "Wanted Dead or Alive" with 6'3" Martin Landau, he's dwarfed by him. In "The Blob" with 5'5" Anita Corsaut he's a few inches taller than her and dwarfed by the actor that plays the sheriff. In the scene from "The Great Escape" where he's walking next to 6' tall James Garner, he looks at least 4" shorter and wears a hat make him look taller. I think he was no taller than 5'8". Stonewall Jackson says on 25/Aug/09
Steve is one of a dozen favorite actors of mine.I had a GGG Grandmother who was related to Mac Queens Mc Queens and finally Queens here husband was a Mac Queen from Shenandoah,Virginia.Steve was born in Indiana and raised in Missouri where many of my kinfolk were raised.We may be related but regardless Steve was the man that put the "M" in machismo and a hell of an actor. R.I.P. Steve. RisingForce says on 28/Jul/09
I didn't see much more than 3 inches between Garner and McQueen in The Great Escape. Maybe 3 or 4, I don't know I haven't seen the movie in a while. adam says on 24/Jul/09
But McQueen was a lot shorter than James Garner who was 6-1. Way more than three inches. peteyork says on 22/Jul/09
Frank2 how do you get 5 inches in your last photo. Rob posted an article about young dutch guys (average height 6ft 1/2 inch) where the distance between the centre of the pupil of the eye is on average 4.4 inches to the top of the head. Based on that you would get 3 1/2 inches on that last photo. I really like your comments and your height estimates but I am not sure they are accurate once you get away from your height. Because I always get 3 1/2 inches when I look at the photos when you get 5ish. What do you judge the distance between the centre of the pupil to the top of some one's head? I wanting to know because i think you are very good at spotting somebodies height. I just feel you are out by about inch out time you get to 4 inches. So if you see sly at 5'8 I would probably see him as 5'8 3/4's. It would just help me gauage somebodies height better because we all assume how big an inch is. Until I came on here I thought i looked 5'10 against 6'2 1/2 guys. I actual come above their eye brows, based on that i look a strong 5'11. So now when I look at the Pitt and Freeman Seven photo I realise I am at least Pitt's height or perhaps taller. I am normally 5'10 3/4 last think on an evening, my relax height is not really any different to standing up straight so may be i have particular good posture. Please do not take it as a dig, I am generally interested, I have come to the same conclusion with a lot of other people's estimates when you look at photo's as well. Frank2 says on 15/Jul/09
More like five inches.
Click Here RisingForce says on 15/Jul/09
McQueen also looked about 4 inches taller than Attenborough in The Great Escape. Frank2 says on 14/Jul/09
5'7" Martin Sheen and 5'6" Richard Attenborough:
Click Here
If that doesn't work, try this one:
Click Here
McQueen appeared 5 inches taller than Attenborough in THE SAND PEBBLES:
Click Here
Or try this:
Click Here Frank2 says on 14/Jul/09
I cannot stand Tinyurl. It previews fine and then won't link when attached to a post. Try it agin.
McQueen seated next to Hoffmann:
Click Here
If that refuses to work, use this one:
Click Here
If that doesn't work, type "McQueen Hoffmann" on Google images and the shot of them seated will show up on the first page. Frank2 says on 14/Jul/09
Thanks tubbs. Yes' McQueen was at least five inches taller than Hoffmann in PAPILLON and towered over Richard Attenborough in THE SAND PEBBLES. And McQueen didn't wear lifts in either film. I never spotted lifts on him. Just look at the difference in size between McQueen and Hoffmann when the two are seated:
Click Here standing:
Click Here tubbs says on 13/Jul/09
McQueen looks atleast 5 inches taller than Dustin Hoffmann in Papillon, and for a lost of that movie he is barefoot, he looks pretty tall in the Thomas Crown Affair too. With reference to John Wayne, some people nee to watch Brannigan, he's a whole head taller than Attenborough, and wears low cut slip on shoes woth no room for lifts, there are close ups of them on several occassions. It just goes to show how some people just aren't open to suggestion, they believe what they want. Frank2 says on 11/Jul/09
Antoine, I'm adamant because I believe the truth is more important than BS. Anyone who personally knows me realizes I'm the last person to be called an obsessive fan. I knew a lot of famous people going back to when I was a kid. My folks where in the business so I'd see them come over to our home. When I was an adult and went to work I worked in the entertainment industry, I came in contact with a number of celebrities.
No way was Steve McQueen short. He wasn't tall either. He was average to slightly taller than many famous actors. He was the same height in TOWERING INFERNO as Paul Newman who wasn't short either and in that film wore cowboy boots with two inch heels. McQueen wore regular shoes and no lifts. He never wore them. I've seen several publicity stills from the film and McQueen was around the same height as William Holden who was 5'11" peak, but by the time of that film had lost some height and was roughly 5'10". I know since I met him.
So believe what you want. Think he was 5'7"? OK. Fine. Doesn't mean it's true, but if it makes you happy, go for it. Just like over on the John Wayne thread where people claim he was shorter than 6'4" and wore huge lifts, I've lost patience. It's like arguing with a brick wall. slope says on 10/Jul/09
Well, I am puzzled again. In the 1986 hard cover edition of the Penina Spiegel biography, she states on page 147 that although McQueen claimed to be five eleven, his height was reported as low as five foot six but Spiegel concludes he was "probably about five nine." There is a photo of him with the American Team at the International Six-day Trials in her book; the photo is courtesy of Bud Ekins. Caption reads that McQueen made everyone scrunch down so that he would not be the shortest while he stood on his tiptoes. Antoine says on 6/Jul/09
Slope has has some very interesting and thought provoking comments...I agree completely with what slope said. I have read the book by Minty " the last mile" and she does seem rather defensive when it somes to McQueen's height. Why? I have and read Terrill's bio on McQueen too and realize that there are may excerpts that elude to McQueen being short. Yes both wives' claimed he was 5'10. A bit odd I say. There are many actors out there who have stated that McQueen wasnt tall. Stated that he was downright short. He wore lifts...that is a fact! Why? Frank2 is pretty adamant...for whatever reason. An obsessive fan? Friend? Not sure about that one, but who is to say right! There are way too many sightings, photos, testamonials, and official documents to be ignored. There are only a handful of people who are stating he was 5'10. There is something to be said there. He wasnt 5'10! He wasnt tall...and thats ok. Many top hollywood actors aren't tall, what are you gonna do? I have seen photos of Steves first wife Neile and steve towers over her! Thats probably becuase she was only 4'10...Chad McQueen isnt tall he is my height...5'7. How do I know this? becuase i have met him on more than one occasion most recently this past June at the Steve McQueen charity car show at the Boys Republic in Chino, CA. 5'10? Very unlikely! Frank2 says on 3/Jul/09
No, Cheney was not as tall as John Wayne. Lon Cheney Jr. was over six feet. Probably near 6'2". By the time of HIGH NOON he looked about an inch and a half shorter than 6'3" Gary Cooper.
In the film OF MICE AND MEN, Cheney wore lifts to make himself appear like a giant. adam says on 3/Jul/09
Frank2. Was Lon Chaney Jr. as tall as John Wayne? In a film they appear to be the same height! tubbs says on 2/Jul/09
To make reference to the 5'10" and the 5'7" autopsy discrepencies, there is an English darts player called Shaun Greatbatch who has cancer, in one year of being diagnosed he went from 6'5" to 6'1"......so the 5'7" autopsy height may have no bearing on what he was peak. I think Frank has commented extensively on Steve to prove he was 5'10, maybe a smidgen more. I've been off on peoples heights from just 1 or 2 meetings, but if you have known someone for a number of years it is pretty easy to pinpoint someones height, which Frank has by the sounds of it. Frank2 says on 2/Jul/09
Met both. Stewart was 6'3" even when he was well into his seventies. Mitchum was 6'1" peak and later packed down to 5'11". bob says on 2/Jul/09
frank 2, have you ever seen jimmy stewart and robert mitchum? Frank2 says on 2/Jul/09
That was me. Somehow it switched to anonymous. Anonymous says on 2/Jul/09
Adam, you have zero idea how tall he was. I met the guy, even knew him slightly. He was no more 5'8" than John Wayne was 6'1". Come on man. Get with it! McQueen was 5'10". He was slightly shorter than me. adam says on 2/Jul/09
Steve was about 5-8 or slightly more. Michael Caine said that he was very short and that he made Steve look like nothing. slope says on 29/Jun/09
OK, I'll back off. I am not an eyewitness. Regarding the military records (5'8'') it should be noted that McQueen entered the military at quite a young age, while still a teenager. It is certainly possible for a man to continue to grow into his early twenties. So he might have picked up a couple of inches from when he was initially measured by the Marines as a teenager. Certainly the photo of him with Ali makes him appear to be 5'10''. Regarding the autopsy measurement of 5'7'', as others on this thread have mentioned, he suffered from horrific cancer. Who knows what that did to him? He might well have shrunk from his illness. McQueen remains a mystery; perhaps that accounts for his enduring appeal. He never revealed too much of himself, right down to his height. Frank2 says on 27/Jun/09
Well, the military isn't always the last word. Like I've said, I met him, knew him well enough that he called me by my name. He was 5'10". slope says on 27/Jun/09
I am with Antoine on this: the military records show McQueen at 5'8''.
Six points:
1. These military records were made public and are no longer protected from scrutiny. Check this website: Click Here
His biographer, Marshall Terrill, made the interesting comment that "according to my research" McQueen was 5'10'' (which is what Barbara Minty claims) but Terrill hastens to add that McQueen's military records list him at 5'8''. See the interview at this website:
Click Here
Obviously, Terrill has seen the military records. Could the military be off a full two inches when they measured McQueen? It seems unlikely. Seems to me Mr. Terrill wants Steve McQueen to be 5'10'' but he does not want to lose his credibility as a biographer so he adds the disclaimer about the military records which showed McQueen to be 5'8'. Why not just say 5’10’’ and skip any mention of the military records?
2. In the paperback 2008 edition of the Marshall Terrill biography, on page 39, producer Vince Fennelly explains why he cast McQueen in the TV show “Wanted: Dead or Alive”. He says, “I picked him because he was a little guy. Everyone’s against him except the audience.”
3. In that same Terrill biography, on page 60, there is a quote from manager Hilly Elkins regarding the shooting of “The Magnificent Seven”. Elkins says, “Steve and Yul Brynner weren’t that tall.”
4. In another interview, Terrill says Barbara Minty knew McQueen the last four years of his life (1976-1980). See interview here: Click Here
Ms. Minty-McQueen claims that Steve was 5'10'' yet the autopsy lists him as 5'7''. It seems unlikely that Steve McQueen shrunk three full inches in four years even with his illness. The autopsy listing of 5'7'' is so very close to the the military listing of 5’8’’ that it just cannot be a coincidence. As Antoine said, two official sources (military and autopsy) being within 1'' is pretty definitive.
5. The mugshot. It seems clear that McQueen is standing at the 5’9’’ line (not the 6’ line) and obviously is in shod feet which would give him at least an inch.
6. In the Penina Spiegel biography, “McQueen: The Untold Story of a Bad Boy in Hollywood” there is a photo of McQueen standing alongside a line of guys including Bud Ekins. McQueen is on tiptoes and the caption says he told the others to hunch down because he was sensitive about his height. slope says on 26/Jun/09
Re: question of Antoine --Barbara Minty in her book "The Last Mile" claims that she and Steve McQueen were the same height, namely 5 feet 10 inches. Interestingly, she goes out of her way in that book to mention that McQueen was that tall. It seems somewhat defensive. Antoine says on 25/Jun/09
Does anyone know how tall Barbara Minty was when Steve and her were together? mcfan says on 24/Jun/09
Steve has that classic build where he looks shorter than he is. A big head and big features with bad posture. Always looked average to me. Slope says on 21/Jun/09
How tall was Bud Ekins? Here is a link to a photo of McQueen and Ekins together and it looks like they are on level ground, standing side by side.
Click Here Frank2 says on 18/Jun/09
It's hard to cover for one actor being shorter than another in a long shot which is why today we hardly ever see shorter actors, especially those sensitive about their lack of stature, next to taller ones in wide angles. Yesterday I watched some film Matt Damon was in. He's no more than 5'8", but he claims to be 5'10" so I noticed that as he started walking away, the editor cut right before I saw his feet. I noticed this with several cuts. They used to do it in the old days with Alan Ladd who was no more than 5'6". With closer shots they can fudge by using a ramp or even a box to boost the shorter actor so he doesn't look like a midget. Now some of this is strictly done because it's necessary. I mean if you have say a actress who's six or seven inches shorter than her leading man and she in a love scene with him where the two are standing and embracing, in a two-shot, without a box, her head wouldn't be in the frame. tubbs says on 17/Jun/09
Hi Frank, I was wondering if you could explain something seeing as you have worked in the film industry. I've just watched a movie where in one shot 2 actors were walking down a corridor in sync, from a long full body shot the one guy looked atleast 4 inches taller, by the time they were close to the camera there was only 1 inch between them, is this to do with camera trickery, or am I being naive, and it is purely down to perspective? TELLEM says on 17/Jun/09
nice pic risingforce, yea mcqueen definetly was 5'10 and he looked it w/ dustin hoffman in papillon Frank2 says on 17/Jun/09
All I can tell you is when I met Wallach I could easily look over the top of his head. He was quite short. tom says on 17/Jun/09
I always thought steve was around 6 feet... I guess it was his persona 5 10 is not short anyway. im 5 9. Steve is one of my heroes. Saved those marines in the sinking tank! tubbs says on 17/Jun/09
That picture from Risingforce pretty much confirms the 5'10 for Steve, maybe even a touch taller. It looks like it was taken during the filming of Papillon, where barefoot for most of the movie he has atleast 5 inches on Dustin Hoffmann. Frank, to your knowledge do you know if Eli Wallach wore lifts in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly? He looks about 5'9" in that movie. I thought the Hunter was pretty poignant, with Steve holding a newborn baby at the end, when he was months from the end of his own life. Frank2 says on 17/Jun/09
Amen RisingForce! Amen! Brad says on 16/Jun/09
I've met Solo and he's 5' 8" and a jerk. T.H.R.U.S.H. ought to destroy him. Wanted $50 an autograph. Great photo with Ali. I'm going to 5' 10" on McQueen now. RisingForce says on 16/Jun/09
Now that we've established that Ali McGraw is 5'7", 5'8" we can put this 5'8" nonsense to rest for McQueen. Click Here You can see that Steve is in sandals with no lifts and he's about 2 inches taller than Ali who looks like she could be on slightly higher ground. Frank2 says on 16/Jun/09
Robert Vaughn was at his peak about 5'9". I met him one day on the Fox lot in 1982. I was three inches taller.
To my knowledge, McQueen never wore lifts.
In THE TOWERING INFERNO, Newman wore cowboy boots with two inch heels while McQueen wore regular shoes. Sam says on 16/Jun/09
In the photo with Poitier and Streisand, Newman is further away from the camera. In The Towering Inferno, Newman and McQueen seemed roughly the same height. Mr T-Cakes says on 16/Jun/09
He was taller than Robert Vaughn in Bullit by a couple of inches, if I remember rightly.This site has Vaughn down as 5ft10-ish.But did they use lifts back in '68? And what's the possibility McQueen wore them? Frank2 says on 15/Jun/09
"Steve was 5'8" tops and that's being generous. Ali was just barely 5'6"."
Nope. Ali who I met was at minimum 5'7", perhaps even 5'8." Add heels and she was at minimum, 5'10", even 5'11" depending on the heel height.
Here's Ali with 5'11" Ryan O'Neill and 5'5" Arthur Hiller:
Click Here
And Ali with 5'9" Robert Evans:
Click Here
And with Evans and Hiller:
Click Here
And Ali towering over Hiller:
Click Here
5'7" Billy Crystal and Hiller:
Click Here Frank2 says on 15/Jun/09
"Maybe he wore Stallone NYC sandals with Frank2."
No lifts in these sandals: Click Here Frank2 says on 15/Jun/09
McQueen, Newman, 5'5" Streisand and 6' 2.5" Sidney Poitier:
Click Here Frank2 says on 15/Jun/09
McQueen with 5'7" Faye Dunaway:
Click Here Frank2 says on 15/Jun/09
McQueen with 5'7" Faye Dunaway:
Click Here Frank2 says on 15/Jun/09
McQueen, Newman, 5'5" Streisand and 6' 2.5" Sidney Poitier:
Click Here Frank2 says on 15/Jun/09
Wagner always had better posture. I never saw him slouch. Whereas McQueen slouched all the time. Like I said, the first time I met him I thought Steve was about 5'7" and then he suddenly stood up straight and was I surprised!
Recently I watched some newsreel footage shot at a party for THE TOWERING INFERNO that shows McQueen and Paul Newman standing next to each other. Both are about the same height. Newman was also 5'10". I know since I worked on the edited version of SLAPSHOT and saw him when he'd come in to do replacement lines for TV and airline versions. In fact, it's my voice you hear on the soundtrack when Newman's on the phone with his ex-wife and she hangs up on him and he says "Nuts!" It was changed from "****!" Newman refused to say "nuts" so since I sounded somewhat like him on the temp track, he laughed and said "Go ahead and use it." Frank2 says on 13/Jun/09
Go to 5:30 of this clip from WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE and you'll notice McQueen is two inches shorter than 6' Robert Culp:
Click Here
Here's McQueen with 5'11" Robert Wagner and British actress Shirley Ann Field:
Click Here
And here's McQueen next to Wagner: Click Here
McQueen with 5'7" Norman Jewison: Click Here
Jewison and Harry Belafonte: Click Here
Belafonte in his prime was 6'1" and is now about 6'. Jewison is now about 5'6". Frank2 says on 13/Jun/09
McQueen's cancer spread rapidly. He refused normal treatment and travelled to Mexico to a clinic that used experimental drugs that were illegal in the US. Whatever treatment he took while in Mexico didn't help. He ended up having an operation to remove a massive tumor and died within 24 hrs suffering a heart attach. It's my understanding he was in a lot of pain during the filming of THE HUNTER. Some feel his cancer was caused by asbestos exposure, but Steve smoked several pack of cigarettes a day, drank a lot plus he used illegal drugs. In other words, he partied hard, living in the fast lane most of his adult life. Sooner or later, that lifestyle catches up with you.
I did meet Eli Wallach in of all places, the men's room on the Fox lot back in the early 1990s. He was standing next to me taking a pee. I introduced myself and he held out his hand to shake mine with one hand still holding onto his.....which for me was extremely awkward to say the least. Wallach was extremely short. Probably 5'5". No more than 5'6". I think at the time he had a guest starring role in the TV series LA Law. Wallach is amazing. He's in his nineties and still acting. His career spans almost six decades. Slope says on 6/Jun/09
Have you seen "Wanted Dead or Alive" on DVD? Steve is wearing cowboy boots yet
seems short. tubbs says on 5/Jun/09
Steve is one of my favourite actors, i can't recall a bad film i've seen him in. Frank, he looked pretty well in the Hunter, which was made the year he died, it seems the cancer took a hold of him pretty quickly then? I've read he went to a special clinic in Mexico for pioneering treatment, but according to some sources it did more harm than good. Did you ever meet Eli Wallach? What height would he have been in 1980? RisingForce says on 5/Jun/09
Great post, I'm a big fan of Steve's movies so it's interesting hearing more about him. Frank2 says on 5/Jun/09
Steve liked to slouch a lot which tended to make him appear shorter than he was. He was also very thin. I mean he probably didn't weigh more than 150 lbs. He did get fat towards the end. That was when he grew a beard and let his hair grow long and generally looked unkempt. After that the cancer started up and quickly killed him.
Steve reportedly became quite spiritual towards the end. He had taken up flying and owned a Stearman that he kept at the Santa Paula Airport in a private hanger where he'd hold court with close friends. He was a genuine, nice guy. Nothing phony about him. He was somewhat intimidated by anyone who he felt had a better education. But for those people who came off as knowing their stuff and were the genuine article, not some sycophant stooge, he could be a terrific person. I only wish I had gotten to know him better. I probably saw him a half dozen times over the period of a year. One thing I noticed was he was totally deaf in one ear. If I spoke on this wrong side he'd ignore me. At first I thought he was a jerk, but soon discovered his hearing impairment was the cause. I also suspect he was slightly hard of hearing in his good ear from the loud motorcycles he rode. I mean some of them were so loud that when he'd start them up I found myself covering my ears! In that regard he probably thought I was a wuss!
In his prime, James Garner was 6'1'. Today he's not much over 5'10". RisingForce says on 5/Jun/09
By fairly close to Garner's height I mean no more than a 3 inch difference between the 2, perhaps less. RisingForce says on 5/Jun/09
You're probably right, Steve does look like a 5'10" guy in movies like Bullitt and The Great Escape. In fact he looked fairly close to James Garner's height and he towered over Richard Attenborough in The Great Escape. Frank2 says on 5/Jun/09
Look. I knew Steve casually. I met him through a mutual friend who raced dirt bikes. I saw Steve several times. He was a solid 5'10" but he slouched a lot. The first day I met him I thought to myself, this guy is short! Then, he suddenly stood erect and was damned near my height and I'm 5'11". That day he was wearing motorcycle boots that didn't appear to have lifts. To me knowledge Steve never wore lifts. The last time I saw him was on the Sunset Strip at the long gone Cyrano Restaurant. He was with Ali Macgraw who I believe he was married to at the time. We spoke briefly about his Mini Copper which he was selling. He wanted "five grand" for it. I laughed since at the time, used Minis were going for around $3,000 at the most. I should have bought his Mini. Having proof he once owned it would have shot the car's value right through the roof. tubbs says on 4/Jun/09
watching the Hunter.....looks to have 3 inches on Eli Wallach,even with a hunch and wearing trainers.....5'10 seems spot on. tubbs says on 4/Jun/09
watching the Hunter.....looks to have 3 inches on Eli Wallach,even with a hunch and wearing trainers.....5'10 seems spot on. Rick Harle says on 3/Jun/09
Thanks, RisingForce! Let's see if this works: Click Here Paul Newman, my business partner with David Hobbs and a pretty woman!
Rick RisingForce says on 2/Jun/09
Someone post a link to the documents that state 5'7" and 5'8" and then I'll consider it.
Rick, you can post your pictures by uploading them at tinypic.com, then post the link from that in tinyurl.com and then that link here. Or you can send the picture to the site editor in an email. Rick Harle says on 1/Jun/09
I live in Athens, GA and in the late seventies, at Road Atlanta, I saw Paul Newman in the pits. I took several pics of him and stood within, maybe 10 feet of him. I am 6'3" tall and I would put him right at 5'10". At the time he looked, *skinny* to me. Is there a way to post my shots here? I was/am a huge McQueen fan, bought some stuff at his estate auction, best I can tell he was about 5'10". His posture and average overall build probably has him looking a little shorter. When he moved he has been described as moving, *cat like*. He was naturally athletic, but never played sports growing up. Watch. "Hell is For Heroes", he does look compact and, *cat like" in his movements.
Rick Rick Harle says on 1/Jun/09
I live in Athens, GA and in the late seventies, at Road Atlanta, I saw Paul Newman in the pits. I took several pics of him and stood within, maybe 10 feet of him. I am 6'3" tall and I would put him right at 5'10". At the time he looked, *skinny* to me. Is there a way to post my shots here? I was/am a huge McQueen fan, bought some stuff at his estate auction, best I can tell he was about 5'10". His posture and average overall build probably has him looking a little shorter. When he moved he has been described as moving, *cat like*. He was naturally athletic, but never played sports growing up. Watch. "Hell is For Heroes", he does look compact and, *cat like" in his movements.
Rick Antoine says on 29/May/09
Thats an open ended question! Can anyone prove he died at 5'7? Its what his death certificate stated! 5'8 is what his military records stated! Can you prove he was 5'10? I'd believe two official documents before I'd believe his wife. My wife swears im 5'9...I'm actually 5'7! Trying to judge a persons height by photographs or movie shots is almost impossible. There are far too many factors that play into it. Footwear is one of them. Steve was notoriously known for wearing lifts...and cowboy boots. Boots offer up 1.5" in height. So yes Neile Toffel and Barbara Minty both stated he was 5'10! There are far more sightings/meetings/run-ins with people who have claimed that Steve Mcqueen was shorter than believed to be. His own friend stated that steve was five inches shorter than he. Bud Ekins is 6'1". Can anyone discount that statement? RisingForce says on 29/May/09
Steve could be 5'9" or 5'10" in my opinion, but anything out of that range is unlikely. Parker says on 21/May/09
I wouldn't take any note of military records Rising. Alan Ladd, who was notoriously short (although not as short as the media made out aka Tom Cruise), army discharge papers listed him at 5'9 - NEVER was he close to 5'9. RisingForce says on 20/May/09
can you prove military records had him at 5-8? Antoine says on 19/May/09
I find it odd that his military records had him at 5'8 and his death certificate had him at 5'7! Something one shouldnt discount. Both of those measurements are pretty concise... Andy says on 23/Apr/09
5'9 1/2 max. 5'10 no more.. TELLEM says on 13/Apr/09
it looks like towering because "BUD" is in the front of the picture. Antoine says on 13/Apr/09
Micheal D...thatwas a great photo! Proof! Bud towers over Steve. What more do people want? Michael D says on 9/Apr/09
Here is a link to Bud. Click Here Michael D says on 9/Apr/09
Some time ago it was commented on that Bud Ekins was 5'11" and that he stated that he was 5" taller than Steve. I recently saw photos from the 64 ISDT that showed this height discrepancy. The were facing each other toe to toe on level ground and the height difference is huge. RisingForce says on 22/Mar/09
I'm not saying that Robert Wagner would lie, but not everyone can accurately estimate height. Steve's bad posture could have made him appear shorter. I think McQueen could have been 5'9", but 5'10" wouldn't surprise me either. TELLEM says on 22/Mar/09
robert wagner said 5'9 in his bio...thats more accurate than anything. Brad says on 22/Mar/09
5' 9". Robert Wagner wouldn't lie. Steve's wife put out a book that leaves much to be desired in accuracy. He wore big cycle boots. I ran into a guy who worked with him and said he didn't care about anything except getting kitty, being on his cycles & slamming Jack....and this was in '62!. He said he had an exposive temper second only to the garbage on the Hawaii Five-O set by Jack Lord. RisingForce says on 21/Mar/09
Nice rare picture Tellem, but ae there any other pictures of them? That picture doesn't tell as much about their heights because they're mid-stride and Wagner is closer to the camera. TELLEM says on 20/Mar/09
5'11 robert wagner and steve mcqueen: Click Here RisingForce says on 20/Mar/09
Steve's wife claims that he's 5'10.5" or 5'11".
Click Here
I have Hoffman at 5'5.75", so McQueen would defintley look shorter than he did if he were 5'8". I agree that 5'9", 5'10" range is most likely. He was taller than Charles Bronson in The Great Escape. RisingForce says on 19/Mar/09
In the Great Escape he did look over 5'10". He had around 4" on Richard Attenborough who gets listed here at 5'7" peak. He certainly didn't have less than 3" on Richard. He consistently looked 5'10"-5'11" comparing him in that film to other celebrities. He had boots on that weren't huge, but I guess lifts in them were possible.
Steve was really an enigma. Sometimes I could see him anywhere from 5'8" to 5'10.5". Doug says on 8/Mar/09
Yeah I think it clear he was nothing more than 5'8" barefoot. He wore lifts and seemd to have a complex about his height because of some of the towering western actors of this period. 5'10" would have been an absolute maximum in lifts. RisingForce says on 7/Mar/09
Antoine there are lots of reasons that 5'10"+ guys wear lifts. Just ask Brad Pitt, John Wayne, Burt Reynolds ect. They're all know lift wearers and widely acknowledged to be atleast 5'10".
That's not why I'm starting to doubt Steve was 6'10". The reason is how short he looked in the Magnificent Seven. Everyone was in cowboy boots and he looked around 5'8". The cast wasn't tall either. Bronson was about 5'7" and Yul Brynner was about 5'8". TELLEM says on 7/Mar/09
well robert wagner did say that steve mcqueen was 5'9...so 5'10 could be out the question Antoine says on 6/Mar/09
So it now seems Risingforce has a change of heart...Steve was infamously known for wearing lifts. He was ultra-sensitive about his height. Why would a
5'10-5'10.5 man wear lifts? Why would height even be an issue at that point? What people are failing to acknowledge is that there are factual and irrefutable medical and military records stating that he was 5'7-5'8. He was 5'8 when he was in the marines and he was 5'7 when he passed away. It is almost impossible to judge what a person's height is on tv or on the big screen. It is dependant on camera angles, footwear/lifts ect ect. Take for instance Daniel Craig. Not a tall guy by any means...he is known to be sensitive about his height. He is listed at 5'10. Why would a 5'10 guy be sensitive about his height? So the question that needs to be asked, is he really 5'10 and not 5'9?. Neile Toffel stated Steve was 5'10'5! You figure a wife would know how tall her husband was, right? My wife tells her friends I'm 5'9. I'm actually 5'7. Bud Ekins said that Steve was five inches shorter than he...Bud is 6'1. Below Risingforce states that the line in the mugshot that Steve is in is the 5'11 mark! Really? Is that really believable? So there Steve is just one inch shy of 6 feet tall now? Hmmm...there is something that doesn't add up. The line above his head is in fact the 5'9 mark, and I doubt he took that photo barefoot either. Steve's wife is short...and I mean short. She would be lucky to crack 5'0. Chad is 5'7. I have met him on several occasions. The Papillon jail outfit was on diplay in Hawaii a couple of years back and I tell you it was tiny. A lot of info to think about...but the info that tends to hold more weight than any sightings, photos or speculation are that of the med/military records. I believe those without a doubt...and that to the truth seeker should end all inquiries should it not? Josh says on 3/Mar/09
In the towering inferno newman was in 2 inch cowboy boots while mcqueen was in flat shoes with newman looking a touch taller. Really i would give both mcqueen and newman the same height both about 5ft 9 or slightly under. RisingForce says on 27/Feb/09
Well 5'7" is too low, but I'd buy anything as low as 5'8". Unless Yul Brynner was standing on something or he's taller than we think. In the movie there was a great side by side shot of Charles Bronson and Yul Brynner. If Bronson is 5'7" then Brynner at 5'8" sounds right. But Bronson is another enigma. Nate says on 26/Feb/09
Steve was 5'8" tops and that's being generous. Ali was just barely 5'6". Check out this picture of them during a Papillon shooting break. Who gives a **** how tall he was anyway? Some people here same to take it as a personal affront that Steve might have been shorter than his listed 5'10". Does his height make him any less a silver screen badass? Get over it, the dude wasn't that tall. Who cares???!!!
Click Here RisingForce says on 26/Feb/09
I might have to change my mind on Steve. He may have been 5'9" max. Watch the Magnificent Seven. He seems about the same height as Yul Brynner who is 5'8". Brynner in the movie was barely taller than 5'7", 5'7.5" Charles Bronson. Everyone obviously wore cowboy boots in the movie. RisingForce says on 26/Jan/09
I pretty much agree with you on Newman. Maybe not a full 5'10", but over 5'9" flat. McQueen was defintley a bit taller than Newman was you said. Rob's listings for the 2 perfectly match up. TELLEM says on 23/Jan/09
thats true risingforce, it makes sense since he was a bit taller than paul newman who i think was 5'9.5 peak! RisingForce says on 22/Jan/09
McQueen didn't have great posture though. A 5'10" guy with poor posture could look more 5'9". Maybe he was 5'9", but I'd bet he was 5'10". TELLEM says on 19/Jan/09
in robert wagner's book "pieces of my heart" he stated that steve mcqueen was shorter than him and that mcqueen was about 5'9. Big T says on 15/Jan/09
Antoine, I'm 5'10 1/2" and wear a size 10US dress shoes, and size 10US Onitsuka Tiger casuals. That means size 9UK. I assume you were referring to size 9.5US, which is certainly possible for a 5' 10 1/2" guy. If you were referring to size 9.5UK, well that's bigger than what I wear.
My Dad is 5' 11 1/2" and wears size 9.5US/8.5UK, so there you go.
By the way, although I wear size 10US in dress and casuals, I have been either a size 11US or size 11.5US Nike since I was 17 and not even fully grown. Nike makes their shoes between 1 and 1.5 sizes smaller than most other shoes. It seems like they are playing on the male ego, making us believe we have bigger feet than we do! RisingForce says on 15/Jan/09
Steve was not 5'7". Barry Norman also said Kurt Russell was 5'8" so he seems to like to downgrade celebrities heights. Russell is solid 5'9" and McQueen was 5'10". TELLEM says on 15/Jan/09
frank2 seemed accurate on the man's height. he was around 5'10. TELLEM says on 15/Jan/09
wow. something isn't quite right w/ his height if you get ppl saying 5'10 , then 5'7. Steve says on 15/Jan/09
Check out what Barry Norman said on Wikepedia, who worked with McQueen. He said McQueen was no more then 5'7". I don't believe it though. You never know because how these actors are always wearing lifts. Lmeister says on 15/Jan/09
The problem estimating his height is that most of the pics of him are from the 60s and 70s when a lot of guys wore big boots adding more than 2 inches to their height on the contrary a lot of guys wore sneakers a la Converse. He never looked short in the movies, but in some candid photos he looks somewhat short. GUK says on 14/Jan/09
Shoe size means nothing, I'm size 9 (UK) and 5ft 10.5, my father is 5ft 7 and size 10 Antoine says on 14/Jan/09
It appears to me the RisingForce is a bit delusional. To claim that Steve McQueen was just 1.5 inches short of 6 feet tall??? In the mugshot RisingForce claims that the line at the top of his head is the 5'11 mark! C'mon man! Really! I understand there are many people who would liek to believe he was tall but thats just not the case! He was infamously known to wear lifts. Why would that be if he were tall to begin with? Logic should take precedence here. 5'8 tops! Does a 5'10.5 individual wear a 9.5 size shoe! Possible but unlikely. His foot and hand prints are at the Hollywood Chinese theatre and i find it very hard to believe that Steve McQueen was 5'10.5. I'm 5'7 and my shoe size and hand size were identical. Doesnt add up. The papillon prison wear in Hawaii suggests Steve was a very small guy. People have confused me for being 5'9. justagirl says on 10/Jan/09
met Mr McQueen on the street in CA about 1966 or 67. He had a terrific sense of humor, I didn't measure him, but he wasn't much taller then I was at 5 feet, so I think those saying he was about 5'7" would be more correct then the taller remarks. RisingForce says on 27/Dec/08
5-7, yeah right. McQueen was not 5-7. If he was 5-7 then Paul Newman was 5-6 and that's BS. Nugget says on 23/Dec/08
i just found this info on his height..
"McQueen's height is disputed. He was officially listed as 5'10", but some people, including film critic Barry Norman, have said McQueen's height was in fact only 5'7"."
how do you know he wasnt standin on a phone book in that pic below haha Antoine says on 22/Dec/08
5'11 mark? I highly doubt that! So thats why he is taller than Paul Newman Right? Not so brother!!! RisingForce says on 7/Dec/08
Antoine that line at the top of his head is 5-11.
Click Here
I circled the 6ft mark and then 1 line below it is exactly where McQueen's head is, not counting his hair. 5'11" afternoon height minus 1" prison shoes is 5'10".
When McQueen woke up he was probably 5'10.5" as he claimed so he wasn't lying. Guillermo says on 7/Dec/08
Regarding military records: The army said I was 5'8" but I'm only 5'7 1/2" Antoine says on 4/Dec/08
Rising force...the line above his head is the 5'10 marker and he is below it! He isn't in prison shoes...he is in cowboy boots. Steve McQueen is no taller than 5'8. Read his biographies...he was infamously known for wearing lifts, and his military records state he was 5'8 and his death certificate stated he was 5'7 when he died. Military records do not lie! E W Lawrence says on 14/Nov/08
Kevin's 27/Mar/08 answer to Steve McQueen's height is correct. I met him while I was working in a Magic Chef hamburger stand while he was in Austin filming the Getaway. I'm 5'8" and he was definitely shorter than me. He ordered an onion burger with lots of onions and nothing else. Just a bun with a ton of onions. He had two body guards with him that night. RisingForce says on 29/Oct/08
This should settle this.
Click Here
Nearly 5'11" in standard 1" prison shoes(probably at night). So just under 5'10" at night and 5'10.5" when he wakes up.
So the 5'10.5" figure was correct. RisingForce says on 26/Oct/08
In that mugshot he's just about 5'11" but he's obviously wearing shoes. So probably he was 5'10" evening and 5'10.5" in the morning. steve says on 15/Oct/08
there is a book on steve macqueen writen by people who knew him and in one part it says he hated his height he was only 5 feet 7 inch adam says on 11/Oct/08
5-10 seems to be correct. Antoine says on 7/Oct/08
Ok So in the mugshot he is 5'9!? i'm sure he isnt barefoot either. Cowboy boots? 1.5 inches right there! kramer says on 3/Jul/08
Click Here
I'm guessing the borad line he is in front of is 5ft 9" mark Antoine says on 16/Jun/08
Hello again! I was an a Steve McQueen charity car this past weekend
(Sat 6.16.2008) at the Boys Republic in Chino Hills California. Chad McQueen was present sighing autographs and talking to the fans...nice guy. I have met him before numerous times at the race track. Chad McQueen is not a tall fellow! I'm 5'7 and standing next to him we were identical in height! His mother is pretty short...5'1 if I remember correctly. There are those whow would like to believe that Steve McQueen was as tall as 5'10! The evidence does not support this claim! They had the one of the Bullit mustangs uzsed in the movie Bullit there on diplay. I stood next to it and I seem to tower over it...that was for the gentleman that suggests that standing next to the mustang made him look a decent 5'0. Not so! People have mistaken me for being 5'9. Not so! Public perception is everything! Facts are irrefutable! Military records are accurate! John says on 31/May/08
his wife said he was 5 10 and a half inches Ed says on 29/May/08
We all think of Steve McQueen as being larger than life... actually he is about 5.9 or so. For example, was watching Bullit last night and the scene where he and Robert Duvall are together, they are exactly the same height face to face...if not Duvall a cm or two taller by a hair. You can see Duvall walking and his footwear appears normal, and Steve walks up to meet him in that turtlneck and coat gear that he was wearing just before the chase. Anyway he and Duvall were about the same height. Antoine says on 7/May/08
I just came back from Hawaii and saw a Papillon exhibit...they had the jail outfit that Mcqueen used in the movie and it was tiny!!! I'm 5'7 and it almost looked too small for me! Kevin says on 27/Mar/08
I had an uncle who died and he was 5'10" and I was shocked when his death certificate listed him at 5’7”! My point is, maybe we do shrink up on that table as the muscles tighten? I don’t know, just a thought... Sid says on 18/Mar/08
How tall is son chad? he looks 5-10 can pull off 5-11 in some movies, but in one of my favourite films FIREPOWER with GARY DANIELS who is billed at 6'0" and 5'11" in places had about 3-3.5inches on him. Mark says on 6/Feb/08
Hard to believe a 3" loss in height from illness with the 5'7" death certificate. Unless the body and muscles contract. But you would think a body properly measured lying down might even yield a slightly taller height due to lack of gravity effects (similar to morning height).
In the movie Bullitt compare him when he is next to and inside his Mustang in which he seems an average/tall (solid 5'9"-10") man. A height of 5'7" or less would give a more stumpy appearance next to his car and things. Also as someone mentioned, he did look a bit taller then 5'9" Robert Vaughn. Lmeister says on 6/Feb/08
Like Another Mac said he probably lost a great deal of height, cause his severe illness. dmeyer says on 4/Feb/08
i am watching bullit and i think he has the built of a 5'10 guy ,rob is right Antoine says on 22/Jan/08
There is a photo by Drooperdoo all the way at the bottom of this page...Sydney Poitier, Babs, Paule Newman, and none other than Steve Mcqueen! Sydney Poitier is listed to be 6'1...it seems to me that he is towering over Mcqueen and Newman! More than 4 inches by the looks of things...McQueen definitely in boots! 1.5" right there! Newman who knows! There are official documents and records out there that state McQueen was 5'7-5'8! Military and death certificates! His Bios state that McQueen was as egotistical and insecure as they came...especially when it came to other leading men! McQueen was not a tall individual! Im a 5'7 guy! I race cars and am pretty aware of things...I have spoken to his son Chad on a few occasions at the track! Also the Hollywood Chinese Theatre there are many celebrities hand/foot prints in cement...I went down and put my hand into mcqueens hand and it was bigger than and same with my feet! I wear a 9.5 medium and my hands arent big!!! My point! He was a small guy in stature and frame but not in presence! A guy 5'10 with small hands and small feet...there are alot of things not adding up here! clint says on 3/Nov/07
In papillon mcqueen was in barefeet in some scenes and he still towered dustin hoffman a good 5 inches so he was never below five foot nine in height. He was alittle bit taller than his 5ft 8 wife ali macgraw in the getaway. Lmeister says on 2/Nov/07
Like "Another Mac" said he could have lost 2-3 inches due to his cancer. He does look 5ft10ish in his movies. He had a really bad posture which made him look shorter. al says on 30/Oct/07
Mcqueens height was given a few inches taller than 5ft 7 richard bright in the getaway which it said in his biography. B28 says on 28/Oct/07
His usual publicised height of 5'9" was probably correct. At least 5'8" and no less though. al says on 20/Oct/07
No way in the world was mcqueen 5ft 7 which on one page someone said that was his height through his career. Even in his last two films he looked 5ft 9-10. marlon says on 20/Oct/07
He never looked under 5ft 9 or above 5ft 10 so I say smack inbetween 5ft 9 .5 inches. Whe he was fighting cancer at the end of his career he could have lost a touch of height mind which i ve heard from some reports. Another Mac says on 2/Oct/07
I knew Steve McQueen from 1964 until his death in 1980. He stood about five nine and a half (in his barefeet) until he started to deteriorate from cancer. Anonymous says on 15/Sep/07
Theres one person saying on this site that steve was in the marines before becoming an actor. Where did he get that dull claim from. marlon says on 6/Sep/07
He could have been taller than 5ft 7 because the illness trouble he had at the end of his career could have made him dip a few iches. anony says on 3/Sep/07
IF his death certificate says 5'7" then he was 5'7".
If there are people who were in the military with him and can corroborate this, then that's the truth. If you met him in public or watched him on screen, he could be wearing lifts or standing on something. Just proves that if you have "it" as a movie star, it doesn't matter how tall you are.
Cagney was 5'6". Anonymous says on 27/Jul/07
he is a mystery.i read 5-7 too.but he did look 5-10 at times
in the flatest of shoes,ankles in place.in the blob he looked 5-9 to me. Lmeister says on 26/Jul/07
The problem with these records is that it is illegal to put them to ones website or distribute them. So there is no way to prove his real height unless Rob pays the access to his military records. Antoine says on 25/Jul/07
There are very credible sources out there that say Steve MCqueen was as tall as 5'10! There are a couple of bios of him that claim he was as short as 5'6! Military records do not lie! I should know, I was in the military! His death certificate stated he was 5'7! Now is there any more proof needed than that? He wasn't tall!!! I'm sure the general population would liek to believe he is tall but sorry that just wasnt the case! He is known to have worn lifts in movies! Hmmm...there are at least 2 inches right there depending on the lift! Plus jsut about all actors lie about their height! This we all know! 5'10 when they really are 5'9! He was no taller than 5'8! There are irefutable records to show this! Being tall are part of the public perception. Who would have thought that Tom Cruise was 5'7! Hell he has even stated he was 5'9...Steve Mcqueen was not tall! kiefer says on 11/Jul/07
I think he was a good 5foot 10 because in the sand pebbles he looked nearly as tall as 6ft 1 richard crenna. He has never looked short in movies but he wernt taller than that. Brian says on 8/Jun/07
Once more again, McQueen-at least to me, looks taller with MORE weight on him for some reason; the exact opposite of the 'leaner-looks-taller theory', which I usually agree with. I too am 5'10"(235 lbs.-big gut), yet when I talk to taller people than myself-say 6'2"-who are much thinner,they really seem to look only 6'0". Brian says on 8/Jun/07
I want to add to my Apr.13th post: The photo of him with Newman, Steisand, and Poitier really does suggest to me he was 5'10". Also, after seeing McQueen in Papillon next to Hoffman a bunch of times (and isn't he barefoot anyway in most of that movie?)I'm convinced SM was 70 inches. Editor Rob says on 16/May/07
Barbara McQueen: "In walks this grizzly, gruff man and the first thing he said was, ‘My, you’re tall.’ I’m 5ft 10in and we looked eye to eye" Joe says on 16/Apr/07
Military records are extremely accurate, and taken without shoes (as well as without everything else on except underwear!). They don't let people slouch. The mug shot confirms his MR as the bold line in the back of his head is the 69-inch mark. Brian says on 13/Apr/07
In a few photographs where Steve has more weight on him, I think he does look 5-10 or a little extra. MHouillon says on 12/Mar/07
From what i've seen, Robert Vaughn is the classic 5'9 (175cm), Steve McQueen was about 5'9.5 (177cm). brando says on 28/Feb/07
In bullitt mcqueen looked a touch taller than robert vaughn.
I would say he s about 5ft 10 inches tall. greg says on 29/Jan/07
glen another hero of mine robert kennedy has been called many things in recent biographies, and you will find that often books are not sued, in particular if the individual concearned is dead, anyway we are moving off the height issue. i say 5 10 , and nobody is allowed disagree!!! just kidding, actually this website is very good, did you see the clint eastwoodd picture, gone from 6 4 to 6 1, i was always thinking he had lost some height in recent years. greg says on 28/Jan/07
i would like to ad a comment here with what i agree is some impartiality and perspective. As a young guy i was obsessed with height. i am about 6 feet, prob closer to 5 11 and half. I am a massive Mcqueen fan. i studied his films, and read one atory about how Yul Brenner build a small hill of sand to stand on in scenes, and Mcquwwn would walk near him and kick at the sand till he was lowered to relistic level.... apparantly they were not fond of each other!! i also am big Paul Newman fan, In my humble opinion i would put Mcqueen at near 5 10 but closer to 5 9, i can't see him at 5 8 or lower, its just not realistic based on all fottage and photos i viewed, not a hero worshipping complex here, but i would say 5foot 10. photos can be misleading too, and slouching, and camera angles. As for the man, i find it a bit insulting to say he died of aids. I always read, and heard form numerous accounts of the suffering he had from cancer. Not a man without flaws, but someone who found peace in later years. Wish i had met him no matter what his size, but for me always a big star, and true talant. Antoine says on 26/Jan/07
Steve McQueen 5'10...Absolutely not! He was no taller than 5'8 and even thats pushing it!!! DonD says on 21/Jan/07
A friend of mine was in the Marines with him and says he was his height, 5'8". Brad says on 20/Oct/06
I met Ali McGraw way back around '71. She was my height 5' 9". I'd put him at 5' 9". Lmeister says on 4/Sep/06
He was 5'8'' according to his military records. Editor Rob says on 3/Sep/06
Another 5ft 7 'encounter':
from a car forum:
"I "met" Steve McQueen in a little town called Ketcham...He was about my height ( 5' 7'') a little heavier, maybe 160 lbs but it was his eyes that I really remember" sean says on 31/Aug/06
He's 5'9 or 6'0. Why? In his mugshot by tsg: Click Here
You'll see that his head (adjusted for perspective) is right around one of the bold hash marks, in increments of 3-inches. Unfortunately, we don't have the numbers in the photo frame.
So he's either 5'9 or 6'0 - I'm betting 5'9, since 6-foot looks pretty tall on screen, and accounts of him being closer to 5'9.
Drooperdoo says on 6/Jul/06
Wow! You guys may have stumbled on the very first time in Hollywood history when publicists lied to make a star shorter. You see: McQueen's official height is 5'9''. Yet all his advocates in here are claiming he was 5'10'', 5'11'', etc. Bw-ha-ha-ha-ha John Quade says on 5/Jul/06
Just for the record, I did "Papillon" with Steve McQueen and I also know Bud Ekins and am currently working on a project about Bud. I am 5'10.5 and McQueen was just a bit taller than I am and Bud is about the same height as I. As to whatBud says about Steve, I have ore than 90 minutes of video interviews of Bud Ekins on DVD and with all due respect to great stuntman, co-ordinator, etc., Bud does not always give the same answers to the same question. it's part of his character and always has been. Frank2 says on 13/Jun/06
Except that he was 178. MHouillon says on 13/Jun/06
I think, that a 176-177 fits Mr. McQueen just right. Frank2 says on 3/Jun/06
Arthur Kennedy was about 5'10". Fine actor. Very underrated. He could take on just about any role and do it so as it was hard to tell he was acting. Larry says on 3/Jun/06
HOLY MOLEY!!! That's a pretty scary face on Robert Evans! He PAID someone to DO this too him?! YIKES! Think I'll just keep my regular ole, big-nosed Scots mug and my well-earned wrinkles. McQueen was about 1/2 foot taller than Edward G. Robinson in THE CINCINATTI KID. He's the SAME height as Arthur Kennedy in NEVADA SMITH. He was in a LOT of action movies & did many stunts himself; can't SEE that being done in lifts or high heels. Larry says on 2/Jun/06
Just rented THE CINNCINATTI KID (uh, sp) and Steve was about 2" less than Karl Malden. Malden was always listed as 6'0.5" and looked it. I watched THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN a couple of weeks ago and McQueen is no more than 3 inches shorter than James Coburn. I can't think of a movie he looked less than 5'9.5" in or more than about 5'10.5". His height was consistent, which is usually a good sign of no "tricks". :-) Virgil says on 1/Jun/06
I am all for having Steve McQueen at 5'10" I am just letting you know that his friend (Bud) is stating that he was 5" taller than Steve. I have copied the transcript below and the URL is as follows. Click Here
Bud: McQueen wanted me to double for him. For that Great Escape jump, they just bleached my hair and cut it like his. I was a good five inches taller than Steve, but when you're wearing the same clothes and you have the same kind of build and hair style, it works.
Virgil says on 29/May/06
I read an interview with Bud Ekins discussing the Great Escape and he states that he was at least 5" to 6" taller than Steve. If Bud is 5'11" what height did that make Steve? If you wish I will find the website and you can read it for yourself. Frank2 says on 23/Apr/06
I was around Steve on several occasions and not once was he 5'7". Come on. Get a life! Frank2 says on 22/Apr/06
If Barry was correct, then I'm only 5'8". Better go back an measure myself. That means Elvis was only 5'8.5"! Tiger isn't going to like it!
The first time I met McQueen he was slumped over and looked 5'7". Then he stood up erect and I was totally surprised since he was only slightly shorter than me.
Perhaps when Norman met him, McQueen was not standing erect.
At a party I attended back in the 1960's where I saw and met a lot of stars, Danny Kaye walked by me with his wife and he looked about 5'8". Then when he got to the bar and stood up and was my height! At that same party, Kirk Douglas was always standing as erect as possible and even with his huge lifts he was still shorter than me. Douglas claimed he was 5'11" which is nonsense. More like 5'8". Frank2 says on 21/Apr/06
Attenborough is quite short, about 5'6". McQueen was a good four inches taller so he didn't need to stand on a box. Mikex says on 17/Apr/06
I always thought he looked short on screen under 5'10'', unlike most Hollywood stars even small men who always look gigantic on film. But I think he had quite a large head for his size and that may have made him look smaller. Frank2 says on 2/Apr/06
I could care less what the damned magazines say or what press agents dream up. Trust what I'm telling or just continue to believe the crap written for the suckers. McQueen was 5'10". In fact he could have even been 5'10-1/2" which his ex-wife Neile claimed since the last time I saw him when he was with Ali he stood up as tall as he could and was almost my height! Drooperdoo says on 1/Apr/06
I'm curious about the magazine interview where McQueen allegedly claimed to be 5'10''. I just watched a documentary on the famous McQueen-Newman rivalry, and they said that both men claimed to be 5'9''. (A photo they produced, however, showed McQueen looking a little shorter than Newman.) My point: If McQueen's publicists are giving out 5'9'', in what magazine interview did he allegedly claim 5'10''? Frank2 says on 27/Mar/06
Say what you will. I met him, even knew him and no way was he just 5'9". Anonymous says on 27/Mar/06
In Bullit, the bald villian was 5'10" and taller than him. I say he's only 5'9" Frank2 says on 21/Mar/06
And he left his wife for another woman. If you're talking about Neile I can understand her anger. What's the old saying? "Hell hath no furry like a woman scorned." And look pal, I knew McQueen well-enough that he recognized me the last time I saw him and spoke with him which was when he was dining with his then wife Ali MacGraw at the old Cirano restaurant on the Sunset Strip. At the time he was selling his tricked out Mini Cooper and we talked about it. He wanted $5,000 for it which I thought at the time was absolutely ridiculous. If I only had bought that car! He would race it up on Mulholland Drive which is where I first met him. Also there was James Garner. Of course I didn't discuss lifts with him. Good God! Have you no common sense? I based my observations on a lot of criteria, Steve's attitude being one of them. You need to stop acting like a petulant child. Try to purge yourself of your excessive anger. Trust me, you'll live longer. Drooperdoo says on 21/Mar/06
Frank, those comments and the quote come directly from McQueen's wife. I watched her mouth the words on a documentary of McQueen on "Biography". It's sad, watching you pretend to have known the man better than his wife. McQueen was insecure as hell--and his own wife admits it openly. You need to stop acting like you knew the man intimately, and discussed shoe-lifts with him. You didn't. Frank2 says on 20/Mar/06
What's really funny is hearing from someone who didn't know Steve making inane comments that proves byond a shadow of a doubt that he doesn't have a clue as to what the man was all about. Just keep reading The Enquirer that we see at the checkout stands at supermarkets and at news stands. I'm sure you get most of your distorted "facts" from tabloids. I said Steve was insecure about not having been well-educated or can't you read? And both men had big-enough egos that they had to work out a special arrangement as to how their names appeared in the advertising for Towering Inferno as well as in the film's opening main title. Believe me, Newman didn't take a "I could care less" attitude when it came to his career. Neither did McQueen. Drooperdoo says on 20/Mar/06
Steve McQueen allergic to lifts? --Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! (His own wife said that he was insecure as hell, and--with regard to Newman--he was obsessive and competitive, where his wife said, "Newman wasn't as insecure. He couldn't care less." --So Frank's distorted picture of McQueen as "secure" and Newman as wearing lifts is worth a laugh. Frank2 says on 19/Mar/06
I never met Lon Cheney, only saw him one day at a distance. He was huge and at the time quite drunk. Peter Lorre was no more than 5'3". Frank2 says on 19/Mar/06
In The Blob, Steve was around some quite tall actors such as the fellow who played the Sheriff.
Unfortunately I never got to meet Bruce Lee, Bela Lugosi or Boris Karloff. Most estimates of 6'1" for Lugosi in his prime seem to be true. Karloff is a mystery. He's been listed anywhere from 5'10" to 6". In all the films he did with Lugosi he was shorter by at least two if not three inches. In The Raven he wore shoes with two inch heels and looked two inches shorter than Bela. I'd say Karloff was about 5'10" when he stood up straight. He suffered from curvature of the spine which by the time he was an old man made him stoop over. I understand it was mainly brought on by many years of heavy lifting when he worked as a day laborer before he got into acting. Frank2 says on 15/Mar/06
Steve wasn't bisexual. And the rumors of him being short, well, I have no idea except that there was a lot of envy back then. Steve wasn't that well-educated. I believe he was a high school dropout. And he was always somewhat embarrased about his lack of education. But no finer person ever worked in Hollywood. As he got older Steve became very religious, even spiritual. He learned to fly and bought himself an old Steerman airplane which he kept at a hanger near his home in Santa Paula, California. He also kept his cars and his bikes in the hanger and he'd sit there drinking beer and other people would walk up and say hello and Steve would offer them a beer and they'd chat with him, sometimes for hours. He was that sort of guy. I sure miss him and I really didn't get to know him that well. Stiffelio says on 13/Mar/06
Frank2, I just don't get your reading of Steve's mugshot. Are you looking at the right black line for 5ft mark? To me Steve looks slightly under 5ft10in in that mugshot, whereas you would place him at under 6ft1in. No way. That said, I always believed Steve was approximately 5ft10in. Frank2 says on 13/Mar/06
Steve never wore lifts. He hated the very idea of them. His attitude was if they don't like my height then screw 'em! On the other hand, Paul Newman started wearing them in his later films. That shot from Towering Inferno showing all the actors walking together was taken on the Fox lot. I've seen several shots taken from that series. The reason why OJ looks so huge is he was lifting up in his stride while others were going down. A person's head goes up and down when they walk and all of them were walking towards the person shooting the picture. OJ was just over 6'. In the film when Newman and McQueen are together, Steve is just as tall as Newman, but Newman is wearing cowboy boots with two inch heels. One perosn who knew Steve told me that when steve was measured it showed he was about 5'10 1/2" in his bare feet. That might be the case. I know he was slightly shorter than me and I'm a solid 5'11". The mug shot of Steve seems to prove he was at least 5'10". In Towering Inferno, Steve is the same height as Bill Holden. I met Holden when he was about to go to Hawaii to co-star in When Time Ran Out and by then he was about 5'10". larry says on 13/Mar/06
Wow! In the group photo from The Towering Inferno, OJ looks 6'8"! :-) Isn't he really 6'2"? :-) McQueen always looked 5'10" to me. Saw him in Hell is For Heroes just today. Love that flick. 6'5" Fess Parker who comes to San Antonio every March the 6th is in that movie too and McQueen looks 5'10" or 11" beside him. James Coburn was in at least 3 movies with Steve and never seemed more than 3-4" taller than him. I think McQueen AND Paul Newman both attracted rumors they were much shorter than they looked (claimed). Not sure why that is? The one photo with Newman looks odd, like perhaps Steve is standing sort of in front? Not sure. They weren't in many movies together, so it's hard to compare, but newman always looked 5'9 - 9.5" and McQueen looked 5'10 - 10.5" to me (in movies). Frank2 says on 12/Mar/06
Steve with Paul Newman: Click Here Frank2 says on 12/Mar/06
Typing on a cellphone? That excuses what he said? Not in my book. Look, I knew Steve on a first name casual bases, saw him many times, the last being when he was at a restaurant on the Sunset Strip with Ali and he was most definitely 5'10"! If he had been a little guy I would have said so. In Towering Inferno McQueen didn't wear lifts. Newman wore cowboy boots with two inch heels. Somewhere there are shots taken on the set of the film. When I find them I'll post them. Several have Newman, Wagner, McQueen, Holden, the entire cast standing together. bill says on 10/Mar/06
Joanna Lumley lost out in a role in Grand Prix because she was too tall, and I always thought that Paul Newman is 5-7 Frank2 says on 26/Feb/06
I knew Steve and he was exactly five feet ten inches in his stocking feet. Next time you watch The Towering Inferno notice that Steve is about an inch taller than Paul Newman who was wearing boots with lifts. Steve refused to wear lifts. Although he wasn't that tall, he wasn't as short as some people say he was. Lmeister says on 24/Dec/05
I doubt that he was 5'9''. I think he was closer to 5'7''. Does Charles "5'10''" Bronson ring a bell. Both guys used to wear a lot of cowboy boots... Drooperdoo says on 3/Aug/05
Dear editor, with all respect: In the photo you show, Newman is in a business suit [doubtless accompanied by flat business shoes] and McQueen is in cowboy duds [doubtless accompanied by cowboy boots with two-inch heels]. It's just like McQueen to insecurely put on "high heels" when he knew he'd be in a shoot with his rival, Newman.
[Editor Rob: if I ever come across the other photo you speak of I'll be sure to link to it...that's all I could find quickly...] Drooperdoo says on 3/Aug/05
McQueen lied about his height. He's really about 5'7''. He claimed to be 5'9''. But there's a famous photo of him standing next to Paul Newman [who really is 5'9''] and McQueen is about two inches shorter.
[Editor Rob: I've not seen the photo you speak of, but this photo near newman and Sydney Poitier certainly does not suggest Steve was a 5ft 7 guy] evaristo says on 5/May/05
What do you think about this mugshot? http://www.mugshots.com/Celebrity/Steve+McQueen.htm |
