Sylvester McCoy's Height
5ft 2 (157.5 cm)
Peak height was 5ft 5 ½ (166.4 cm)
Scottish actor best known for playing the Seventh Doctor in long running tv series Doctor Who. He has also appeared in The Hobbit.These photos are from 2008, 2012 and 2014 Collectormania events. Over the years McCoy has had his ankles fused, hips replaced and knees done.
5ft 8 Rob and Sylvester (age 64) @ Collectormania 2008
Sylvester takes the opportunity to tell us about his new hips. "I've had two of them," he says, proudly. "They've shrunk me! I was five foot six before. I'm now five foot two."
"You actually lost four inches?!" exclaims David.
"It seems so," says Sylve, "because I used to be that height, and now I'm not. I don't know where the inches have gone. I think it's because, when I had my hips done, they didn't have any long enough. They've maimed me."
-- Dr Who Magazine, Dec 2017
5ft 8 Rob and Sylvester (age 71) @ Film & Comic Con Glasgow, 2014
My acting career was very physical. I was tumbling, falling. I'd fall down stairs just for a laugh and I'd fall out of windows again for a laugh not realising that years later I'd suffer for it, cos I was really really punishing my joints.
My Doctor Who will be different because he'll be smaller. I'm five feet six so it will be difficult to do a Tom Baker-type of doctor because he is six foot odd.
So what will Sylvester be up to during the event?
“Five feet two,” he joked. “I used to be five foot six but they gave me new hips and shrunk me.”
-- Press & Journal, 2023
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Add a Comment33 comments
Average Guess (30 Votes)
Peak: 5ft 5.45in (166.2cm)
Current: 5ft 3.24in (160.6cm)
Peak: 5ft 5.45in (166.2cm)
Current: 5ft 3.24in (160.6cm)
ChaosControl 6'2 1/2 said on 9/Feb/21
Why is the average current guess so high
Editor Rob
Why is the average current guess so high
Editor RobI think from 2015 to now he lost another 1-2 inches of height.
Definitely 2 years ago when I saw him he looked a bit more shorter than my last photo...yet still walked about ok.
Definitely 2 years ago when I saw him he looked a bit more shorter than my last photo...yet still walked about ok.
thomas Hill said on 13/Dec/19
i met him im 5ft 9 and he looked very short to me he has a hat on but the top of his head must of been around my mouth his eyes were only just above my shoulder he is no were near 5ft 6 he i would guess about 5ft 2
i met him im 5ft 9 and he looked very short to me he has a hat on but the top of his head must of been around my mouth his eyes were only just above my shoulder he is no were near 5ft 6 he i would guess about 5ft 2
heitor said on 22/Aug/19
lose more than 5 cm tall i find it practically impossible even if he was 95 years old
lose more than 5 cm tall i find it practically impossible even if he was 95 years old
Myself said on 1/May/18
Why do you list him at 5'2 current, if you said you believe he is still about 5'4? How much do you think has he lost from the surgeries and from age, respectively?
Editor Rob
Why do you list him at 5'2 current, if you said you believe he is still about 5'4? How much do you think has he lost from the surgeries and from age, respectively?
Editor RobA few years ago he was 5ft 4, but over last 3 years I think he lost more height and as he says he's 5ft 2 range today.
JJJ said on 2/Feb/18
Biggest 4 inch difference I've ever seen. He looks more 5'2/5'3.
Biggest 4 inch difference I've ever seen. He looks more 5'2/5'3.
even said on 16/Aug/17
5 foot 4
Editor Rob
5 foot 4
Editor Rob in 2013-4 he was down to 5ft 4 at most, but in the 80's looked over 5ft 5.
World Citizen said on 29/May/17
He looks around 5 ft 2 or 3 with you, but he can look even 5 ft 5 with Jenny.
He looks around 5 ft 2 or 3 with you, but he can look even 5 ft 5 with Jenny.
Yournie said on 16/Mar/17
He is 162cm
He is 162cm
Christian-196.2cm (6ft5.25) said on 6/Nov/16
Why does Judy look taller than Jenny compared to Sylvester?
Editor Rob
Why does Judy look taller than Jenny compared to Sylvester?
Editor Rob it can sometimes just be a photographer's position or the angle they hold the camera which can enhance or reduce differences a little bit.
you can on the day Judy and myself had a photo with Sylvester, how she looks beside Jenny in reality: Click Here, both in pretty similar sneakers.
you can on the day Judy and myself had a photo with Sylvester, how she looks beside Jenny in reality: Click Here, both in pretty similar sneakers.
mrtguy said on 15/Sep/16
I see a six inch difference
I see a six inch difference
Peter 179cm said on 17/Jul/16
161-162 max
161-162 max
Emil 182 cm said on 11/May/15
@Rob
He looks to have very bad posture next to you. Only up straight I'd buy 5'4. However, he looks 5'5 next to Jenny (old picture maybe?)
Editor Rob
@Rob
He looks to have very bad posture next to you. Only up straight I'd buy 5'4. However, he looks 5'5 next to Jenny (old picture maybe?)
Editor Rob he's 5ft 4 range today, there was a 5ft 4 kid with us last year and he was roughly same as mccoy.
JPDB said on 6/Mar/15
sylvester told me he was 5'6 1/2". he might've been exaggerating though.
sylvester told me he was 5'6 1/2". he might've been exaggerating though.
Tommo said on 3/Sep/14
Doesn't look like he'd reach your eye level in the most recent pic Rob.
Editor Rob
Doesn't look like he'd reach your eye level in the most recent pic Rob.
Editor Rob around 5ft 4 I think is fair, I watched him with 5ft 7 judy and her son (5ft 4) and he was roughly that mark.
Marvel said on 30/Aug/14
He does look like he's shrunk from his time as the Doctor. I know a bit off-topic, but I enjoyed him, he was an under-appreciated incarnation let down at times (like Colin Baker) with weaker storylines.
He does look like he's shrunk from his time as the Doctor. I know a bit off-topic, but I enjoyed him, he was an under-appreciated incarnation let down at times (like Colin Baker) with weaker storylines.
Chris said on 29/Jul/14
Rob, then how do you explain the height difference in your pic? Are you wearing 3 inch shoes or something?
Editor Rob
Rob, then how do you explain the height difference in your pic? Are you wearing 3 inch shoes or something?
Editor Rob look at Jenny's pic too, I don't think he's under 5ft 5 in that one
Chris said on 27/Jul/14
Rob, not sure how you can give him 5.5 considering that pic with you.
Editor Rob
Rob, not sure how you can give him 5.5 considering that pic with you.
Editor Rob 5ft 5...last time I seen him up close a year ago I thought he could still look about 5ft 5
176,2Tunman said on 5/Apr/14
Looks even 5'4.5" if we consider that Jenny is leaning her head a little.
Editor Rob
Looks even 5'4.5" if we consider that Jenny is leaning her head a little.
Editor Rob he could be that mark today, I'm sure actually I had a supplement for Hobbit (maybe from a movie mag) and it had heights listed and he was down as 5ft 4.5 in it!
there's a slight fault in that photo, I think it moved when scanning a little, so her face is slightly not quite right :)
there's a slight fault in that photo, I think it moved when scanning a little, so her face is slightly not quite right :)
thorterr said on 17/Oct/12
er no thats jenny your girlfriend,,rob, not sophie
Editor Rob
er no thats jenny your girlfriend,,rob, not sophie
Editor Rob refresh the page and sophie will appear ;)
thorterr said on 7/Oct/12
she shortest doctor by far
she shortest doctor by far
The greatest person alive in the world today said on 12/Aug/11
5'4" FO SHO
5'4" FO SHO
leonari said on 30/Jul/11
Never saw 5'6 if you ask me.
Never saw 5'6 if you ask me.
Legend said on 22/Jun/11
Looks 5'4 or shorter
Looks 5'4 or shorter
W E Mole said on 17/May/11
Yes, he's not 5' 6". I'd say around 5' 4" now. The pratfalls have taken their toll. Still good fun though.
Yes, he's not 5' 6". I'd say around 5' 4" now. The pratfalls have taken their toll. Still good fun though.
sam said on 22/Apr/11
looks more like 5'3 to me, and it's funny because everyone else seems to be thinking the same thing. Maybe 5'5 in his prime?
looks more like 5'3 to me, and it's funny because everyone else seems to be thinking the same thing. Maybe 5'5 in his prime?
Ian said on 10/May/09
He's 5ft5 if you include his hat. There is air in that hat not head. Those hats don't go flat right on your hat, 5ft4 without. He was always very small on Dr Who. I even thought that as a child watchin the show.
He's 5ft5 if you include his hat. There is air in that hat not head. Those hats don't go flat right on your hat, 5ft4 without. He was always very small on Dr Who. I even thought that as a child watchin the show.
badboy4 said on 15/Aug/08
how tall is wendy padbury
how tall is wendy padbury
badboy4 said on 14/Aug/08
how tall is sophie aldred
Editor Rob
how tall is sophie aldred
Editor Rob between 5ft 2 and 3 I thought.
Anonymous said on 20/Jul/08
I'm 5'2, and was near him a couple of times at conventions. He's taller than I, but the time that I stood right next to him, I was far too jetlagged to figure his precise height. He's slumping in that above photo, which doesn't help judge height, and he may well have lost height with age.
-- Sarah
Editor Rob
I'm 5'2, and was near him a couple of times at conventions. He's taller than I, but the time that I stood right next to him, I was far too jetlagged to figure his precise height. He's slumping in that above photo, which doesn't help judge height, and he may well have lost height with age.
-- Sarah
Editor Rob ah, his shoulders are higher as he's propping himself with an umbrella.
D-Lurker said on 15/Jul/08
yea this is the era i kinda lost interest in Dr Who..thru out the eighties..Dr Who was a constant on our screens, from Patrick Troughton thru to Sylvester..ran for years..Any way as a youngan, i found his personality to be too much of a shift, really was a bit too colourful, from memory at least. A relaxed posture in the top shot, could add to a wee slump in height. I remember Sophie, too.
yea this is the era i kinda lost interest in Dr Who..thru out the eighties..Dr Who was a constant on our screens, from Patrick Troughton thru to Sylvester..ran for years..Any way as a youngan, i found his personality to be too much of a shift, really was a bit too colourful, from memory at least. A relaxed posture in the top shot, could add to a wee slump in height. I remember Sophie, too.
Ras said on 5/Jul/08
Hrdly looks 5'4.
Hrdly looks 5'4.
Anonymous said on 2/Jul/08
He only appears to be 5'4 with you Rob in that picture
He only appears to be 5'4 with you Rob in that picture
Heights are barefeet estimates, derived from quotations, official websites, agency resumes, in person encounters with actors at conventions and pictures/films.
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