Being a shorter man isn’t easy. It’s usually seen as a negative thing. You’ve probably heard about studies that supposedly prove short men make less money and are less attractive than their taller counterparts.
The crazy thing is, even though the media loves to spread these “facts”, many of them aren’t even true. Even if some of this stuff is true, it’s not worth dwelling on. After all, you can’t change your height.
Here’s the annoying thing – no one ever talks about short men in a positive way.
I think that’s lame. I may be shorter than average, but I’m still successful, healthy and well-dressed. More importantly, I’m happy and surrounded by people who love me (and who I love).
I’m not saying you can just flip a switch to magically make your height (or lack thereof) stop bothering you. It’s a huge source of insecurity for so many people, men and women included, and I still struggle with it.
But it doesn’t have to hold you back in life. To drive this point home, here’s a list of 100 amazing men who just happened to be shorter than average.
Some of the men on this list achieved amazing things before they died. Many are still doing awesome things with their lives.
From actors, rappers and musicians to CEOs and athletes, here are 100 remarkable short men everyone can look up to:
| Name | Height | Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King, Jr. | 5'7" | Leading the African American Civil Rights Movement using nonviolent civil disobedience |
| Bruce Lee | 5'7" | Being one of the most influential martial artists of all time and creating Jeet Kune Do |
| Winston Churchill | 5'7" | Becoming the greatest wartime leader of the 20th century AND winning the Nobel Prize for Literature |
| Napoleon Boneparte | 5'6" | Winning hundreds of battles to seize control over most of Europe in less than 10 years |
| Urijah Faber | 5'6" | Becoming one of the best pound-for-pound mixed martial arts fighters in the world |
| Mahatma Gandhi | 5'4" | Igniting freedom across the world by leading India's Independence Movement using nonviolent civil disobedience |
| Josh Hutcherson | 5'7" | Co-starring in one of the highest grossing film franchises of all time, The Hunger Games |
| James Madison | 5'4" | Serving as the fourth President of the United States and helping draft the Constitution and Bill of Rights |
| Rivers Cuomo | 5'6" | Founding Weezer, an American rock band that sold over 17 million albums worldwide |
| Prince | 5'2" | Winning 7 Grammy Awards, selling over 100 million albums and being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |
| Andrew Carnegie | 5'2" | Going from poor immigrant to wealthy businessman by leading the growth of the American steel industry, then giving away almost all of his money |
| Robin Williams | 5'7" | Entertaining the world through his work in such films as Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Aladdin and Mrs. Doubtfire |
| Bob Marley | 5'8" | Selling over 75 million albums while popularizing reggae music and Rastafarianism worldwide |
| Robert Downey, Jr. | 5'8" | Playing Tony Stark in the blockbuster film series Iron Man and overcoming addiction |
| Martin Short | 5'7" | Winning numerous awards for his role in plays and films like Three Amigos, Father of the Bride and SNL |
| Paul Simon | 5'3" | Winning 12 Grammy Awards as a solo singer-songwriter and one half of Simon & Garfunkel |
| Yuri Gagarin | 5'2" | Being the first human to enter into outer space |
| Charlie Chaplin | 5'5" | Becoming one of the most famous people in the world during the silent film era by writing, directing, producing, scoring and starring in his own films |
| Frodo Baggins | 3'6" | Returning the "One Ring" to Mount Doom |
| Bono | 5'7" | Being the front man of rock band U2 and one of the most influential philanthropists in the world |
| Ulysses S. Grant | 5'8" | Leading the Union Army to victory as Commanding General during the Civil War and serving as the 18th President of the United States |
| Tom Cruise | 5'7" | Becoming one of the most famous actors in Hollywood and one of the most powerful celebrities in the world |
| Pablo Picasso | 5'4" | Co-founding one of the most influential art movements of the 20th century, Cubism |
| Thom Yorke | 5'6" | Writing and performing for the award-winning, best-selling alternative rock band Radiohead |
| Peter Dinklage | 4'5" | Winning an Emmy and Golden Globe Award for his role as Tyrion Lannister in HBO's hit series Game of Thrones |
| Al Pacino | 5'7" | Playing the two most famous Hollywood mobsters, Michael Corleone in The Godfather and Tony Montana in Scarface |
| Michael J. Fox | 5'4" | Starring in the Back to the Future trilogy, helping find a cure for Parkinson's Disease |
| Roger Daltrey | 5'7" | Singing for The Who, one of the greatest rock bands of all time |
| Voltaire | 5'3" | Writing thousands of poems, plays, books and letters as one of the most influential thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment |
| Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues | 5'3" | Being the shortest man to ever play professional basketball in the NBA |
| Ben Stiller | 5'8" | Writing, starring in, directing and/or producing more than 50 films that have grossed billions of dollars worldwide |
| Woody Allen | 5'5" | Becoming one of the most influential and successful actors, writers, comedians and directors of all time, and being nominated for 24 Academy Awards |
| Harry Houdini | 5'4" | Becoming the most famous escape artist of all time |
| Daniel Radcliffe | 5'5" | Starring in the Harry Potter series, the highest grossing film franchise of all time |
| Humphrey Bogart | 5'8" | Appearing in over 75 films, including Casablanca and going down in history as one of the greatest American movie stars of all time |
| Dustin Hoffman | 5'6" | Winning two Academy Awards and 13 Golden Globe Awards for movies like The Graduate, Rain Man and Hook |
| Bruno Mars | 5'6" | Rising to fame incredibly quickly to become one of the best-selling musical performers of all time and a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter |
| Jack Black | 5'6" | Starring in Hollywood hits like King Kong, Tropic Thunder and Kung Fu Panda, and co-founding the comedic rock band Tenacious D |
| Spud Webb | 5'7" | Winning the NBA Slam Dunk Contest as one of the shortest players in the league |
| Kevin Hart | 5'4" | Being an award-winning actor, comedian, writer and producer |
| Ludwig van Beethoven | 5'3" | Earning the status of one of the most famous and influential musical composers of all time |
| CeeLo Green | 5'6" | Composing hit songs like "Forget You" and "Crazy", and appearing on NBC's reality show The Voice |
| Aziz Ansari | 5'6" | Starring in NBC's Parks and Recreation |
| Danny DeVito | 5'0" | Co-starring in Taxi, Batman Returns and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and co-producing movies such as Pulp Fiction and Garden State |
| Jason Schwartzman | 5'6" | Acting in movies like Rushmore and The Grand Budapest Hotel, and playing drums in the rock band Phantom Planet |
| Mark Wahlberg | 5'8" | Becoming the rapper Marky Mark, a Calvin Klein underwear model, and an award-winning actor and producer |
| John Stewart | 5'6" | Hosting satirical news program The Daily Show and winning 19 Emmy Awards |
| Elton John | 5'7" | Selling over 300 million records and co-writing more than 50 Top 40 hits over a 50 year musical career |
| James "Logan" Howlett | 5'3" | Defeating his archnemesis Sabertooth and holding his own against the Hulk in some of the most epic battles the Marvel Universe has ever seen |
| Jason Bryant Acuña | 4'1" | Playing "Wee Man" in the MTV reality franchise Jackass and skateboarding professionally |
| Apolo Ohno | 5'8" | Winning eight medals in the Winter Olympics |
| Mario Andretti | 5'7" | Being the only racing driver to win the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500 and Formula One World Championship (plus over 100 other major wins) |
| Yogi Berra | 5'7" | Becoming one of the best MLB catchers of all time and being named MVP three times |
| Henry Winkler | 5'6" | Playing "The Fonz" on the classic American sitcom Happy Days |
| Beck | 5'7" | Winning five Grammy Awards as one of the most influential and diverse multi-instrumentalists and composers of our time |
| Jason Alexander | 5'4" | Playing George Costanza on one of the greatest TV series of all time, Seinfeld |
| Martin Scorsese | 5'3" | Directing some of the most iconic films of all time, including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Gangs of New York |
| Manny Pacquiao | 5'7" | Being the first and only boxer to win titles in eight different weight classes and being elected to the Philippine House of Representatives |
| Genghis Khan | 5'1" | Using political and military tactics to unite disparate nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia to form the Mongol Empire |
| Flea | 5'6" | Being the bassist and co-founder of the legendary rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers |
| T.E. Lawrence | 5'5" | Serving as a liaison officer for the British Army in Egypt during WWI, writing The Seven Pillars of Wisdom and becoming the subject of the film Lawrence of Arabia |
| Sean McColl | 5'7" | Earning multiple professional climbing medals and winning American Ninja Warrior |
| Truman Capote | 5'4" | Writing iconic literary classics like Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood |
| Jonah Hill | 5'7" | Writing for and acting in critically-acclaimed films like Moneyball, The Wolf of Wall Street, Superbad and Knocked Up |
| Lionel Messi | 5'7" | Garnering the reputation of one of the best soccer players of all time by the age of 27 |
| Mel Brooks | 5'4" | Creating ultra popular comic parodies like Spaceballs and Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and being an EGOT winner |
| Salvador Dali | 5'7" | Becoming one of the most prominent surrealist artists in the world through such works as The Persistence of Memory and The Elephants |
| Bob Dylan | 5'6" | Winning 11 Grammy Awards as one of the most influential, successful and enduring singer-songwriters of all time |
| William Faulkner | 5'6" | Winning two Pulitzer Prizes and the Nobel Prize for Literature |
| Alfred Hitchcock | 5'6" | Earning the nickname of "The Master of Suspense" and being regarded as the greatest British filmmaker of all time |
| Spike Lee | 5'5" | Producing and directing over 35 award-winning films, and examining racial relations and urban life in an honest, often controversial way |
| John Leguizamo | 5'8" | Winning multiple awards for producing and acting in a wide variety of movies, plays and TV shows |
| Mike Myers | 5'7" | Starring in comedies like SNL, Shrek, Austin Powers and Wayne's World (which was based on the character he created) |
| Aristotle | 5'5" | Remaining one of the most influential thinkers of all time, thousands of years after his death |
| Steven Spielberg | 5'7" | Directing and producing some of the most popular and amazing movies ever made, such as E.T., Jaws, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and Saving Private Ryan |
| F. Scott Fitzgerald | 5'7" | Writing The Great Gatsby, which became one of the most popular books ever written after his death |
| J. R. R. Tolkien | 5'5" | Writing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings |
| Ralph Lauren | 5'6" | Founding one of the most successful American clothing brands to date |
| Henri Toulouse-Lautrec | 4'11" | Making a name for himself as the best-known painter of the Post-Impressionist period |
| Kanye West | 5'8" | Winning 21 Grammy Awards, selling over 100 million albums and helping create the "alternative rap" genre |
| Bob Costas | 5'7" | Hosting nine (and counting) Olympic games for NBC Sports, among countless other televised sporting events |
| Daymond John | 5'7" | Founding the clothing company FUBU and appearing as an investor on ABC's Shark Tank |
| Sean Sherk | 5'6" | Holding a 36-4 mixed martial arts record, including a win against Nick Diaz, while fighting in both the UFC and PRIDE |
| Danny Padilla | 5'2" | Earning the nickname "The Giant Killer" after repeatedly beating much taller men in international bodybuilding competitions |
| Alexander the Great | 5'6" | Creating the largest political empire in the ancient world through military conquest and spreading Greek culture across the East |
| Franco Columbu | 5'5" | Achieving champion level status in professional bodybuilding, Olympic powerlifting and amateur boxing |
| Jet Li | 5'6" | Becoming a national Wushu champion, action movie star and fight choreographer in China and America |
| Darren Sproles | 5'6" | Setting records in college and professional sports as one of the shortest and most talented athletes in the NFL |
| Simon Cowell | 5'8" | Serving as the first judge on American Idol before creating the show The X Factor and signing numerous major musical acts to his own record label |
| Seth Green | 5'4" | Starring in movies like Austin Powers, creating the show Robot Chicken and being the voice of Chris Griffin on Family Guy |
| Marc Anthony | 5'7" | Winning two Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammy Awards, and acting in major Hollywood productions like Man on Fire |
| David Sedaris | 5'5" | Writing multiple New York Times bestsellers like Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day that have sold over 10 million copies worldwide |
| Carlos Slim | 5'8" | Becoming the wealthiest person in the world (the "Warren Buffett of Mexico") by building an investment and telecom empire |
| Jesse Eisenberg | 5'7" | Playing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (who is 5'9") in the movie The Social Network |
| Gael Garcia Bernal | 5'6" | Becoming an award-winning actor and director in both Mexico and the United States |
| Sergey Brin | 5'8" | Co-inventing one of the world's most popular and profitable companies - Google |
| Giorgio Armani | 5'8" | Founding the brand Armani and becoming one of the most successful fashion designers of all time |
| George Lucas | 5'7" | Creating Star Wars and Indiana Jones |
| Isaac Newton | 5'6" | Laying the groundwork for classical mechanics |
Pretty impressive list, eh? And that’s just a small sample (pun intended) of short men who have helped shape the world and touch our lives.
If this post made you smile, you should share it with another man of modest height.
Who would you add to this list? Leave a comment below!
Where’s Joe Bartolozzi?
Andy summers of The Police is only 5′ 5″
Andy Summers is a multi-instrumentalist from Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England and he is best known as the guitarist for “The Police”. It is said that he is between 5’4″ and 5’5″ tall. Wiki User
Economists Milton Friedman – 5’0”
Paul Krugman – 5’7” Nobel laureate
James Cagney (actor)
Dudley Moore (actor, musician, comedian)
Allen Joyce (Head of Qantas Airline)
Stallone has to be around 5.6
Hailee Selassie
Articles like this uplift me so much.I’ll be 18 this year and i’m 4’10.8” tall.Its obvious this is the end of the road for me in height gain.It hurt me so much then my mates were all growing except me.I’ve not increased in height eversince i was 11yrs old coupled with the fact that i attended an all-girls secondary school.Trust me,girls are just perfect when it comes to bodyshaming,like they are so good at it.I want to be a great person,I’ve battled with so much insults,teasing,disrespect and disregard even from the Juniors all because of my height,teachers arent left out.This article has proved that anyone can be great,renowned.It’s just the society that turns thing upside down,or so it seems.
Thanks so much
from Nigeria
Inspired by your comment. Keep growing that strength and do good things!
Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t 5.6 ft he was 5.8 ft, get you facts right
I’ve researched the advantages and disadvantages of shorter height for about 40 years. Besides being great achievers throughout history, shorter individuals have a number of inherent advantages. These include living longer, faster reaction times, greater endurance, greater agility, and stronger on a pound for pound basis (e.g.; easier to lift your own weight). Some of the greatest Olympic weightlifters were Suleymanoglu (4’10) and Vardanyan (5’7).
Another important factor is that shorter, lighter people require less food, water and other resources. They also produce less pollution with the same life style. In other words, a world population of 8 billion shorter, lighter people can improve the chances of humanity’s future survival.
Many scientific papers have been published on the physical and longevity advantages of shorter, smaller body size. See my website for some references.
I’m 5’2 married twice, two kids, happy and positive all my life and I’ve never given a damn about my height. If anything it helps weed out the women who have issues with height which I have no time for anyway. Their loss, not mine.
Hello, I’m 19 years old, My height is very short, 1 meter with 50 centimeter. I lose my confidence.
Pls help. I stopped attending school.
Amargo
Don’t feel bad the society that we are living measure males not in height of their physique but depth of their wisdom and humanity.
Just focus on how to treat people good and like urself you will see how attractive you will be.
Im 5.6 but when I walk in the crowd I see myself 6.2.Because I understood what people likes out of individual
One thing all of these guys have in common is that to them their height wasn’t even a consideration or issue. One bit of advice for any other short guys out there is to work on your posture. It takes time but good posture will make you an inch or so taller
This page really made me feel better about myself. Thank you. I’m 167cm(5ft 5.7in)
Is Daniel Radcliffe still 5′ 5″, or was that just when he was younger starring in the original movies? Either way, still one devilishly handsome guy!
I’m 5’3 🙂
Immanuel Kant, the great Prussian German philosopher, Critique of Pure Reason, 5′ 2″.
is there a reason for including fictional characters on this list? Frodo Bagins?
Yes, because they achieved monumental accomplishments and reached great heights, despite their smaller stature.
So glad you are continuing with your posts, you are awesome. Nice to visit again!
Great list. I already knew of some of them, but not others. Yes, size has nothing to do with intelligence or success.
I’d add Gen. Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, he was 5’7″.
Robert Reich is 4’11”. He is a famous economist and former economic advisor to Bill Reich.
No, not Genghis Khan! I needed a positive role model, I don’t want to become Genghis Khan, lol.
ADD: Mark Hamill (5’ 7”) Luke Skywalker
ADD: Matt Bellamy (5’ 7”) Lead Singer of The Muse [His fiancé is 5’ 10”]
It’s not the size of your stature that matters, it’s the size of your heart.
I can’t tell you how many times I have felt depressed, valueless, and even ignored because I thought because my body wasn’t “long” enough according to some people’s standards.
If someone doesn’t respect you simply because of your height they aren’t worth wasting your valuable time.
…oh, and a nod to Barney Rubble.
Curley, Moe & Larry:
Persona 5’4” stooges.
Reality: 5’4” towering successes
William Wilberforce; one of the greatest abolistionists, politicians, world leaders and dedicated follower of Christ was 5’ 3”. He was a GIANT man in troubled times; always strong in his convictions and steadfast in manner. At the bottom of this line is a big, big, man.
My grandson J.C. is the most wonderful, talented, precious, shorter than most person I know!
Couple of thoughts…. Diego Maradona whom many consider to be the greatest soccer player of all time was 5′,5″. Also, if you substitute ‘long’ for ‘tall’ (a more suitable antonym for short, think long piece of string vs short piece of string, never tall string), then describe those over 6′ as ‘long’ people, it really doesn’t sound so good. Always do it and it makes people adjust their opinions.
Who’s taller laying down?
My father, a Wiseman, told this Maxim to his Sons and Grandsons:
“IT IS NOT HOW TALL YOU ARE BUT HOW HIGH YOU HOLD YOUR HEAD”
Funny to see two famous fashion designers in the list of short men, as they allegedly hate their own kind. I can’t comment about Giorgio Armani but Ralph Lauren is definitely not a brand for short men. I remember trying one of their “small” polo shirts untucked. It covered almost all of my butt while it looked a lot better on my friend who is an athletic 6´2.
Great article! Many of these people have been idols in my life and it was fun to hear they’re my height or shorter. Uplifting for the rest of the year.
I know this doesn’t seem relevant, but you’ve only stated one of Isaac Newtons shortest (no pun intended) contributions to humankind. He actually invented calculus, which is the core of all modern physics, mathematics, engineering and other sciences, without which we would still be living in the medieval age (in terms of scientific advances and technology). Now that should give him a reason to be appraised for.
Nice article, btw. I’m a short guy (5’5″ or 1.70m) and I stuglle with this every single day. I might as well read this on a daily basis in order to keep reminding myself I can be in fact a happy even though I’m a a bit taller than a hobbit.
Peace, man.
Cheers matey, Im an actor and was looking to find famous people I could portray. Fascinating! I’m 5’5″ and don’t believe in all that classical view of beauty and ugliness. Still get insecure and annoyed with myself though, haha. Best of fortunes
Homer Simpson?
Oh and you forgot Mayweather Jr. He’s 5’8. But probably even 5’7 cuz he wears men’s shoes with high-heel all the the time.
Another shorty that NEED to be on this list is the all famous Demetrious Johnson (5’3 – 160 cm)
I’m 5’7 170cm in height. I’m from Asia, in my country, it’s the average height, but in the States. It’s pretty short. I must admit, i feel very insecure about my height, but this article really boost my confidence. So thanks a lot Brock!
Best wishes to everybody, short or no short 😀
This might be controversial but Vladimir Putin ! He is 5’6 and he’s basically the most powerful man in the world right now.
Nice list. I would include Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos. Both are supposedly 5’7″.
One thing that annoys me is how you seem to judge everyone’s height on what’s normal in Europe/America. For example, Gandhi makes this list even though 5’4″ isn’t that short for an Indian man.
I’m 5’6″ and regardless of what short men throughout history have achieved, it is extremely difficult to get any attention from women being this height. Even short women prefer a tall guy. And for the record, I’m 40, not 14.
Bob, Just wanted to encourage you to not give up hope. I used to be one of the women who preferred taller men. At least 5’10”. And that’s what I would put on dating sites. But I’ve realized that there are a lot of good looking shorter men too. Btw, I’m 5’2″.
What attracts me is a good looking man. He doesn’t have to be a 10. A man who dresses nice. Good haircut. Smelling good. A guy that smells good drives me nuts. Don’t tell anybody, lol. Way under utilized though. I used to tell my son’s put on just enough that a women has to get closer to smell it. Sense of humor. Personality should be #1 but you only get to know that once you know someone. Anyway… hope this helps. And good luck.
Hello there,im 5″5 i like the way im and my wife is 5″7 we enjoy each other sometime i laugh to her and joke that she is too tall,and she joke back to me ,you are too short and we are still happy couple.
You know what there is a lot of qualities that will make you great apart from height…that is where you need to capitalize.Height doesn’t make you good person anybody can be,Height doesn’t make you successful anybody can be,Height doesnot give you ticket to heaven anybody can be.
If you find wish-list of matured and elite female height is optional not mandatory..so anybody can have virtuous women……Im proud with my height
Been through the list twice and didn’t spot the greatest hero of all time: Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson at just 5 feet 4 inches tall or Queen Victoria at barely 5 feet, I’m only 5 feet 3 inch tall and absolutely love being short! Lill’ Brian
Jon Stewart, not John Stewart. (no H)
Angus Young 5’2 from AC/DC
What about Patrick Stump (5’5) and Pete Wentz (5’6)
Sachin Tendulkar only 5’5″, he is known as GOD of Cricket.
Let’s not talk about niche sports, Kamil Stoch is one of the greatest ski jumpers ever and is 5’8″, but as I said it does not make sense to mention niche sports as these people won’t be recognized by 99,9% of the world population.
What about julius Ceasar, king henry VIII, Robert Redford?
Most women like the size of your wallet!
As a woman myself, I don’t care about height or money as long as you are good at what you do.
Hahahaha did no one notice they listed Frodo??? That’s amazing.
We assume these measurements are correct. Bob Costas is 5’7″ and I’m Wilt Chamberlain.
Hello, The Modest Man. I have read your publication and I am shocked and dismayed by the distinct lack of my name upon your list of the famous short men. I may have been taller than James Madison, but I should think that other men might rather emulate myself than him. Some of these men are hardly imitable or worthy of praise – not despite OR in favor of their height. Some are simply deplorable, and some are simply… existing an underwhelming existence. I surpassed some of these men by the age of 14. I hope and expect that you will revise this immediately. Thank you, good sirs. I was five foot seven inches.
Two things.. 1) I wouldn’t consider myself shorter if taller people never mentioned it. 2) We’re all the same height lying down; )
Plz add name of Swami Vivekananda to the list. He was only 5’8″ tall.
Justin Bieber, No Introduction Please !
The Duke of Windsor (170cm) should have been on the top of the list just for style.
Glad someone put Sammy Davis Jr. up.
Some modern men who maybe aren`t so famous but have style are Nick Wooster (168cm), Eugene Tong (170cm), Josh Peskowitz, Matthew Marden, Justin Berkowitz….just do a image search on any of them and you`ll see they aren`t terribly tall yet are respected in the fashion world.
Bruce G. Boyer is another older gent on the short side that every man should look to for dressing well.
Where is sachin tendulakar?
Loved the list! I was looking for a inspirational source for boys that are in the shorter side. They get bullied and tease at school for being small which damages their self-confidence. If anybody has other resources please share!
LOOOOVE the cmmenters’additions of Sammy Davis Jr.,Mickey Rooney,Davy Jones(Monkees),et al..besides the Young Bros. of AC/DC, there are Ringo Starr,Peter Frampton,comedian Kevin Hart, Ken Jeong..prob think of a dozen more in the next 2 minutes..!!!☮❤️⚜
…ALSO,for the record..I am not quite 5’2″..I just ’round up’,as I do with my age(!)..tho this article is speaking only of males…☮❤️⚜
Ummmm..also..Dustin Hoffman& John Mellencamp…
Myself!!!
I don’t believe I saw Mickey Rooney (5’2″?) and Davy Jones from the Monkees (5’3″) ????
Seriously though. 5’8″ is not short. Even in the US, while 5’10” is the average, taking away 2 or 3 inches is not really short. Shouldn’t increase the size of your list of famous people by misdefining short.
U missed a man from India #god of cricket #Sachin Tendulkar whos height is 5’5
Miles Davis was 5’6
Short people has a high perspective in Life
Dappy, the rapper (Costadinos Contostavlos) is 5’2, like me
Mario Andretti was a fine driver, but not the only one to win the F1 World Championship and Indy 500. Scotsman Jim Clark (twice F1 champion) did it in 1965 and England’s Graham Hill (also twice F1 Champion) did it in 1966. And Le Mans and Monaco Grand Prix, too – a unique achievement! so far!
William Holden was short and had a problem with leading ladies taller then himself.
Holden was, as near as I can tell from seeing movies where he would face other actors, somewhere between 5’10 and 5’11” tall. I think you are confusing him with Bogart, or possibly Alan Ladd. He wasn’t truly tall but he certainly wasn’t short. He was well above co-stars Bogart, Jack Webb, and stood even with Fredric March, who was about 5’l0″.
Randy Schekman Nobel Prize in Medice 2013 5′ 6″
Did you have Sammy Davis Jr? Fantastic entertainer! 5’3″ or so. Thanks for the list. (I’m 5’3″)
I’m 5’7″ and have noticed there are more very old men my size than 6’+. I guess shorter men live longer. Unless of course you’re mauled by a bear. Right Leo?
If I was a bear. I’d pick a fight with the taller man. Looks like more of a threat. For example Leonardo DiCaprio is 6 ft tall and look what happened to him! 🙂
I,m Mohsen from iran.I 5′.3”& 53 years old.I,m food technologist ,play drums & do martial art.I worried about my tall all of times, but now your web site change my mind.thanks a lot BROCK,
It seems that in employment and within organizations height matters, though if course not relevant to performance. Promotions in the best tradition of the “Peter Principle” seem to favor taller men. Did you forget Richard Reich, former secretary of labor under Clinton, he is 4 ft, 11 in.
Robert Reich.
Most of these guys I consider average. I’m only 5’4″. I agree with those stating historical heights were generally shorter statures. You’ve got to realize the advantages. Consider airplane seats, bed sizes, not caring about 9′ ceilings, some people’s basements and low door sills. Life is what you make it. Roll up your sleeves a bit and Enjoy. Great website
Mac The Doulos 5″5
Stevie Ray Vaughn was 5’5″
Shahrukh khan 5’8″ sachin tendulkar 5’5″ Dr.Apj kalam 5’5″
How about Lionel Mess?
Einstein 67.5 inches or 171.5m (as stated in his swiss log book of 1901)
(Various Music)
Skrillex: 5’4″
Patrick Stump (of Fall Out Boy): 5’5″
Lil Wayne: 5’6″
Pitbull: 5’7″
(The Big Bang Theory)
Simon Helberg/Howard Wolowitz: 5’4″
Johnny Galecki/Leonard Hofstadter: 5’5″
Kunal Nayyar/Raj Koothrappali: 5’7″
Those are ones I know off the top of my head.
Love it, have no hiccups about my height but I love knowing a person’s physical has bearing on what he can accomplish.
I personally don’t care what people think.
Thank you Brock..
Love from India
Angus Young is 5’2″ and his brother Malcom Young is 5’3″!
Nice additions!
Isn’t Rick Moranis 5 ft 1? I didn’t see him on the list.
Nice addition!
They forgot to mention the actor James Dean, icon of rebellious youth of his day became a movie myth.
Thanks my son is growing slow and at 8th grade is too small to keep up with kids 100lbs larger. I’m gonna show him this to help him see how great his potential is.
I am far from vertically challenged at 6’4″. But I’ve always said the measure of a person should never be from there feet to the top of there head, but there heart and mind and how they use them to change the world.
Indeed, By the way Its really amazing to see , such a great conquerors short in height , I am 5.6″ in height .
Well put!
Nice list… Dont forget Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula One. He is 5’3.
5’8″ is not considered small. The men’s average height in the US is only 5’9″. A mere inch and you think that’s small. It’s even higher than the women’s. What are you guys complaining about? There are three definitions of small and 5’8″ is the HIGHEST of them. It means 5″ higher than the medical definition of small!
How about Admiral Hyman Rickover, father of the nuclear Navy? Also, Mickey Rooney and Admiral Nimitz? I have a grandson who will be barely 5 ft. I will share this site with him when he is older.I am 5′ 7″ and always appreciate my height in caves; feel sorry for the tall dudes hitting their heads on the rocky ceilings!
I’m 5’1 and love being short-can’t wait to shrink as I get older
100%me (my height my mindset)
Audie Murphy who earned every military metal available during WW2 for holding a German assault of almost singlehandedly was 5’5″.
Thanks for posting this! My oldest son is one of the shortest in his class. Although he’s smart, athletic and well liked, his height really bothers him. I hope this list helps him see that his height doesn’t mean he can’t still be successful and a leader.
I feel for him… hopefully this helps. Feel free to put him in touch if he ever wants to chat!
-Brock
I was very depressed about my height… From last 8 years i tried everything to increase my height but failed by the way i am 5 feet 4 inches. I am shortest among family and relatives. Everyone is tall in my family. My dad is taller than me. My Uncles are a lot taller 6 feet and more. I am the only who is shortest. I used to be very depress but when i found this website it changed my life. I am not sad or depress anymore. Actually i am quite happy from two days because i stopped worrying about my height. And focusing on the things which i can change, I can control. Like My Body shape. My diet, My daily routine. My business etc.
The Truth About Your Height is a oil devoted to providing facts on many physical advantages are related to shorter height. I have studied this area for 40 years with other researchers and we have published about 60 articles and books in scientific and medical journals.
Sorry “oil” should say “book”
Brock I could use some uplifting myself. I’m 23 and an aspiring wrestler. I hope to not be disqualified due to only being 5’5 or 5’6 in height.
Fun list. I’ve come to embrace my height (5’7″) and if someone calls me a shorty, I take it as a compliment. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being short. If anything, I’m hard as hell to trip.
Its always awesome when short guy like me have sport or fighting ability..Bonaparte is the best.. 🙂
Groucho Marx was 5’7 or 5’8, I believe. I didn’t notice him on the list.
Assembling such a list does no good, because by stating that these guys did well in life despite being short reinforces the assumption that shorter guys really ARE at a disadvantage in life, but these guys made it nevertheless.
Honenstly, on average, taller guys earn more, have more kids and son on. It’s true and data doesn’t lie. BUT SO WHAT? You aren’t average, so who cares. The less it is a problem for yourself, the less it is a problem for others. As alwas, mindset is key…If you consciously ignore the fact that your height is below average, it WILL become a non-issue, not only to yourself, but also to others.
Nevertheless, dressing well and being in good shape helps yourself and others to become ignorant to the fact that you are short…that’s why I like this site.
The key word yo used is “despite”. I agree that it’s not good to praise a shorter man for succeeding DESPITE his short stature.
I try to frame it as a list of men who changed the world who happened to be short. They’re successful AND short, not despite being short.
Subtle, but it makes a difference.
Thanks for your comment.
Another take on it. Why not admit you’re at a social disadvantage for being short and take it as a good thing? Sounds crazy you say? Think about it this way, when was the last time there was a David vs. Goliath moment in sports and you rooted for Goliath?
Two great athletes to include on your list are thoroughbred horse racing jockey Gary Stevens at 5′ 4″ and distance runner Meb Keflezighi at 5′ 5″. Stevens has more than 5,000 wins in North America including three at the Kentucky Derby and lifetime earnings of nearly $240 million. Keflezighi is an Olympic silver medalist and the 2014 Boston Marathon winner (the first American winner since 1981). Both men, at ages 52 and 40, respectively, are still at the top of their sport. Age and height are just numbers.
This list is testament to the fact that greatness and stature are unrelated. In fact, shorter guys may try harder and succeed more often as a result.
Certainly, it is always good to list the short men who have been achievers. Here are some points to consider:
1. If we were somehow able to come up with a list of all remarkable men, for example, by finding the factors that these short men have in common, then casting a wider net over the whole population, would short men be under or over represented?
2. How many of the short men on this list who have been in the performing arts, for example, in music or on the screen, have manipulated their stage images in order to make it appear they are not short?
They and their publicists might not tell, but an analysis of their work in contrast to that of men who are if average height or taller might reveal what staging sought to conceal.
ps: I’m a short guy myself.
Being a short man myself (5 foot 7 1/2 when I was in my 20s-30s-40s, but shrunk to 5 foot 5 due to age), I appreciated your list. Two points to consider: Men have been increasing in height throughout the 20th century (better nutrition?), so men such as Aristotle, Alexander the Great, and Isaac Newton, for instance were not short by the standards of their time. Also, before the age of world travel by air, some isolated populations tended toward short stature because of genetics (Genghis Khan?). I know that 5 foot 7 was the average height of U.S. servicemen during World War II which would make Winston Churchill about average in height. You have implied that the average height of men in America is now 5 foot 9, but your modern examples of 5 foot 8 men is really borderline short.
Still, your list does put the lie to the false belief that you have to be a 6-footer to amount to anything.
Adam
Yes good comment. 5’6” to 5’8” is not short in that time. that is average.
Kit Harington, 5’8″ starring in Game Of Thrones and famous for knowing nothing.
Holy hell, I had no idea Prince was that short. Learn something new every day.
Josh – The Kentucky Gent
http://thekentuckygent.com
Not only that, but Charlie Murphy (Eddie Murphy’s brother) famously claimed that Prince is great at basketball. Sure, it was part of a comedy sketch, but it was supposed to be based on a “true Hollywood story.”
low center of gravity
The most decorated hero of WW II, another Murphy — Audie Murphy.
Great post! How tall is Ryan Seacrest?
I think Albert einstein is considered short. (5′ 9″)
No that isnt short actually. That is average height in America and Canada. In some countries they might even have shorter average heights making him actually quite tall in that country.
Einstein’s height was 5’7 on his application for US citizenship. This height may be an inch greater due to wearing shoes. A lot of people give their heights with shoes. I also saw a photo of him standing shoulder to shoulder with two other famous scientists who were 5’5 and 5’6. He was almost as tall as the 5’6 guy.
Awesome read. Keep the post coming !