We might think of leading men of the Golden Age of Hollywood as being tall, dark, and handsome, but thanks to the magic of Hollywood, audiences couldn’t see that some of their favorite heartthrobs were really quite short. Directors had to get creative to make them tower masculinely over their leading ladies.
Here are some Hollywood bigwigs who were really small, diminutive men.
Burgess Meredith
An actor with a long, successful career in film, television, and theater, Burgess Meredith was admired for his versatility, his distinctive voice, and his dramatic delivery. He was a Shakespearean stage actor who made the transition to film and television despite the fact that he stood only five feet, six inches tall.
Burgess Meredith’s long and successful career earned him many accolades, including multiple Emmy and Tony Award nominations. He was perhaps known for playing the Penguin in the 1960s Batman television series. He had notable film performances in Rocky, Of Mice and Men, Grumpy Old Men, Clash of the Titans, and The Day of the Locust.
Meredith was several inches shorter than most of his contemporaries, however it was not a detriment to his career.
Peter Falk
Peter Falk, with his raspy voice and iconic squint, enjoyed an entertainment career that spanned more than five decades even though, at five feet, six inches tall. Falk’s role as the disheveled, seemingly absent-minded Lieutenant Columbo in the 1970s television detective series, Columbo, made him a household name and earned him four Emmy Awards.
Peter Falk appeared in several movies and television shows, such as A Woman Under the Influence, The Princess Bride, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, The Great Race, and Murder by Death. His short stature, coupled with his talent, charisma, and on-screen presence, made him a Hollywood favorite. In fact, for some people, it made him more attractive. Falk’s second wife, Shera Danese was quoted as saying that Falk’s short height was one of the things she found most appealing about him.
Alan Ladd
Alan Ladd began his career in Hollywood as a supporting actor, but he quickly rose to leading man status due to his rugged good looks and charismatic on-screen presence, even though he was a petit five feet, six inches tall. He appeared in a wide range of films, from war dramas to westerns, but it was his roles in film noir that made him a legend.
Alan Ladd was best known for his roles in The Gun for Hire and The Blue Dahlia. His signature roles cast him as a cool, tough talker who was a mysterious brooding loner.
Ladd allegedly stood on boxes during filming so that he appeared taller than his female co-stars. His leading ladies were also required to wear flats instead of heels when standing next to taller actresses. Reportedly, Ladd was self-conscious about his height because he tried to project an ultra-masculine persona.
James Cagney
Orson Welles called James Cagney one of the “greatest actors who ever appeared in front of a camera.” He rose to fame in the 1930s and 1940s, yet his career in the entertainment industry extended more than six decades. At only five feet, five inches tall, Cagney was initially typecast in Hollywood but his raw talent, intense energy, expressive face, and fast-talking delivery, coupled with his dancing ability, helped him rise to leading man status.
Among Cagney’s most memorable film roles were in The Public Enemy, Angels with Dirty Faces, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and White Heat. He showed off his dancing chops in musicals such as Footlight Parade and The Seven Little Foys. He was a larger-than-life persona, although he was several inches shorter than the average man.
Mickey Rooney
Five feet, two-inch-tall Mickey Rooney began his Hollywood career in the 1920s and remained active in the entertainment industry for the next nine years. He was known for his imp-like appearance, boundless energy, and comedic timing which made him a popular figure in Hollywood as a dancer and actor.
He appeared in more than 300 films throughout his lengthy career. Some of his most famous roles include his portrayal of Andy Hardy in a series of films from the late 1930s and early 1940s, as well as his appearances in National Velvet, Babes in Arms, and Night at the Museum.
Rather than try to hide his small stature, Rooney embraced it. His career, and his life, however, were not without challenges. He endured financial troubles, eight marriages, and gambling and prescription drug addiction. Despite this, he remained a beloved figure in film, television, and theater.
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin was a famous English actor, comedian, composer, and filmmaker who rose to fame in the early 1920s. He is widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of cinema and is considered a pioneer of the silent film era.
He is perhaps best known for his iconic character The Tramp, a lovable, bumbling vagrant with a signature hat, mustache, and cane. What most people don’t know about this legendary entertainer is that he stood only five feet, five inches tall.
Chaplin caught the attention of fans with his roles in The Kid, The Gold Rush, The Circus, and The Great Dictator. He led a controversial life that got him accused of being a Communist sympathizer and put him on the FBI’s radar.
Moe Howard
Moe Howard, a member of The Three Stooges, was the shortest of the trio of slapstick comedians. He was just five feet, three inches tall, although he appeared much taller in the series of short comedy films and numerous television shows that made them famous.
Although Moe Howard looked like a fool in his bowl cut, he was leader of The Three Stooges and a comic genius. He learned from an early age that people didn’t take him seriously because of his short stature. Instead of fighting it, he used comedy, especially physical comedy and slapstick, to make his mark.