# How big is Paul Newman? (snicker) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509 "2005-05-12T04:09:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/1 "2005-05-12T04:09:05Z")
on imdb it lists his height as 5’8 or something to that effect, but my dad says it’s more like 5’1. who’s right? ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/2 "2005-05-12T04:13:36Z")
I met him a couple of years ago and he’s _definitely_ taller than 5’1". I would actually agree with the 5’8" number. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/3 "2005-05-12T07:42:15Z")
5’8" is short for a man. 5’1" is extremely short. I used to have a girlfriend who was 4’11" and she was TINY!! 5’8" sounds the most likely. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/4 "2005-05-12T12:38:22Z")
[This photo](http://www.variety.com/graphics/photos/vpage2004/vwestport_newman.jpg) shows him 2-3 inches shorter than Robert Redford. Since Redford is exactly my height (I stood next to him once), and I’m 5’ 9", that makes Newman about 5’6." ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/5 "2005-05-12T12:42:13Z")
I was within a couple feet of him at a race in Watkins Glen in the early 70s. He was a couple inches shorter than me (I’m 5’-8" - or I was back then. Gravity has not been kind.), so I’d agree with the 5’-6" estimation. He’s probably at least an inch shorter than that now, though, since you shrink as you age. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/6 "2005-05-12T19:51:16Z")
While **Reality Chuck’s** logic is sound I have to disagree with the conclusion. Mr. Newman was a client at a business I worked for in the early 90’s. I am 5’6" and he was more than a couple of inches taller than I am - though not _much_ more. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/7 "2005-05-12T19:53:32Z")
Or maybe I was so dazzled by his charming manner and amazingly blue eyes that he just _seemed_ taller. - just re-read **singular1** ’s post. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/8 "2005-05-12T20:02:41Z")
**RealityChuck** ’s picture does make it seem like Newman is a few inches shorter than Redford, but by the way they’re standing, you can’t tell for sure. Newman looks like he’s slouching a bit, and the way he’s holding his hand suggests that he’s lowered his head, too. They can and do do stuff in movies to make an actor seem taller than he really is, but without fancy modern special effects, they wouldn’t be able to make a 5’1" guy look average height. Especially over the course of the many movies that Newman has made. ---
**Author:** ![YWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6f9a4e/32.png) [@YWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YWalker)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/9 "2005-05-12T20:17:06Z")
I would think that the height in the bio is the same as the one he gave out several decades ago and does not necessarily match his current condition. Although I’m 5’7" today, I know for a fact I won’t be in 30 years. I don’t really know when (if ever) I’ll get out of the habit of automatically answering that I’m 5’7" when asked. It really freaked me out the first time I noticed that my 80 year old Dad, who used to be 5"11", is now shorter than me. He has osteoporosis and has fractured a couple of vertebrae, which does not help in maintaining height. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/10 "2005-05-13T04:46:19Z")
It’s probably worth pointing out here that people’s perception of someone elses height is influenced by the respect that you have for that person. Someone that you look up to emotionally will seem a little taller than they really are. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/11 "2005-05-13T04:56:31Z")
I’m 5’1" and Paul Newman is definitely taller than I am. I only saw him across a racetrack, but he was standing next to a bunch of “normal” sized men and he was not significantly shorter than most of them. When _I_ stand next to a bunch of normal sized men, I look like a 10-year-old. ---
**Author:** ![Artback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Artback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artback)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/12 "2023-12-08T07:49:53Z")
Having stood with Paul Newman several times in Westport, CT, and one particular time behind him in line in the auto parts department of a car dealer, I can validate he was, in his 40s, no taller than 5’ 8” with shoes on. At 6’ 1”, I could see across the top of his head. That said, he deserves to be perceived as taller. He was a great man, and not just a terrific actor. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/13 "2023-12-08T08:37:03Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > but without fancy modern special effects, they wouldn’t be able to make a 5’1" guy look average height. Especially over the course of the many movies that Newman has made. Agreed with the second part, but not the first. _The Lord of the Rings_ made the Hobbits look tiny using mostly forced perspective tricks. While those are modern films, forced perspective has been in use for nearly a century (millennia, if you count architecture). A hypothetical 5’1" Newman could easily have been made to look average height. That said, it wouldn’t be very feasible to make up that difference over so many films. A few inches, certainly–Tom Cruise is made to look taller than he is–but more than that requires more involved camera tricks. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/14 "2023-12-08T09:52:00Z")
Author Jonathan Carroll’s [Carried by Paul Newman](https://jonathancarroll.com/carried-by-paul-newman-67e18822f599) wherein he recounts his childhood meeting with Newman. No height references though. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/15 "2023-12-08T12:31:24Z")
I’m 5’9, which is nothing to brag about in terms of height. Actors that you wouldn’t think I am taller than: Tom Cruise - 5’7 or 5’8 Josh Hutcherson - 5’5 or so James McAvoy - 5’7 Danny Trejo - 5’6 Mark Wahlberg - 5’8 I’m sure there are more, but I think those guys are perceived as taller. Danny Trejo was surprising. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/16 "2023-12-08T13:50:26Z")
I saw Paul Newman in person at a Detroit Grand Prix race and 5’ 8” sounds about right. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/17 "2023-12-08T14:13:39Z")
Joe Pesci has a listed height of 5’4" and I suspect that’s charitable. Newman is clearly close to 5’8" than 5’1". ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/18 "2023-12-08T16:50:01Z")
Allan Ladd was a Hollywood punchline at 5’6” That’s the same height as Napoleon, while Frederick the Great was only 5’2”. Peter the Great was 6’8”, but still shorter than his 6’9” adversary Charles XII of Sweden. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/19 "2023-12-08T22:55:28Z")
I just want to thank everyone for helping me not worry about my height. Hey, taller than Cruise and Trejo? I’ll take it! . > [@Artback](#): > > Having stood with Paul Newman several times in Westport, CT, and one particular time behind him in line in the auto parts department of a car dealer… I’m glad you’ve found a hobby. (Oh, no, not fixing cars. I don’t believe for a minute that you needed any auto parts.) ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2023, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509/20 "2023-12-11T15:53:51Z")
I find it sad that men are so much defined by their height and feel embarrassed if they’re not 6’ or over. Most of the men in my life are/have been under 6’. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-big-is-paul-newman-snicker/303509.md?page=2)