Henry Silva's Height
6ft 2 (188 cm)
American actor best remembered for roles in films such as Johnny Cool, The Italian Connection, Ocean's 11 (1960), The Manchurian Candidate, Above the Law, Assassination, The Hills Run Red, Sergeants 3 and Code of Silence. In a 1979 newspaper article it described him as "6-foot-2. 175 pounds of muscle. His lean, swarthy face is cruel with high cheekbones, deep-set eyes and high forehead topped by a shock of black hair"
Photo © ImageCollect.com / carrie-nelson
Add a Comment24 comments
Average Guess (6 Votes)
6ft 1.33in (186.3cm)
6ft 1.33in (186.3cm)
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 10/Oct/22
Only seeing now he’s passed. Superb character actor. Always playing kind of lowlife but his height definitely helped elevate his screen presence.
Only seeing now he’s passed. Superb character actor. Always playing kind of lowlife but his height definitely helped elevate his screen presence.
Canson said on 28/Sep/22
Looked around this with Seagal in Above the Law
Looked around this with Seagal in Above the Law
Hong said on 26/Sep/22
On the subject of actors looking much older than their actual age John Thaw is the number 1 in my opinion.In the Sweeney he was only in his early 30s and looked like a middle aged guy in his fifties.Later on in Inspector Morse when it was first out he was still only in his 40s and at the end he was not yet 60 and looked like an old man in his 70s.Also Lee Marvin looked a lot older than he was too.
Editor Rob
On the subject of actors looking much older than their actual age John Thaw is the number 1 in my opinion.In the Sweeney he was only in his early 30s and looked like a middle aged guy in his fifties.Later on in Inspector Morse when it was first out he was still only in his 40s and at the end he was not yet 60 and looked like an old man in his 70s.Also Lee Marvin looked a lot older than he was too.
Editor RobThat's true about John, I was surprised too seeing he was early 30's when in the Sweeney.
Hong said on 26/Sep/22
In actual fact he was 95,just days shy of his 96th birthday, originally his year of birth was 1928 but it's changed now to 1926?
In actual fact he was 95,just days shy of his 96th birthday, originally his year of birth was 1928 but it's changed now to 1926?
Arch Stanton said on 23/Sep/22
One thing I notice from older films is how much more maturer some of the men often looked in their thirties than the average guy of today. There is an Italian actor in one film I forget his name but he was only 34 at the time but looks older than me currently at 39. Has the appearance of a mature guy in 45-50 age range. Similar to Sean Connery who looked mid forties in You Only Live Twice there Click Here He was only 36-37 there but looks about Rob's age IMO. Clint Eastwood, another who was a very mature looking 36 year old!
Editor Rob
One thing I notice from older films is how much more maturer some of the men often looked in their thirties than the average guy of today. There is an Italian actor in one film I forget his name but he was only 34 at the time but looks older than me currently at 39. Has the appearance of a mature guy in 45-50 age range. Similar to Sean Connery who looked mid forties in You Only Live Twice there Click Here He was only 36-37 there but looks about Rob's age IMO. Clint Eastwood, another who was a very mature looking 36 year old!
Editor RobA couple weeks back I was watching Fistful of Dollars with Jenny and talking about ages. Usually she is very good at guessing age, better than me, but when I asked her about Lee Van Cleef she guessed him more 50 when he was like 39 or so when making it.
Arch Stanton said on 21/Sep/22
RIP indeed Hong. He was always a bit creepy looking I thought, with his chiselled shiny face, very distinctive and perfect for villains. Watching some of his films this week, in some films which obviously have a taller than average cast I wouldn't have guessed over 6'2.
RIP indeed Hong. He was always a bit creepy looking I thought, with his chiselled shiny face, very distinctive and perfect for villains. Watching some of his films this week, in some films which obviously have a taller than average cast I wouldn't have guessed over 6'2.
Hong said on 17/Sep/22
My mistake he was actually 94.
My mistake he was actually 94.
Hong said on 17/Sep/22
RlP to Henry Silva he's just died aged 95.
RlP to Henry Silva he's just died aged 95.
Gonzalo said on 17/Jan/18
Tall guy. He looked close to 1`90 in some films
Tall guy. He looked close to 1`90 in some films
Matt said on 24/Dec/16
"Really? That tall? He and Frank Sinatra fight hand-to-hand in The Manchurian Candidate (and Sinatra wins the fight), but I don't remember Silva being bigger than Sinatra, who was probably five foot-eight."
It's kind of hard to tell because they're both crouching and they cut back and forth between them in most of the shots but you can tell in some of the shots when they're back to back that Silva looks much taller than Sinatra. Janet Leigh's character refers to him later as a "very large korean man" lol
"Really? That tall? He and Frank Sinatra fight hand-to-hand in The Manchurian Candidate (and Sinatra wins the fight), but I don't remember Silva being bigger than Sinatra, who was probably five foot-eight."
It's kind of hard to tell because they're both crouching and they cut back and forth between them in most of the shots but you can tell in some of the shots when they're back to back that Silva looks much taller than Sinatra. Janet Leigh's character refers to him later as a "very large korean man" lol
Ian C. said on 22/Sep/16
Really? That tall? He and Frank Sinatra fight hand-to-hand in The Manchurian Candidate (and Sinatra wins the fight), but I don't remember Silva being bigger than Sinatra, who was probably five foot-eight.
Really? That tall? He and Frank Sinatra fight hand-to-hand in The Manchurian Candidate (and Sinatra wins the fight), but I don't remember Silva being bigger than Sinatra, who was probably five foot-eight.
Arch Stanton said on 20/Apr/16
Sam said on 4/Apr/16
Yeah, never seen the film Arch and I don't doubt that Silva would be shorter than Strode...having seen it, would you say Silva looks 2 inches shorter?
Looked about that, in one scene it actually looked a bit more, which made me doubt he was ever 189. But for sure he could look a strong 6'2 in a lot of films.
Sam said on 4/Apr/16
Yeah, never seen the film Arch and I don't doubt that Silva would be shorter than Strode...having seen it, would you say Silva looks 2 inches shorter?
Looked about that, in one scene it actually looked a bit more, which made me doubt he was ever 189. But for sure he could look a strong 6'2 in a lot of films.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 15/Apr/16
Around 188/189cm peak
Around 188/189cm peak
Sam said on 4/Apr/16
Yeah, never seen the film Arch and I don't doubt that Silva would be shorter than Strode...having seen it, would you say Silva looks 2 inches shorter?
Yeah, never seen the film Arch and I don't doubt that Silva would be shorter than Strode...having seen it, would you say Silva looks 2 inches shorter?
Arch Stanton said on 1/Apr/16
@Sam, that's why just one photo can't be trusted, if you see that film The Itlaian Connection with Woody Strode you'll see haha!
@Sam, that's why just one photo can't be trusted, if you see that film The Itlaian Connection with Woody Strode you'll see haha!
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 30/Mar/16
Arch, I thought he could still look 6ft2 in Above The Law, maybe a fraction shy at worst. But then again Seagal might have been 6ft4-4½ range back then. There was around 2in or so between them. So 6ft2½ could be argued for his peak.
Arch, I thought he could still look 6ft2 in Above The Law, maybe a fraction shy at worst. But then again Seagal might have been 6ft4-4½ range back then. There was around 2in or so between them. So 6ft2½ could be argued for his peak.
Sam said on 25/Mar/16
Somehow he looks taller than listing at times
w/ 6'4" Woody Strode here: Click Here
w/ Dick Van Dyke & Edward G. Robinson: Click Here
No more than listing w/ William Forsythe: Click Here
w/ Barry Bostwick: Click Here
w/ The Rat Pack: Click Here
Somehow he looks taller than listing at times
w/ 6'4" Woody Strode here: Click Here
w/ Dick Van Dyke & Edward G. Robinson: Click Here
No more than listing w/ William Forsythe: Click Here
w/ Barry Bostwick: Click Here
w/ The Rat Pack: Click Here
Arch Stanton said on 25/Mar/16
Difficult to imagine he was ever 189 seeing him older with Busey but in the original Ocean's 11 Rampage is right that he could look a genuine 6'2.5 in his prime.
Difficult to imagine he was ever 189 seeing him older with Busey but in the original Ocean's 11 Rampage is right that he could look a genuine 6'2.5 in his prime.
Sam said on 25/Mar/16
Yeah, it was possible he was a tad over 6'2", a genuinely tall guy. His and Sinatra's fight scene in Manchurian Candidate was great.
Yeah, it was possible he was a tad over 6'2", a genuinely tall guy. His and Sinatra's fight scene in Manchurian Candidate was great.
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 24/Mar/16
Looked 189cm in Ocean's 11
Looked 189cm in Ocean's 11
Rampage(-_-_-)Clover said on 23/Mar/16
As he appeared next to Seagal in Above The Law
As he appeared next to Seagal in Above The Law
Arch Stanton said on 23/Mar/16
There's a scene near the beginning of Ocean's 11 where he's walking with Sinatra or Joey Bishop I think and looked quite towering. I think it was that which had me thinking he might have been taller.
There's a scene near the beginning of Ocean's 11 where he's walking with Sinatra or Joey Bishop I think and looked quite towering. I think it was that which had me thinking he might have been taller.
Arch Stanton said on 23/Mar/16
He was also in The Bravados with Peck but think he had a minor role, I;ve seen it but a long time ago, before I even knew Silva's name!
He was also in The Bravados with Peck but think he had a minor role, I;ve seen it but a long time ago, before I even knew Silva's name!
Arch Stanton said on 23/Mar/16
Cheers Rob, can you squeeze in Assassination, The Hills Run Red and Sergeants 3, a memorable Rat Pack vehicle in which he played an Indian chief, believable too with his cheekbones and look. Didn't really stand with Seagal in Above the Law but I think briefly they were close in combat and you could see Seagal looked roughly about two inches taller. If you see this guy in Ocean's 11 the original and others 60s films though he could look a stronger 6'2. He could look standout tall with the Rat Pack members. He was close friends with them, close enough to have been called a Rat Pack memner itself. A little over 6'2 prime isn't impossible. I tink there were a few scenes with Strode in The Italian Connection though where he didn't look less than 2 inches shorter than Strode which isn't reflectedin the photograph so I'm OK with 6'2 flat!
Editor Rob
Cheers Rob, can you squeeze in Assassination, The Hills Run Red and Sergeants 3, a memorable Rat Pack vehicle in which he played an Indian chief, believable too with his cheekbones and look. Didn't really stand with Seagal in Above the Law but I think briefly they were close in combat and you could see Seagal looked roughly about two inches taller. If you see this guy in Ocean's 11 the original and others 60s films though he could look a stronger 6'2. He could look standout tall with the Rat Pack members. He was close friends with them, close enough to have been called a Rat Pack memner itself. A little over 6'2 prime isn't impossible. I tink there were a few scenes with Strode in The Italian Connection though where he didn't look less than 2 inches shorter than Strode which isn't reflectedin the photograph so I'm OK with 6'2 flat!
Editor Rob I saw a photo from a few years back there With Busey, I think there's a few degree tilt on Gary's side, but still he lost a few inches.
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