Sammy Davis Jr's Height
5ft 4 (162.6 cm)
American Actor and Singer, best remembered for roles in Ocean's 11, That's Dancing, Porgy and Bess, A Man Called Adam, Salt and Pepper and The Cannonball Run. He once described himself as "Five foot six inches and 120 pounds", although was once measured 5ft 4 and a half in the army at a weight of 118 pounds.
[Mai Britt is] five feet seven in her stockings. I'm five feet six - and that's with everything that's standing on a chair.
-- June 1960
1945 Discharge Record
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Add a Comment43 comments
Average Guess (29 Votes)
5ft 3.25in (160.7cm)
5ft 3.25in (160.7cm)
Gerald S said on 26/Apr/24
Rob, can Aznavour get 162cm as he is shorter than Sammy below? I’d also suggest 5’4.5” for Sammy, based on his height comparison with 5’6” Dick Cavett.
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Rob, can Aznavour get 162cm as he is shorter than Sammy below? I’d also suggest 5’4.5” for Sammy, based on his height comparison with 5’6” Dick Cavett.
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Gerald S said on 9/Jun/23
Rob, can you add Charles Aznavour? Height quote below!
He claimed “And I can’t change my height. Five feet four is five feet four. I’m not made of rubber. I have decided to accept it and make others forget it.” Here is the source of this interesting quote: Click Here
Rob, can you add Charles Aznavour? Height quote below!
He claimed “And I can’t change my height. Five feet four is five feet four. I’m not made of rubber. I have decided to accept it and make others forget it.” Here is the source of this interesting quote: Click Here
Arch Stanton said on 16/May/23
Click Here Sammy with Frank and Dean in later years in 1987. I'd imagine all are wearing their "shoes".
Click Here Sammy with Frank and Dean in later years in 1987. I'd imagine all are wearing their "shoes".
Arch Stanton said on 16/May/23
Nah, you look at Frank and Sammy together, it's tough to see Sammy over 5 ft 4. Here's Sammy with Liza Minelli who was supposedly the same height though we can't see footwear Click Here I would say there is a chance Sammy got measured 5'4.5 in shoes.
Nah, you look at Frank and Sammy together, it's tough to see Sammy over 5 ft 4. Here's Sammy with Liza Minelli who was supposedly the same height though we can't see footwear Click Here I would say there is a chance Sammy got measured 5'4.5 in shoes.
Gerald S said on 13/May/23
Rob, since Charles Aznavour claimed and often passed for 5’4”, and Davis Jr. has been measured at 5’4.5, should Davis Jr. get 5’4.5” and Aznavour 5’4”?
Editor Rob
Rob, since Charles Aznavour claimed and often passed for 5’4”, and Davis Jr. has been measured at 5’4.5, should Davis Jr. get 5’4.5” and Aznavour 5’4”?
Editor RobDepends if Sammy was barefoot or not, but it's certainly a possibility of 5ft 4.5 now.
Sinclair said on 13/Dec/22
Yes, Sammy was about an inch taller than worthy add Charles Aznavour, as you showed us in photos, Rob.
Yes, Sammy was about an inch taller than worthy add Charles Aznavour, as you showed us in photos, Rob.
Francisco Gamino said on 18/Feb/22
Sammy Davis Jr looks 5ft3 next to frank who is 5ft7. His posture is just as right during his old age. Back in the 1950s, you should've have kept him as his peak height at 5ft4. Mickey Ronney was never even 5”2. he’s more of 5”1 than 5”2 I mean if you can look back next to joe Pesci who is 5”3 in this one photo he clearly looks nothing like 2 or 1 inch shorter than joe Pesci. I bet Kevin hart is 1-2 inches taller than Mickey Ronney. I give Sammy Davis Jr 5ft3-5ft3.5
Sammy Davis Jr looks 5ft3 next to frank who is 5ft7. His posture is just as right during his old age. Back in the 1950s, you should've have kept him as his peak height at 5ft4. Mickey Ronney was never even 5”2. he’s more of 5”1 than 5”2 I mean if you can look back next to joe Pesci who is 5”3 in this one photo he clearly looks nothing like 2 or 1 inch shorter than joe Pesci. I bet Kevin hart is 1-2 inches taller than Mickey Ronney. I give Sammy Davis Jr 5ft3-5ft3.5
Arch Stanton said on 27/Jun/21
He's looked too short with Sinatra at times to be over 5 ft 4 though, you can never tell how much of a lift Frank was wearing.
He's looked too short with Sinatra at times to be over 5 ft 4 though, you can never tell how much of a lift Frank was wearing.
Arch Stanton said on 27/Jun/21
5 ft 3 and a half in my opinion.
Editor Rob
5 ft 3 and a half in my opinion.
Editor RobI believe actually Sammy once got a measurement somewhere in 5ft 4-5 zone, but I will need to look it up to verify.
Chaos Control 6'2.5 said on 8/Mar/21
Why is the average guess for him so low?
Why is the average guess for him so low?
5'10 Dude said on 2/Mar/21
I say that he's a fairly strong 5'4. He holds up super well back to back with Dick Cavett. The average guess here seems to really underestimate his height. Sammy was short, but I doubt he was under 5'4.
Editor Rob
I say that he's a fairly strong 5'4. He holds up super well back to back with Dick Cavett. The average guess here seems to really underestimate his height. Sammy was short, but I doubt he was under 5'4.
Editor Robhe did pass for about 5ft 4.5 with Dick, that's about the limit I'd go to.
pete Cornelius said on 21/Dec/20
When i was about 20 he was standing next to me at the Burbank Airport. He couldn't have been more than about 5'4.... That was in about 1960....
When i was about 20 he was standing next to me at the Burbank Airport. He couldn't have been more than about 5'4.... That was in about 1960....
Parker said on 10/Dec/20
@Rob
Interesting video of Sammy dancing with Mickey Rooney. Shoes look similar. If Mickey was 5'2 I'd guess Sammy closer to 5'5 as you suggested in the last post.
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Editor Rob
@Rob
Interesting video of Sammy dancing with Mickey Rooney. Shoes look similar. If Mickey was 5'2 I'd guess Sammy closer to 5'5 as you suggested in the last post.
Click Here
Editor Robwell 5ft 4 up to 4.5 might be a range he could measure the more I've seen.
Leesheff85 said on 27/Oct/20
At one point rob both sammy and dick back to back look exactly the same height after they both took shoes off. Maybe both really were 5ft 6
Editor Rob
At one point rob both sammy and dick back to back look exactly the same height after they both took shoes off. Maybe both really were 5ft 6
Editor RobI'd say Sammy was shorter, but it wasn't a whole lot, could pull off nearer 5ft 5 with him.
Matt(182cm) said on 12/Aug/20
Big Rob, I have an Interesting find! Sammy comparing shoeless heights with Dick Cavett at 2:00 (height conversation begins at 0:40)
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What would you give Cavett? I would say there's barely an inch between them
Editor Rob
Big Rob, I have an Interesting find! Sammy comparing shoeless heights with Dick Cavett at 2:00 (height conversation begins at 0:40)
Click Here
What would you give Cavett? I would say there's barely an inch between them
Editor RobIn newspapers he did get described at figures like 5ft 6 and 3/4. I'd have thought he was around 5ft 6, Sammy holds up quite well there.
diavolo said on 21/Mar/20
Sammy wore 2-inch Cuban heels on I Dream of Jeannie, and looked shorter than 5'4" Barbara Eden, who wore her Jeannie slippers with small heels.
Sammy wore 2-inch Cuban heels on I Dream of Jeannie, and looked shorter than 5'4" Barbara Eden, who wore her Jeannie slippers with small heels.
truthteller25 said on 15/Dec/19
He was 5'2.5 I bet kevin Hart wouldve been an inch taller than him.
He was 5'2.5 I bet kevin Hart wouldve been an inch taller than him.
Arch Stanton said on 7/Nov/18
This guy was way more talented as a singer than Dean and Frank. Talented actor to boot. If you see the old Vegas photos Sammy couldn't have been anything over 5 ft 3 range.
This guy was way more talented as a singer than Dean and Frank. Talented actor to boot. If you see the old Vegas photos Sammy couldn't have been anything over 5 ft 3 range.
handsomeblackbrady1953 said on 14/May/18
My father told me when I was a boy that Sammy was Hollywood's fastest draw,and without Tinseltown's racism,he could have been a cowboy star.I think he was five-two-and-one-half or five-three,and his wives were much taller than he.
My father told me when I was a boy that Sammy was Hollywood's fastest draw,and without Tinseltown's racism,he could have been a cowboy star.I think he was five-two-and-one-half or five-three,and his wives were much taller than he.
Ian C. said on 24/Feb/18
No, James, smoking does not make anybody short, although it does make quite a few people dead. (Including Sammy Davis Jr.) Genes and sometimes starvation in early life make people short.
An interesting question is, Did Sammy's smoking improve his voice? This is not such a fatuous question as you might think. Nat King Cole, who was a heavy smoker (and dead at forty-four from lung cancer), believed that smoking gave him another octave in the bass register. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were both heavy smokers. I have seen an interview with a man (whose name I have since forgotten) who made his living as the voice-over guy in movie trailers who claimed that his deep, soothing voice was the result of smoking and drinking whisky. Could be.
I smoked myself for about seventeen years in middle age (because I have sometimes been less than wise in my choices) and it did seem to deepen and strengthen my voice.
No, James, smoking does not make anybody short, although it does make quite a few people dead. (Including Sammy Davis Jr.) Genes and sometimes starvation in early life make people short.
An interesting question is, Did Sammy's smoking improve his voice? This is not such a fatuous question as you might think. Nat King Cole, who was a heavy smoker (and dead at forty-four from lung cancer), believed that smoking gave him another octave in the bass register. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were both heavy smokers. I have seen an interview with a man (whose name I have since forgotten) who made his living as the voice-over guy in movie trailers who claimed that his deep, soothing voice was the result of smoking and drinking whisky. Could be.
I smoked myself for about seventeen years in middle age (because I have sometimes been less than wise in my choices) and it did seem to deepen and strengthen my voice.
StraightGate said on 3/Nov/17
Sammy could be no taller than 5'2". I saw him on an old "Rifleman" today and the tiny actor playing the son, Mark, was considerably taller than he.
Sammy could be no taller than 5'2". I saw him on an old "Rifleman" today and the tiny actor playing the son, Mark, was considerably taller than he.
Arch Stanton said on 16/Mar/17
Yes, Sammy was so talented and charismatic that you don't think of him as having a serious disability, blind in one eye. Black and dead short, you've got to admire his spirit and how he lived his life.
Yes, Sammy was so talented and charismatic that you don't think of him as having a serious disability, blind in one eye. Black and dead short, you've got to admire his spirit and how he lived his life.
James said on 17/Jan/17
I read he was 5'2" and smoking made him short.
I read he was 5'2" and smoking made him short.
Josh jeffords said on 10/Oct/16
Sammy was amazing could do it all and at under 5 6.
He was a great singer actor and quick draw holder.
He was very funny too.
Sammy was amazing could do it all and at under 5 6.
He was a great singer actor and quick draw holder.
He was very funny too.
Ian C. said on 6/Jun/16
Davis had talent to burn, and I say he could sing as well as Sinatra. He succeeded in spite of two handicaps. He was Black, which would have been a major obstacle to mainstream show business success in the fifties, and he was small. (He also had only one eye, but he could fake having two without too much trouble.) If you had asked him which was the bigger handicap, which would he have chosen? Almost certainly being Black. They don't refuse to serve short guys at lunch counters, or always find them not guilty in criminal trials in the South.
Davis had talent to burn, and I say he could sing as well as Sinatra. He succeeded in spite of two handicaps. He was Black, which would have been a major obstacle to mainstream show business success in the fifties, and he was small. (He also had only one eye, but he could fake having two without too much trouble.) If you had asked him which was the bigger handicap, which would he have chosen? Almost certainly being Black. They don't refuse to serve short guys at lunch counters, or always find them not guilty in criminal trials in the South.
SHORTY said on 6/Jun/15
In the "celebs my height" section he is listed in the female search under 5'3.5".
Editor Rob
In the "celebs my height" section he is listed in the female search under 5'3.5".
Editor Rob I have assigned Sammy his proper sex now :)
Arch Stanton said on 1/Mar/15
A Man Called Adam is really an excellent performance by him, I'd send the DVD to you Rob if I could but you'd probably not be happy giving your address as I might tell G :-)
Editor Rob
A Man Called Adam is really an excellent performance by him, I'd send the DVD to you Rob if I could but you'd probably not be happy giving your address as I might tell G :-)
Editor Rob I don't really mind about that, I'm sure I gave it to him anyway!
It's like tradesmen - the guy's who put their home phone number on their van are from experience the type of guy's who are more trustworthy or easier to deal with than the guy with just a mobile number or 2 on his van ;)
It's like tradesmen - the guy's who put their home phone number on their van are from experience the type of guy's who are more trustworthy or easier to deal with than the guy with just a mobile number or 2 on his van ;)
Arch Stanton said on 24/Feb/15
Rob can you add a photo and films like Porgy and Bess, A Man Called Adam, and Salt and Pepper.
Rob can you add a photo and films like Porgy and Bess, A Man Called Adam, and Salt and Pepper.
Arch Stanton said on 21/Feb/15
Rob can you add a photo and films like Porgy and Bess, A Man Called Adam, and Salt and Pepper.
Spot on I think. Definitely shorter than Louis Armstrong.
Rob can you add a photo and films like Porgy and Bess, A Man Called Adam, and Salt and Pepper.
Spot on I think. Definitely shorter than Louis Armstrong.
dayasiss said on 1/Mar/14
5'3" is pretty close on Sammy Davis Jr. He was a Great Actor
5'3" is pretty close on Sammy Davis Jr. He was a Great Actor
Brad said on 19/Aug/13
5' 4" peak. Vegas' greatest performer.
5' 4" peak. Vegas' greatest performer.
richinkle said on 17/Jan/12
In a 1970 episode of "Here's Lucy", even wearing lifts, Sammy Davis Jr. is a good 4" shorter than Lucille Ball, who was 59 at the time, and stood just over 5'-7".
In a 1970 episode of "Here's Lucy", even wearing lifts, Sammy Davis Jr. is a good 4" shorter than Lucille Ball, who was 59 at the time, and stood just over 5'-7".
Ian Fawn-Meade said on 16/Dec/10
Hired him for a week to open the night club of a London Park Lane hotel. He was tiny, totally dominated the packed audiences, and only wanted tall blondes sent up. They loved him because (they told me)his sexual interest was totally into oral. Anyone want to guess why?
Hired him for a week to open the night club of a London Park Lane hotel. He was tiny, totally dominated the packed audiences, and only wanted tall blondes sent up. They loved him because (they told me)his sexual interest was totally into oral. Anyone want to guess why?
Pete said on 7/Apr/08
I stood next to him in line, at the then Burbank Airport (1958) and I would guess him at no more than 5'3. Also, he may have had lifts. But, he was a fantastic entertainer.
I stood next to him in line, at the then Burbank Airport (1958) and I would guess him at no more than 5'3. Also, he may have had lifts. But, he was a fantastic entertainer.
Anthony said on 16/Oct/07
5'3.5 looks right for Sammy. He was a class act who as Brad said never gave less than his all. Shame there aren't more performers like him and his friends these days.
5'3.5 looks right for Sammy. He was a class act who as Brad said never gave less than his all. Shame there aren't more performers like him and his friends these days.
glenn said on 9/Jun/07
he was really sweet.friendly.
he was really sweet.friendly.
Kris said on 9/Jun/07
Glenn, you met him, really? What was he like?
Glenn, you met him, really? What was he like?
Brad said on 23/Mar/07
Saw him bring it on at the Desert Inn late in his career....the guy gave 110%.
Saw him bring it on at the Desert Inn late in his career....the guy gave 110%.
Mr. R said on 7/May/06
This is right. My absolute favorite entertainer of all time, and he is also my neighbor across the street at Forest Lawn Cemetary!
This is right. My absolute favorite entertainer of all time, and he is also my neighbor across the street at Forest Lawn Cemetary!
TJ said on 4/May/06
Tiny little squeeky guy?? There was nothing squeeky about him. He had a great voice.
Tiny little squeeky guy?? There was nothing squeeky about him. He had a great voice.
Glenn said on 4/May/06
5-3 is correct.I met him when I 10.my mother was taller!
5-3 is correct.I met him when I 10.my mother was taller!
Frank2 said on 4/May/06
Sammy was 5'3".
Sammy was 5'3".
ForensicNYC said on 3/May/06
He was the smallest of the "RAT PACK". In those days (or rather, that era) nobody gave a hoot about height! These days 2" can be a huge factor!! At around 5'4", He got the Voice and he got the girls...a real CANDY MAN!
He was the smallest of the "RAT PACK". In those days (or rather, that era) nobody gave a hoot about height! These days 2" can be a huge factor!! At around 5'4", He got the Voice and he got the girls...a real CANDY MAN!
Heights are barefeet estimates, derived from quotations, official websites, agency resumes, in person encounters with actors at conventions and pictures/films.
Other vital statistics like weight or shoe size measurements have been sourced from newspapers, books, resumes or social media.
Celebrity Fan Photos and Agency Pictures of stars are © to their respective owners.