Whenever I do presentations on the History of Style in Film, some of the most fascinating facts to audiences are the sizes of their favorite classic cinema stars. As a result, I put together a chart with many of description actresses we know and love. You'll see that this distribute list is organized from shortest to tallest, and it besides includes their approximate weight and measurements. These measurements are usually the ones recorded at the peak of their popularity. Sometimes they come from the costume designers themselves, such as Physiologist. Some come from the studios' press agents for the movie magazines (often idealized for the public, though close to accurate). Some are simply the best guesses of film historians. And any information I simply haven't found yet.
In any case, this delegate can bring an even greater appreciation for these goddesses. Many seem like giants onscreen; Joan Crawford is one who heedlessly elicits gasps from audiences when they hear how petite she really was. The illusion was due to the talented control teams--from set designers to clever directors and cinematographers. They outline course also included my beloved costume designers, who fixed hang around a figure flaw in order to turn these actresses jolt icons.
| Height | Name | Weight | Bust | Waist | Hips |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4' 11" | Judy Garland | 98 - 155 | 33 | 22 | 34 |
| 4' 11" | Veronica Lake | 98 | 34 | 21 | 33 |
| 4' 11" - 5' 2" | Gloria Swanson | ||||
| 5' | Janet Gaynor | 98 | 31.5 | 23 | 33 |
| 5' | Mary Pickford | 33 | 25 | 36 | |
| 5' | Jane Powell | 108 | 33 | 23 | 33 |
| 5' - 5' 4" | Joan Crawford | 112 | 37 | 24.5 | 37 |
| 5' 1" | Mae West | 121 | 38 | 24 | 38 |
| 5' 1" - 5' 3" | Norma Shearer | 118 | 34 | 25.5 | 37 |
| 5' 1.5" | Jean Harlow | 109 | 34B | 25 | 36 |
| 5' 2" | Miriam Hopkins | ||||
| 5' 2" | Debbie Reynolds | 109 | 36 | 23 | 37 |
| 5' 2" | Shirley Temple | ||||
| 5' 2" | Natalie Wood | 120 | 32B | 22 | 33 |
| 5' 2" - 5' 4" | Olivia de Havilland | 108 | 37 | 23 | 36 |
| 5' 2" - 5 '5" | Louise Brooks | ||||
| 5' 2" - 5' 5.5" | Carole Lombard | 120 | 34 | 24 | 34 |
| 5' 2" - 5' 4" | Elizabeth Taylor | 120 | 32D | 21 | 36 |
| 5' 3" | Jean Arthur | ||||
| 5' 3" | Clara Bow | 112 | 33 | 24 | 36.5 |
| 5' 3" | Leslie Caron | ||||
| 5' 3" | Bette Davis | 34C | 21 | 34 | |
| 5' 3" | Vivien Leigh | 32A | 23 | 33 | |
| 5' 3" - 5' 4" | Tippi Hedren | 110 | 34C | 24 | 32 |
| 5' 3.5" | Lana Turner | 110 | 34 | 24 | 34 |
| 5' 4" | Ann-Margret | 119 | 35 | 23 | 35 |
| 5' 4" | Constance Bennett | 100 | 33 | 26 | 35.5 |
| 5' 4" | Ann Blyth | ||||
| 5' 4" | Bebe Daniels | 120 | 36 | 27 | 37 |
| 5' 4" | Marion Davies | 118 | 35 | 27 | 35.5 |
| 5' 4" | Betty Grable | 126.5-134 | 36 | 24 | 35 |
| 5' 4" | Barbara Stanwyck | 108 | 33.5 | 23 | 33.5 |
| 5' 4.5" | Claudette Colbert | 110 | 32B | 18 - 25 | 34 |
| 5' 4.5" | Marlene Dietrich | 130 | 36 | 26 | 33 |
| 5' 4.5" | Dolores del Rio | 120 | 33 | 25 | 36 |
| 5' 4.5" | Ginger Rogers | 34 | 24 | 35 | |
| 5' 5" | Joan Bennett | 108 | 33 | 25 | 34 |
| 5' 5" - 5' 5.5" | Marilyn Monroe | 115-150 | 37 | 23 | 36 |
| 5' 5" - 5' 7" | Jane Russell | 122 | 38D | 24 | 36 |
| 5' 6" | Cyd Charisse | 34.5B | 22 | 37 | |
| 5' 6" | Catherine Deneuve | 135 | 34D | 24 | 35 |
| 5' 6" | Ava Gardner | 120 | 36 | 23 | 37 |
| 5' 6" | Rita Hayworth | 117 | 36C | 24 | 36 |
| 5' 6" | Hedy Lamarr | 118 | 35.5 | 25 | 34.5 |
| 5' 6" | Myrna Loy | 35.5 | 26.5 | 33.5 | |
| 5' 6" | Kim Novak | 121 | 36C | 25 | 37 |
| 5' 6" | Raquel Welch | 118 | 37 | 22.5 | 35.5 |
| 5' 6" - 5' 7" | Loretta Young | ||||
| 5' 6.5" | Greta Garbo | 125 | 36 | 28 | 38 |
| 5' 6.5" | Rosalind Russell | 120 | 34.5 | 25.5 | 36 |
| 5' 7" | Brigitte Bardot | 125 | 36B | 20 | 35 |
| 5' 7" | Doris Day | 36B | 25 | 36 | |
| 5' 7" | Faye Dunaway | 34 | 25 | 34 | |
| 5' 7" | Anita Ekberg | 40 | 24 | 36 | |
| 5' 7" | Audrey Hepburn | 103 | 34A | 20 | 34 |
| 5' 7" | Grace Kelly | 118 | 34A | 24 | 35 |
| 5' 7" - 5' 8.5" | Esther Williams | 38 | 27 | 34 | |
| 5' 7" - 5' 9" | Kay Francis | 118 | 33 | 25.5 | 35 |
| 5' 7.5" | Katharine Hepburn | 125 | 34B | 22 | 33 |
| 5' 8" | Lauren Bacall | 130 | 34C | 26 | 34 |
| 5' 8" | Sophia Loren | 140 | 38C | 24 | 38 |
| 5' 8" | Ali MacGraw | ||||
| 5' 9" | Ingrid Bergman | 135 | 34 | 24 | 34 |
| 5' 9" | Alexis Smith | 128 | 34 | 24 | 36 |
PHOTOS: the varying heights of Norma, Joan, and Roz come out of The Women (above) and
1931 article from Photoplay on those voted "The Best Figure in Hollywood" (Delores del Rio won)