If you close your eyes and think of Peter Falk, you probably see a rumpled trench coat, a cheap cigar, and a guy who looks like he just rolled out of a laundry basket. You also see a man who had to look up—physically—at almost every suspect he ever interrogated.
The height of Peter Falk was a massive part of why Lieutenant Columbo worked. He wasn't some towering, intimidating figure of the law. He was a small guy in a big coat, and that’s exactly how he trapped the high-society killers who thought they were better than him.
How Tall Was Peter Falk, Really?
Let’s get the numbers out of the way. Peter Falk stood at 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm). In a town like Hollywood, where "leading man" usually implies someone pushing six feet, Falk was definitely on the shorter side. But honestly, his height was one of his greatest assets. He didn't have the classic "movie star" physique, and combined with his glass eye (which he got after surgery for retinoblastoma at age three), he looked like a regular Joe.
He once joked about his rejection from the armed services because of that eye, saying the only person on a ship who needs to see is the captain. That self-deprecating humor followed him everywhere. It made him approachable. You’ve probably noticed that in Columbo, the murderers were almost always tall, polished, and wealthy. By standing at 5'6", Falk visually represented the "little guy" taking down the arrogant elite.
It was a brilliant bit of casting, even if it wasn't exactly intentional at first.
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The Illusion of the Raincoat
Have you ever noticed how the coat made him look even shorter?
The iconic tan raincoat wasn't a costume department find. It was actually Falk’s own coat. Because it was a bit oversized and perpetually wrinkled, it tended to swallow his 5'6" frame. This gave him a sort of "huddled" appearance.
In many scenes, the directors would play with camera angles to emphasize the height difference between Falk and his guest stars. When he stood next to someone like Jack Cassidy (6'0") or Robert Culp (6'1"), he looked tiny. This was a psychological tactic. The suspects felt physically superior to him, which led them to underestimate his intellect. They’d look down at this short, messy man and think, "There's no way this guy is going to catch me."
Basically, his height was a weapon.
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Was He Self-Conscious About His Stature?
Not really. Falk was an athlete in high school—president of his class and a star on the baseball and basketball teams. You don't play competitive basketball at 5'6" without having a lot of heart and zero ego about your height.
He carried that confidence into his acting. While other actors of his era might have worn lifts in their shoes to look taller next to their leading ladies, Falk leaned into his natural build. He didn't mind looking "scruffy." In fact, he leaned into it so hard that he became one of the highest-paid actors on television.
There’s a famous story about him being told by a screen test scout that he couldn't work in film because of his eye and his look. The scout told him, "For the same price, I can get an actor with two eyes." Falk didn't let that stop him. He went on to get two Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor in the early '60s (Murder, Inc. and Pocketful of Miracles), proving that talent matters way more than a "standard" Hollywood look.
Height Comparisons: Columbo vs. The World
To give you some perspective on where he sat in the Hollywood lineup:
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- Peter Falk: 5'6"
- Humphrey Bogart: 5'8"
- Patrick McGoohan (Frequent Columbo Villain): 6'2"
- Shera Danese (Falk's wife): 5'7" (She was actually slightly taller than him!)
It’s kind of funny to think about, but his wife, Shera Danese, appeared in six different episodes of Columbo. If you watch those episodes closely, you can see she occasionally has an inch or so on him. He didn't care. He was a guy who was comfortable in his own skin, which is probably why he was able to play the same character for over 30 years without it ever feeling stale.
Why We Still Care About the Height of Peter Falk
We live in a world of filters and "perfect" proportions. Seeing a guy who was 5'6", had a glass eye, and wore a beat-up coat become a global icon is genuinely refreshing.
He didn't need to be 6'4" to command a room. He did it with a "Just one more thing..." and a squint. His height made him the ultimate underdog. Every time he solved a case, it felt like a win for every regular person who has ever been looked down upon by someone with a fancy suit and a bigger paycheck.
If you’re a fan of the show, keep an eye on how he uses his height in the blocking of a scene. He often moves into the personal space of the suspects, looking up at them while asking "innocent" questions. It’s a disarming move. It forces the taller person to physically lean down or look down, which subconsciously makes them feel like they are in control—right until the handcuffs come out.
What to do next:
If you want to see this height dynamic in action, go back and watch the episode "Publish or Perish" with Jack Cassidy. The way Falk navigates the space around the much taller, more "refined" Cassidy is a masterclass in using physical stature to tell a story. You can also look up his sketches and drawings; Falk was a talented artist who often captured the "human" (and sometimes messy) proportions of his subjects, reflecting his own unpolished, authentic vibe.