John Lennon (1940-1980) was a successful solo artist and a member of the rock band The Beatles, who are the biggest selling music artists of all time, with a record-breaking 257.7 million records sold Worldwide!
Regarding his height, he generally seemed a solid average on-screen and in pics with his bandmates, and tall when compared to shorter people such as his wife Yoko Ono, or when wearing his 'Beatle Boots'.
So, let's investigate his height, through comparisons to his bandmates, and other evidence, to get to the bottom of how tall he really was!
What Was His Real Height?
I believe that John Lennon woke up at 5'10.25" in the morning, dropping down to a flat 5'10" throughout the majority of the day, and possibly dippy slightly under this height at his lowest measurement. Therefore on this page, I will list John's height is 5'10" (177.8 cm) tall.
Height Claims
In their earlier days, Lennon's height was described as high as 6ft, and John Lennon's official height was always 5'11, with John also mentioning his height in the 5'11" range on more than one occasion.
Passport
On the passports I have found, his height remains a consistent 5'11", and this is almost always a self-reported measurement, so we can take this as the height John claimed.
Tailor Measurements
Take a look at John's measurements for his psychedelic military outfit. Unsurprisingly, his inside leg measures 30 inches, which is typical for a man around 5'10 tall. (Click Here)
Who Was The Tallest Beatle?
The Beatle's color cards sold in 1964 stated that John, Paul, and George were all 5'11", and Ringo was 5'8".
Yet, in reality, the tallest member of The Beatles was Paul McCartney at 5'10.25", followed by John Lennon at 5'10", and George Harrison at 5'9.75", and Ringo Star falling just under average at 5'7".
Height Compared to 'The Beatles' Members
Two Inch Beatle Boots
During the 60s, heeled shoes were commonly worn by different artists.
Otherwise known as 'Beatle boots', the band regularly wore an ankle-high variation of the Chelsea boot. It featured black uppers, a Cuban heel, a side zipper, and a pointy-toe design. These boots would give near 2 inches in height.
This made a difference in how their height was perceived, making them appear roughly 1 inch taller than they really were.
The Beatles' members often wore similar footwear when together, so let's compare John's height to the members of The Beatles, to see how he stacks up!
Paul Mccartney 5'10.25" (178.4 cm) (Prime Height)
When standing together, there is a difference between John and Paul in height. However, it is not significant. For instance, in the event 'The Beatles Live At The Cavern Club' (1962), there was a 0.5 inch difference between them when both wearing bowling-style shoes.
In other instances, such as their Shea stadium performance in 1965, or their final photoshoot together in 1969, there is a half-inch height difference again, with Paul consistently appearing slightly taller.
So, with Paul, John looks to be 5'9.75" tall.
George Harrison 5'9.75" (177.2 cm)
When next to each other, John appears slightly taller than George, for instance when performing at Granville Studios in 1964 there is a clear half-inch difference in height. The same applies in other scenarios such as walking together at London Airport in 1964, and their final photoshoot in London, 1969.
So, when next to George, John appears to be 5'10.25" tall.
Ringo Star 5'6.75" (169.5 cm) (Prime Height)
When pictured side by side, there appears to be around a little over a 3-inch difference in height between John and Ringo. For instance, when they received their MBE at Buckingham Palace, (1965), and the photos together on the streets of Liverpool, Feb 22nd, 1963, where John looks 3" taller than Ringo.
So with Ringo, John looks to be between 5'9.75-5'10" tall.
The results - when compared to his bandmates, John Lennon looks to be between 5'9.75"-5'10.25" tall, averaging around 5'10".
John's Statue Heights
Certain influential figures are deserving of statues for the World to see. There are over 30 statues of the Beatles around the world, but 3 of the most famous John statues include:
- There is a bronze statue of John at John Lennon Airport, Liverpool, UK (2002) that stands 7 feet tall and weighs 1 tonne!
- Shown on the 50th anniversary of their last show in Merseyside, at the Pier Head, Liverpool, UK, there is a bronze statue of John alongside the other Beatles members standing around 7 feet tall and weighing 1.2 tonnes!
- A statue of John is located at the Hard Days Night Hotel, Liverpool, UK (my personal favorite, standing 30ft above the pavement)
The End (Conclusion)
After investigating John's height through comparisons to other celebs, and some other info, it becomes clear that he woke in the morning comfortably clearing 5'10", then falling to 5'10" (177.8 cm) throughout the majority of the day, which is what I will list his height at on this page.
Heights Related to John Lennon
- Yoko Ono, Widow m. 1969–1980, 5'1" (154.9 cm)
- Cynthia Lennon, Ex-Wife (1962-1968), 5'3" (160 cm)
- Sean Lennon, Son, 5'9" (175.3 cm)
- Julian Lennon, Son, 5'8" (172.7 cm)
- Brian Epstein, 'The Beatles' Manager (1962-1967), Dubbed 'fifth Beatle', 5'11" (180.3 cm)
- Mark David Chapman, Perpetrator, 5'10" (177.8 cm)
