Claude Rains, standing at exactly 5ft 6 (167.6 cm), was a commanding presence in Classic Hollywood despite his modest stature, which he accentuated with lifts in his shoes and clever grooming to enhance his image.
Self-conscious about his height, Rains channeled it into iconic character roles that emphasized voice and authority over physical size, such as the invisible title character in The Invisible Man (1933), the sly Captain Renault in Casablanca (1942), and Senator Joseph Paine in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939).
- Key films: Notorious (1946), The Wolf Man (1941), Now, Voyager (1942), Lawrence of Arabia (1962).
- His 5ft 6 frame never diminished his towering reputation as a versatile actor across over 60 films.