Fred Willard, at an imposing 6ft 1 ½ (186.7 cm), leveraged his tall, lanky frame for unforgettable comedic roles that defined his career.
His height amplified the awkward charm of characters in mockumentaries like Best in Show, This Is Spinal Tap, and A Mighty Wind, as well as films such as Anchorman and voicing roles in WALL-E.
On TV, his towering presence shone as Frank Dunphy in Modern Family, enhancing his bumbling yet endearing patriarch image. A graduate of Kentucky Military Institute and Virginia Military Institute, Willard's stature added to his versatile, height-defined screen persona.