Jean Arthur, precisely 5ft 3 (160 cm) tall, embodied the quintessential petite spitfire of Classic Hollywood, her compact stature amplifying her husky voice and tomboyish charm in screwball comedies.
Publicized at 5ft 3 and 110 pounds, with vital stats of bust 32 inches, waist 25 inches, hips 36 inches, and shoe size 5.5A, her height perfectly suited feisty roles in landmark films like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, You Can't Take It With You, Only Angels Have Wings, Shane, A Foreign Affair, and The Talk of the Town.
Life magazine dubbed her Hollywood's reigning mystery woman next to Garbo, while her height fueled her identification with the screwball genre as noted by James Harvey.