Walter Slezak, at an authoritative 5ft 10 (177.8 cm), brought a commanding physical presence to his roles as a versatile Austrian-born film and stage actor from 1922 to 1976.
His exact 5ft 10 (177.8 cm) stature enhanced his menacing villains and larger-than-life characters, such as the ruthless Nazi in Hitchcock's Lifeboat, the swashbuckling pirate in The Pirate, and the formidable figures in Born to Kill, Sinbad the Sailor, Treasure Island, and The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm.
- Iconic in Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion and The Inspector General, where his height amplified comedic and dramatic authority.
- Later shone as the grandfather in the 1968 Heidi, his stature adding warmth and gravitas.
Slezak's career thrived on how his precise 177.8 cm frame perfectly suited Hollywood's need for imposingly tall performers.