Our society doesn’t tend to treat short men very well. Short men have been known to face discrimination in dating and even job opportunities. But, of course, there are many notable men in our world who are 4’10”, 5’2, 5’6″ and shorter. Here are a few famous short men who have succeeded despite their height.
Andrew Carnegie was a very successful entrepreneur, industrialist and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest businessman in America. According to this article, he was 5 feet, 1 inches tall. (Some sources say he was just five feet tall.) In the late nineteenth century, he was the top iron and steel producer in the country. By the time he passed away in 1919, he had given away more than 350 million dollars through cash and property donations.
Danny Devito is an accomplished actor, producer and director. He is 5 foot even. He first began work as a beautician, but after developing an interest in acting,he landed many roles in successful films and television shows. You can read more about Danny Devito here.
Gus Grissom was the second American astronaut to travel to space. He was 5 foot, 5 inches tall. He was the command pilot for Gemini 3, one of the first manned flights. Sadly, he died during a simulated launch while preparing for another trip. You can learn more about him here.
On a side note, the first man ever to travel to space was 5’2″. He was a Russian cosmonaut named Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin.
#4: Michael Ain
Micahel Ain is a little person who is 4 feet, 3 inches tall. He is a very successful orthopedic surgeon. He works at one of the country’s leading hospitals, John Hopkins Medical Center. He is currently director of the residency training program. You can read more about Dr. Ain here.
#5: James Madison
The fourth president of the United States, James Madison, was 5’4. He was small boned and weighed just about 100 pounds. He is considered one of the founding fathers of America. He was an author of the Bill of Rights and also worked to abolish slavery.
#6: Robert Reich
Robert Reich served as the 22nd Secretary of Labor from 1993 to 1997. He is 4 feet, 10.5 inches tall. He has also worked as a Harvard University professor, writer and political commentator. Time Magazine listed him as one of the ten most successful cabinet members of the century. You can learn more about him here.
#7: Tom Cruise
At 5’7″, Tom Cruise is shorter than most successful actors. His wife, Katie Holmes is taller than him at 5’10”. He has won numerous accolades and starred in many top grossing movies. You can read Tom Cruise’s biography here.
These are just seven successful men who happen to be short. If you are not tall, never let your stature prevent you from following your dreams. As you can read from these biographies, short men have been very influential in our world.
