Raymond Burr was an American actor best known for playing defense attorney Perry Mason on television and later Inspector Steve Keller on Ironside. This profile clarifies his recorded height and weight, placing his physical measurements in the context of his screen presence, casting choices, and the practical demands of midcentury television drama.
Reported Measurements and Context
Published casting notes, studio biographies, and trade materials typically list Raymond Burr’s height as approximately 6 feet 3 inches (190.5 cm). His weight is most often reported in the range of 220 to 230 pounds (100–104 kg), consistent with the substantial build that supported his authoritative onscreen presence. These figures appear in studio reference documents, interview archives, and production records from his peak television years.
Physical Presence and Onscreen Roles
Burr’s size contributed to the commanding impression he conveyed while playing Perry Mason and later the determined investigator Steve Keller. In an era when television frequently favored leaner silhouettes, his frame helped signal stability, gravitas, and paternal authority. Casting directors selected him for roles that capitalized on this physicality, underscoring how measurements once recorded in personnel files shaped casting decisions and audience perception.
Documented Sources and Measurement Challenges
Variations in reported height and weight are common across decades of media documentation. Differences can arise from rounding, informal estimates in interviews, and changes over time due to age, health, and lifestyle. Studio archives and selective press materials provide the most consistent reference points, though they may reflect idealized rather than day-to-day measurements.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (190.5 cm) | Studio biography, press kits |
| Weight | 220–230 lb (100–104 kg) | Historical records, trade references |
| Era of Prominence | 1957–1966 (Perry Mason), 1673–1967 (Ironside) | Broadcast archives |
Body of Work and Public Perception
Raymond Burr’s performances hinge less on specific physique metrics than on the authority and nuance he brought to complex characters. Viewers associate his name with carefully reasoned trial defense in Perry Mason and determined urban investigation in Ironside. His weight and height may have informed how those characters were cast and perceived, but sustained career longevity stems from interpretive skill and consistency across hundreds of episodes.
Changes Over Time and Health Context
Like many actors of his generation, Burr’s physical measurements likely shifted across decades due to the natural effects of aging, lifestyle adjustments, and managing health conditions. Public discussion of his weight and height remains most closely tied to midcentury production stills and career retrospectives, where the focus is on how those attributes supported his screen presence rather than on any single snapshot in time.
Comparisons and Industry Standards
When evaluated alongside contemporaries in long-form television drama, Raymond Burr’s measurements place him among taller, heavier performers whose typecasting emphasized steadiness and moral clarity. The table below contextualizes selected midcentury leading men within a narrow height band, illustrating how onscreen type and personal presence converged for audiences of the period.
| Actor | Height | Typical Roles | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raymond Burr | 6 ft 3 in | Detective, lawyer | 1950s–1960s |
| James Stewart | 6 ft 2 in | Everyman, family lead | 1930s–1950s |
| David Janssen | 6 ft 2 in | Investigative lead | 1960s |
Legacy and Reference Utility
For researchers and audiences today, Raymond Burr’s recorded height and weight serve as baseline data supporting analyses of casting patterns, onscreen authority, and long-form storytelling in classic television. They help explain how physical presence intersected with narrative structure and scheduling constraints in live-action serialized drama. At the same time, his enduring reputation rests on writing, performance quality, and the consistency with which he embodied demanding roles over many years.
Conclusion
Documented Raymond Burr measurements show a height of about 6 feet 3 inches and a weight in the range of 220–230 pounds. These figures align with his screen roles as imposing, authoritative characters and reflect common industry practice for casting central dramatic leads. By distinguishing between physical metrics and artistic impact, this profile supports a durable, evergreen understanding of Burr’s career and how body type intersected with midcentury television expectations.