<P> In 1954 he made his first cinematic appearance playing - in an uncredited role - the laconic character `` Slim '' in the Oscar - winning film On the Waterfront opposite Marlon Brando and Lee J. Cobb . Shortly afterwards Phil Silvers sought him out for his television show because he had been impressed by Gwynne 's comedic work in Mrs. McThing . As a result , in 1955 , Gwynne made a memorable appearance on The Phil Silvers Show , in the episode `` The Eating Contest '' as the character Private Ed Honnergar , whose depressive eating binges are exploited by Sgt . Bilko ( Phil Silvers ) , who seeks prize money by entering Honnergar in an eating contest . Gwynne 's second appearance on The Phil Silvers Show ( in the episode `` Its For The Birds '' in 1956 in which Bilko persuades bird expert Honnergar to go on The $64,000 Question ) and many other shows led writer - producer Nat Hiken to cast him in the sitcom Car 54 , Where Are You ? as Patrolman Francis Muldoon , opposite Joe E. Ross . During the two - season run of the program he met longtime friend and later co-star , Al Lewis . Gwynne was 6 ft 5 in ( 1.96 m ) tall , an attribute that contributed to his being cast as Herman Munster , a goofy parody of Frankenstein 's monster , in the sitcom The Munsters . For his role he had to wear 40 or 50 lbs of padding , makeup , and 4 - inch asphalt - spreader boots . His face was painted a bright violet because it captured the most light on the black - and - white film . Gwynne was known for his sense of humor and retained fond recollections of Herman , saying in later life , `` ... I might as well tell you the truth . I love old Herman Munster . Much as I try not to , I ca n't stop liking that fellow . '' After his iconic role in The Munsters , he found himself typecast , unable to gain new character roles for over two years . In 1969 , he was cast as Jonathan Brewster in a television production of Arsenic and Old Lace . ( The Brewster character had originally been played by Boris Karloff in the Broadway theater production of the play ; Karloff had also famously played the movies ' Frankenstein character that Gwynne 's Herman Munster character would later be based on . ) </P>
<P> In 1954 he made his first cinematic appearance playing - in an uncredited role - the laconic character `` Slim '' in the Oscar - winning film On the Waterfront opposite Marlon Brando and Lee J. Cobb . Shortly afterwards Phil Silvers sought him out for his television show because he had been impressed by Gwynne 's comedic work in Mrs. McThing . As a result , in 1955 , Gwynne made a memorable appearance on The Phil Silvers Show , in the episode `` The Eating Contest '' as the character Private Ed Honnergar , whose depressive eating binges are exploited by Sgt . Bilko ( Phil Silvers ) , who seeks prize money by entering Honnergar in an eating contest . Gwynne 's second appearance on The Phil Silvers Show ( in the episode `` Its For The Birds '' in 1956 in which Bilko persuades bird expert Honnergar to go on The $64,000 Question ) and many other shows led writer - producer Nat Hiken to cast him in the sitcom Car 54 , Where Are You ? as Patrolman Francis Muldoon , opposite Joe E. Ross . During the two - season run of the program he met longtime friend and later co-star , Al Lewis . Gwynne was 6 ft 5 in ( 1.96 m ) tall , an attribute that contributed to his being cast as Herman Munster , a goofy parody of Frankenstein 's monster , in the sitcom The Munsters . For his role he had to wear 40 or 50 lbs of padding , makeup , and 4 - inch asphalt - spreader boots . His face was painted a bright violet because it captured the most light on the black - and - white film . Gwynne was known for his sense of humor and retained fond recollections of Herman , saying in later life , `` ... I might as well tell you the truth . I love old Herman Munster . Much as I try not to , I ca n't stop liking that fellow . '' After his iconic role in The Munsters , he found himself typecast , unable to gain new character roles for over two years . In 1969 , he was cast as Jonathan Brewster in a television production of Arsenic and Old Lace . ( The Brewster character had originally been played by Boris Karloff in the Broadway theater production of the play ; Karloff had also famously played the movies ' Frankenstein character that Gwynne 's Herman Munster character would later be based on . ) </P>
how tall was the actor who played herman munster
how tall was the actor who played herman munster
6 ft 5 in ( 1.96 m )
6 ft 5 in ( 1.96 m )