American actor, stage performer, media personality, and spokesperson Henry Hite (May 1, 1915 – May 26, 1978) was born Henry Marion Mullens and was known as the “Corn King Giant” in promotional appearances for the Corn King brand, a Wilson Certified Meats trade-name. He was advertised as “the world’s tallest man” at 8 feet, 2 inches, but measured in at just 7 feet, 7 inches in height. He joined forces with Tommy Lowe (born Roland Picaro) at the age of 18 to establish a Vaudeville act, known as “Lowe, Hite and Stanley,” which also included the midget Stanley Ross. Hite’s career on stage terminated with Ross’ untimely death in 1962.
His Early Years
Hite was born in Atlanta and his siblings (seven sisters and five brothers) were all under 5’11” in height. His dad was 5’8″ and his mom was 5’4″. He was 7 feet tall at age 12 and continued to grow until he was 16. Hite grew at a typical rate until he was 9 but at that point, he suffered from gigantism and exhibited extreme growth each year. He might gain up to an inch in height per week.
To stop his extraordinary growth that caused health risks, his hyperactive pituitary gland was treated with UV ray therapy, but he stopped receiving treatment after the first session because he was losing his hair. He also rejected a pituitary operation at 11 to not lose his hair permanently, though he later turned bald.
At 18, he allegedly weighed 230 pounds and blocked traffic whenever he strolled along Broadway, as passersby would just turn in their tracks and stare. When Hite played on the high school baseball team, the infielders couldn’t overthrow him and when he played high school basketball and football, his teams “never lost a game”. In basketball, he used to “shoot down into the basket”.
His Career
After changing his identity to Henry Hite at age 18, he and Lowe formed a farce with music and a comic combo called “Lowe and Hite“, in which the midget Stanley Ross would eventually be included. The comic trio Hite, Lowe, and Stanley even made an appearance on the variety show Ed Sullivan Show (1948–55). The group toured the United States, stopping at clubs, theaters, and circuses.
- “How did you get so tall?” Mr. Low asked,
- Hite was expected to say, “I eat what’s right.”
- Mr. Low would then ask Stanley, “How did you get so short?”
- Stanley would respond, “I eat what’s left.”
In most hotels, the beds were bolted together down the length, and the linens and blankets were sewn together from end to end. To joke on his unusual height, he said, “In a normal bed, I’d be two ‘feet’ out of it. That’s a pun, son.”
Movie and TV Show Appearances
Hite has visited four continents, all fifty United States, Hollywood, Las Vegas, and the television shows of Ed Sullivan, Milton Berle, and Garry Moore. In Chicago in 1962, he finished filming “Terror at Half Day” and he played in the Monster a Go-Go in 1965 as the monster Frank Douglas. In 1937, the trio act filmed “New Faces of 1937”.
How Big He Really Was
The dwarf Stanley had a successful career in show business until his untimely death from a heart attack in 1962. Hite continued working as a promotional tour manager for Corn King and Wilson Foods for the next 15 years. He wore size 22 custom-made shoes that cost $90 in the pre-inflation 1960s. His shirts had 42-inch sleeves, his suits needed eight yards of fabric and cost $250, and the giant sox cost $8 in total.
He got about in a Volkswagen with the front seats cut out and he took the wheel in the backseat. According to the Guinness Book, the tallest man ever measured was 8 feet and 11 inches (Robert Wadlow), and only around 30 people consistently claimed to be taller than 8 feet. He was known by several other names, including Henry Mullens, Henry Hite, the Corn King Giant, the Certified Giant, and the Jolly Giant.
Was Henry Hite the Tallest Living Human?
Despite being advertised as “the world’s tallest man,” Robert Wadlow was the tallest living man until his death in 1940. He was preceded by John Rogan, the tallest black person in history. After his death, the title was passed to Gabriel Monjane: Tallest Man Among 5 Billion People who was succeeded by Zeng Jinlian: One of Two Women in History Over 8 Feet. So, Henry Hite was probably never the tallest living man.
His Death
Henry Hite was a giant who became famous for using his 7 feet 7 inches of stature in movies and public appearances. As a 63-year-old vaudeville performer, he passed away in a hospital after a two-year fight with heart and liver problems and he was cremated. Hite and his wife of 42 years, Maria, had settled in Chicago. Although Hite claimed to be 8 feet tall, the Guinness Book of World Records measured him exactly at 7 feet, 63/4 inches since stage and circus giants often inflate their heights.