Christopher Greener
British actor and basketball player, once the UK's tallest man.
Christopher Paul Greener (21 November 1943 – 11 February 2015) was a British actor and basketball player who played for Great Britain. For a time, he held the title of the tallest man in the UK, and when he died, he ranked as the fourth tallest British-born man ever. Born in New Brighton, Wallasey, Cheshire, Greener measured 19 inches at birth and weighed an average amount. He grew at a normal rate during his first year, reaching 29 inches by his first birthday, but his growth then accelerated sharply. By age four, he stood 4 ft 4 in, having added 23 inches in three years. He continued growing steadily, reaching 6 ft 7 in by age 16, when he worked for a shipping company. A tumour at the base of his pituitary gland caused it to release excess growth hormone, leading to his condition, pituitary gigantism. This was not diagnosed until 1970, when he was 27 and already 7 ft 5+1⁄4 in tall. At that point, he had been the tallest man in Britain for over two years, though his height fluctuated due to ongoing growth. He received radiation therapy, but because the treatment took time to work, he grew another inch, reaching 7 ft 6+1⁄4 in. He was first officially recognised as the tallest British man on 11 December 1967, when he stood 7 ft 3.11 in and weighed 18 stone. He held that record for several decades, though not continuously—others, such as Neil Fingleton, were taller during the 2000s. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Greener played international basketball for Great Britain, often at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. He also worked as an actor, taking comedy roles that played on his height, such as the circus giant in David Lynch’s *The Elephant Man*. He appeared in documentaries about very tall people, including *World’s Tallest People* on The Learning Channel and *Superhuman: Giants* on ITV. On 14 February 2011, he tested phones by dropping them on an episode of *The Gadget Show* on Five. Greener’s adult weight ranged from 20 to 30 stone. He died in 2015 at age 71 in Hayes, Bromley.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1943-11-21
- Birth Place
- New Brighton, Wallasey, England
- Death Date
- 2015-02-11
- Death Place
- Bromley, England
- Known For
- One of Britain's tallest men
- Height
- 7 ft
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Christopher Greener was born in New Brighton, Wallasey, Cheshire. From a very young age, he had a tumour at the base of his pituitary gland, which caused excessive release of human growth hormone. He was 19 inches long at birth and grew normally for his first year, but his growth accelerated dramatically after age one. By age four he was 4 ft 4 in tall, and by 16 he stood 6 ft 7 in. He worked for a shipping company as a teenager.
His condition, pituitary gigantism, was not diagnosed until 1970 when he was 27 and already 7 ft 5+1⁄4 in tall. He received radiation therapy, which eventually halted his growth, but he grew another inch afterward, reaching 7 ft 6+1⁄4 in. He was first recognised as the tallest British man on 11 December 1967, when he was 7 ft 3.11 in and weighed 18 stone. He held the record for several decades, though not continuously—others, such as Neil Fingleton, were taller during the 2000s.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Greener played international basketball for the Great Britain team, often at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. He also worked as an actor, appearing in comedy roles that played on his height. He played the circus giant in David Lynch's The Elephant Man.
Reader's Guide
Christopher Greener's significance lies in his dual career as a British international basketball player and as an actor whose height defined his roles. He was the tallest man in the United Kingdom for four decades, from 1967 to 2007, a record that highlights the rarity of his condition. His life illustrates the medical and social challenges of pituitary gigantism, which went undiagnosed until he was 27. Greener's acting work, particularly in The Elephant Man and documentaries about very tall people, brought public awareness to the experiences of individuals with extreme stature. His legacy is also tied to British basketball history, as he represented Great Britain at a time when the sport was growing in the UK. His height, which ranged from 7 ft 3.11 in to 7 ft 6+1⁄4 in, and his weight, which fluctuated between 20 and 30 stone, made him a notable figure in both sports and entertainment. His death in 2015 at age 71 marked the end of an era for the title of tallest British-born man.
Did You Know?
- Christopher Greener was 19 inches long at birth and grew to 7 ft 6+1⁄4 in as an adult.
- He held the record as the tallest man in the United Kingdom for 40 years, from 1967 to 2007.
- He appeared on The Gadget Show on 14 February 2011 to test phones by dropping them.
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