Arnold Schwarzenegger is many things: bodybuilder, actor, producer, politician, businessman, internet legend and a cultural icon. But there is one thing he is not: a very tall man.

Despite having a reputation as one of the most physically fit people to ever step foot on Hollywood soil, no one really knows how tall the man once called the Austrian Oak is – although he tried to tell us himself:

“I’m 6’2″. I’ve heard rumors that I’m a lot shorter in real life — like 5’6″ or something — which is ridiculous. I can assure you that’s not the case,” Arnie once boasted.

“People admire me, and not just because I do so much work in the community. I mean, most people really admire me.”

Only the Internet is not so easy to convince…

The problem with Arnie’s size seems to stem from a conflict between his reputation as a “huge” hunk turned actor and his obviously average height – giving the action icon a decidedly “stocky” look. (If he wasn’t so muscular, would anyone notice?)

(Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in British Sabotage trailer)

The result is countless anecdotes about Arnie being “smaller than you think” for a screen giant and a confusing stream of conflicting height estimates on the Internet.

“Why is this important?” we hear you cry! We just love a good secret.

Let’s look at the facts.

Proof that he is great

• In his book The New Encyclopedia Of Modern Bodybuilding, Schwarzenegger admits to having “slumped shoulders” (that is, too low on the torso). The shoulders are known to act as subconscious markers in height estimations, which can lead to lower estimates for Arnold.

Proof that he is small

• Statistics from Austrian Oak’s bodybuilding days put his height at anywhere between 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) and 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm), with no consensus being reached.

• Bob Mulholland, a political activist and former consultant to the California Democratic Party, also claimed that Schwarzenegger was 5 feet 10 inches tall and wore boots with lifts.

• In the DVD commentary for “Conan: The Destroyer,” 5’10” actress Sarah Douglas spoke openly about a scene in which she appeared to be taller than Arnie: “… in real life, he’s not taller than me. And I wear high heels, so I’m surprised he allowed that.”

• Fans also noticed that Arnie’s teased hairstyle grew longer as he got older, possibly adding valuable inches to his hair.

The verdict

The website Arnoldheight.com claims the actor’s actual height is literally anywhere between 5’10” and 6’3″, and illustrates the issue with a full-body photo it calls “gold dust” of Arnie standing next to an object of known size, a Humvee. See below.

Arnie is 6’3″ when standing next to the 6’2″ vehicle. However, the valuable picture clearly shows Arnie’s oft-mentioned power heel shoes, which completely rules out 6’3″ as a natural height. Arnoldheight.com even speculates that these “boosting shoes” probably contain “hidden elevations.”

(Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Strange Early Years)

One thing the picture does reveal, however, is Arnold’s surprisingly long legs, which further reinforces the argument of height. Or are these pins actually the result of stilt-like magic shoes?

Oh, we just don’t know anymore… Arnold, if you’re reading this, measure yourself up and settle the debate one way or another.

Schwarzenegger’s new film, Sabotage, hits cinemas in the UK on May 7. Watch the trailer below.