Profile Text
Roven in 2013, photo by Debby Wong /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Charles Victor Roven
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: August 1, 1949
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Charles Roven is an American film producer. Among the many films he has produced are Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Wonder Woman (2017). He is the president and co-founder of Atlas Entertainment.
Charles is the son of Blanca and Milan/Max Roven-Rosenwasser. His father was born in Bardejov, Slovakia. His mother was born in Mukacheve, Zakarpats’ka, Ukraine. The family name was changed from Rossenwasser to Roven upon their arrival in the U.S. His maternal grandparents were killed in the Holocaust, as was a maternal great-grandmother. Charles is a first cousin of banker and investor Tom Spiegel. Charles’ mother and Tom’s father were siblings.
Charles was previously married to film studio executive and producer Dawn Steel, until her death, with whom he has a daughter. He is now married to restaurateur Stephanie Haymes. Stephanie is the daughter of singer, songwriter, and actor Dick Haymes and singer, dancer, actress, and model Fran Jeffries.
Charles’ paternal grandfather was Avraham Natan Neta Uziel Rosenwasser (the son of Uziel Meisels Rossenwasser/Meizlish and Yenta Schiff). Avraham was born in Bardejov, Slovakia. Uziel was the son of Yosef Yuska “Joseph” Rosenwasser/Meizlish and Beila “Betti” Rubin.
Charles’ paternal grandmother was Rachel Roza Spira (the daughter of Abraham Spira and Sarah Guttmann). Rachel was born in Bardejov, Slovakia. Abraham was born in Bardejov, the son of Simon Spira and Hinda.
Charles’ maternal grandfather was Chaim Henrich Benjamin-Henrik Spiegel (the son of Eliezer Lazar Lorincz Spiegel and Rachel Leah Terkeltaub). Chaim was born in Davidkovo. He was killed in 1944, in the Holocaust. Charles’ great-grandfather Eliezer was born in Nove Davydkovo, Mukachivs’kyi, Ukraine, the son of Yitzchak/Ignatz Isaac Spiegel and Bracha Czaliboris. Charles’ great-grandmother Rachel was born in Nyzhnii Studenyi, Mizhhirs’kyi, Ukraine, and was also killed in the Holocaust in 1944. She was the daughter of Rabbi Aron Tzvi/Hersh Terkeltaub/Axelrod, who was from Przemyśl, Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland; and of Esther Hencha Steinberger.
Charles’ maternal grandmother was Fani Weiser (the daughter of Yehuda Hers Weiser and Roiza Weiss). Fani was born in Pryslip, Mizhhirs’kyi, Ukraine, and was killed in 1944, in the Holocaust. Yehuda was the son of Menachem/Mendel Yosef Weiser.
Sources: Genealogy of Charles Roven – http://www.geni.com
Information on the Spiegel family – http://jta.org