Profile Text
Cox in 2004, Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Courteney Bass Cox
Place of Birth: Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Date of Birth: June 15, 1964
Ethnicity: English, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, German, distant Swedish and French
Courteney Cox is an American actress and filmmaker. She is known for starring as Monica Geller on the show Friends , and as Gale Weathers in the film Scream (1996); she is the only person to have starred on-screen in all seven Scream films. Her roles also include the films Down Twisted , Masters of the Universe (1987), Cocoon: The Return , Shaking the Tree , Mr. Destiny , Blue Desert , The Opposite Sex and How to Live with Them , Ace Ventura: Pet Detective , Commandments (1997), The Runner (1999), 3000 Miles to Graceland , The Shrink Is In , November (2004), The Longest Yard (2005), Barnyard , Zoom , The Tripper (2006), Bedtime Stories , Mothers and Daughters (2016), and You Cannot Kill David Arquette ; the shows Misfits of Science , Family Ties , The Trouble with Larry , Dirt , Cougar Town , and Shining Vale ; the made-for-tv movies I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1987), Curiosity Kills , and Sketch Artist II: Hands That See ; and the music videos for “Dancing in the Dark,” “I’ll Be There for You,” “Good Intentions,” “A Long December,” and “Imagine” (UNICEF: World version). She has hosted 9 Months with Courteney Cox . She has also directed the film Just Before I Go , the made-for-tv movie Talhotblond (2012), and episodes of her Cougar Town .
Courteney is the daughter of Courteney and Richard Lewis Cox, a businessperson. She was raised in a wealthy family. She has a daughter with her former husband, actor and filmmaker David Arquette . She has also been credited as Courteney Cox Arquette.
Courteney’s paternal grandfather was Wilmore Pearson Cox (the son of William Thomas Cox and Irene Oliver). Wilmore was born in Georgia. William was the son of William Thomas Cox and Narcissa Pearson. Irene was the daughter of William Oliver and Sallie Collier.
Courteney’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Ann Lewis (the daughter of Joseph Washington Lewis and Mary Margaret Naulty). Elizabeth was born in Pennsylvania. Joseph was born in Pennsylvania, the son of Irish parents, Joseph W. Lewis and Esther M. Hackett. Mary Margaret was the daughter of Edward Sourin Naulty and Sarah Elizabeth Harbison/Harbeson.
Courteney’s maternal grandfather was Samuel Bruce Bass, Jr. (the son of Samuel Bruce Bass and Florence Mary/May Betts). Courteney’s grandfather Samuel was born in Richmond, Virginia. Courteney’s great-grandfather Samuel was the son of Robert Emmett Bass and Martha Susan Bruce. Florence was the daughter of William Obadiah Betts and Ella Middleton Bruce.
Courteney’s maternal grandmother was Nina Dorothy Godwin (the daughter of Emerson Soulet Godwin and Nina May Noff). Courteney’s grandmother Nina was born in Calera, Shelby, Alabama. Emerson was the son of William Wiley Alexander Godwin and Mary Lou Cotton.
Sources: Genealogy of Courteney Cox – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Courteney Cox (focusing on her mother’s side) – https://www.wikitree.com
Courteney’s maternal grandfather, Samuel Bruce Bass, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org