Profile Text
Wolk in 2010, image via Prphotos.com
Birth Name: James Joseph Wolk
Place of Birth: Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S.
Date of Birth: March 22, 1985
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
James Wolk is an American actor. His roles include the shows Lone Star , Shameless , Happy Endings , Political Animals , Vanessa & Jan , The Crazy Ones , Mad Men , Zoo , Billions , Goliath , Tell Me a Story , Watchmen , Harley Quinn , Ordinary Joe , and Happy Face ; the made-for-tv movies Front of the Class and Solving Charlie ; and the films You Again , For a Good Time, Call… ; There’s Always Woodstock , The Stanford Prison Experiment , This Is Happening , Mercy (2016), Spinning Gold , The Boys in the Boat , The Luckiest Man in America , and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 . He has also been credited as Jimmy Wolk.
James’s parents are both Jewish. His father’s family was from Poland and Russia, and his mother’s family was from Russia/Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. James was raised in Reform Judaism and had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony.
He is married to Jae Lynch, with whom he has two children.
James’s paternal grandfather was David Lewis Wolk (the son of Jacob Wolk/Volk and Rose Greenberg). David was born in Ohio, to Polish Jewish parents. Jacob was born in Biała, Bialystok, the son of Shlomo Wolk.
James’s paternal grandmother was Shirley King (originally Khanovich, the daughter of David Khanovich/King and Julia Bluestein). Shirley was born in Michigan, to Russian Jewish/Polish Jewish parents. David was the son of Harry/Herszel Kanowicz and Etta/Jenta Gitel Sarack. Julia was born in Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovian Voivodeship, Poland, the daughter of Israel David Bluestein and Bella Zweiback.
James’s maternal grandfather was Harold Elson (the son of William Elson and Eva Kendler/Kantor). Harold was born in Michigan; his parents were Jewish emigrants, from either Poland/Lithuania or Russia/Latvia, respectively (depending on the record). William was the son of Ben Elson and Simmie. Eva was the daughter of Morris Kendler/Kantor and Celia.
James’s maternal grandmother is Thelma R. Pais (the daughter of Morris Pais and Mary/Ann Soroko). Thelma was born in Illinois, to Lithuanian Jewish parents. Mary/Ann was the daughter of Morris Soroko and Gesed.
Sources: Interview with James Wolk – http://www.theatermania.com
Genealogy of James Wolk – http://www.geni.com
James’s paternal grandfather, David Lewis “Dave” Wolk, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
James’s paternal grandmother, Shirley King, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
James’s maternal grandfather, Harold Elson, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
James’s maternal grandfather, Thelma R. Pais, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org