Profile Text
Leigh in 2003, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Janett Helen Morrison
Date of Birth: July 6, 1927
Place of Birth: Merced, California, United States
Date of Death: October 3, 2004
Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: * father – English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, Swiss-German, Welsh, remote French * mother – Danish, as well as some German
Janet Leigh was an American actress, singer, dancer and author. Her roles included the films The Romance of Rosy Ridge , Act of Violence , Little Women , Holiday Affair , Angels in the Outfield , Scaramouche , The Naked Spur , Houdini , Prince Valiant , My Sister Eileen , Safari , Jet Pilot , Touch of Evil , The Vikings , Psycho , The Manchurian Candidate , Bye Bye Birdie , Harper , One Is a Lonely Number , Boardwalk , The Fog , and Halloween H20: 20 Years Later .
She was the daughter of Helen Lita (Westergaard) and Frederick/Fred Robert Morrison. Janet was married to stockbroker Robert Brandt, until her death. She had two children, actresses Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis , with her former husband, actor Tony Curtis .
Janet’s paternal grandfather was John Beauregard Morrison (the son of McHenry/Henry Morrison and Susan Ellen/Eliza Tichenor/Titchenal/Titchenor). John was born in Mariposa, California, to parents from Arkansas. McHenry was born in Van Buren, the son of Miles Morrison, whose father was from County Down, Ireland; and of Catherine Griggs. Janet’s great-grandmother Susan was the daughter of William Herbert Titchenal/Titchenor and Sarah Ann Dickason/Dickinson/Dickison.
Janet’s paternal grandmother was Katharine/Katherina/Katherine Francis/Frances Reeb (the daughter of George Reeb/Rube and Rosina Hunziker). Katharine was born in Hornitos, Mariposa, California. George was born in Zutzendorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France, to an ethnic German family, and was the son of Johann Theobald Reeb and Margaretha Elizabetha Hanns. Janet’s great-grandmother Rosina was born in Zorigo, Zurich, Switzerland, of Swiss-German descent.
Janet’s maternal grandfather was Marius/Marios Anders Vilhelm/Wilhelm/William Westergaard/Albertz (the son of Hans Anton Ferdinand Albertz and Laura Olivia Olsen). Wilhelm was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Hans was the son of Johann Wilhelm/Vilhelm Ferdinand Albertz, who was born in Preetz, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and of Marie/Maria Redlefsen, who was Danish. Laura was the daughter of Lars Olsen and Thora Juline Amalie Sponholtz, whose grandfather was German.
Janet’s maternal grandmother was Lita Olga Gordia/Gordea Magelia Kofoed/Coffee (the daughter of Peter Lucius/Lucias Kofoed/Kofod/Coffee and Laura Margrethe/Margarethe Kristine/Christina/Christine Larsen). Lita was Danish, born in Olsker, on the Danish island Bornholm, in the Baltic Sea. Peter was born in Rutsker, Bornholm, the son of Peder Kofoed Larsen/Jensen and Eline Jacobine Wiinberg/Winberg. Janet’s great-grandmother Laura was born in Olsker, Bornholm, the daughter of Jens Peter/Peder Larsen and Caroline Marie Olsen.
Sources: Genealogies of Janet Leigh – https://www.geni.com https://www.findagrave.com https://www.wikitree.com
Janet’s maternal great-grandparents, George Reeb/Rube and Rosina Hunziker, on the 1870 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Janet’s maternal great-grandparents, Peter Lucius/Lucias Kofoed/Kofod/Coffee and Laura Margrethe/Margarethe Kristine/Christina/Christine Larsen – https://www.familysearch.org