Profile Text
Shannon in 2016, photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Michael Corbett Shannon
Place of Birth: Lexington, Fayette, Kentucky, United States
Date of Birth: August 7, 1974
Ethnicity: German, English, Irish, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish
Michael Shannon is an American actor and musician. His roles include the films Groundhog Day , Chicago Cab , Tigerland , Cecil B. Demented , Pearl Harbor (2001), New Port South , Vanilla Sky , High Crimes , 8 Mile , Kangaroo Jack , Bad Boys II , The Woodsman , Bug , World Trade Center (2006), Let’s Go to Prison , Shotgun Stories , Blackbird , Lucky You (2007), Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead , Revolutionary Road , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , The Greatest (2009), My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? ; The Runaways , 13 (2010), Jonah Hex , Take Shelter , Machine Gun Preacher , Mud , Premium Rush , The Iceman (2012), Man of Steel , The Harvest (2013), Young Ones , 99 Homes , Freeheld , The Night Before , Frank & Lola , Midnight Special , Wolves , Elvis & Nixon , Loving (2016), Nocturnal Animals , The Shape of Water , The Current War , 12 Strong , Fahrenheit 451 (2018), Knives Out , Heart of Champions , Abandoned , Bullet Train , Amsterdam (2022), The Flash (2023), The Bikeriders , The End (2024), and Nuremberg (2025); and the series Boardwalk Empire , Waco , The Little Drummer Girl , Nine Perfect Strangers , Little Demon , George & Tammy , Waco: The Aftermath , and Death by Lightning ; as well as many works on stage. He has directed the film Eric Larue . He is a member of independent rock band Corporal.
Michael is the son of Geraldine K. Hine, a lawyer, and Donald Sutherlin Shannon, an accounting professor. He is married to actress Kate Arrington, with whom he has two children.
Michael’s patrilineal line can be traced to Robert Shannon, who was born, c. 1630, in Munster, Ireland, the son of John Shannon, who was from Scotland, and Ann Swann, who was from Derry.
Michael’s paternal grandfather was Raymond Corbett Shannon (the son of Charles H. Shannon and Annie R. Thompson). Raymond was born in Washington, D.C., and was orphaned as a child; he was subsequently raised by a foster mother, Susan McCormick. He was an entomologist, who specialized in Diptera. Charles was born in Rich Valley, Smyth, Virginia, the son of John Shannon and Margaret K. Kisner. Michael’s great-grandmother Annie was born in Virginia.
Michael’s paternal grandmother was Elnora M. “Nora” Pettit Sutherlin (the daughter of James McDonald/McDaniel Sutherlin and Mary Elizabeth “Lizzie” Pattit/Petit/Pettit). Elnora was born in Arlington, Virginia, to parents who were also born in the state.
Michael’s maternal grandfather was George Henry Hine (the son of Charles Francis/Frances Hine and Margaret L.). George was born in Waterbury, New Haven, Connecticut. Charles was born in Connecticut, the son of Otis Abner Hine and Eliza J., who was English. Margaret was born in Connecticut.
Michael’s maternal grandmother was Lillian Elizabeth Anna Gieswein (the daughter of Jacob/Joseph Gieswein and Anna Catherine/K. Duttman/Duttmann). Lillian was born in Covington, Kenton, Kentucky. Jacob was born in Covington, the son of German parents, Johann/Jacob Adam Geiswein/Gieswein, from Eschenstruth bei Kassel, Hessen-Nassau, Preussen; and Maria Magdalena/Madeline Drexelius/Drexelious, from Unterneger, Rhode, Olpe, North Rhine-Westphalia. Michael’s great-grandmother Anna was also born in Covington, the daughter of Wilhelm/William/Richard Herman Duttman, who was of German descent; and of Anna K./E. Baker/Becker, who was from Hanover, Hannover, Lower Saxony.
Source: Michael’s paternal grandmother, Elnora M. “Nora” Pettit Sutherlin, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org