Profile Text
Birth Name: Moritz Amsterdam
Date of Birth: December 14, 1908
Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Date of Death: October 28, 1996
Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Morey Amsterdam was an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and vaudeville performer. He was known for playing Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show from 1961 to 1966. His roles also include the films Machine-Gun Kelly , Murder, Inc. (1960), Gay Purr-ee , Beach Party , It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), Muscle Beach Party , Don’t Worry, We’ll Think of a Title , which he co-wrote; and The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit ; the shows The Morey Amsterdam Show , which he also wrote for; The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo , and The Young and the Restless ; the television specials Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol and Rudolph’s Shiny New Year , and the made-for-tv movie Sooner or Later (1979). He also wrote the film The Ghost and the Guest , and co-wrote the film Bowery Champs .
Morey was the son of Jennie (Finder) and Max Theodore Amsterdam, who were Polish Jewish emigrants. His father was born in Gmina Sędziszów, Świętokrzyskie. His mother was born in Tarnów, Malopolskie.
He was married to Kay Patrick, until his death, with whom he had two children.
Morey’s paternal grandfather was Isaac/Isaak/Issac Amsterdam (the son of Moses Amsterdam and Fanny/Fannie Schwartz). Isaac was born in Galicia, in the Austria-Hungarian Empire.
Morey’s paternal grandmother was named Ethel Pelzling/Peltzing/Peltzling (the daughter of Mordeho Peltzling). Ethel was born in Galicia.
Morey’s maternal grandfather was named Jacob Finder. Jacob was born in Tarnów, Malopolskie, Poland.
Morey’s maternal grandmother was Hanna/Hannah/Henrietta Etta Fishbein/Fischbein (the daughter of Mandel Fischbein and Gertrude Gitel Broder). Hanna was born in Tarnów.
Sources: Genealogy of Morey Amsterdam – https://www.geni.com
Morey Amsterdam on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org Morey Amsterdam on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org