Profile Text
Curtis in 1954, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: Bernard Schwartz
Date of Birth: June 3, 1925
Place of Birth: Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Death: September 29, 2010
Place of Death: Henderson, Nevada, U.S.
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Tony Curtis was an American actor. His films include Son of Ali Baba , Houdini , Trapeze , The Midnight Story , Sweet Smell of Success , The Vikings , The Defiant Ones , Some Like It Hot , Operation Petticoat , Spartacus , Taras Bulba , Captain Newman, M.D. , Sex and the Single Girl , The Boston Strangler , Lepke , and The Mirror Crack’d , among many others.
Tony’s parents, Helen (Klein) and Emanuel “Manuel” Schwartz, were Jewish emigrants. His father was from Ópályi, now in Mátészalka, eastern Hungary. His mother was from Nagymihály, now in Slovakia. Tony’s first language was said to be Hungarian.
Tony had six children, two, actresses Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis , with his former wife, actress Janet Leigh ; two, including actress and businessperson Allegra Curtis, with his former wife, German actress Christine Kaufmann; and two with his former wife Leslie Allen.
Tony’s paternal grandfather was Victor/Viktor Schwartz/Schwarcz (the son of Samuel Schwartz/Schwarz and Barbra/Borbála/Barbara Engel). Victor was born in Mátészalka. Barbra was possibly the daughter of Isaak Ignaz/Ignácz Engel, and of Regina Rosenfeld, or Róza Schwarcz.
Tony’s paternal grandmother was Rose/Rosa/Róza/Rozália Taub (the daughter of Herman Taub, and of Pearl Greenbaum, or Jozefa Neuman). Rose was born in Mátészalka.
Tony’s maternal grandfather was named Izidor Klein.
Tony’s maternal grandmother was named Matilda Grűnwald.
Sources: Tony’s family background – http://www.pitt.edu https://www.instagram.com
Genealogies of Tony Curtis – https://www.geni.com https://www.wikitree.com
Genealogy of Tony Curtis (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.findagrave.com
Death record of Tony’s paternal grandfather, Victor/Viktor Schwartz/Schwarcz – https://www.familysearch.org
Curtis in 2008, photo by s_bukley /Bigstock.com