Author: Amanda

Happy birthday to Jeff Goldblum! Today the actor turns 72. Image: Jeff Goldblum / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Goldblum was born on October 22, 1952 in West Homestead, Pennsylvania to Jewish parents, Shirley Jane Temeles, a radio broadcaster, and Harold Leonard Goldblum, a doctor and major in the U.S. Army during World War II. From a young age, Goldblum wanted to become an actor and at 17, went to New York City… Read the full story

Do you have Swedish connections? On this day in 1833, Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm, Sweden. Image: Alfred Nobel / Library of Congress The fourth son of Immanuel Nobel, an inventor and engineer, and Karolina Andriette Ahlsell, Alfred was the one of eight children born to the couple. Only he and his three brothers survived past childhood. His third great grandfather, Olof Rudbeck, was a Swedish scientist and writer. Alfred… Read the full story

On this day in 1926, music legend Chuck Berry was born. A rock and roll pioneer, Berry’s sound helped to define the genre and inspire generations of future musicians. Image: Chuck Berry / Nationaal Archief, CC0 Berry was born on October 18, 1926 in Saint Louis, Missouri to Henry William Berry, a contractor and deacon, and Martha Banks, a public school principal. He grew up in the Ville, a middle-class Black community in St. Louis…. Read the full story

Hollywood legend Rita Hayworth was born on October 17, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. One of the top stars of the 1940s, Hayworth appeared in a total of 61 films throughout her long career. Image: Rita Hayworth / Wikimedia Commons Margarita Carmen Dolores Cansino was the oldest child of two dancers. Her father, Eduardo Cansino, Sr., and her mother, Volga Hayworth, had performed with the Ziegfeld Follies. Her paternal grandfather, Antonio Cansino, was a renowned Spanish… Read the full story

Irish writer and poet Oscar Wilde was born 170 years ago today. Known for his intellect and wit, Wilde was one of London’s most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. Image: Oscar Wilde / Library of Congress He was born Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. His parents were successful intellectuals. His father, William Wilde, was a doctor and an accomplished author and his mother, Jane Francesca, was a poet. In… Read the full story

On this day in 1943, Penny Marshall was born. After gaining fame as Laverne in the hit television show Laverne & Shirley, Marshall would go on to direct several box office hits on the big screen. Image: Penny Marshall / Wikimedia Commons Marshall was born on October 15, 1943 in New York City, New York to Anthony “Tony” Masciarelli, later known as Anthony W. Marshall, and Marjorie Irene Ward. Her father worked as a director… Read the full story

On this day in 1890, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, was born. Image: Dwight D. Eisenhower / Library of Congress Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas to David Jacob Eisenhower and Ida Elizabeth Stover. The third of seven sons, Eisenhower grew up in Abilene, Kansas and formed a great fondness for the outdoors. An excellent athlete, Eisenhower excelled at sports in high school and received an… Read the full story

On this day in 1884, former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was born in New York City, New York. Image: Eleanor Roosevelt / Library of Congress Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the eldest daughter born to American socialites Elliot Bullock Roosevelt, Sr. and Anna Rebecca Hall. The niece of President Theodore Roosevelt, Roosevelt was sadly an orphan by the age of 10. In 1892, her mother and her younger brother died from diphtheria. On August 14, 1894, her father,… Read the full story

Do you have an ear for music? Perhaps it’s in your genes! In 1813, Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi was born in Le Roncole, Italy. A dominant figure of the Italian opera scene, Verdi is remembered as one of the most renowned opera composers in history. Image: Giuseppe Verdi / Bergen Public Library Norway, Flickr He was born Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi to Carlo Giuseppe Verdi, an innkeeper, and Luigia Uttini, a spinner, in a small Italian… Read the full story

It’s Leif Erikson Day! The 11th-century Norse explorer is believed to have led the first Europeans to North America, 500 years before Christopher Columbus set sail to the New World. Image: Wikimedia Commons Leif Erikson was the son of Erik the Red and Thjodhild Jorundsdottir and was likely born in Iceland around 970. He grew up in Greenland, where his father had established the first Norse settlements. Around 1000, Erikson sailed to Norway where he was converted to Christianity by King… Read the full story

Happy 75th birthday to actress Sigourney Weaver! Image: Sigourney Weaver / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) She was born Susan Alexandra Weaver on October 8, 1949 in Manhattan, New York. The only child of actress Elizabeth Inglis and former NBC president Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, Weaver chose to follow her parents into the entertainment industry. At the age of 14, she began going by the name “Sigourney” after a character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. In the early… Read the full story

Are you a fan of the spooky tales written by Edgar Allan Poe? 175 years ago today, the famous poet and writer died in Baltimore, Maryland at the age of 40. Image: Edgar Allan Poe / U.S. National Archives Born in Boston, Massachusetts on January 19, 1809, Poe was orphaned as a young child. He was taken in by John Allan, a successful merchant, and his wife. Considered the inventor of detective fiction, Poe is… Read the full story

On this day in 1822, Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States, was born. He was born in Delaware, Ohio to Sophia Richard and Rutherford Hayes, Jr., who died a few weeks before his birth. His great-grandfather, Ezekiel Hayes, was a militia captain during the American Revolutionary War. Image: Rutherford B. Hayes / Library of Congress Hayes was a staunch abolitionist and during the Civil War, served in the Union Army. While still serving… Read the full story

On this day in 1960, the classic sitcom The Andy Griffith Show premiered for the first time on television. The show starred Andy Griffith as a widower and sheriff of the small town of Mayberry and introduced the world to a 6-year-old Ron Howard as his young son, Opie. Image: Andy Griffith / Wikimedia Commons Rounding out the cast was actor Don Knotts, who played bumbling deputy Barney Fife, and Francis Bavier as the lovable Aunt Bee. Knotts would… Read the full story

On this day in 1452, Richard III of England was born. With his death at the age of 32, Richard III became the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty. Image: Richard III of England / Wikimedia Commons Richard was the fourth son born to Richard, Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. After the death of his brother, Edward IV, in 1483, Edward’s twelve-year old son, Edward V, succeeded him and Richard was named Lord Protector of the Realm. However, after Richard succeeded in declaring his brother’s marriage… Read the full story

Today former President Jimmy Carter celebrates his 100th birthday. Carter served as the 39th President of the United States and is the oldest living former President. Image: Jimmy Carter / Photo by Lauren Gerson, LBJ Presidential Library Carter was born on October 1, 1924 in Plains, Georgia to James Earl Carter, Sr., a farmer and businessman, and Bessie Lillian Gordy, a registered nurse. After graduating from the United States Navel Academy at Annapolis, Carter married… Read the full story

Today we remember author Truman Capote, who was born September 30, 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Image: Truman Capote / Library of Congress As a child, he was sent to live with relatives in Monroeville, Alabama where he befriended future Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Harper Lee. The pair would continue to remain best friends throughout their lives. Considered one of the most recognizable authors of the 20th century, many of Capote’s works have been adapted for film and television, including… Read the full story

Today we remember acting legend Maggie Smith, who has passed away at the age of 89. Image: Maggie Smith / Mike Lidgley, Flickr CC0, public domain Smith was born on December 28, 1934 in Ilford, Essex, England to Margaret Hutton and Nathaniel Smith, a public heath pathologist. She made her stage debut at the age of 17, taking on the role of Viola in Twelfth Night at the Oxford Playhouse. As her career kicked off,… Read the full story

Remember the story of Johny Appleseed? On this day in 1774, the real Johnny Appleseed was born. Image: Johnny Appleseed / Library of Congress He was born John Chapman on September 26, 1774 in Leominster, Massachusetts. His father, Nathaniel Chapman, fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. In 1776, while his father was away at war, his mother died while giving birth to a son, who also passed short time later. As the folk story… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Mark Hamill! Today the Star Wars star turns 73. Image: Mark Hamill / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0 Hamill was born on September 25, 1951 in Oakland, California to Virginia and William Thomas Hamill. He made small appearances on television before catapulting to stardom as the star of George Lucas’s film Star Wars. The 1977 film was an instant hit both domestically and internationally and marked the beginning of one of… Read the full story

Do you remember watching The Muppet Show? Today we remember Muppet creator Jim Henson, who was born on this day in 1936. Image: Jim Henson / Library of Congress He was born James Maury Henson on September 24, 1936 in Greenville, Mississippi to Betty Marcella and Paul Ransom Henson, an agronomist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While in college, he began working as a puppeteer for a local television station. It was there that he first… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Bruce Springsteen! Today The Boss turns 75. Image: Bruce Springsteen / Takahiro Kyonno, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey to Doug and Adele Springsteen. He was first inspired to pursue music after watching Elvis Presley’s performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. He skyrocketed to fame in 1975 after releasing his third album, Born to Run. The record sold millions of copies and is… Read the full story

On this day in 1973, top women’s tennis player Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. King’s triumph on the court not only helped legitimized female professional athletes, but also marked a milestone in women’s equality. Image: Beaver County Times / OldNews.com Once ranked the top women’s tennis player in the country, King won a total of 39 Grand Slam titles over the course of her tennis career and… Read the full story

On this day in 1911, British novelist and poet William Golding was born. Image: William Golding / Wikimedia Commons, Nationaal Archief (CC BY-SA 3.0 NL, cropped) Golding was born on September 19, 1911 to Alec Golding and Mildred Curnoe in his maternal grandmother’s house in Newquay, Cornwall, England. His father worked as a school master and his mother was a suffragette and actively fought for the women’s right to vote. Golding worked as a teacher… Read the full story

On this day in 1905, screen legend Greta Garbo was born. Regarded as one of the top performers of Hollywood’s Gold Age, Garbo was one of the highest paid stars of her time. Image: Greta Garbo / Library of Congress Garbo was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson on September 18, 1905 in Stockholm, Sweden. She grew up in poverty and when her father became ill and lost his job, Garbo dropped out of school at 13 to take… Read the full story

Are you a country music fan? On this day in 1923, country music’s first superstar, Hank Williams, was born. Although his career was cut short after his death at the age of 29, Williams is often regraded as one of the most influential singers and songwriters of the 20th century. Image: Hank Williams / Wikimedia Commons Williams was born Hiram King Williams on September 17, 1923 in Mount Olive, Alabama to Jessie Lillybelle Skipper and Elonzo Huble… Read the full story

Today we remember Lauren Bacall on what would have been her 100th birthday. Image: Lauren Bacall / Wikimedia Commons Bacall was born Betty Joan Perske on September 16, 1924 in The Bronx, New York. Her mother, Natalie Weinstein, emigrated from Romania through Ellis Island, while her father, William Perske, was born in New Jersey to Jewish parents. Known for her distinctive voice, Bacall catapulted to stardom while starring opposite Humphrey Bogart in the 1944 film, To Have… Read the full story

Today we remember beloved children’s book author Roald Dahl on what would have been his 108th birthday. Image: Roald Dahl / Library of Congress Roald Dahl was born on September 13, 1916 in Cardiff, Wales to Norwegian parents, Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Hesselerg. During World War II, Dahl served in the Royal Air Force and became an intelligence officer and wing commander. Dahl rose to fame for his delightful and heartfelt stories and became… Read the full story

On September 12, 1913, Olympic track and field athlete Jesse Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama. Image: Jesse Owens / Library of Congress Owens was the youngest of ten children born to Henry Cleveland Owens, a sharecropper, and Mary Emma Fitzgerald. From a young age, Owens took on work to help his family financially. At the same time, he excelled in track and field in high school and college, winning major track events and setting… Read the full story

Today is the 162nd anniversary of the birth of famous short story writer O.Henry. Image: O. Henry / Wikimedia Commons He was born William Sydney Porter on September 11, 1862 in Asheville, North Carolina. Better known by his pen name, O. Henry, Porter’s witty wordplay and clever twist endings made him one of the most popular American short story writers of his time. Stories such as “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Ransom of… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Colin Firth! Today the actor turns 64. Image: Colin Firth / Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) Firth was born on September 10, 1960 in Grayshott, Hampshire, England to Shirley Jean Rolles and David Norman Lewis Firth. Both of his parents were academics and teachers and as a child, he frequently traveled to Nigeria for his parents’ work. Firth himself was not academically inclined and decided to study theater at Drama… Read the full story

Have you read Anna Karenina? On this day in 1828, author Leo Tolstoy was born at his family’s estate in Tula, Russia. Image: Leo Tolstoy / Library of Congress The Tolstoy family was a prominent family of old Russian nobility. He was the fourth child born to Count Nikolai Ilyich Tolstoy, a veteran of the Patriotic War of 1812, and Countess Maiya Tolstaya. Tolstoy’s parents died while he was young, and so his relatives helped care… Read the full story

Today we remember French aristocrat and military officer, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, who was born on this day in 1757. Also known simply as Lafayette, the Frenchman was an important figure during the American Revolutionary War and fought alongside the Continental Army against the British. Image: Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette / Library of Congress Lafayette was born to a wealthy, aristocratic family in Auvergne, France on September 6, 1757. The Lafayette family had… Read the full story

Image: Louis XIV / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 On this day in 1638, Louis XIV was born in the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Louis XIII and Anne of Austria. As soon as he ascended to the throne, Louis XIV took steps to consolidate his power and establish his absolute authority. He would become one of the longest reigning monarchs in European history. During his reign, Louis built the Palace of Versailles, an opulent palace that… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Beyoncé! Today the music superstar turns 43. Image: Beyoncé / Jen Keys, Wikimedia Commons Beyoncé Giselle Knowles on September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas to Matthew and Celestine “Tina” Knowles. Her first name is a tribute to her mother’s maiden name, Beyoncé. Her maternal grandparents were French-speaking Louisiana Creoles and it is through her mother’s branch of the family that she descends from Joseph Broussard, who led the first group of Acadians to what is today Louisiana. Broussard… Read the full story

Today we remember American poet E.E. Cummings, who passed away on this day in 1962 at the age of 67. A prolific writer, Cummings is often regarded as one of the most important American poets of the 20th century. Image: E.E. Cummings / Library of Congress He was born Edward Estlin Cummings on October 14, 1894 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His father, Edward Cummings, was a professor and Unitarian minister. From a young age, Cummings began writing… Read the full story

We’re back from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where we had the opportunity to attend the 44th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. The conference was held August 18-22 in the City of Brotherly Love. The exhibit hall was open for the entire conference and attendees made good use of their time visiting the Geni table. We were happy to grant extended walkthroughs of the website to help users better understand how they can make use of all… Read the full story

Image: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley / Wikimedia Commons On August 30, 1797, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was born in London, England. Her father was the political philosopher William Godwin and her mother was the philosopher and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. In 1816, she married poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein, Shelley infused elements of the Romantic movement, creating what is considered to be one of the earliest examples of science fiction. Initially published… Read the full story

Do you remember watching Casablanca? Today we remember star Ingrid Bergman, who was born in Stockholm, Sweden on August 29, 1915. Image: Ingrid Bergman / Wikimedia Commons Bergman lost both her parents at a very young age; her mother died when she was 3 and her father passed when she was 13. After her father’s death, she was sent to live with an aunt, who died of heart disease only six months later. At 17, she… Read the full story

Remember watching Singin’ in the Rain? On this day in 1912, star Gene Kelly was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Image: Gene Kelly / Wikimedia Commons Eugene Curran Kelly was born on August 23, 1912 to James Kelly, a phonograph salesman, and Harriet Curran. At the age of 8, his mother enrolled Kelly and his siblings in dance classes. As a young man, he often created dance routines with his brother to earn prize money in local talent contests… Read the full story

Do you remember reading Fahrenheit 451? On this day in 1920, author Ray Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois. Image: Ray Bradbury / Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) He was the son of Esther Moberg, a Swedish immigrant, and Leonard Spaulding Bradbury, a power and telephone lineman. His seventh great grandmother was Mary Bradbury, who was tried, convicted and sentenced to hang as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. She managed to escape… Read the full story

Are you related to the U.S. President? On this day in 1833, Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President of the United States was born. Image: Benjamin Harrison / Library of Congress Harrison was born to a prominent political family. His paternal grandfather was William Henry Harrison, the 9th President of the United States. Harrison was only 7 years old when his grandfather was elected president. Unfortunately, his grandfather would only serve for 31 days before dying of pneumonia…. Read the full story

Are you a Star Trek fan? On this day in 1921, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was born in El Paso, Texas. Image: Gene Roddenberry / NASA As a young man, Roddenberry became interested in aeronautical engineering and earned a pilot license through the Civilian Pilot Training Program. During World War II, Roddenberry enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps and flew an estimated 89 combat missions. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross…. Read the full story

Today we remember legendary singer Aretha Franklin, who passed away on August 16, 2018 at the age of 76. Dubbed the “Queen of Soul,” Franklin is regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time. Image: Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis Tennessee. Her father, C.L. Franklin, was a Baptist minister, and her mother, Barbara Siggers, was an accomplished piano player and vocalist. Her parents… Read the full story

Image: Napoleon Bonaparte / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 On August 15, 1769, Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, France. In 1804, he became the first emperor of France and established hegemony over most of continental Europe. In what would be called the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon’s drive for military expansion changed the world. After being forced into exile on the island of Elba, Napoleon was able to regain power of France temporarily before… Read the full story

Happy birthday to Steve Martin! Today the actor turns 79. Image: Steve Martin / David Shankbone, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) Martin was born on August 14, 1945 in Waco, Texas to Mary Lee Stewart and Glenn Vernon Martin. When he was young, his family moved to southern California. As a teen, he became a cheerleader in high school and got his first job at Disneyland selling guidebooks and performing magic tricks. In 1977, Martin got… Read the full story

Are you related to the famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley? On this day in 1860, the Wild West star was born. Image: Annie Oakley / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, CC0 She was born Phoebe Ann Mosey in a cabin near Woodland, Ohio. Oakley honed her remarkable sharpshooting skills as a teen hunting game to support her mother and siblings. She met her husband Frank Butler, a marksman and performer, after beating him in a shooting competition…. Read the full story

On this day in 1881, pioneering film director Cecil B. DeMille was born. Considered to be a founding father of the Hollywood film industry, DeMille’s films were distinguished by their epic scale and groundbreaking special effects, which attracted vast audiences. Image: Cecil B. DeMille / Wikimedia Commons DeMille was born on August 12, 1881 in a boarding house on Main Street in Ashfield, Massachusetts, where his parents had been vacationing for the summer. He was… Read the full story

Soon Geni will be heading to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the 44th IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy. The conference will take place August 18 – 22 with a jam-packed schedule every day. Come find us at the Geni table in the conference exhibit hall. We’ll be eager to chat and help answer any questions you may have about Geni. The IAJGS conferences are one of our favorites because we get to spend lots of one-on-one… Read the full story

Today we remember legendary singer Whitney Houston, who was born on this day in 1963. Image: Whitney Houston / U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey to John Russel Houston, Jr. and Emily “Cissy” Drinkard. Her father was a Newark city administrator and theatrical manager and her mother was a successful gospel singer and a backup singer for several notable artists such as Elvis Presley… Read the full story