Rod Steiger
photo by Pprhotos
Birth Name: Rodney Stephen Steiger
Date of Birth: April 14, 1925
Place of Birth: Westhampton, New York, U.S.
Date of Death: July 9, 2002
Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: German, Austrian/Moravian
Rod Steiger was an American actor. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for In the Heat of the Night (1967).
He was the son of Augusta Amelia (Driver) and Frederick Jacob Steiger, who were vaudevillians. He had German and Austrian/Moravian ancestry. Rod was raised by his mother in Newark, New Jersey. He had a daughter, opera singer Anna Steiger, with his former wife, British actress Claire Bloom; and a son with his former wife Paula Ellis.
Rod’s paternal grandfather was Frederick J. Steiger (the son of Jacob Steiger and Freida Gehrbach). Frederick was born in Germany.
Rod’s paternal grandmother was Anna/Annie A. Libschick/Libshik (the daughter of Frank Libschik/Libshik/Lipschik and Maria/Marie/Mary Whisodil/Wisodil/Wissdil/Vychodil/Visogel). Anna was born in Austria, to a mother who was from Olomouc, Moravia, now in the Czech Republic.
Rod’s maternal grandfather was named Frank Driver (possibly Frank Herman Driver).
Rod’s maternal grandmother was named Amelia/Amy Fesler/Titchler.
Rod was sometimes described as having a Jewish father. However, Rod’s father does not appear to have been of Jewish heritage. Rod was also sometimes said to have French and Scottish ancestry. It is not clear if that is accurate.
Sources: Rod Steiger on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Rod’s father on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Rod’s father on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Rod’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Rod’s paternal grandparents, Frederick J. Steiger and Anna/Annie A. Libschick/Libshik, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Immigration record of Rod’s paternal great-grandmother, Maria/Marie/Mary (Whisodil/Wisodil/Wissdil/Vychodil/Visogel) Libschik/Libshik/Lipschik – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of Rod Steiger (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com
His grandmother Anna was Polish.
How do you know what?
Any thoughts, bablah?
This only says they’re from Moravia
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVSV-QS5K
1930 census has Maria as a German speaker from Olomouc.
I’m not sure if this is Frank:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVPN-SJML
But his last place of residence is Vienna.
What I could gather is that Vychodil is a Czech last name from Olomouc.
I can’t really say if she was German, Polish or Czech, but I’m pretty sure she was from Olomouc, Moravia.
The 1920 Census. She spoke Polish.
He played Mussolini
also Al Capone and Napoleon.
“of French, Scottish and German descent”, according to Wikipedia.