George Gaynes

publicity photo of Gaynes in 1964, eBay

Birth Name: George Jongejans

Date of Birth: 16 May, 1917 [O.S. 3 May]

Place of Birth: Helsinki, Grand Duchy of Finland, Russian Empire (now Finland)

Date of Death: February 15, 2016

Place of Death: North Bend, Washington, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*father – Dutch
*mother – Russian, one eighth Polish, 1/16th French

George Gaynes was an American singer, actor of stage, screen, and television, and voice artist. He is known for playing Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series.

George was born in Helsinki; Finland became independent from the Russian Empire that year. He was the son of Iya Grigorievna De Gay, later known as Lady Iya Abdy, a Russian artist, from St. Petersburg, and Gerrit Jongejans, a Dutch businessperson, from Assendelft, Zaanstad, Noord-Holland. His maternal uncle was Russian-born character actor Gregory Gaye (born Grigoriy Grigoryevich Ge). He was raised in France, England, and Switzerland. After the Battle of France and the German occupation in 1940, he left for the Pyrenees. He then went to the U.K., where he joined the Royal Dutch Navy, with whom he fought in WWII. George moved to the U.S. after WWII, settling in New York. He became a U.S. citizen in 1948.

George was married to Canadian-American actress, singer, and dancer Allyn Ann McLerie, until his death, with whom he had two children. He spoke Dutch, English, French, Italian, and Russian.

George’s paternal grandfather was Gerrit Jongejans (the son of Jan Jongejans and Guurtje Kleijne). Gerrit was born in Assendelft, Zaanstad, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. Jan was the son of Gerrit Klaas Jongejans and Trijntje van Exter. Guurtje was the daughter of Jan Jacobs Kleijne and Guurtje Hos.

George’s paternal grandmother was Aafje Vleeshakker (the daughter of Frederik Vleeshakker and Dieuwertje Arendsdr Klok). Aafje was born in Wormer, Wormerland, Noord-Holland, Netherlands. Frederik was the son of Jan Frederiksz Vleeshakker and Grietje Dobber. Dieuwertje was the daughter of Arend Jansz Klok and Guurtje Simonsdr Volger.

George’s maternal grandfather was Grigoriy Grigorievich De Gay (the son of Grigoriy/Gregory Nikolaevich Gay and Maria Dmitrievna Kareeva). George’s grandfather Grigoriy was born in Kherson. George’s great-grandfather Grigoriy was the son of Nikolay Osipovich Gay and Yelena Yakovlevna Sadovskaya. Nikolay’s father, Osip Matveevich Gay, was of French desсent, and Nikolay’s mother, Daria Yakovlevna Korostovtseva, was Russian. George’s great-great-grandmother Yelena was likely of Polish ancestry. George’s great-grandmother Maria was Russian.

George’s maternal grandmother was Anna Ivanovna Novikova (the daughter of Ivan Petrovich Novikov and Maria Iosifovna Turgeneva). Anna was Russian.

Source: Genealogy of George Gaynes – http://www.geni.com