Stanley Donen

Date of Birth: April 13, 1924

Place of Birth: Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.

Date of Death: February 21, 2019

Place of Death: New York City, New York, U.S.

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Stanley Donen was an American film director and choreographer. He co-directed the films On the Town, Singin’ in the Rain, It’s Always Fair Weather, The Pajama Game, and Damn Yankees!, and directed the films Royal Wedding, Love Is Better Than Ever, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Funny Face, Kiss Them for Me, Indiscreet (1958), Once More, with Feeling!, Surprise Package, The Grass Is Greener, Charade, Arabesque, Two for the Road, Bedazzled (1967), Staircase, The Little Prince (1974), Lucky Lady, Movie Movie, Saturn 3, and Blame It on Rio. He choreographed Singin’ in the Rain and It’s Always Fair Weather. He also directed the made-for-tv movie Love Letters (1999).

Stanley was the son of Helen (Cohen) and Mordecai Moses Donen. He had two children with his former wife, actress Marion Marshall; and a son with his former wife, Adelle, Countess Beatty.

Stanley’s maternal grandfather was named Jack M. Cohen. Jack was born in Pennsylvania, to an English-born father and a German-born mother.

Stanley’s maternal grandmother was named Carrie G. Carrie was born in South Carolina, to German-born parents.

Source: Stanley Donen on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org