Adam Sandler

Sandler in 2011, s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Adam Richard Sandler

Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: September 9, 1966

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Adam Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, film producer, and musician. Initially coming to fame on Saturday Night Live, among his many films are Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Bulletproof (1996), The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Mr. Deeds, Punch-Drunk Love, Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights, Anger Management, 50 First Dates, Spanglish, The Longest Yard (2005), Click, Reign Over Me, I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, Bedtime Stories, Funny People, the Grown Ups films, Just Go with It, Jack and Jill, That’s My Boy (2012), the Hotel Transylvania films, Blended, Men, Women & Children; Pixels, The Ridiculous 6, The Do-Over, Sandy Wexler, The Meyerowitz Stories, The Week Of, the Murder Mystery films, Uncut Gems, Hubie Halloween, Hustle (2022), You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, Leo, in voice role; and Spaceman. He also co-wrote his Madison, Gilmore, Waterboy, Big Daddy, Little Nicky, Eight Crazy Nights, Zohan, Grown Ups, Jack and Jill, Grown Ups 2, Hotel Transylvania 2, Ridiculous 6, Wexler, Week Of, Halloween, and Leo; as well as Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star. He is nicknamed “Sandman” and “The King of Comedy.”

Adam was raised in a Jewish family, the son of Judith (Levine) and Stanley Sandler. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. He said in a Russian interview that his parents’ families were both Russian Jewish. He also has Lithuanian Jewish ancestry. He was raised partly in Conservative Judaism, and then mostly in Reform Judaism. Adam had a Bar Mitzvah ceremony.

Adam is married to model and actress Jackie Sandler (born Jacqueline Samantha Titone), with whom he has two children, Sadie Sandler and Sunny Sandler, who have acted in his films. Jackie is of Italian descent. She is a convert to Judaism.

Adam’s paternal grandfather was Philip Sandler (the son of Joseph Jacob Sandler and Beckie/Becki/Rebecca/Rivka Zilberman/Silberman/Silverman). Philip was born in New York. Joseph was born in Panemune, Tauragė County, Lithuania, the son of Yehuda Yudel Sandler and Feige Polak. Beckie was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, the daughter of Eliyahu Zilberman/Silberman/Silverman and Mina Finklestein.

Adam’s paternal grandmother was Anna Eva Friedman (the daughter of Harry Friedman and Bessie Fried). Anna was born in New York, to Russian Jewish parents.

Adam’s maternal grandfather was named Daniel Levine. Daniel was born in Russia.

Adam’s maternal grandmother was named Mollie. Mollie was born in Russia.

Sources: Jewish Journal article about Adam Sandler, 2002 – http://www.jewishjournal.com

Interview with Adam Sandler about his Jewish upbringing, 2019 – https://www.wunc.org

Russian interview with Adam Sandler – http://www.voanews.com

Genealogy of Adam Sandler (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Adam’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary record of Adam’s father – https://familysearch.org

Adam Sandler with wife Jackie Sandler in 2011, photo by prphotos