Ben Falcone

Falcone in 2012, photo by PrPhotos

Birth Name: Benjamin Scott Falcone

Place of Birth: Carbondale, Illinois, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 25, 1973

Ethnicity: German (56.25%), one quarter Italian, Irish, English

Ben Falcone is an American actor, comedian, director, writer, and producer. He has directed the films Tammy, The Boss (2016), Life of the Party (2018), Superintelligence, and Thunder Force, all of which star his wife, actress Melissa McCarthy. He co-wrote the first three, and wrote the fifth. He also created and wrote the show God’s Favorite Idiot, which he starred on, and wrote for The Looney Tunes Show. He often appears in cameos in projects starring McCarthy.

Ben’s father is of Italian descent on one side, and of English, German, and Irish descent on the other. Ben’s mother is of German descent. Ben and Melissa have two children.

Ben’s paternal grandfather was Nicholas Angelo Falcone (the son of Michael Carl Falcone and Carmela Defrancesco/De Francesco). Nicholas was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents, from Roseto Valfortore, Province of Foggia, Apulia. They settled in Roseto, Pennsylvania.

Ben’s paternal grandmother was Marie S. Philson (the daughter of Walter Arthur Philson and Sarah T. McDevitt). Marie was born in Pennsylvania. Walter was the son of Harry G. Philson and Mary Snyder, who was born in Pennsylvania, to German parents. Ben’s great-grandmother Sarah was of Irish descent, the daughter of John M. McDevitt and Sarah T.

Ben’s maternal grandfather was George Ernest Woelfel (the son of John Woelfel and Martha Louise/Emma Mueller). George was born in Texas. John was German, the son of Friedrich “Fritz” Wölfel and Regina Loesel. Martha was born in Texas, to German parents.

Ben’s maternal grandmother was Norma Marie Balzen (the daughter of William Henry Balzen and Lena/Lina Katrina Schaller/Schuller). Norma was born in Texas. William was born in Texas, the son of Herman H. Balzen, who was born in Texas, to German parents, and of Anna Margaretha Oefinger, who was German, from Stuttgart. Lena was German, born in Bayern, the daughter of Elisabeth Katrina Heinrich.

Sources: Genealogy of Ben Falcone – https://www.geni.com

Ben’s paternal grandmother, Marie S. Philson, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Ben’s paternal grandmother, Marie S. (Philson) Falcone – http://nl.newsbank.com

Ben’s maternal grandfather, George Ernest Woelfel, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Ben’s maternal grandmother, Norma Marie Balzen, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Obituary of Ben’s maternal grandmother, Norma Marie (Balzen) Woelfel – http://www.findagrave.com