Ben Mankiewicz

Mankiewicz in 2012, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Benjamin Frederick Mankiewicz

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Date of Birth: March 25, 1967

Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – English, some Scottish, German, Welsh, and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish

Ben Mankiewicz is an American radio and television personality, progressive political commentator, and film critic. He was a co-host of the show At the Movies, from 2008 to 2009, with Ben Lyons.

He is the son of Hollie/Holly Lou (Jolley) Reynolds and Frank Mankiewicz (Frank Fabian Mankiewicz II), a journalist, political advisor, and NPR president; and a grandson of Herman J. Mankiewicz, a prominent screenwriter, who wrote Citizen Kane with Orson Welles. His brother is NBC News reporter Josh Mankiewicz, and his uncle is screenwriter and novelist Don Mankiewicz. He is a first cousin of filmmaker and television producer Nick Davis, and a first cousin, once removed, of filmmaker Tom Mankiewicz.

Ben is married to Lee Russo, with whom he has a daughter.

Ben’s father was Jewish, of German Jewish and Russian Jewish descent. Ben’s mother was raised in the LDS (Mormon) church, and is from a family of English, and some Scottish, German, Welsh, and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish ancestry.

Ben’s paternal grandfather was Herman Jacob Mankiewicz (the son of Franz/Frank Mankiewicz and Johanna Blumenau). Herman was born in New York. His parents were Jewish emigrants. Herman’s brother, Ben’s great-uncle, was director, screenwriter, and producer Joseph L. Mankiewicz (Joseph Leo Mankiewicz). Franz was born in Berlin, Germany, the son of Jakob Mankiewicz, who was born in Leszno, Leszno County, Poland, and of Karoline/Karolina/Lina Eckmann, who was born in Lissa, Posen, Prussia. Johanna was from Kurland, Latvia, the daughter of Sam Blumenau and Amalie Goldmann.

Ben’s paternal grandmother was Sara Sulamith Aaronson (the daughter of Reuben Aaronson and Olga H. Milwitzky). Sara was born in Maryland, to Russian Jewish parents. Olga was the daughter of parents surnamed Milwitzky and Mandelstamm.

Ben’s maternal grandfather was John Harry Jolley (the son of John Rutledge Jolley and Anna Blackburn Binnington). Ben’s grandfather John was born in Idaho. Ben’s great-grandfather John was the son of John Jolley, who was born in County Durham, England, and of Hannah Fairbairn Routledge, who was Scottish. Anna was born in Missouri, the daughter of Thomas Binnington, Jr., who was born in Oldham, Oldham, Manchester, England, and of Arabella Adler.

Ben’s maternal grandmother was Martha Hollie Howell (the daughter of Reuben Nerse/Nurce Howell and Catherine Williams). Martha was born in Idaho. Reuben was born in Utah, the son of Reuben Nurce Howell and Martha Marie Buchanan. Catherine was born in Idaho, the daughter of Charles Williams, Sr., who was born in Sutton, Herefordshire, England, and of Margaret Sant, who was born in Cheshire, England.

Sources: http://www.people.com

Genealogies of Ben’s parents – https://www.findagrave.com

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

Ben’s paternal grandfather, Herman J. Mankiewicz, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org