Chris Columbus
Columbus in 2015, photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: Chris Joseph Columbus
Place of Birth: Spangler, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of Birth: September 10, 1958
Ethnicity:
*Italian (father)
*Czech (mother)
Chris Columbus is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He has directed the films Adventures in Babysitting, Heartbreak Hotel, Home Alone, Only the Lonely, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Mrs. Doubtfire, Nine Months, Stepmom, Bicentennial Man, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Rent (2005), I Love You, Beth Cooper; Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Pixels, and The Christmas Chronicles 2. He also wrote his Heartbreak Hotel, Only the Lonely, and Nine Months, as well as the films Reckless (1984), Gremlins, The Goonies, Young Sherlock Holmes, and Christmas with the Kranks; and co-wrote his The Christmas Chronicles 2, as well as the film Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland.
Chris is the son of Irene Mary (Puskar), a factory worker, and Alex Michael Columbus, a coal miner and aluminum plant worker. His father was born in Pennsylvania, to Italian parents. His mother was also born in Pennsylvania, and was of Czech descent. He was raised in Champion, Ohio. He is married to Monica Devereux, with whom he has four children.
Chris’s paternal grandfather was named Mike/Marko Columbus/Colomba (the son of Henry Colomba and Mary).
Chris’s paternal grandmother was named Carmella/Camilla Debernardi/Di Bernardi (the daughter of Luigi Di Bernardi and Marie).
Chris’s maternal grandparents were named Joseph Puskar and Mary Burek/Burik. Joseph and Mary were born in Pennsylvania, both of them to Czech parents.
Sources: Chris’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Chris’s mother on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Chris’s maternal grandparents, Joseph Puskar and Mary Burek/Burik, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
I’ve figured his father’s side:
Chris’s paternal grandfather was Mike/Marko Columbus/Colomba (the son of Henry Colomba and Mary). Mike was born in Italy.
Chris’ paternal grandmother was Carmella/Camilla Debernardi/Di Bernardi (the daughter of Luigi Di Bernardi and Marie). Carmella was born in Italy.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFSB-CQV
He’s actually named Chris Columbus . I can just imagine the name calling he went through
@bablah
can you check his mother’s side if it’s all correct. Thank you
I don’t know how they got Mary Burek because I can’t find anything.
I found the family in 1930’s census:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH8P-DXS
And what might be Joseph on 1920’s census and that’s it:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFR9-KN6
Andrew put in Mary Burek, and he was right. The names of Columbus’ maternal grandparents appear on his mother’s social security death record.
Oh okay then. I just couldn’t find anything.
Could “Burek” be a Polish surname?
It could. Burik on the other hand could be anything.