Frank Oz

Oz in 2015, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Frank Richard Oznowicz

Place of Birth: Hereford, Herefordshire, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 25 May, 1944

Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – Belgian [Flemish]

Frank Oz is an American actor, puppeteer, director, and producer.

Frank is the son of Frances Gillette (Ghevaert) and Isidore “Mike” Oznowicz. His father was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to a Polish Jewish father and a Dutch Jewish mother. Frank’s mother was Belgian [Flemish], and was a lapsed Catholic.

Frank spent his early years in England, then Belgium, and ultimately the U.S., in Montana, and then Oakland, California.

Frank is married to Victoria Labalme. He has four children with his former wife Robin Garsen.

Frank’s paternal grandfather was Samuel Oznowicz (the son of Itzek Oznowicz and Rebecca Tonningen). Samuel was a Polish Jew.

Frank’s paternal grandmother was Rebekka/Rebecca Bonettemaker (the daughter of Mozes Bonnettemaker and Femmetje Hakker). Frank’s grandmother Rebekka was born in Amsterdam, to a Dutch Jewish family that had lived in the Netherlands for centuries. Mozez was the son of Manuel Jacob Bonnettemaker and Eva Jonas Oesterman. Frank’s great-grandmother Femmetje died in Auschwitz, in 1943. She was the daughter of Abraham Jonas Hakker and Elsje Gompert Gomperts.

Frank’s maternal grandfather was named Omer Ghevaert.

Frank’s maternal grandmother was Maria Josephina Theresia Dierickx-Visschers (the daughter of Leopoldus Franciscus Dierickx-Visschers and Mathilde Sophia Lingier).

Sources: Genealogy of Frank Oz – https://www.geni.com

Article about Frank’s father – https://www.nytimes.com

Immigration record of Frank’s father – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Frank’s paternal grandmother, Rebekka/Rebecca Bonettemaker – http://www.geneawiki.nl