Freddie Prinze

Birth Name: Frederick Karl Pruetzel

Date of Birth: June 22, 1954

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

Date of Death: January 29, 1977

Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*German (father)
*Puerto Rican (mother)

Freddie Prinze was an American stand-up comedian and actor.

Freddie’s father, Edward Ferdinand Karl Pruetzel, was German. Edward was born, in 1914, in Berlin, Charlottenburg, Germany, and died, in 1979, in Encino, Los Angeles, California. He appears to have come to the U.S. in the early 1930s. Freddie’s mother, María de Gracia “Mare” Graniela y Ramirez, was Puerto Rican.

He was married to Kathy Elaine (Barber), until his death. Their son is actor Freddie Prinze, Jr.

Freddie’s paternal grandfather was named Friedrich Karl Prutzel.

Freddie’s paternal grandmother was named Eleonare Maria Magdelena Schultes.

It has sometimes been reported that Freddie’s father was Romani, Hungarian, a Hungarian Jew, a German Jew, or a German of partial Jewish ancestry. It does not appear that Freddie’s father had Romani or Hungarian ancestry, and there is no particular evidence that he had Jewish ancestry, although it is possible.

Freddie’s maternal grandfather was Ramón Antonio Graniela y Mercado (the son of Manuel Graniela y Arroyo and Carmen Mercado). Ramón was born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Manuel was the son of Nicolás Granela y Ramos de Gracia and Francisca Arroyo Ramirez.

Freddie’s maternal grandmother was María Emilia Ramirez y Cáceres (the daughter of José Ramirez y Cruz and María Monserrate Caceres y Vasquez). Freddie’s grandmother María was born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. José was the son of Juan Ignacio Ramirez and Maria Vicenta Cruz. Freddie’s great-grandmother María Monserrate was the daughter of Jose Anastacio Caceres Acosta and Maria Jacinta Vasquez Rios.