Gene Reynolds

Birth Name: Eugene Reynolds Blumenthal

Date of Birth: April 4, 1923

Place of Birth: Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.

Date of Death: February 3, 2020

Place of Death: Burbank, California, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*75% Ashkenazi Jewish
*25% English

Gene Reynolds was an American actor, television writer, director, and producer. He starred in films from the 1930s through the 1950s. He co-developed the show M*A*S*H and was involved in many other television series.

Gene was born in Cleveland, the son of Maude/Maud Evelyn “Ellen” (Schwab), a model, from Illinois, and Frank Eugene Blumenthal, a businessperson, from Minnesota, who was raised partly in Deadwood, South Dakota. Gene grew up in Detroit, Michigan, and Los Angeles, California. Gene was married to Ann Sweeny, until his death, with whom he had a son.

Gene’s paternal grandfather was Jewish and his paternal grandmother was of British Isles/English descent. Gene’s mother was Jewish, the daughter of Alsatian Jewish parents.

Gene’s paternal grandfather was named Joseph Blumenthal. Joseph was a Polish Jewish/German Jewish immigrant.

Gene’s paternal grandmother was Maria/Minnie O. Sherman (the daughter of Darius C. Sherman and Cornelia Gould). Maria was born in Minnesota. Cornelia was the daughter of Enoch Gould and Lucy Hoag. She is listed on some online genealogies as the daughter of Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman. While Gen. Sherman did have a daughter named Maria, she was not the same woman as Gene’s grandmother.

Gene’s paternal step-grandfather was named Eugene/Gene Reynolds Turner.

Gene’s maternal grandfather was Edward C. Schwab (the son of Joseph Schwab and Flora/Flore Bernard). Edward was an Alsatian Jewish emigrant, who was born in Dehlingen Bas Rhin. Joseph was the son of Sorle/Sara Jeanette Schwab. Flora was the daughter of Jenette Cahn.

Gene’s maternal grandmother was named Anna Estelle Cohen. Anna was an Alsatian Jewish immigrant.

Sources: Genealogy of Gene Reynolds – https://www.geni.com

Gene’s father on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Gene’s mother on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org