Jessica Harper

Harper in 2018, photo by Prphotos

Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Date of Birth: October 10, 1949

Ethnicity: English, Scottish, Swedish, Welsh

Jessica Harper is an American actress, producer, and singer. She starred in the film Suspiria (1977).

Jessica is the daughter of Eleanor (Emery), a writer, and Paul Church Harper, Jr., a painter, who was chairman of the Needham Harper Worldwide advertising agency in New York. Her father was born in Coblenz, Germany, to American parents. She is the sister of composer William Harper, her twin, and screenwriter Sam Harper and director Charles Harper.

Jessica is married to film executive Tom Rothman, with whom she has two children.

Jessica’s paternal grandfather was Paul Church Harper (the son of Willlam Hudson Harper and Grace Augusta Cooke). Paul was born in Illinois. William was the son of John Randolph Harper and Mary Lois Scoville. Grace was the daughter of Benjamin A. Cook and Catherine/Katherine “Kate” Drennan.

Jessica’s paternal grandmother was Anne Lindsay/Lindsey White (the daughter of William Johnstone/Johnston White II and Rose Lindsay Forman). Anne was born in Illinois. Rose was Scottish, the daughter of Joseph Forman and Anne Lindsay.

Jessica’s maternal grandfather was Charles Francis Emery (the son of Charles Eklund Danielson, later Charles E. Emery, and of Bertha Albra Francis). Jessica’s grandfather Charles was born in Colorado. Jessica’s great-grandfather Charles was Swedish, the son of John Eric Danielson and Matilda Ostlund. Bertha was the daughter of Elias Riggs Francis and Mary Jane Dam.

Jessica’s maternal grandmother was Eleanor S. Washburn (the daughter of The Rev. Philip Moen Washburn and Miriam Phillips Storrs). Eleanor was born in Massachusetts. The Rev. Philip was an Episcopalian priest, the son of Charles Francis Washburn and Mary Elizabeth Whitton. Miriam was the daughter of Richard Salter Storrs and Mary Elwell Jenks.