Michael Richards

Richards in 2003, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Michael Anthony Richards

Place of Birth: Culver City, Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Birth: July 24, 1949

Ethnicity:
*mother – Italian

Michael Richards is an American actor, writer, television producer, and comedian. He played Kramer on the sitcom Seinfeld.

Michael is the son of Philomena/Phyllis (Nardozzi, also spelled Nardozza). He is married to Beth Skipp, and has two children.

His mother’s family was Italian. He has stated that he was conceived as a result of rape. The name of his father on his birth certificate is evidently William Richards; he sought out the man as an adult, and discovered that he was not his biological father.

Michael was not brought up in any religion. He is a Freemason, a fraternal organization.

Michael has occasionally been incorrectly referred to as Jewish, though his spokesperson later clarified that he was not born Jewish, nor has he converted to Judaism.

Michael’s maternal grandfather was Anthony Nardozza (the son of Michele/Michael Nardozza/Nardozzi and Filomena Capadano). Anthony was an Italian immigrant. Filomena was born in Rionero in Vulture, Province of Potenza, Basilicata.

Michael’s maternal grandmother was named Theodosia Degosta. Theodosia was an Italian emigrant, from Rionero.

Source: Some notes on Michael’s mother’s family – http://appledoesntfallfar2.blogspot.ca

Richards (left) with Alan Light in 1993, photo credit: Alan Light