Miranda July

Miranda July – AFI FEST 2016 Presented by Audi – A Tribute to Annette Bening and Gala Screening of “20th Century Women” – Arrivals – TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood & Highland, 6925 Hollywood Boulevard – Hollywood, CA, USA – Photo Credit: Julian Blythe/HNW/PRPhotos.com

Birth Name: Miranda Jennifer Grossinger

Place of Birth: Berlin, Washington, Vermont, United States

Date of Birth: February 15, 1974

Ethnicity:
*Ashkenazi Jewish (father)
*English, Scottish (mother)

Miranda July is an American film director, screenwriter, singer, actress, author and artist.

Miranda is the daughter of Lindy Downer Hough and writer and anthropologist Richard Grossinger. Her father is Jewish, of Austrian Jewish, Polish Jewish, and Russian Jewish ancestry. Her mother, who is from a Protestant background, was born in Colorado, and is of English and Scottish descent.

Miranda is married to filmmaker, music video director, and graphic designer Mike Mills, with whom she has a son.

Miranda’s father was raised thinking that his stepfather, Bob Towers, was his biological father. He later came to believe that his biological father was Paul Leonard Grossinger. Paul was the son of Harry Grossinger and Jennie Grossinger, from the family that ran the Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel. Miranda’s father later discovered that his biological father was another man with whom his mother had had a relationship. This man was also Jewish, like his mother and Paul Grossinger.

Miranda’s paternal grandmother was Martha Rothkrug (the daughter of Henry Rothkrug and Sarah “Sayde/Sally” Nassberg). Martha was born in New York. Henry was born in Luków, Russia (now Poland). Sarah was born in New York, to parents from Russia, Coleman/Colman Nassberg and Fanny Bitterbaum.

Miranda’s maternal grandfather was Henry Wade Hough (the son of Raymond Henry Hough and Bertha May Barlow). Miranda’s grandfather Henry was born in Montana. Raymond was born in Missouri, the son of Henry Wade Hough and Ella Cecil Bodley. Bertha was born in Iowa, the daughter of Thomas Henry Barlow and Rose Ella Pearson.

Miranda’s maternal grandmother was Frances Marion Downer (the daughter of Isaac Francis Downer and Alice Gordon Plested). Frances was born in Colorado. Isaac was born in Iowa, the son of Robert Downer and Reubenna J. Blizzard. Alice was born in New York, the daughter of The Rev. William Plested, who was born in Ontario, Canada, to English parents, and of Alice G. Gordon.

Sources: Genealogy of Miranda July (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.geni.com

Birth record of Miranda July – http://www.familysearch.org

Genealogy of Miranda’s paternal great-great-grandmother, Fanny Bitterbaum (focusing on her own mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Miranda’s maternal grandparents, Henry Wade Hough and Frances Marion Downer – http://www.familysearch.org