Patty McCormack
Birth Name: Patricia Ellen Russo
Place of Birth: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: August 21, 1945
Ethnicity:
*62.5% Italian
*37.5% Irish
Patty McCormack is an American actress. She is known for playing Rhoda Penmark in The Bad Seed, both on Broadway and in the 1956 film; the latter of which she received an Academy Award nomination for at age eleven. Her other roles include the series Peck’s Bad Girl, The Ropers, The Sopranos, and General Hospital, and the films Frost/Nixon and The Master (2012).
Patty is the daughter of Elizabeth and Frank Russo. Her paternal grandparents were Italian. Her mother was of one quarter Italian and three quarters Irish ancestry. Her stage name, McCormack, is a variation of her maternal grandmother’s surname.
Patty has two children with her former husband Bob Catania.
Patty’s paternal grandfather was Pasquale Russo (the son of Francesco Russo and Maria Rosa Carnevale).
Patty’s paternal grandmother was Teresa Di Napoli (the daughter of Francesco Di Napoli and Marie Michela Muccia).
Patty’s maternal grandfather was Joseph Anthony Lyna (the son of John Lyna and Camille Crocco). Joseph was born in New York. John was born in New York, to Irish parents. Camille was born in New York, to Italian parents, Anthony Crocco and Madeline.
Patty’s maternal grandmother was named Elizabeth McCormick (the daughter of Patrick McCormick). Patty’s grandmother Elizabeth was born in New York, to Irish parents.
Sources: Marriage record of Patty’s parents – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Patty’s father – https://www.nytimes.com
Patty’s mother on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Patty’s maternal grandparents, Joseph Anthony Lyna and Elizabeth McCormick, on the 1950 US Census – https://www.familysearch.org
From Russo to McCormack is a long shot. Russo is the second most common surname after Rossi (in Italy).