Peter Spears
Birth Name: Peter Joseph Spears
Place of Birth: Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Date of Birth: November 29, 1965
Ethnicity:
*father – Scottish, English, possibly other
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish
Peter Spears is an American actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker. He developed the shows Nightmare Café and John from Cincinnati.
He was raised Jewish in Overland Park, Kansas. Peter is married to filmmaker Brian Swardstrom.
Speaking of the film Call Me by Your Name, which he produced, Peter has said:
I didn’t grow up in Italy – I grew up in Kansas – but (being) Jewish and gay, there were a lot of things that resonated with me.
Peter’s paternal grandfather is Glen O. Spears (the son of Joseph “Joe” Spears and Ruby A. Byard/Bayard). Glen was born in Wisconsin. Joseph was born in Wisconsin, the son of John Spears, who was Scottish, and of Ellen Elizabeth Pulham, whose father was English. Ruby was born in Wisconsin, the daughter of Oliver Byard/Bayard and Olive M. Sherwood.
Peter’s paternal grandmother was named Lucille J. Hero. Lucille was born in Wisconsin.
Peter’s maternal grandfather was Herbert Joseph Guggenheim (the son of Max H. Guggenheim and Fannye/Fannie Hirsch). Peter’s grandfather Herbert was born in Illinois. Max was born in Germany. Fannie was born in Illinois, to parents from Germany, Joseph Hirsch and Regina Kurz.
Peter’s maternal grandmother was Barbara Jane Livingston (the daughter of Milton Louis/Lewis Livingston and Florence Simonson/Simmons). Barbara was born in Illinois. Milton was born in Illinois, to parents from Germany, Louis Livingston and Dora Korkaski. Florence was born in New York, the daughter of Julius/Julian Simonson, who was born in Germany, and of Hulda Wolf, whose parents were from Germany.
Sources: Obituary of Peter’s father – http://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Peter’s aunt (father’s sister) – http://www.legacy.com
Obituary of Peter’s aunt (mother’s sister) – http://www.genealogybuff.com
Ethnicity Related Discussion