Phoebe Cates

Cates in 2009, Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Phoebe Belle Cates

Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.

Date of Birth: July 16, 1963

Ethnicity:
*father – Ashkenazi Jewish
*mother – Chinese-Filipino, Russian

Phoebe Cates is an American actress, model, and entrepreneur. She is known for her roles in the films Paradise (1982), Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Private School, Gremlins, and its sequel; Date with an Angel, Bright Lights, Big City; Shag, Heart of Dixie, Drop Dead Fred, Bodies, Rest & Motion; Princess Caraboo, and The Anniversary Party; the made-for-tv movie Baby Sister; and the mini-series Lace and Lace II. She has also been billed as Phoebe Cates Kline.

Phoebe is the daughter of Lily (born Helene/Helen Sergeveevna/Sergeyeevna Lue) and Joseph Cates, who was a producer and director. Her uncle was producer Gilbert Cates. Phoebe is married to actor, comedian, and singer Kevin Kline, and their children are Owen Kline, who has also acted, and Frankie Cosmos (born Greta Simone Kline), a musician, singer, and songwriter.

Phoebe’s paternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants, from Podolia, Ukraine. Phoebe’s mother was born in Shanghai, China, to a Chinese-Filipino father and a Russian mother.

Phoebe’s paternal grandfather was Nathan Katz (the son of Jacob Katz and Mitchel Gilman).

Phoebe’s paternal grandmother was Nina Peltzman (the daughter of Nathan Peltzman and Bella Silverman).

Phoebe’s maternal grandfather was named George Lue. George likely was born in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Phoebe’s maternal grandmother was named Anna Petrovna Juravlev/Belotserkovsky. Anna was born in 1907 in Stanitza Kamenskaya, Don, Russia.

Sources: https://www.irishamerica.com

Genealogy of Phoebe Cates (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Phoebe’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Marriage record of Phoebe’s paternal grandparents, Nathan Katz and Nina Peltzman – https://www.familysearch.org

U.S. naturalization record of Phoebe’s maternal grandmother, Anna Petrovna Juravlev/Lue/Belotserkovsky – https://www.familysearch.org

ethnic

Curious about ethnicity

11 Responses

  1. alexgxo says:

    Her grandmother was born in 1907… did Anna and her family immigrate to China following the Russian Revolution? Many Russians in China came and started forming the Russian-Chinese community in the early 20th century. They had a lot of influence in China that was sadly lost to time. Look at Harbin.

    Regardless, I believe those connections are why China recognizes Russians as one of their 55 minority groups.

  2. ann says:

    Phoebe’s maternal grandfather was George Lue who was likely born in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines.
    https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/about/GHF1-L11

  3. bablah says:

    Stanitza Kamenskaya was a Cossack village, today the town Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Rostov Oblast. Anna’s husband at the time of her naturalization was also from a Cossack village, Imantau in Kazakhstan. I can’t make any other connections, but Cossaks were usually Christian. On the other hand Belotserkovsky and Zhuravlev can both be Jewish names (but not necessarily).

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