Janet Leigh

July 2024 · 2 minute read

Leigh in 2003, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Janett Helen Morrison

Date of Birth: July 6, 1927

Place of Birth: Merced, California, United States

Date of Death: October 3, 2004

Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*father – English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, German, Swiss-German, Welsh, remote French
*mother – Danish, as well as some German

Janet Leigh was an American actress, singer, dancer and author. Her roles included the films The Romance of Rosy Ridge, Act of Violence, Little Women, Holiday Affair, Angels in the Outfield, Scaramouche, The Naked Spur, Houdini, Prince Valiant, My Sister Eileen, Safari, Jet Pilot, Touch of Evil, The Vikings, Psycho, The Manchurian Candidate, Bye Bye Birdie, Harper, One Is a Lonely Number, Boardwalk, The Fog, and Halloween H20: 20 Years Later.

She was the daughter of Helen Lita (Westergaard) and Frederick/Fred Robert Morrison. Janet was married to stockbroker Robert Brandt, until her death. She had two children, actresses Kelly Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis, with her former husband, actor Tony Curtis.

Janet’s paternal grandfather was John Beauregard Morrison (the son of McHenry/Henry Morrison and Susan Ellen/Eliza Tichenor/Titchenal). John was born in California. McHenry was the son of Miles Morrison and Catherine Griggs. Susan was the daughter of William Herbert Titchenal and Sarah Ann Dickason/Dickinson/Dickison.

Janet’s paternal grandmother was Katharine/Katherina/Katherine Francis/Frances Reeb (the daughter of George Reeb/Rube and Rosina Hunziker). Katharine was born in California. George was born in Zutzendorf, Bas-Rhin, Alsace, France, to an ethnic German family, and was the son of Johann Theobald Reeb and Margaretha Elizabetha Hanns. Rosina was born in Zorigo, Zurich, Switzerland, of Swiss-German descent.

Janet’s maternal grandfather was Marius/Marios Anders Vilhelm/Wilhelm/William Westergaard/Albertz (the son of Hans Anton Ferdinand Albertz and Laura Olivia Olsen). Wilhelm was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Hans was the son of Johann Wilhelm/Vilhelm Ferdinand Albertz, who was born in Preetz, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and of Marie/Maria Redlefsen, who was Danish. Laura was the daughter of Lars Olsen and Thora Juline Amalie Sponholtz, whose grandfather was German.

Janet’s maternal grandmother was Lita Olga Gordia Magelia Kofoed/Coffee (the daughter of Peter Lucius/Lucias Kofoed/Kofod/Coffee and Laura Margrethe/Margarethe Kristine/Christina Larsen). Lita was Danish, born in Olsker, on the Danish island Bornholm, in the Baltic Sea. Peter was the son of Peder Kofoed Larsen/Jensen and Eline Jacobine Wiinberg/Winberg. Laura was the daughter of Jens Peter Larsen and Caroline Marie Olsen.

Sources: Genealogies of Janet Leigh – https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com

Janet’s maternal great-grandparents, George Reeb/Rube and Rosina Hunziker, on the 1870 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of Janet’s maternal great-grandparents, Peter Lucius/Lucias Kofoed/Kofod/Coffee and Laura Margrethe/Margarethe Kristine/Christina Larsen – https://www.familysearch.org

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