Joan Bennett

Birth Name: Joan Geraldine Bennett

Date of Birth: February 27, 1910

Place of Birth: Fort Lee, New Jersey, U.S.

Date of Death: December 7, 1990

Place of Death: Scarsdale, Westchester, New York, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, one quarter Jamaican [Sephardi Jewish, possibly African]

Joan Bennett was an American actress.

She was the daughter of Richard Bennett (Clarence Charles William Henry Richard Bennett), an actor, and Adrienne Morrison (Mabel Adrienne Morrison), an actress and literary agent. Her father was born in Deacon, Cass County, Indiana. Her mother was born in New York City, New York. Her siblings were actress Constance Bennett and actress and dancer Barbara Bennett. Her maternal grandfather was stage actor and theatrical manager Lewis Morrison, who was known for portraying Mephistopheles in his own production of Faust for over twenty years. Her nephew was television talk show host and actor Morton Downey, Jr., whow as Barbara’s son.

Joan was married to publisher and film critic David Morris Wilde, until her death. She had a daughter with her former husband John Marion Fox; a daughter with her former husband, screenwriter and producer Gene Markey, and two children with her former husband, producer Walter Wanger.

Joan’s paternal grandfather was George Washington Bennett (the son of George W. Bennett and Nancy A. Hankins). Joan’s grandfather George was born in New Jersey. Joan’s great-grandfather George was the son of Moses Bennett and Patience.

Joan’s paternal grandmother was named Eliza Leonova Huffman.

Joan’s maternal grandfather was Lewis/Louis W. “Morris” Morrison (born Morris/Moritz William Morris, the son of Henry Morris and Julia Carvalho). Lewis was born in the West Indies, likely Falmouth, Trelawny, Jamaica, to an English-born father, and a Spanish-born mother. He is sometimes listed as having had African ancestry. It is not clear if this is accurate. Lewis’s mother’s family, the Carvalhos, were Sephardi Jews. Joan’s great-grandmother Julia was born on Jamaica, the daughter of Ernest Carvalho; she is buried in a Jewish cemetery. Lewis re-married to stage actress Florence Roberts, to whom he was married until his death.

Joan’s maternal grandmother was named Rosabelle/Rosebelle/Rosabella M. “Rose” Wood. Rosabelle evidently was born in London, England.

Sources: Genealogies of Joan Bennett – https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com

Marriage record of Joan’s maternal grandparents, Lewis/Louis W. “Morris” Morrison and Rosabelle/Rosebelle/Rosabella M. “Rose” Wood – https://www.familysearch.org

Joan’s maternal grandfather, Lewis/Louis W. “Morris” Morrison, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org