Landis Family Genealogy & History

John David Landis is a renowned American filmmaker and actor, celebrated for directing iconic comedy films like "National Lampoon's Animal House" and "The Blues Brothers." He also made a mark in the horror genre with "An American Werewolf in London." Landis directed Michael Jackson's legendary music video "Thriller" and ventured into television with series such as "Dream On." His career includes a mix of film and TV, commercial work, and an Emmy Award for the documentary "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project."

Born in Chicago, Illinois, John Landis is the son of Shirley Levine (née Magaziner) and Marshall Landis, an interior designer. His family, of Jewish American heritage, moved to Los Angeles when he was just four months old.

Max Landis, an American filmmaker born on August 3, 1985, is renowned for his screenwriting and directing contributions in Hollywood. Notable works include the critically acclaimed film "Chronicle" (2012), as well as "American Ultra" (2015) and "Bright" (2017). He created the series "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" for BBC America and produced the Syfy series "Channel Zero." Landis has also been involved in comic book writing and garnered recognition in Forbes magazine's "30 Under 30." Despite a promising career, allegations of emotional and sexual abuse in 2017 impacted his professional trajectory.

Max Landis was born in Beverly Hills, California, to a family entrenched in the entertainment industry. His father, John Landis, is a well-known director, and his mother, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, is a costume designer and historian. The family is of Jewish descent, and Landis's upbringing in a creative household significantly influenced his career path.

Carole Landis, born Frances Lillian Mary Ridste, was a prominent American actress and singer known for her work in the 1940s. She rose to fame with her role in the 1940 film "One Million B.C." and became a popular pin-up girl during World War II. Landis had a successful career as a contract player for Twentieth Century-Fox, appearing in films like "Moon Over Miami" and "I Wake Up Screaming." Known for her natural singing voice, she also starred in Broadway productions and wrote about her USO tour experiences during the war.

Carole Landis was born on January 1, 1919, in Fairchild, Wisconsin, as the youngest of five children. Her mother, Clara Sentek, was a Polish farmer's daughter, and her father, Alfred Ridste, was a Norwegian-American railroad mechanic who left the family shortly after her birth. There is circumstantial evidence suggesting that Charles Fenner, Clara's second husband, may have been her biological father. The family relocated to San Bernardino, California, in 1923, where Clara worked various jobs to support them.

Kenesaw Mountain Landis, an influential American jurist and the first commissioner of baseball, served as a United States federal judge from 1905 to 1922. He gained fame for his strict governance during the Black Sox Scandal, where he expelled eight Chicago White Sox players for conspiring to lose the 1919 World Series. Landis, appointed by President Theodore Roosevelt, was renowned for his efforts to curb big business and impose sanctions during World War I. His tenure as baseball commissioner, from 1920 until his death in 1944, is credited with restoring public confidence in the sport, despite controversies surrounding his decisions and racial integration delays.

Kenesaw Mountain Landis was born on November 20, 1866, in Millville, Ohio, to Abraham Hoch Landis, a physician, and Mary Kumler Landis. His family descended from Swiss Mennonites. The name "Kenesaw Mountain" was inspired by the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, where his father was wounded during the Civil War. The family moved to Indiana, where Abraham scaled back his medical practice due to his war injury. Kenesaw's brothers, Charles Beary Landis and Frederick Landis, later became members of Congress. Raised on a farm, Kenesaw contributed significantly to its upkeep during his youth.