Birth Name: Raymond Joseph Teller
Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Date of Birth: February 14, 1948
Ethnicity:
*Ashkenazi Jewish (father)
*English (mother)
Teller is an American magician, illusionist, actor, comedian, writer, and director. He forms the magician duo Penn & Teller, together with Penn Jillette.
Teller is the son of Irene B. (Derrickson) and Joseph “Joe” Teller (born Israel Max Teller). Teller’s father was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Russian Jewish parents, and grew up in Philadelphia. Teller’s mother was born in Pennsylvania, and had English ancestry.
On season 4, episode 7, of the documentary television series Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, that aired on May 15, 2006, Penn stated: “His (Teller’s) mother’s side had some Cuban and his father’s side was Russian Jew(ish) who never even mentioned their history ’til Teller was fifty years old.”
There appears to be no Cuban ancestry on Teller’s mother’s side. It is not clear if Penn was kidding or speaking seriously.
Teller’s paternal grandparents were Joseph Teller and Esther Levin/Levine. Joseph and Esther were Russian Jewish immigrants.
Teller’s maternal grandparents were James Herschel Derrickson (the son of James W. Derrickson and Clementine Ann Aydelott) and Beatrice B. Baker. Teller’s grandfather James was born in Delaware. Teller’s grandmother Beatrice was born in Pennsylvania.
Sources: Teller’s father on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Teller’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Teller’s mother on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Teller’s mother on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
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