11 television actors who can trace their roots back to Ireland

These actors can claim the luck of the Irish.

St. Patrick's Day is upon us, which means for one day we celebrate all things Irish. That includes these 11 television stars, who can trace their ancestry back to Ireland. 

Did you know these celebrities have some Irish in them? We bet you'll have a "whale of a time" reading this list. 


1. Jackie Gleason

Before making it big, Gleason lived with his Irish-Catholic immigrant family in Brooklyn. His childhood address was the same one used on The Honeymooners. 

Image: AllPosters.com

2. Lucille Ball

Although Ball was mostly English, she also had some Northern Irish ancestry. Perhaps that explains the vibrant red hair.

Image: pixabay

3. Patty Duke

Duke's father and mother had Irish ancestry. Because of that, Duke obtained dual citizenship in 2013 by becoming a citizen of Ireland.

4. John Travolta

Although Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back, Kotter was Italian-American (the name says it all), Travolta is also half Irish. In the past, he's said he grew up in an Irish-American neighborhood, and his childhood home was primarily Irish in culture. 

5. Suzanne Somers

Somers, who was born Suzanne Mahoney, is as Irish as they come. The Three's Company actress told her fans in the past St. Patrick's Day was a huge holiday for her family, and she celebrates by wearing green and making corned beef and cabbage. 

Image: pixabay

6. Clint Eastwood

Although Eastwood has roots in England, Scotland and the Netherlands, he strongly identifies with his Irish heritage as well. In 2012, Eastwood received the first John Ford Award by the Irish Film and Television Academy. The Rawhide star has also said he wants to film a movie in Ireland to pay homage to his roots. 

7. Jack Lord

The Hawaii Five-O actor grew up in Queens with his Irish-American parents.

8. Jack Kelly

Just like Lord, Kelly grew up in Queens with his Irish-American family. The Maverick star also came from a long line of performers, with his mom having been a popular stage actress and model. 

Image: Blogspot

9. Barbara Stanwyck

Although Stanwyck's mother was from Nova Scotia, Canada, The Big Valley star can trace her lineage back to Scotland and Ireland.

10. Patrick Duffy

If you couldn't tell from the last name, Duffy has some Irish in him. Just don't confuse the Dallas actor with the famous Irish politician of the same name. 

Image: Warner Bros. Television

11. Ron Howard

Howard has some Irish ancestry, along with German, English, Scottish, Dutch and Cherokee. 

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52 Comments

eddiecantorfan 23 months ago
https://youtu.be/dFS3j20Qbgs
That is DAPHNE (Hillary Horan)
Playing the drums in Richie's band and Potsie Anson Williams singing Calendar Girl.
eddiecantorfan 24 months ago
https://youtu.be/VUdOjOfGYhc
Where's The VIDEO?
eddiecantorfan 24 months ago
On the 1980 episode of Happy Days
Episode called A Potsie Is Born
Potsie is offered a job singing at
a night club.
This episode is the Last Appearance of Richie Cunningham and Ralph
Malph as regulars and is the
Last Appearance of Richie's band.
One of the person's shown dancing
at Arnold's Drive In looks like
Chuck Cunningham (Randolph Robert)and I wonder if Randolph Roberts made an Uncredited
Appearance at Arnold's Drive In






eddiecantorfan 24 months ago
The Happy Days episode with the dance Do The FONZIE is on here!!
eddiecantorfan 24 months ago
One of my favorite episodes of Happy Days called Stolen Melodies where Fonzie and
Leather and Richie's band
perform the fantastic song called DO THE FONZIE.
I would like to hear from other
Happy Days fans who like this
episode and who like the dance Do The FONZIE!!
The 4; characters who played
the drums In Richie's band:
Bag Zombroski:Neil J Schwartz
Sticks Downey Jr:John Anthony
Bailey
DAPHNE:Hillary Horan
Chachi Arcola:Scott Baio
(Maybe if Richie had hired
Chuck Cunningham to play the
Bongos in Richie's band maybe
Chuck would have been on
Happy Days until at least 1980
Maybe longer!!)
At the end of the song Do The FONZIE from the Stolen Melodies episode the woman
Directly to the right of FONZIE
(Henry Winkler) with blonde hair looks like actress Candy Moore who played the role of
Chris Carmichael on The Lucy
Show .
Or if Richie had hired CHUCK CUNNINGHAM (Randolph Roberts) to play The sax then
Maybe Chuck would have been on Happy Days until at least 1980 when Ron Howard left
Happy Days.
The Last Appearance of Richie's band was in the Happy Days episode A Potsie Is Born.
Runeshaper 24 months ago
It's really cool that all of these stars acknowledge their heritage and roots (-:
Nala92129 24 months ago
You should have said Israel!
eddiecantorfan 24 months ago
Two Videos about a guy named
Dooley : Dooley And The Dragons clip from Happy Days
And Pink Shoelaces by Dodie
Stevens . Dooley and The Dragons is from the Season 2
Episode Cruisin' and Dooley is
Played by Michael Lembeck.
Michael 24 months ago
We forgot an obvious one. Patrick Mcgoohan. Born in the US, but Irish parents. But soon after he was born, the family moved backto the old country.
Moverfan 24 months ago
David Caruso (CSI: Miami), Regis Philbin and comedian Tom Dreeson are half Irish, half Italian like John Travolta. Seems to me there's another performer with that ancestry that I've heard of, but I can't remember who.
eireigo 24 months ago
I am 100% Irish. Maiden name O'Brien
All my great and grandparents were born in Ireland.
eugenebelvinandmoosefan8 24 months ago
Dennis Patrick (Jason McGuire
On Dark Shadows)
Butch Patrick AKA Eddie Munster
nd1irish 24 months ago
An Irishman goes into a bar in America and orders three whiskeys. The barman asks: "Would it be better for if I put all three shots in one glass?"

The Irishman replies: "No! I have two other brothers back at home, so every time I come into a pub, I order a shot for them both."

The following week, the Irishman orders just two whiskeys.

The barman asks: "Did something happen one of your brothers?" "Oh no," replies the Irishman. "I just decided to quit drinking!"
nd1irish 24 months ago
An Irish priest is driving along a country road when a policeman pulls him over. He immediately smells alcohol on the priest's breath and notices an empty wine bottle in the car.

He says: "Have you been drinking?"

"Just water," says the priest.

The cop replies: "Then why do I smell wine?"

The priest looks at the bottle and says: "Good Lord! He's done it again!"
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