American actor John Lithgow has ties to DR

[mami]

i'm just surprised that his ties to the dominican republic was not stated if it is true

[Porfio_Rubirosa]

The bios for Arthur Lithgow say he was born in Puerto Plata. Plus, a general search for, e.g., "Lithgow" and "santiago" show other Lithgows in the area. The DR1 story was correct.

[Tordok]

Originally Posted by mami

i'm just surprised that his ties to the dominican republic was not stated if it is true

mami,
i suggest you explore these genealogy pages. there are other posts there re. the Dominican branch of the Litghow family.

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read...-05/1084154743

-Tordok

[mami]

do you think they are hiding their hispanic backgrounds because of hollywood? as did and do many hollywood types?

[Forbeca]

I don't think so, these people are usually from european background, and they perceive themselves as such. Place of birth is insignificant to them.

Originally Posted by mami

do you think they are hiding their hispanic backgrounds because of hollywood? as did and do many hollywood types?

[Tordok]

Each family deals with it differently. Different historic time and particular type of migration between the actor's family and the more typical Dominican migrants to the US after the 1960's. And not necessarily to cover anything up. After all, anyone's place of birth is an accident of nature. It is much simpler to say that I'm Dominican because I was born there, but depending on someone's specific biases I could legitimately belong to several different nationalities given my particular set of ancestries and where we have moved to. In the DR and elsewhere in the world I have met many others with multiple cultural heritages. My bias is that this makes people like us more aware of everyone else's sensitivities and we tend to integrate better with peoples from "other" cultures. As opposed to the narrow-minded nationalisms (tribalism really, just camougflaged under various euphemisms) found even in so-called developed nations. Eventually, I think that humanity as a whole is moving towards a world of transnationalisms and multiplicity of identities that shall render all of our current obsessions with ethnicity irrelevant. It might take a while, but I suspect that some of my greatgrandchildren will be Martian, or Venusian... then what? who will care? Are they going to be Martian-Americans, Dominico-Venusians? Why not just humans?
-Tordok

[deelt]

Well all in all I must say I am proud of Arturo/Arthur. Having experienced the culture/richness of Princeton first hand I would completely understand this obiturary. You write what sells to the community so that they in turn feel comfortable in investing in return. Given the current price of property values in Princeton...says it all. ;-)

Originally Posted by mami

Arthur Lithgow
Former McCarter director
AMHERST, Mass. — Arthur Lithgow, the former director of McCarter Theatre, died Tuesday. He was 88.
An accomplished actor who transferred his talents to producing and directing, he was the artistic and producing director at McCarter from 1963 to 1971.
"McCarter Theatre was saddened to learn about the passing of Arthur Lithgow," said Emily Mann, McCarter's artistic director, in a statement. "He was a wonderful man, a true pioneer and a champion of the American regional theater movement. He did everything — he was a director, an actor, an able administrator and a fine producer. We especially remember him as a key figure in the evolution of this institution — its executive director from 1963 to 1971 — and as a lifelong friend."
Ms. Mann added, "Under Arthur's leadership, the original vision of Milton Lyon, McCarter's first executive producer, was finally fulfilled: the creation of a resident professional company.
"The roster of actors who appeared during Lithgow's tenure include many who have since gone on to successful careers in film and stage, including Olympia Dukakis, Dom de Luise, Tony Musante, George Hearn, Dustin Hoffman and Lawrence Luckinbill," Ms. Mann said. "It was also during Arthur Lithgow's time at McCarter that two friends who grew up in Princeton made their debuts on the McCarter stage: John Lithgow and Christopher Reeve."
His son John is a stage, television and movie actor as well as author of children's books.
"Perhaps his greatest contribution to McCarter was the creation and success of the student matinee program," Ms. Mann said. "During his years at McCarter, Arthur traveled all over the state visiting schools and talking to English classes. For the Shakespeare Quadricentennial Drama Series in 1964 ("Othello," "Much Ado About Nothing," "Richard III," "Taming of the Shrew," "Romeo and Juliet"), more than 55,000 students from New Jersey's schools and six state colleges attended the 48 scheduled student matinees. Arthur's memory and his many accomplishments will continue to inspire McCarter and its audiences, young and old, for many years to come."
Mr. Lithgow began his directing career at Antioch College, his alma mater, in 1952 when he became the founder and artistic director of Antioch Shakespeare Festival, which became known as Shakespeare Under the Stars. Over six years, all the works of Shakespeare were produced. He held a number of other directing positions in Ohio during the late 1950s and early 1960s.
After leaving McCarter, he held a number of academic and directing positions. Most recently he helped found the Ithaca Theater Guild.
Son of the late Arthur Washington and Ina Bernice Lithgow, he is survived by his wife, Sarah Jane Price Lithgow; children John and Robin of Los Angeles, David of New York and Sarah Jane Bokaer of Ithaca, N.Y.; sisters Marion James of Melrose, Mass., and Jeanette Peverly of Milton, Mass.; and 13 grandchildren

[deelt]

Tordok
As usual, you make an excellent point on the wide array of origins found in typical Dominican last names. It is because of this precise point that we are at a deficiency here in the states (US). When people attempt to MEASURE & categorize the Latino "vote" through a Latino surname analysis they strictly look at names delineated in the Dictionary of La Lengua Espanola. Thus, this of course assumes that non-Latinos that take on a "typical" Latino last name is equivalent to those that have non-typical Latino last names. While this can be a good approximation for Mexicans and other larger latino groups my guess is this is a poor approximation for Dominicans given the high degree of diversity found in our people.

PS. I would caterogize John Lithgow as Dominican-American. His father was born in POP, making him 2nd generation in the US.

D

Originally Posted by Tordok

If any of you want to have fun looking up genealogical stuff on DR families, these pages have plenty of data. As you will see the Lithgows have been around PP for a while.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~domwgw/MHHB/sb_l.htm
Many people -Dominicans and foreigners alike- still have trouble understanding that the DR is not just made up of Spanish surnames. Arab, Portuguese, Italian, German, Jewish, Chinese, Dutch, French, Polish, and British names and lineages abound....thrown in the mix with substantial amounts of DNA from Tainos and West Africans in most cases. We are proudly a genuine melting pot. As in most Latin American countries, everyone becomes integrated into the fabric of Dominican society regardless of your social status or national origins, and families quickly start seeing themselves as nothing other than Dominican. That actor John Lithgow has Dominican kin ought not to be such a surprise.
-Tordok

[Dolores]

Bringing this Lithgow matter up to date, here is some news just received today from Richard Bond at hirambondco@ureach.com:

The Harvard Community was made aware of the hurricane disaster in the Dominican Republic by campus activists and asked for relief goods. The institutional response was that most of the student discards were spoken for by local charities. The institution was reapproached and the result was that 600 second hand student twin bed mattresses are being collected for shipment to Yuna by way of Puerto Plata. The activist who made the arrangements has requested anonymity but the gift is being made in memorial to Arthur Lithgow. Arthur Lithgow was an actor/director in the United States who was born in Puerto Plata. Coincidentally? His better known son is John Lithgow a Harvard '67 alumnus Arthur Lithgow's granddaughter Phoebe Lithgow is a member of the class of '04.

[BushBaby]

Dolores,
Any idea where a Frederik Lithgow of Puerto Plata might come in to this arena?? The house we own (but no longer live in) at Emilio Prud'Homme - right opposite the Amber Museum - was owned & inhabited at some stage by this Frederik Lithgow (well, at least, he paid the water bills for this house, we have the receipts!!). Any ways we can get to know of the connection to John Lithgow?? Tried the John Lithgow link posted some weeks ago & got no reply!! - Grahame.