Birth Name: Maxwell Henry Aronson
Date of Birth: March 21, 1880
Place of Birth: Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Date of Death: January 20, 1971
Place of Death: South Pasadena, California
Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish
Broncho Billy Anderson was an American actor, writer, film producer, and film director.
Broncho was the first cowboy movie star, the first Jewish American movie star, and possibly the first American movie star in general (depending on the definition of the term “movie star”). He played three roles in the famous silent short film The Great Train Robbery (1903), and headlined many other films in the subsequent 20 or so years.
Broncho was born Maxwell Henry Aronson, and was the son of Esther (Ash/Asch) and Henry Aronson. Broncho Billy’s father was either a German Jewish immigrant, or was born in New York, to German Jewish parents. Broncho Billy’s mother was born in New York, to Russian Jewish parents. Broncho was married to Mollie Louise Schabbleman, whose parents were Russian Jewish immigrants.
Sources: Broncho Billy Anderson on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Broncho Billy Anderson on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Broncho Billy’s mother on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Picture originally found here
