Celebrities & Their Honorable Ancestors

Access Hollywood - May 23, 2009 4:22 PM PDT
Story photo: Celebrities & Their Honorable AncestorsBrad Pitt as Aldo Raine in 'Inglourious Basterds'The Weinstein CompanyAccess Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Brad Pitt stars as a WWII solider in the upcoming "Inglourious Basterds," but the actor's sixth great-grandfather was a soldier in real life - one who was involved in one of the American Revolution's first battles. And in honor of Memorial Day, Ancestry.com has complied a list of celebrities like Brad, whose family members served our country, putting their lives on the frontlines of history's biggest battles.

- Johnny Depp's fifth great-grandfather William Depp served in the American Revolution. He fought in the March 1781 Battle of Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina. He enlisted in the Virginia state militia three times.

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- Jennifer Aniston's great-grandfather, Francis Dow was still a British citizen when he signed up for the WWI draft in Maine in 1918. He was born in Canada in 1876, which was still part of England at the time. Dow's registration card states he never had to serve in WWI.

- Brad Pitt's sixth great-grandfather, Abraham Hammer, who was a Quaker, was told to leave his Quaker community in 1768 for "warlike preparations." He was among the many who petitioned North Carolina for unjust taxation. Their petition later started the Battle of Alamance, which is considered to be one of the first battles of the American Revolutionary War.

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- Paris Hilton's great-grandfather Conrad Hilton was a Reserve Officer in WWI. He worked as training camp at the Presidio in San Francisco, Calif. before going off to war.

- Tom Cruise's great-grandfather Thomas Cruise Mapother's WWI draft registration card describes him as short, stout and bald - a far cry from the looks of his famous great-grandson.

- Reese Witherspoon's grandfathers both enlisted to fight in WWII, just a week apart from each other at the same fort in Atlanta, Georgia. The actress' great-great-grandfather Ridley Draper was also a veteran, serving as a first lieutenant in the Confederate Army in the Civil War.

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-Ryan Seacrest's grandfather Merle Zullinger joined the Marines and served as a Corporal during World War II. He fought in the Solomon Islands, Okinawa, and Guam.

And it's not only celebrities' forefathers who have fought for our country. Elvis Presley, Jimmy Stewart, Don Knotts, Desi Arnaz, Mickey Rooney and Tony Bennett are some of the Hollywood greats who served our country in the Armed Services.

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MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Ryan Seacrest - Jennifer Aniston - Brad Pitt - Johnny Depp - Paris Hilton

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comments 1-10 of 91  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • Tina
    We should be grateful that we live in a country that lets us speak out,I've read in another article that you would be jailed for speaking out against the government in some other country. The article was about remembering all the men and women who are serving in the military,we should take a minute and remember what they did for us instead of talking about our views about the ceebrities.
    report abuseposted July 31, 2009 6:29 PM PDT
  • Tina
    We should be grateful that we live in a country that lets us speak out,I've read in another article that you would be jailed for speaking out against the government in some other country. The article was about remembering all the men and women who are serving in the military,we should take a minute and remember what they did for us instead of talking about our views about the ceebrities.
    report abuseposted July 31, 2009 6:29 PM PDT
  • Eva C
    I love Brad and Angelina
    report abuseposted May 26, 2009 9:52 PM PDT
  • Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp are so disgraced by their country, and yet their ancestors fought for our independence from King George and everything for which he stood. What a shame.
    report abuseposted May 26, 2009 8:06 PM PDT
  • Katie W
    The article forgot to mention Tom Hanks grandfather
    report abuseposted May 26, 2009 6:42 PM PDT
  • holy crap a hilton actually did something to help?!?!
    report abuseposted May 26, 2009 6:06 PM PDT
  • wat's up
    WAT'S UP, "OH COME ON" THANKZ FOR EXPLAINING 'HOW' WE GOT A IN-JUN BLOOD LINE IN OUR FAMILY TREE, I'M I-TALION AND EVERY NOW AND THEN I WANT TO TAKE A SCALP AND GET PAID IN SHINY BEADS AND TRINKETZ, MUST BE DA IN-JUN BLOOD.
    report abuseposted May 26, 2009 3:29 PM PDT
  • Disgruntled
    Well, my grandfather won a bronze and a silver star in WWII but since I'm not a celebrity, no one cares. My husband is a veteran of both Gulf Wars and still serves and my father is a Vietnam Vet. Don't have to go back six generations to find people who serve the country in normal families. Just pointing out how utterly stupid this article is.
    report abuseposted May 26, 2009 3:26 PM PDT
  • wat's up
    wat's up, RIGHT-ON JENNA, THE COMMENTS FROM THE MO-RONZ ARE STUPID! MAYBE SOME OF THE IDIOTZ SHOULD MOVE TO IRAN AND SEE WHAT THE MEN & WOMEN HAVE DIED FOR IN THE U.S.of A. FREEDOM IS NOT A "GIFT", WE HAVE TO FIGHT AND SOME HAVE TO DIE SO EVERYONE IN THE U.S.A. CAN LIVE LIFE AS WE EXPECT. "HUG A VET" OR JUST SAY "THANK YOU FOR SERVING
    report abuseposted May 26, 2009 3:23 PM PDT
  • nobody
    Pitt, is another kiss ass clown, who will do or say just about anything for a buck. One thing though, the older the dude gets, the more he's starting to look like John Waters. Really weird!
    report abuseposted May 26, 2009 3:07 PM PDT
comments 1-10 of 91  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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