# How many "third generation" famous people are there (not counting royalty). **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 19, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024 "2009-03-19T14:53:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/21 "2009-03-19T17:13:36Z")
> [@ColonelDax](#): > > Also along these lines, painter Lucien Freud is the grandson of Sigmund Freud, but I’m not aware that Ernst Ludwig Freud, Sigmund’s youngest son and Lucien’s father, was particularly well known. But Anna Freud, Sigmund’s daughter, was very famous. So the second generation was quite well represented. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/22 "2009-03-19T17:29:07Z")
Although Charles Francis Adams doesn’t have the same name-recognition these days as grandfather John and father John Q., both U.S. presidents, he was well-known in his own time, serving as a member of Congress and later as ambassador to Great Britain. He is considered to have played a major part in keeping Britain neutral during the Civil War. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/23 "2009-03-19T17:36:07Z")
Another one: Lionel and Alfred Newman, brothers, were both Oscar-winning film composers (among other accomplishments), as is their nephew Randy. Lionel’s grandson Joey hasn’t reached that level, but he’s only 33 and has worked on several film, TV, and video game scores. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/24 "2009-03-19T17:45:34Z")
US President William Howard Taft was the father of Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, who was the father of Senator Robert Taft, Jr. of Ohio and his son was governor of Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/25 "2009-03-19T17:46:05Z")
Kirk Douglas sons Michael and Eric (now deceased) = actors sons Joel and Peter = Producers Michael’s son Cameron is also an actor though not as well known as his father and grandfather. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/26 "2009-03-19T17:50:39Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Although Charles Francis Adams doesn’t have the same name-recognition these days as grandfather John and father John Q., both U.S. presidents, he was well-known in his own time, serving as a member of Congress and later as ambassador to Great Britain. He is considered to have played a major part in keeping Britain neutral during the Civil War. And Charles’ son Henry Adams wrote “The Education of Henry Adams” which won a Pulitzer Prize and was named best non-fiction work of the 20th century by Modern Library. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/27 "2009-03-19T17:58:38Z")
Trivia: According to IMDB, Annabeth Gish is the granddaughter of Lillian Gish, but not _that_ Lillian Gish. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/28 "2009-03-19T18:06:29Z")
John Carradine, his sons David and Keith, and Keith’s daughter Martha Plimpton, all successful actors. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/29 "2009-03-19T18:10:26Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > But Anna Freud, Sigmund’s daughter, was very famous. So the second generation was quite well represented. If we’re talking Freuds… Lucian’s daughters include novelists Esther Freud and Susie Boyt, fashion designer Bella Freud and Jane MacAdam Freud a painter. His brother Clement is well known in Britiain as a broadcaster writer and politician and two of his children are broadcasters and writers. Lucian and Clement’s father Ernst was an architect of some repute. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/30 "2009-03-19T18:12:28Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > I don’t think the father and grandfather count as famous, but I read that Joss Whedon is one of a very rare breed–a third generation television writer. Whedon’s dad wrote for _Sesame Street_, didn’t he? I am not a Whedon fan, but I’m a huge _Sesame Street_ fan 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/31 "2009-03-19T18:23:05Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Ozzie-Ricky-Gunnar/Matthew Nelson Don’t forget Tracy Nelson, actress (Father Dowling mysteries. She’s Ricky’s daughter and the sister of Matthew and Gunnar. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/32 "2009-03-19T18:25:53Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > US President William Howard Taft was the father of Senator Robert Taft of Ohio, who was the father of Senator Robert Taft, Jr. of Ohio and his son was governor of Ohio. You think I would have thought of them, being related and all on the Howard side–his mother and my great-great-great grandfather were siblings. ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/33 "2009-03-19T18:28:39Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > John Carradine, his sons David and Keith, and Keith’s daughter Martha Plimpton, all successful actors. In addition to David and Keith, another of John’s sons is Robert Carradine, best known as Lewis in “Revenge of the Nerds.” Robert’s daughter is Ever Carradine, a successful TV actress – most recently appearing in the current season of “24.” Those Carradines are everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/34 "2009-03-19T18:40:40Z")
Perhaps stretching the definition of “famous” for the purposes of this thread, four generations of Fords have run the Ford Motor Company: Henry Ford \> Edsel Ford \> Henry Ford II \> William Ford, Jr. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/35 "2009-03-19T18:57:52Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Trivia: According to IMDB, Annabeth Gish is the granddaughter of Lillian Gish, but not _that_ Lillian Gish. I’ll be damned. I’m sure I heard celebrity coverage of her mention that she was the granddaughter of the famous one. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/36 "2009-03-19T19:06:18Z")
Lord Randolph Churchill was a prominent British statesman - an aristocrat, but not royalty. His son Winston followed him in Parliament and gained modest fame during WW2. 😉 His grandson Randolph and his great-grandson Winston were also both MPs, and there are still Churchills in the news today. At least four or five generations of fame, depending on how you count 'em. ---
**Author:** ![J-P\_L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/j-p_l/32/3156_2.png) [@J-P\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J-P_L)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/37 "2009-03-19T19:13:23Z")
If you are into NASCAR racing: ``` Lee Petty, Richard Petty, Kyle Petty and Kyle's son Adam would have made four ``` Any others in sports? ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/38 "2009-03-19T19:37:36Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > If we’re talking Freuds… Lucian’s daughters include novelists Esther Freud and Susie Boyt, fashion designer Bella Freud and Jane MacAdam Freud a painter. His brother Clement is well known in Britiain as a broadcaster writer and politician and two of his children are broadcasters and writers. Lucian and Clement’s father Ernst was an architect of some repute. And you can throw in [Edward Bernays](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays). It’s somewhat sprawling than the Freuds, but [the Darwin-Wedgewood family tree](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_family) is worth noting. Robert Darwin is arguably not famous in his own right, but his father was Erasmus Darwin and his wife was the daughter of Josiah Wedgewood. In the next generation, he had Charles as a son and Francis Galton as a nephew. In the generation after that, Charles’s sons George and Horace became eminent figures in their respective fields. In the next, Ralph Vaughan Williams was a great-grandson of Robert. And in the generation after that, there’s the poet and Spanish Civil War casualty John Cornford. Furthermore, the family also married into the Huxley - no slouches themselves in this sort of game - and Keynes families. And the Benns, who have produced three consecutive generations of Cabinet members. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/39 "2009-03-19T20:03:33Z")
Tex Ritter \> John Ritter \> Jason Ritter StG ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024/40 "2009-03-19T20:12:21Z")
French impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir; his son, film director Jean Renoir. But then Jean’s son was an obscure English professor at Berkeley, so it kinda petered out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-third-generation-famous-people-are-there-not-counting-royalty/490024.md?page=3)