Shane Black

Black in 2018, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Shane Val Black

Place of Birth: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Date of Birth: December 16, 1961

Ethnicity: English, Irish, German, one quarter Slovak, possibly other

Shane Black is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Beginning his career in the 1980s and 1990s, he wrote the films Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, and The Long Kiss Goodnight, and co-wrote the films The Monster Squad and Last Action Hero. In the 21st century, he moved into directing, having helmed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3, The Nice Guys, The Predator (2018), and Play Dirty; he wrote Kiss Kiss, and co-wrote the other films. He also directed and co-wrote the pilot Edge; and co-starred in the films Predator (1987) and Swing State and on the show Dark Justice. He has sometimes collaborated with Fred Dekker.

His father was in the printing business. Among his siblings is film writer Terry Black, who wrote Dead Heat. Shane was raised in Lower Burrell and Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and then Fullerton, California.

Shane’s maternal grandfather was Russel Howard James (the son of Jesse/Jessie Edward James and Nellie A. Robinson). Russel was born in Pennsylvania. Jesse was born in Pennsylvania, the son of Peter James and Ellen Ann Hall. Nellie was born in Pennsylvania, to parents from England.

Shane’s maternal grandmother was Bernice Veronika Kristoff (the daughter of Joseph Kristoff and Mary Cambella). Bernice was born in Pennsylvania, to parents from either Austria or Czechoslovakia, who were Slovak speakers.

Sources: Obituary of Shane’s father – http://www.familysearch.org

Shane’s mother on the 1940 U.S. Census – http://www.familysearch.org