Irene Columbus was an American actress who appeared in films like Home Alone (1990) and Nine Months (1995). She is also recognized as the mother of Chris Columbus, an American movie director who rose to fame with the films Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Los in New York (1992).
The actress and celebrity mother enjoyed a stint in the entertainment industry before she lost her battle with cancer on December 28, 1995, in San Francisco, California, USA.
Short Biography Of Irene Columbus
Irene Mary Puskar was Irene Columbus’ original name when she was born in Bakerstown, Pennsylvania, on Friday, December 12, 1934. Irene reportedly spent some time working in a factory before she began to make cinematic appearances.
She was married to Alex Michael Columbus, a World War ll Navy Veteran, and a member of the Knights of Columbus. According to other sources, Alex was also an aluminum plant worker and coal miner. He was born on September 10, 1958, and passed away on May 5, 2014.
She only clinched minor roles in a few movies
Irene is said to have worked in a factory before beginning her career in entertainment, as was previously mentioned. Her sole listed filmography consists of her minor roles in Nine Months (1995) and Home Alone (1990). Irene did not star in many films during her time in the entertainment industry, but her son’s career achievements have kept the Columbus family in the public eye.
Her Son rose to fame, thanks to the holiday comedy Home Alone
Chris Joseph Columbus is an American director and the son of Irene Columbus. He was born in Spangler, Pennsylvania and he studied at the Tisch School of Arts where he notably became interested in making films.
After penning the scripts for several juvenile comedies in the middle of the 1980s, he made his directorial debut with Adventures in Babysitting (1987), a teen adventure. Soon after, Columbus rose to fame with the hugely popular holiday comedies Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992).
Another lucrative film for Columbus was the Robin Williams-starring comedy Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). Moving on, he directed a number of movies throughout the 1990s, most of which received tepid reviews. To date, his highest-grossing movies are Harry Potter and its sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), as well as The Sorcerer’s Stone (2001). Both movies are adaptations of J. K. Rowling’s books.
Together with his daughter Eleanor, Columbus co-founded the production firm Maiden Voyage Pictures in 2014. Also, along with ZAG Entertainment and Saban Capital Group, he co-founded ZAG Animation Studios, an animation studio.
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Irene Columbus Died at the age of 61
Irene battled cancer till she passed away in 1995 at the age of 61. Chris Columbus’ film Stepmother, which came out a few months after his mother’s demise, was devoted to Irene’s loving memory. Irene was survived by Chris Columbus, and her four grandchildren Eleanor, Violet, Brendan, and Isabella.
Meanwhile, Stepmother which immortalizes Irene starred Leigh Leighton and Jill Eikenberry. The movie is known by a variety of names to fit international standards, including Stay to My Side (Spanish), My Best Enemy (French), and Side by Side (Portuguese and German).
Although it is uncredited, Irene’s granddaughter Eleanor Columbus, who is Chris Columbus’ daughter, played the young dancer in the movie. Eva Amurrie Martino, Susan Sarandon’s daughter, also took the part of the pilot on Thanksgiving in the movie.
