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My Surprising Family Connection to Hollywood Legend Anthony Perkins – AKA Norman Bates

​Discovering a Hollywood Connection Through Family Genealogy

While researching my ancestry, I was shocked to discover that I’m distantly related to iconic actor Anthony Perkins, best known for his chilling role as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.

The connection came to light while tracing the lineage of my 18th great-grandparents, Thomas Stanley (1st Baron Stanley) and Joan Goushill—who also happen to be Anthony Perkins’ 15th great-grandparents. We descend from different daughters: I come from Katherine Stanley, while Anthony descends from her sister, Margaret Stanley. In genealogical terms, that makes us distant cousins separated by about 15 generations—just 600 years apart!

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A Double Lineage: From the Stanleys to the Mayflower

Anthony Perkins also shares ancestry with another well-known historical figure: John Howland, a passenger on the Mayflower. His son, Captain Joseph Howland, married Elizabeth Southworth, who happens to be my 7th cousin. It’s a fascinating overlap of American colonial history and Hollywood heritage.

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Who Was Anthony Perkins? A Brief Biography

• Born: April 4, 1932, New York City

• Parents: Stage and film actor Osgood Perkins and Janet Esselstyn Rane

• Father’s Death: Osgood Perkins passed away in 1937, when Anthony was just 5 years old

• Died: September 12, 1992 (from HIV-related pneumonia)

Although I never met Anthony, I was familiar with his legendary role in Psycho—a movie that has endured for over six decades and remains a staple of classic horror film history. Psycho, which also starred Janet Leigh (mother of Jamie Lee Curtis), made Norman Bates a household name and turned Anthony Perkins into an unforgettable screen presence.

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Anthony Perkins' Acting Career Highlights

Anthony Perkins began his acting career with the 1953 film The Actress. Though it wasn’t a box office hit, his breakthrough came a year later in the Broadway play Tea and Sympathy (1954), reigniting interest in the young actor.

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Key Films Featuring Anthony Perkins:

• The Tin Star (1957) – Co-starring Henry Fonda, another of my famous cousins

• Green Mansions (1959) – With screen icon and cousin Audrey Hepburn

• Tall Story (1960) – The film debut of Jane Fonda, yet another family connection

• Psycho (1960) – The film that changed horror forever

Anthony appeared in dozens of movies, plays, and television shows throughout his life, but Psycho remained his most iconic role—cementing his place in cinematic history.

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Anthony Perkins' Personal Life & Legacy

While information about his childhood is limited, more is known about Anthony’s adult life. Described as shy and introverted, particularly around women, he reportedly had several relationships with men before entering a relationship with actress Victoria Principal in the early 1970s.

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Marriage and Family:

• Wife: Berinthia “Berry” Berenson, whom he married on August 9, 1973

• Children:

  • Oz Perkins (b. 1974) – Now a film director

  • Elvis Perkins (b. 1976) – Now a musician

Anthony Perkins passed away on September 12, 1992, from complications related to HIV/AIDS. In a heartbreaking twist, his wife Berry Berenson died almost exactly nine years later on September 11, 2001, aboard American Airlines Flight 11, the first plane to strike the World Trade Center.

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Remembering Anthony Perkins: A Horror Icon with a Rich Family Legacy

Anthony Perkins remains a beloved and respected figure in the world of American film and stage, and his portrayal of Norman Bates continues to captivate audiences around the globe. As a distant cousin, I feel a special connection to this talented man who left behind a powerful legacy in cinema, theatre, and pop culture.

He is yet another remarkable figure in the ever-growing Taylor family tree, showing how genealogy can uncover surprising links between family history and Hollywood royalty.