Jonathan Harris - Early Life

Early Life

The second of three children, Harris was born to a poor family in The Bronx, New York City. His parents were Sam and Jennie Charasuchin, Russian Jewish immigrants who eked out a living in Manhattan's garment district. His family resided in a six-tenant apartment complex. To raise money, his mother took in boarders, some of whom were given Jonathan's bed, forcing Jonathan to sleep on the chairs in the dining room. From the age of 12, he worked as a pharmacy clerk.

While there was little money for luxuries, Jonathan's father took efforts to expand his son's cultural horizons. This included trips to the Yiddish Theatre, where he was encouraged by his father to listen to opera. Young Jonathan was enthralled. He discarded his Bronx accent and began to cultivate more sophisticated English tones. Although he could seldom afford tickets, Broadway plays were also an interest. Before graduation from James Monroe High School in 1931 (at age 16), he had also become interested in archeology, Latin, romantic poetry and, inevitably, Shakespeare. He did not fit amongst his peers (who included classmate Estelle Reiner, mother of future actor/director Rob Reiner) with the exception of his girlfriend, Gertrude Bregman, whom he subsequently married. In 1932, he legally changed his name from "Charasuchin" to "Harris", apparently without informing his parents. That same year, Harris's work at the pharmacy led him to attend nearby Fordham University where he majored in pharmacology. He graduated in 1936 and worked in several drugstores.