Here are a few awesome photos of Brooklyn-born celebrities when they were kids. Some are recognizable and some aren’t, but either way get ready to say, “Awwwww”.
Do you recognize these Brooklyn celebrities when they were kids?
Barbra Streisand
Babs once said, “I’m so proud to have been born in Brooklyn”.
She went to Jewish Orthodox Yeshiva, Public School 89 and then Erasmus Hall High. During high school she joined the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club where she sang with Neil Diamond. He recalled, “We were two poor kids in Brooklyn. We hung out in the front of Erasmus High and smoked cigarettes.”
Jimmy Kimmel
The Jimmy Kimmel Live host grew up in the Mill Basin section of Brooklyn. He even keeps a picture of his childhood home at his place in L.A.
“I just like looking at it because it makes me remember living in Brooklyn, which is I think the greatest place to grow-up,”.
Adam Sandler
Funny man Adam Sandler grew up in Bensonhurst until age 6. His Mom was a teacher and his Dad was an electrical engineer. As you know, he went on to star in some of the funniest films of all time including Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer and The Waterboy. He even came back to the Bath Beach section of Brooklyn in 2007 to film I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry with Kevin James.
Priscilla Presley
Priscilla’s Dad was an Air Force officer stationed at Fort Hamilton in Bay Ridge when his wife gave birth to Priscilla at Bay Ridge Hospital. Her family was stationed in Germany when she was a teenager and it was there that she met Elvis Presley in 1959, when she was 14. Coincidentally, the King arrived in Germany after being processed at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. Both Fort Hamilton and the Brooklyn Army Terminal are places you’ll see on our Pizza Tour!
Mel Brooks
The brilliant Mel Brooks grew up at 365 South 3rd Street in Williamsburg. Here’s a great story about one of his homework assignments:
“It was to write down as many signers of the Declaration of Independence as you knew. I knew three. My brother Irving came home and I said, ‘Irving, I only have three. I’m going to fail this test.’ He said, ‘Where do you play ball?’ ‘I play ball on Franklin Avenue.’ He says, ‘There’s one.’ He said, ‘Where do you play roller hockey?’ ‘On Hooper.’ ‘There’s another.’ ‘Where’s the library?’ ‘Hewes.’ ‘Well, there’s another one.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute, I’m beginning to get it.’ I aced that test.”
Anne Hathaway
Actress Anne Hathaway attended Brooklyn Heights Montessori. She even lived in the iconic Clock Tower Building which we drive past on all our tours coming over the Manhattan Bridge into Brooklyn.
Which one did you enjoy the most? Which ones would you like to see? Tell us in the comments section and we just might post a second blog like this!
