Meet Stephen Colbert siblings and parents: a look at his family background
Stephen Colbert is best known for his wit and political satire on shows like The Colbert Report and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. But beyond the spotlight, Stephen Colbert's siblings and parents have played a significant role in shaping his life and career. Here is a closer look at his ten siblings and parents and how they've influenced his journey.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Stephen Colbert grew up alongside James III, Edward, Mary, William, Margaret, Thomas, John and Elizabeth, Paul and Peter.
- The comedian's parents are Lorna Elizabeth Colbert and James William Colbert Jr.
- Stephen Colbert's father, James William and brothers Paul and Peter, passed away on 11 September 1974 in a plane crash in North Carolina.
- Colbert's mother passed away on 12 June 2013 at the age of 92.
- The TV host lost his brother William George Colbert, Sr. on 14 August 1999 at the age of 49 after he suffered a stroke.
Profile summary
| Real name | Stephen Tyrone Colbert |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 13 May 1964 |
| Age | 60 years (as of April 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Taurus |
| Place of birth | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Current residence | Montclair, New Jersey, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 5'11" |
| Height in centimetres | 180 |
| Weight in pounds | 170 |
| Weight in kilograms | 77 |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Mother | Lorna Elizabeth Colbert |
| Father | James William Colbert Jr. |
| Siblings | 10 |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Evelyn McGee-Colbert |
| Children | 3 |
| School | Porter-Gaud School |
| University | Northwestern University School of Communication |
| Profession | Comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, TV host |
| Net worth | $75 million |
| @stephenathome | |
| @colbertlateshow | |
| X (Twitter) | @StephenAtHome |
Stephen Colbert's siblings: The family behind the comedy icon
Stephen Colbert was born on 13 May 1964 to James William Colbert Jr and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert. The American comedian was the youngest of the couple's 11 children. Learn more about each one of them below.
Source: Getty Images
Colbert's siblings are James III, Edward, Mary, William, Margaret, Thomas, John and Elizabeth, Paul and Peter. Learn more about each one of them.
James William Colbert, III
James William III is the eldest son of James William Colbert Jr and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert. Although not much is known about him, he is an attorney at King Cheng & Miller, LLP. The American attorney was admitted to the State Bar of California on 7 January 1971.
Edward Tuck Colbert
Edward Tuck is Stephen Colbert's older brother, who was born on 20 January 1947. He is the second son of James William Colbert Jr and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert. Like his older brother, James III, he lives a private life.
William George Colbert, Sr.
William Colbert is Stephen's older brother and the fourth born in the family. He was born on 12 May 1950 in Munich, Germany.
William attended and graduated from Churchill High School in Potomac. He then attended College of Charleston in Charleston, S.C., before going to George Mason University law school.
In 1977, William got a job as the deputy chief counsel of the Treasury Department's Bureau of Engraving and Printing. He was married to Susan Kantrowitz, and they had two sons, William Jr. and Ryan. William Colbert, Sr. passed away 14 August 1999 after he suffered a stroke.
Elizabeth Colbert Busch
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Elizabeth Colbert Busch is perhaps the most popular of Stephen Colbert's siblings. She was born on 10 December 1954 as the eighth child to James William Colbert Jr and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert.
Elizabeth is an American politician and economist. She is the Director of Business Development at Clemson University's Restoration Institute. Busch ran for the was South Carolina's 1st congressional district on a Democratic Party in 2013.
Although the politician got support from her famous brother, she lost to Governor Mark Sanford. According to The Guardian, Stephen spoke to CNN's Jake Tapper and had this to say about his sister's candidature.
She's my sister, and I'm willing to, you know, break the jewel of my creation to try to do something for her. I'm not worried about what it would do to me or my show to try to help her as myself, not as my character, and to help her as myself.
Source: Getty Images
Elizabeth Busch is married to Claus Wyman Busch III. She was previously married to Robert Legare and they both had three children: Mary Middleton, Robert Walker, and Catherine Ann Legare.
Paul Joseph Colbert
Paul Joseph was the ninth child of James William Colbert Jr and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert. He was born on 7 September 1956 in Missouri. Paul Colbert passed away alongside his father and brother when the plane they were travelling in crashed on 11 September 1974. He was only 18 years old.
Peter Michael Colbert
Peter Michael Colbert was the tenth child of James William Colbert Jr and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert. He was born on 16 June 1959 in Missouri. Peter was close to his brothers Paul and Stephen Colbert, as they were closer in age. He passed away in a plane crash on 11 September 1974, in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States at age 15.
Stephen Colbert has other siblings whose information is not available, as they lead private lives. These siblings are Mary Colbert Denger, Margaret Colbert Keegan, Thomas Francis Colbert, and John Andrew Colbert.
Stephen Colbert's parents: Meet the people who shaped him
The American writer's parents are James William Colbert Jr and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert. They had 11 children, whom they raised as staunch Catholics. James and Lorna were instrumental in the person Stephen has become. Here is a look at each of them.
Dr. James William Colbert Jr.
Source: UGC
James William Colbert Jr. was born on 15 December 1920 with his twin sister Margaret. His parents were Mary and James William Colbert.
James attended St. Augustine's School in Larchmont, New York for junior high school. He later joined Iona Preparatory in New Rochelle for high school. Colbert attended and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of the Holy Cross in 1942. He later decided to pursue medicine and graduated with an M.D. from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1945.
After completing his internship at Bellevue Hospital, he joined the U.S. Army Medical Corps in 1946. James worked at Yale School of Medicine, St. Louis University School of Medicine, and as the first Vice President at the Medical University of South Carolina.
James Colbert married Lorna Elizabeth Tuck on 26 August 1944. They started a family and had 11 children. James passed away along with two of his sons, Paul and Peter, in a plane crash.
Lorna Elizabeth Colbert
Source: UGC
Lorna Elizabeth was born on 6 November 1920 in Larchmont, Westchester County, New York. She is the daughter of Andrew Edward Tuck and Marie Tuck. Lorna grew up alongside two siblings: brother Andrew Jr and sister Colleen Tuck Tibbetts.
Stephen Colbert's mother was an accomplished American businesswoman, a talented artist, and a church leader. She met and married her childhood sweetheart James William Colbert Jr. and they had 11 kids.
Lorna passed away on 12 June 2013 at age 92. Stephen shared a heartfelt eulogy about his mother's desire for her children to live vibrant lives. He said:
She made a very loving home for us. No fight between siblings could end without hugs and kisses, although hugs never needed a reason in her house. Singing and dancing were encouraged except at the dinner table.
Source: Getty Images
Stephen leaned a lot toward his mother after his dad and brothers died. He stated that he was left alone with his mother, who showed him strength.
I was left alone a lot after Dad and the boys died.... And it was just me and Mom for a long time. And by her example, am I not bitter. By her example. She was not. Broken, yes. Bitter, no.
FAQs
- Who is Stephen Colbert? He is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host.
- Where is Stephen Colbert from? He was born in Washington, D.C. but resides in Montclair, New Jersey, United States.
- Who are Stephen Colbert's parents? The comedian's parents are the late James William Colbert Jr. and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert.
- How many siblings does Stephen Colbert have? The television host has 10 siblings.
- How many brothers does Colbert have? He has seven brothers: James III, Edward, William, Thomas Francis, John Andrew, Peter Michael, and Paul Joseph.
- How many sisters does Stephen Colbert have? The comedian has three sisters: Mary Denger, Margaret Keegan, and Elizabeth Busch.
- What happened to Stephen Colbert's dad and brothers? Stephen Colbert's dad and his two brothers Peter and Paul died in a plane crash in 1974.
Stephen Colbert's siblings are James III, Edward, Mary, William, Margaret, Thomas, John and Elizabeth, Paul and Peter. The comedian's parents, James William Colbert Jr. and Lorna Elizabeth Colbert, passed away, as well as his brothers William, Paul, and Peter.
Legit.ng published an article about Frida Kahlo’s siblings. Frida Kahlo was born on 6 July 1907 to Matilde Calderon y Gonzalez and Guillermo Kahlo. She grew up alongside four siblings, as well as three half-siblings from her father's prior relationship.
Frida Kahlo comes from a big family of seven siblings. Read this post and learn more about each of Frida Kahlo's siblings.
Source: Legit.ng
