Roland von Kurnatowski Sr. was the father of American comedian and podcaster Theo Von. He was born in Nicaragua and was much older than Theo’s mother, Gina Capitani. Roland died in 1996, when Theo was 16 years old.
Theo has spoken about his father many times in podcasts and interviews. He has discussed Roland’s age, personality, their relationship, and his regret that he did not get to know his father better.
Roland von Kurnatowski Sr’s Profile Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Roland Theodor Achilles von Kurnatowski Sr. |
| Known for | Father of Theo Von |
| Reported birth date | November 29, 1910 |
| Conflicting birth year | 1912 |
| Birthplace | Bluefields, Nicaragua |
| Partner | Gina Capitani |
| Children | Theo Von and other children |
| Reported occupation | Associated with mahogany farming |
| Famous connection | Harry Connick Sr. |
| Date of death | August 18, 1996 |
| Place of death | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Age at death | 85 if the reported 1910 birth date is correct |
| Reported cause of death | Cancer |
| Burial | Metairie Cemetery |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
Roland von Kurnatowski Sr.’s Early Life
Roland’s full name was Roland Theodor Achilles von Kurnatowski Sr.
He was reportedly born in Bluefields, Nicaragua.
One source gives his exact birth date as November 29, 1910. Another source lists his birth year as 1912.
The 1910 date is more specific, but the difference between the sources means his birth year should be treated carefully.
He Reportedly Moved to the United States in 1922
Roland von Kurnatowski Sr reportedly spent part of his early life in Nicaragua before moving to the United States.
One account says he moved to the U.S. in 1922.
If his reported November 1910 birthday is correct, he would have been around 11 years old when he moved.
Little reliable information is available about where he first lived after arriving in the United States.
Roland’s Education Is Unknown
There is little reliable information about Roland’s education.
No confirmed school, college or university has been identified in the available material.
Roland Was Associated With Mahogany Farming
Theo Von has described his father as a mahogany farmer.
Reports connect Roland’s mahogany-farming background with Nicaragua.
However, there is a timeline problem. One source says Roland moved from Nicaragua to the United States in 1922, when he would have been a child if the 1910 birth date is correct.
It is therefore safer to say Roland was associated with mahogany farming rather than state exactly when or where he worked as a farmer.
His later profession in the United States is not clearly known.
Roland’s Relationship With Gina Capitani
Roland von Kurnatowski Sr was the father of Theo Von with Gina Capitani.
Gina was reportedly born in 1948.
Roland was almost four decades older than her.
Some secondary sources describe Roland and Gina as married. However, detailed information about their marriage and eventual separation is unclear.
One online account claims they met and married while in high school. That claim does not fit their reported ages and should not be treated as reliable.
How Old Was Roland When Theo Von Was Born?
Theo Von was born on March 19, 1980, in Covington, Louisiana.
If Roland von Kurnatowski Srwas born on November 29, 1910, he was 69 years old when Theo was born. He turned 70 later in 1980.
Some articles simply say Roland was 70 when Theo was born.
Gina was reportedly around 32 at the time.
The large age difference between Theo and his father later became part of Theo’s stories about his childhood.
How Many Children Did Roland Have?
Theo was not Roland’s only child.
However, the supplied sources disagree about the exact number of children in the family.
One account describes Theo as one of four siblings. Another source says Roland von Kurnatowski Sr and Gina had four children but elsewhere says they had three children together.
Because of these conflicting reports, the exact number of Roland’s children cannot be reliably established from the available information.
Theo Von Grew Up in Covington, Louisiana
Theo was raised in Covington, Louisiana.
Roland von Kurnatowski Sr was already an elderly man during Theo’s childhood.
Theo has spoken openly about what it was like to have a father who was much older than the fathers of other children he knew.
Theo Loved His Father but Was Embarrassed by His Age
Theo has said he was very attached to Roland when he was a young child.
As he became older, however, he became more aware of their large age difference.
Theo has admitted that he sometimes felt embarrassed because his father was so old.
He also remembered looking at Roland’s wrinkles and feeling sad about his father’s age.
Roland Had a Companion Known as Miss Maggie
Theo has said that Roland von Kurnatowski Sr had a woman in his life during his later years whom the children called Miss Maggie.
She was reportedly about 20 years younger than Roland.
According to Theo, Miss Maggie helped take care of his father.
The exact nature and timeline of their relationship are not clearly documented. This detail is best understood as Theo’s personal recollection.
Roland Was Friends With Harry Connick Sr.
One interesting detail Theo has shared is Roland’s connection with Harry Connick Sr.
Theo said the two men had a close personal friendship.
Harry Connick Sr. was the father of singer, actor and television personality Harry Connick Jr.
Theo has said that he has never met Harry Connick Jr. but would like to tell him about the connection between their fathers.
Roland von Kurnatowski Sr.’s Death
Roland von Kurnatowski Sr reportedly died on August 18, 1996, in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Theo was 16 years old when his father died.
Roland was reportedly buried at Metairie Cemetery.
How Old Was Roland When He Died?
Some published articles give conflicting ages for Roland von Kurnatowski Sr at the time of his death.
If the reported birth date of November 29, 1910 and death date of August 18, 1996 are correct, Roland was 85 years old when he died.
He would not have turned 86 until November 1996.
Some sources incorrectly list his age at death as 86, while another gives a 1912 birth year and says he was 84.
The exact 1910 date would make 85 the correct age.
What Was Roland von Kurnatowski Sr.’s Cause of Death?
One secondary source reports that Roland von Kurnatowski Sr died of cancer.
The other supplied account confirms his death in 1996 but does not give a cause.
Cancer should therefore be described as his reported cause of death, rather than a fully confirmed fact based on the available information.
Theo Regretted Not Knowing His Father Better
Theo has spoken openly about regrets he had after Roland’s death.
He said he wished he had known his father better.
He has also said that he did not properly honor their relationship while Roland was alive.
His embarrassment about his father’s age became something he viewed differently as an adult.
Theo Has Spoken About Forgiving His Parents
In a 2022 podcast discussion, Theo talked about forgiveness and his relationship with his parents.
He said he believed that forgiveness was the only answer and discussed the importance of letting go of old hurt.
His comments were about his wider family experiences rather than Roland alone.
Family relationships and childhood experiences later became recurring subjects in Theo’s comedy and podcast conversations.
Who Is Theo Von?
Theo Von is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster and actor.
He was born on March 19, 1980, in Covington, Louisiana.
His name is commonly given as Theodor Capitani von Kurnatowski.
Theo became known through television, stand-up comedy and podcasting.
Theo Von’s Career
Theo gained wider recognition through television and comedy.
He appeared on Last Comic Standing and later built a career as a touring stand-up comedian.
He is also known for hosting the podcast This Past Weekend.
His comedy often includes stories about growing up in Louisiana, his family and unusual experiences from his childhood.
Stories about Roland have therefore become one of the ways audiences have learned about Theo’s father.
Roland’s Influence on Theo’s Stories
Roland was not an entertainer, but memories of him have appeared regularly in Theo’s public storytelling.
Theo has discussed:
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Roland’s advanced age
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Their large age difference
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His father’s ability to laugh
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Feeling embarrassed by his father’s age
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Miss Maggie
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Roland’s friendship with Harry Connick Sr.
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Losing his father at 16
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Regretting that he did not know Roland better
Most public information about Roland comes from these memories shared by Theo.
Roland von Kurnatowski Sr.’s Net Worth
Roland’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
There is no verified public information about his income, assets or estate.
Estimates of Theo Von’s wealth should not be used as evidence of Roland’s financial position.
Did Roland von Kurnatowski Sr. Have Social Media?
No.
Roland died in 1996, years before modern platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube became widely available.
There are therefore no known official social media accounts belonging to him.
Facts About Roland von Kurnatowski Sr.
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His full name was Roland Theodor Achilles von Kurnatowski Sr.
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He was Theo Von’s father.
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He was reportedly born in Bluefields, Nicaragua.
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One source gives his birthday as November 29, 1910.
-
Another source lists 1912 as his birth year.
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He reportedly moved to the United States in 1922.
-
He was associated with mahogany farming.
-
His later profession in the United States is unclear.
-
His parents, siblings and education are not reliably documented.
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He had a relationship with Theo’s mother, Gina Capitani.
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Roland was almost four decades older than Gina.
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He was around 69 or 70 when Theo was born in 1980.
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Theo grew up in Covington, Louisiana.
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Theo remembered his father as someone who knew how to laugh.
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Theo has admitted being embarrassed by his father’s age when he was younger.
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Roland reportedly had a companion known as Miss Maggie later in life.
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He was reportedly friends with Harry Connick Sr.
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Roland died on August 18, 1996.
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His reported place of death was New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Theo was 16 when his father died.
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Roland was reportedly buried at Metairie Cemetery.
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Cancer has been reported as his cause of death, but the supplied sources do not fully confirm it.
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Theo later expressed regret about not getting to know his father better.
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Roland’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
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