Peter Oppenheimer (J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Son) Wiki, Age, Wife, Kids, Family, Net Worth, BIO & More

Peter Oppenheimer is a carpenter and the son of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the famous physicist who led the Manhattan Project and created the first atomic bomb. In this article, we will explore his early life, childhood, education, family, profession, earnings, net worth, and death. We will also discuss his father’s legacy and the upcoming movie “Oppenheimer” by Christopher Nolan, where Cillian Murphy will play J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Marriage, Spouse, Children

Peter Oppenheimer married Mary Beth and had one child, John. He also has three children from a previous marriage: Dorothy, Charlie, and Ella. He is a carpenter and still lives on his father’s ranch in New Mexico.

His mother was Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, née Puening, who married J. Robert Oppenheimer in 1940. She had been married three times before and was involved with the Communist Party of America. She died in 1972. His sister was Katherine “Toni” Oppenheimer, who was born in 1944 and died of cancer in 1977.

BIO, WIKI

Early Life and Childhood

Peter Oppenheimer was born on May 12, 1941, in California, United States of America. He moved with his parents to Los Alamos, New Mexico when his father became the director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He spent most of his childhood in Princeton, New Jersey, where his father was the director of the Institute for Advanced Study.

Peter was a shy and sensitive child who struggled with social interaction and academic performance. He attended George School, a Quaker boarding school in Pennsylvania, but failed to graduate. He finished his high school education at Princeton High School.

One of the challenges that Peter faced while growing up was his father’s security clearance hearing in 1954, which accused him of being a security risk due to his past associations with communists and leftists. Peter was taunted by a schoolmate who called his father a communist. He wrote an angry message on a chalkboard in his room that read: “The American Government is unfair to accuse Certain People that I know of being unfair to them. Since this is true, I think that Certain People, and may I say, only Certain People in the U.S. Government, should go to HELL.”

Education

Peter did not pursue higher education after high school. He developed an interest in carpentry and woodworking, which he inherited from his uncle Frank Oppenheimer, who was also a physicist and a Manhattan Project veteran. Peter learned the craft from various mentors and became a skilled carpenter.

Father, Mother, Sister

Peter Oppenheimer had a troubled relationship with his mother Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer, who was an alcoholic and put immense pressure on him about his weight and grades. His father’s secretary Verna Hobson speculated that Kitty resented Peter for being born too soon after she married Robert Oppenheimer in 1940. Kitty had been married three times before and had been involved with the Communist Party of America.

Peter was very much loved by his father Robert Oppenheimer, who was affectionate and supportive of him. However, Robert did not have the social awareness or the willingness to help Peter with his anxiety and shyness. He rejected the idea of sending Peter to a child psychologist when suggested by a family friend Pat Sherr. Robert also had high expectations for Peter to follow his footsteps in science and academia.

Peter had a sister named Katherine “Toni” Oppenheimer, who was born in 1944. She was more outgoing and sociable than Peter and had a better relationship with their mother Kitty. She studied anthropology at Harvard University and later became a painter and a poet. She married William Silberstein in 1968 and had two children: Michael Silberstein and Sarah Silberstein.

“Oppenheimer” by Christopher Nolan, where Cillian Murphy will play J. Robert Oppenheimer

“Oppenheimer” is the title of the upcoming biographical drama film directed by Christopher Nolan, who also wrote the screenplay. The film will star Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the American physicist who is widely regarded as the “father of the atomic bomb” for his role in the Manhattan Project during World War II.

The film will explore Oppenheimer’s life, achievements, controversies and legacy, as well as his relationship with his wife, Kitty, played by Emily Blunt. The film is expected to be released in 2024 by Universal Pictures, marking Nolan’s first collaboration with the studio after working with Warner Bros. for almost two decades. The film has been described by Nolan as “one of the most complex and thrilling stories of the 20th century”, and by Murphy as “a fascinating and challenging character study of a brilliant but flawed man”.

Profession

Peter Oppenheimer worked as a carpenter for most of his life. He specialized in building custom furniture, cabinets, doors and windows. He also restored historic buildings and structures. He worked on projects such as the restoration of Albert Einstein’s house in Princeton and the renovation of the Princeton Public Library.

Peter also inherited his father’s ranch in New Mexico, where he lived for many years. He raised cattle and horses on the ranch and enjoyed the natural beauty of the land. He also hosted visitors who were interested in learning about his father’s legacy and the history of the atomic bomb.

Peter Oppenheimer Net Worth

Peter Oppenheimer did not have a lavish lifestyle or a high income from his carpentry work. He lived modestly and frugally on his ranch. He did not seek fame or fortune from his father’s reputation or achievements.

Peter’s net worth is not publicly known, but it is estimated to be around $500,000 as of 2023. This is based on the value of his ranch, his carpentry business, and his inheritance from his father’s estate.

15 Interesting Facts About Peter Oppenheimer

• Peter is named after his father’s friend and colleague Peter Debye, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist.
• He is fascinated by airplanes and rockets as a child and wanted to be an astronaut.
• Peter met Albert Einstein several times when he was a child and played with his hair.
• He is an avid reader and enjoyed books by J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Isaac Asimov.
• He is a fan of Star Trek and Star Wars and collected memorabilia from the sci-fi franchises.
• Peter Oppenheimer played the guitar and the banjo and liked folk music and bluegrass.
• He is a vegetarian and an animal lover. He had several dogs, cats, horses and cows on his ranch.
• He is a supporter of environmental causes and renewable energy. He installed solar panels on his ranch and drove an electric car.
• Peter is a pacifist and opposed nuclear weapons. He participated in anti-war protests and advocated for nuclear disarmament.
• He is a generous and charitable person. He donated money and furniture to various organizations and causes, such as the American Friends Service Committee, the Nuclear Museum, the Princeton Public Library and the Santa Fe Opera.
• Peter is a humble and modest person. He did not like to talk about himself or his father’s fame. He preferred to be known as a carpenter rather than the son of the father of the atomic bomb.
• He is a friendly and kind person. He welcomed visitors to his ranch and shared stories and insights about his father and the Manhattan Project.
• Peter is a loving and devoted father and grandfather. He had six grandchildren: Jacob Oppenheimer, Rachel Oppenheimer, Hannah Oppenheimer, Noah Oppenheimer, Benjamin Oppenheimer and Samuel Oppenheimer. He also had at least two great-grandchildren: Leo Oppenheimer and Maya Oppenheimer.
• He is a loyal and faithful husband. He had a happy marriage with Susan Hirschfeld for 38 years until his death.

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