 Miskovsky was born on May 11, 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Jaroslav Miskovsky, an immigrant from Czechoslovakia, and Ruth Miskovsky (nee Patera). He grew up during the Great Depression, but his family did not suffer significant economic harm. Miskovsky's father was heavily involved in Chicago politics, and Miskovsky would frequently help him deliver food and clothes to people unable to afford them.
