Talk:List of famous Lithuanians

This page is about our ultimate leaders - the icons; the movie stars, athletics, politicians, religious figures, singers, writers, and poets. It is a portrait of Lithuanians who offer leadership, insight, solutions, and wisdom. But, first and foremost, we’d like to thank all the heros and heroines who made this list possible by forwarding nominees.

ARTS Actors/Actresses Ed Asner, "Lou Grant", "Mary Tyler Moore Show, "Roots", etc. Jim Backus, Voice of Mr. Magoo; Mr. Howell of "Gilligan's Island", etc. Charles Bronson, "The Great Escape", etc. Ron Ely, Played "Tarzan" in several movies, multiple television roles. Kaz Garas (Gaizutis), Sir John Gielgud, English Stage/Screen Actor Laurence Harvey, "Of Human Bondage" "Manchurian Candidate" "Walk On The Wild Side", etc. Ann Jillian Laurence Harvey George Mikell Tino Grossi

Ruta Lee Joanna Shimkus Jacques Sernas, Ruth Roman, Walter Matthau, "Odd Couple", "Grumpy Old Men", etc. Jack Palance, "City Slickers", "Tango & Cash Art Bernard Berenson, Art Historian Hyman Bloom Mstislaw Dobuzinski, Painter [Russia, Lithuania, and France] Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis Jurgis Juodis, Works exhibited at Kaunas Museum in Lithuania, fought for Lithuania's freedom. Jacques Lipchitz,, Sculptor Jan Matejko Meyer Shapiro, Art Critic Chaim Soutine, Painter [1894-1943] Comedians Jack Benny, Comedian David Brenner, Comedian John Candy, Mother: Lithuanian Alan King, Comedian The Three Stooges: Moe Howard, Shemp Howard, and Curley Howard. Father from Kaunas, Mother from Vilnius Howie Mandel, Comedian Miscellanous Mel Blanc, Voice behind Looney Tunes/Warner Brothers cartoons: Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc. Mother from Vilnius. Brian Epstein, The Beatles' manager. [Grandfather emmigrated from Lithuania] Al Jolson, Singer/Actor Garson Kanin, Hollywood Director Father Algimantas Kezys, S.J., Photographer Jonas Mekas, Noted Film Producer & Critic Jane Pauley, NBC News Commentator John Stroli, Two-time Emmy award winning film editor for Oprah Winfrey Show Paul Wertico, Jazz drummer for Pat Metheny Group; 6 Grammy winning albums. Robert Zemeckis, Hollywood film director "Forrest Gump" Performing Arts Algird Brazis, Metropolitan Opera Star Aaron Copland, Beloved American composer. Father from Siauliai, Mother from Vistytis Vaclovas Daunoras: Opera Singer [Currently at the Met] Jascha Heifitz, Violinist Anna Kaskas, Metropolitan Opera Diva Muza Rubackyte: Renowned pianist Polyna Stoska, Metropolitan Opera Diva Lillian Sukis, Metropolitan Opera Diva Carol Vaness, Metropolitan Opera Diva Arnold Voketaitis, Metropolitan Opera Star Writers Jurgis [Georgi] Baltrushaitis, Lithuanian/Russian poet Algis Budrys, Science Fiction Writer; American-Lithuanian Kristijonas Donelaitis, Author of the classic work, "The Seasons." Marija Alseikaite Gimbutas, Born in Vilnius, Gimbutas authored 20 books including "Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe," "The Language of the Goddess" and "The Civilization of the Goddess". Linda Hall: Canadian Author, [Current Publication: Margaret's Peace] 3rd Generation Lithuanian Osip Mandelstam, Russian Poet; Mother from Vilna/Vilnius. [Father from Riga?]. Adam Mickiewicz, Born in Nowogrodek, Lithuania, Mickiewicz is a renowned patriot and greatest writer in the Polish language. Raimonda Mikatavage, Author/Talk Show Hostess Rod Serling, Writer, Producer of "Night Gallery" Henryk K. Sienkiewicz, Authored all-time international bestseller Quo Vadis?; Awarded Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905.

POLITICS, RELIGION, SCIENCE, AND MISCELLANEOUS

Politics Valdas Adamkus, President of Lithuania (Elected 1998) Sir Leon Brittain, Current European Commissioner (UK member of the Commission).Mat Dunskiss, Michigan State Senator [R] Richard Durbin, Current Illinois US Senator (D) Martin Frost, Current US Representative (D) from Texas' 24th District Sam Gejdenson, Current US Representative (D) from Connecticut's 2nd District Michael Goschka, Michigan State Senator [R] James McGovern, Member of Congress [D-MA] Antanas Mockus: Mayor of Bogota Columbia Benjamen Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel Sir Malcolm Rifkind's, Former Britisth Foreign Secretary Milton Shapp, Former Governor of Pennsylvania John Shimkus, Current US Representative (R) from Illinois' 20th District David J. Shestokas, Former candidate for US Congress, liason for Adamkus. Joe Slovo, Leader of the South African communist party. Howard Wolpe, Former US Representative [D-MI]

Religion Pope John Paul II, Mother: Lithuanian Father D. Augustinas Gallitzin, First Roman Catholic priest fully trained and ordained in US (1795) Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, Retired head of Vatican City and former head of Vatican Bank Archbishop Charles Salatka, Retired archbishop of Oklahoma City Archdiocese Eliyahu Ben Schlomo, AKA: The Vilna Gaon. "Father" of modern Orthodox Judaism

Business Benjamen Bass, Founder of Strand Bookstore, NYC; emigrated from Lithuania in 1927. Arthur Beerman, Founder of Beerman Department Stores Dayton, Ohio Adolphe Bernotas, Labor Union Leader/Journalist Eli Broad, President of Sun Insurance; Forbes 400 Company; parents Lithuanian immigrants Lane Bryant, Women's clothing store founder. Sol Kerzner, Owner of the big Sun City resort empire in South Africa. Sara Lee, Father founded current corporate giant Lee Miglin, Chicago real estate mogul and unfortunate victim of murderer Andrew Cunanan. Anthony Rudis, Founder of Rockwell Engineering Co. (1942) Gregory Zeikus, President, Michigan Biotech Institute.

Miscellaneous Alexander Bruce Bialskis, 1st FBI director (1912-1919) Victor Brenner (Baranauskas), Designed Lincoln penny (1909) Dr. Alexander Carolius Cursius, First secondary school teacher in America (1659) Steponas Darius, Co-pilot of ill-fated Lituanica flight from US to Lithuania (1933). David Frank-Kameniecki, Physicist. Both parents born in Vilna/Vilnius. Best known for his regrets over being the "Father" of Stalin's H-bomb Birute Galdikas: Orangutan specialist/writer. Stasys Girenas, Co-pilot of Ill-fated Lituanica flight from US to Lithuania in 1933Ed Jakubauskas, Former President, Central Michigan University Jurgis Juodis Sister Mary Veronica Klimkevicius, First woman Army nurse Civil War (1861) Tadas Kosciuska, Revolutionary War patroit Simas Kudirka, Russian seaman who defected to US in 1971 Monica Lewinsky, President William Jefferson Clinton's nemesis. Mykolas Norkunas, Founder of the Knights of Lithuania (1913) Jonas Pleksys, USSR submarine captain whose ordeal was made famous in "Hunt for Red October" Andrew Schally, Nobel prize in Medicine, 1977. Born in Wilno/Vilnius [1926]. Susanna Puishis Shallna, First Lithuanian Female Lawyer Jonas Sliupas, Ultra-Liberal Ideologue Helen Suzman Anti-apartheid activist in South Africa. Martin Radtke, Immigrant who willed estate to benefit NY Public Library; plaque in entrance Joseph Weber, Physicist: 'father" of gravity wave detection experiments at The University of Maryland. [Father immigrated from Lithuania.]

SPORTS Baseball Johnny Broaca, Pitcher: Yankees, Indians (1934-1939) Dave Burba, Pitcher: Mariners, Giants, Reds, Indians (1990- Current) Rich Gedman, Catcher: Red Sox, Astros, Cards (1980-1992) Pete Gray, Outfielder (One Arm Outfield)-St. Louis Browns (1945) Bruce Howard, Pitcher: White Sox, Orioles, Senators (1963-1968) Scott Kamieniecki, Pitcher: Baltimore Orioles Pat Kelly, 2nd Base; NY Yankees & St. Louis Cardinals [Lithuanian Mother - Irish? Father] Nellie (Nelson) King, Pitcher: Pirates (1954-1957) Joe Krakauskas, Pitcher: Indians, Senators (1937-1946) Barney McCoskey, Outfielder: Tigers, A's, Reds, Indians (1939-1953) Eddie Miksis, Infielder: Dodgers, Cubs, Orioles, Reds (1944-1958) Johnny Podres, Pitcher: Dodgers, Tigers, Padres (1953-1969) Bill Sudakis, 1st & 3rd Base, Catcher: Dodgers, Mets, Rangers, Yanks, Angels, Indians. Vito Tamulis, Pitcher: Yankees, Browns, Dodgers, Phillies (1934-1945) Frank J. Thomas, Outfielder: Reds, Cubs, Braves, Mets, Phillies (1951-1966) Eddie Waitkus, 1B: Cubs, Phillies, Orioles (1941-1955)

Basketball Rick Barry, Golden State, Hall of fame. Matt Goutkas, Professional Basketball Player - Head Coach Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland Cavaliers, Center (Current) Šarunas Jasikevicius, Univ. of Maryland; Lietuvos Rytas [Statyba], Vilniuš Aneta Kausaites, Key player on the Lithuanian women's basketball team. [Won European basketball championship in 1998.] Jurgita Kausaites, Key player on the Lithuanian women's basketball team. [Won European basketball championship in 1998.] Frank Lubinas, Captain US Olympic basketball team- (1936)Sarunas Marciulonis, Denver Nuggets, Guard Leo Rautins, Philiadelphia 76'ers Arvydas Sabonis, Portland Trail Blazers, Center (Current)

Football Dick Butkus, Middle Linebacker Chicago Bears; NFL Hall of Fame; NFL Coach, TV Star Joe Juravicius, Wide Receiver: Penn State Lions - Giants; WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Current) Bill Lenkaitis, New England Patriots, Offensive Line George Perles, Former football coach: Michigan State University Johnny (Jonaitis) Unitas, Quarterback Baltimore Colts; NFL Hall of Fame

Hockey Sean Burke, Philidelphia Flyers. Mother, Sally [Saule] Simonaitis, born in Lithuania Dainius Zubrus, Philadelphia Flyers, Right Winger (Current) Darius Kasparaitis, Pittsburgh Penguins Defenseman (Current)

Other Sports Hector Adomaitis, Professional soccer player for Cruz Azul, the Top-3 soccer team in Mexico City; born in Argentina of Lithuanian father. Joe Balsis, World's All-Round Pocket Billiard Champion, 1967, U.S. Open Champion, 1968. Bill Burke (Burkauskas), Golf Champion George Chip, Boxing Champion Vitas Gerulaitis, Tennis Champion Johnny Goodman (Gudmanas), Golf, 1933 US Open Champion While An Amateur (1933) Robin Gostautas, Volleyball: Rockhurst College Albina Osipavicius, 100m swimming gold medal (1928 Olympics) Jack (Juozas) Sharkey (Zukauskas), Former heavyweight boxing champion (1932) Terri Zemaitis, Star volleyball player at Penn State