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Famous Americans of Ukrainian Ancestry

Actors

Natalie Wood

Nick Adams

George Dzundza

David Duchowny

Vera Farmiga

John Hodiak

Dustin Hoffman

Danny Kaye

Mila Kunis

Walter Matthau

Mike Mazurki

Mel Brooks

George Montgomery

Leonard Nimoy

Jack Palance

Sylvester Stallone

Anna Sten

Paul Muni

Milla Jovovich

Olga Kurylenko

Yakov Smirnoff

Zvi Scooler

Bernie Siegel

John Hodiak

Artists and designers

Alexander Archipenko– artist, sculptor

Nudie Cohn– fashion designer/ sequined country western cowboy suits

Paul Himmel- fashion/ documentary photographer

Jacques Hnizdovsky- stylized realist

Bill Tytla- original Disney animator

Jim Steranko- comic book artist/ illustrator

Andy Warhol- artist

Louise Nevelson- sculptor

Boris Aronson- set designer

Valentina Sanina Schlee- haute couture designer to the stars

Arthur “Weegee” Fellig- photographer

David Burlyuk- artist

Peter Hujar- photographer

Engineers and business

Bohdan Bejmuk- aerospace engineer, NASA Constellation, Boeing Space Shuttle, Sea Launch; International Academy of Aeronautics

Martin Cooper– “father of the (handheld) cell phone”

William Dzus– inventor of Dzus turnlock fasteners for aircraft

Igor Sikorsky– helicopter designer and manufacturer, National Medal of Science

Nick Holonyak- inventor of the LED, laser diode, p-n-p-n switch, National Inventors Hall of Fame

Steve Wozniak- co-founder of Apple Inc.

Andrew Kay- invented digital voltmeter, founded Non Linear Systems, President/ CEO of now defunct Kaypro computer manufacturers

Max Levchin– computer scientist, internet entrepreneur; co-founder of PayPal; other tech companies

Jan Koum- founder of WhatsApp

Igor Pasternak- founder and CEO of airship manufacturers Worldwide Aeros and NADATS

Paul Eremenko- technology executive/ innovator, United Technologies Research Center, Airbus Silicon Valley, Google Project Ara, DARPA

Jay Pritzker- founder Hyatt Hotels

O. John Skubiak – President of DeVry University

Harry Winston- businessman, jeweler

Taras Maksimuk- Tech destroyer of YouTube, 5.7 million subscribers.

Daniel Milstein– author, founder and CEO of Gold Star Financial Group

Irwin and Harry Chanin- NYC builders, major construction/ development

Military officers and war heroes

Mykola Bizun, Ivan Lator, Petro Polyn, and Stephen Zubley are some of the Ukrainian names that are listed in George Washington’s Army Register in the American Revolution.


Officers Joseph Krynicky, Ivan Mara, Andrey Ripka, Julius Koblansky, Petro Semen, and I. H. Yarosh served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Brig General John Basil Turchyn- Civil War, Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge

Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper– Captain, USN and NASA Astronaut

Bruce E. Melnick- Commander, USCG and NASA Astronaut

Michael Strank- World War II, flag raiser at Iwo Jima

Jeremy M. Boorda- US Admiral, Chief of Naval Operations

Bohdan Danyliw – US Brigadier General, Air Force Systems Command

Orest L. Kohut – Brigadier General US Air Force

Leonid Kondratiuk – Brigadier General in the Massachusetts 26th National Guard (WWI)

Walter A. Kostecki M.D. – US Army Medical Corps Major; World War II POW, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts and two Army Commendation Medals

Nicholas S. H. Krawciw– US Army Major General

William Lukash M.D. – Rear Admiral and Physician in Naval Medical Corps; White House Physician for four sitting Presidents, from Lyndon B. Johnson to Jimmy Carter

Stephen M. Mellnik – US Army Brigadier General; World War II POW

Nicholas Minue- World War II Medal of Honor

Nicholas Oresko- World War II Medal of Honor

Russ Zajtchuk, MD – Major General, US Army Medical Corp

Musicians

Irving Berlin- composer

Vladimir Horowitz- pianist

Leonard Bernstein-composer, conductor

Barbara Streisand- singer, songwriter, actress, filmmaker

Michael Bolton- pop rock ballad singer, songwriter

Ivan Doroschuk- lead vocalist, founding member of Men Without Hats

Bob Dylan– singer-songwriter, poet (paternal grandparents)

Bill Evans- jazz musician, pianist and composer

Stan Getz- saxophonist, composer

Herbie Mann- flute, sax, bass clarinet, composer, recording exec

G-Eazy- songwriter, rapper

Eugene Hütz– musician, actor; lead singer of Gogol Bordello

Lenny Kravitz– singer, instrumentalist

Matys Brothers- rockabilly musical act

Peter Ostroushko- violinist, mandolinist

Wally Palmar– founder, musician,The Romantics

Andy Babiuk- founder, bassist, Chesterfield Kings

Peter Zaremba- singer, Fleshtones

Melanie Safka- folk singer, performed at Woodstock

Steven Tyler– singer-songwriter, Aerosmith (maternal lineage)

Peter Yarrow- composer, guitar and vocal, Peter, Paul and Mary

Phil Spitalny- composer, bandleader all-female orchestra

Leo Ornstein- pianist, composer, teacher of John Coltrane and Jimmy Smith

Isaac Stern- violinist, Grammy Award, Kennedy Center Honors

Public Figures

Gary Johnson- former Governor of New Mexico, candidate for US President 2016 (maternal grandparents)

Ed Koch, Mayor, New York City

Bud Selig- Major League Baseball commissioner

Historical Figures

Samuel Adams (Samyilo Adamovich) – founding father of American Republic and signatory to Declaration of Independence

Lavrenty Bohun- doctor who accompanied Capt. John Smith to Jamestown VA in 1609

Rev. Agapius Honcharenko- founder/ publisher Alaska Herald newspaper (1868)  in San Francisco, driving force behind Secretary Seward’s purchase of Alaska from Tsar of Moscow.

Nikolai Sudzilovsky (Rusel)- doctor who organized Hawaiian Medical Society and in 1901 elected to Hawaiian Senate

Abraham Zapruder- filmed JFK assassination on home movie camera

Sports figures

Baseball

Nestor Chylak– umpire; National Baseball Hall of Fame

Ed Vargo- umpire, World Series and All Stars

Bill Cristall- pitcher, Cleveland, 1901

Harry Fanok- relief pitcher, St Louis Cardinals, 1963-4

Paul Konerko- LA Dodgers, Reds, White Sox captain

Charlie Metro- Tigers and Phila A’s 1940’s; manager

Evan Longoria- third base; Tampa Bay Rays (maternal lineage)

Richie Scheinblum- All Star outfielder, MVP American League 1971

Andy Seminick- All Star, 1949, Phillies, Reds

Art Shamsky- outfield, Reds, Oakland A’s Cubs, Mets; Israel Baseball League manager

Phil Weintraub (1907–1987) – first base & outfield, NY Giants, Phillies, Reds

Basketball

Flip Saunders– Detroit Pistons head coach, Timberwolves, Wizards

Wally Szczerbiak– Timberwolves, Celtics, Sonics, Cavs

Football

Wayne Chrebet– wide receiver, Jets

Mike Ditka– tight end, coach; Hall of Fame, Super Bowl

Charles “Buckets” Goldenberg, All-Pro, Packers (1933-45), pro wrestler

Sloko Gill- Lions, 1942

Arnold Horween- back and center, Racine/ Chicago Cardinals, 1920’s; Harvard coach

Ralph Horween- All American Harvard Crimsons 1920’s, Racine/ Chicago Cardinals

Mike Kostiuk- tackle, Cleveland Rams, Lions, Buffalo Bisons 1940’s

Bronko Nagurski–  Bears; All Pro, Football Hall of Fame, Wrestling Hall of Fame

Igor Olshansky– defensive end, Chargers, Cowboys, Dolphins

Steve Romanik- quarterback, Bears, Cardinals

Hockey

Wayne Gretzky– center; “The Great One”, Oilers, Kings, Blues, Rangers; US-CA dual citizen

Keith Tkachuk- left wing, Jets, Coyotes, Blues, Thrashers, scored over 1,000 pts. lifetime

Johnny Bucyk- All Star, Stanley Cup; Red Wings, Bruins

Vic Stasiuk- left wing; Blackhawks, Red Wings, Bruins

Terry Sawchuk- goaltender, All Star, Stanley Cup, Hall of Fame; Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Bruins, Kings, Rangers

Bill Mosienko- right wing, Black Hawks, All Star, Hall of Fame, hat trick in 21 seconds.

Ruslan Fedotenko– left wing, Stanley Cup, Flyers, Lightning, Islanders, Penguins, Rangers

Steve Konowalchuk- left wing, Capitals, Avalanche

Jakob Chychrun- defense, Arizona Coyotes

Bob Kudelski-  center, Kings, Senators, Panthers

Soccer

brothers Gene and Walt Chyzowych- US National Soccer Team coaches, members National Soccer Coaches Association of America’s Hall of Fame

Dima Kovalenko– MLS Conference Championship

Eugene Starikov- NY Cosmos, Indy Eleven

Golf

Jim Furyk- 2003 US Open

Matt Kuchar- PGA Tour

Steve Melnyk- US and British Amateur

Mike Souchak- PGA Tour and Ryder Cup

Figure Skating

Sasha Cohen– Olympic silver medalist figure skater

Boxing

Stephen Halaiko- 1928 Olympics silver medal, lightweight, 74-35-11 with 22 KO’s

Kid Kaplan– World Featherweight Champion 1925, 108-22-13 with 28 KO’s

Chuck Wepner- Heavyweight, “The Real Rocky”, “The Bayonne Bleeder”

Dmitry Salita– Welterweight, “Star of David”, 38-35-2

Terry Liskevych- US Olympics Womens Volleyball coach, bronze, 1992

Lenny Krayzelburg- backstroke Olympic swimmer 2000 & 2004, world record holder, 4 gold medals

George Varoff- pole vaulter,  AAU World Record holder

Scientists & Scholars

Arthur F. Burns- economist, Federal Reserve Chairman, Ambassador to West Germany, Chairman of Council of   Economic Advisors

Ludwig von Mises- non interventionist economist, professor, Mont Pelerin Society founder

Gabriel Almond- professor of political science; founder Princeton University’s Center of International Studies

Alexei Filippenko– astrophysicist, University of California, Berkeley; developed Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope; 2006 US Professor of the Year Award; member National Academy of Sciences in 2009; frequently featured on the History Channel series The Universe

Konstantin Frank– viticulturist and winemaker, developed thriving viticulture/ wine industry of  NYS.

Milton Friedman- economist, Nobel Prize in Economics, sequential sampling

George Gamow– astrophysicist, cosmologist, theoretical physicist, children’s author, first suggested hydrogen fusion as source of solar energy

George Kistiakowsky- physical chemistry professor, member of Manhattan Project, National Medal of Sciences, U.S. President’s Medal of Merit

Jane Lubchenco – environmental scientist/ marine ecologist, head of NOAA

Simon Kuznets- Nobel prize in economics, modern economic development

Greg Mankiw – macroeconomist; Chairman/ Professor of Economics at Harvard University; New Keynesian economics, chairman 2003-2005 of the Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush;

Dr Albert Bandura- social cognitive theory psychologist

Zelman Waxman- Nobel Prize in physiology/ medicine (antibiotics), also antifouling paints for Navy, enzymes in laundry detergents

Lyubomyr Romankiw- IBM scientist, engineer, invented magnetic data recording heads computer breakthrough

Michael I. Yarymovych – Chief Scientist of the US Air Force and NASA Scientist

Arnold Zellner– economist; statistician; founder, International Society of Bayesian Analysis

Wilhelm Reich- psychoanalyst

Noam Chomsky- linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist

Writers and journalists

Mike Royko- Chicago based columnist, humorist, journalist, Pulitzer Prize

Henry Roth- novelist, short story writer, Call It Sleep

Jerry Cooke- photojournalist, founding member American Society of Media Photographers

Steve Ditko– comic book writer, co-creator of Marvel’s Spider Man and Dr Strange, created Mr. A.

Richard Ellmann- literary critic, biographer, National Book Award for Non Fiction

Adrian Holovaty- journalist, crime mapping programmer

Olena Kalytiak Davis- awarded poet, lawyer

Dzvinia Orlowsky- noted poet, translator, professor

Chuck Palahniuk–transgressive fiction novelist, journalist, essayist, “Fight Club”, “Lullaby”

Anna Politkovskaya- investigative journalist, writer, human rights activist, assassinated by Kremlin

Michael Smerconish– radio and TV presenter, CNN host, newspaper columnist, lawyer

Neale Donald Walsch– author “Conversations with God”

Michael Pocalyko- novelist, investment banker

Philip Roth- novelist, short story writer, National Book award, Pulitzer Prize

Norman Podhoretz- writer for Commentary, Hudson Institute

Hollywood

David O. Selznick- producer, screenwriter, film studio exec, “Gone with the Wind” Oscar

Steven Spielberg- director, producer and screenwriter, multiple awards throughout world

Stanley Kubrick- director, Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, 2001 Space Odyssey, The Shining, Spartacus, Dr. Strangelove, Lolita, The Killing, Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut, Paths of Glory

Otto Preminger- theater and film director

Billy Wilder- producer, director, screenwriter, Some Like It Hot, The Seven Year Itch, The Apartment

Norman Lear- TV producer; All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, Good Times, Maude, Mary Hartman, One Day at a Time

Paul Mazursky- comedic writer/ director

Louis B. Mayer- Hollywood studio head

Bud Barsky- early independent film producer

Edward Dmytryk- film director, “The Caine Mutiny”

Andrij Parekh- cinematographer

Alex Trebek- Jeopardy game show host

Boris Sagal- film director; The Omega Man, Rich Man Poor Man

Louis Sobol- producer, actor, Broadway columnist

David Victor- TV producer, writer; Marcus Welby MD, Gunsmoke, Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Theater and Performance

Lee Strasberg- actor, director, theater practitioner

David Copperfield- illusionist / magician

Vasyl Avramenko– dancer, balletmaster/choreographer, film producer, director

Maurice Schwartz- Yiddish Art Theater, NY

Sol Hurok- impresario

Bill Mazer- sportscaster


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