List of Slovak Americans

This is a list of notable Slovak Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Slovak American or must have references showing they are Slovak American and are notable.

List

• Joseph Victor Adamec - bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown.
• Michael Badnarik - software engineer, political figure, and radio talk show host (Slovak grandparents)
• Chuck Bednarik - former professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL. Famous for being the "last of the 60-minute men."
• Štefan Banič - inventor of the military parachute and of the first actually used parachute
• Jim Caviezel - film actor (Slovak grandmother)^[1]
• Eugene Cernan - retired United States Navy officer and a former NASA astronaut involved in the Apollo program (Slovak father)
• John Dopyera - inventor, entrepreneur
• William T. Dzurilla, international attorney and law clerk to Justice Byron White of the United States Supreme Court
• Mike Fincke - NASA astronaut- International Space Station Commander (Slovak grandmother)
• Carolyn Forché - professor, poet, editor, and human rights advocate
• Moritz Fuerst - artist employed with United States Mint in 19th century
• Daniel Carleton Gajdusek (Slovak father)
• John Hardon - priest, author, theologian, community leader
• Thomas Hopko, Orthodox Christian theologian
• John D. Hertz - businessman, thoroughbred racehorse owner, and philanthropist^[2]
• Angelina Jolie - actress, former fashion model and Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency (Slovak grandfather)
• Jack Kralick - former pitcher for Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians.
• Andy Kosco - former player for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers - Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds.
• Johnny Kucab - pitcher for Philadelphia Athletics in 1940s and 1950s.
• Pete Latzo - boxer
• Peter Lorre - actor
• Steve McQueen - actor (Slovak ancestry and McQueen being his adopted name)
• Stan Mikita - professional ice hockey player
• Jozef Murgaš - inventor, architect, botanist, painter, patriot, and Roman Catholic priest. He contributed to wireless telegraphy and help develop mobile communications and wireless transmission of information and human voice.
• Paul Newman - actor and film director, mother was Slovak ^[3][4][5]
• Michael Novak - philosopher, diplomat
• Douglas D. Osheroff - physicist (Slovak grandparents)
• Kelly Pavlik - undefeated WBO/WBC middleweight champion.^[6]
• Jaroslav Pelikan - historian
• Tom Ridge, politician
• Lizabeth Scott - actress, daughter of Slovak immigrants
• Tom Selleck - actor
• Joe Sestak - US Representative, Democrat, Pennsylvania 7th District; retired US Naval vice-admiral
• George Shuba - former outfielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers.^[7]
• Yan Stastny - professional ice hockey player
• Michael Strank - Sergeant of the United States Marine Corps. Sgt. Strank was leader of the group in the famous picture of Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima.
• Robert Urich - actor (Slovak mother, Rusyn father)
• Jesse Ventura - 38th Governor of Minnesota, wrestler, television personality
• Jon Voight - actor (Slovak father)
• Andy Warhol - famous painter (parents were of Slovak descent)

References