From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of Panamanians who are famous or notable.
[edit] Beauty
[edit] Business
- Charles Patrick Garcia, businessman, author, leader
- Benito A. Sinclair, California Award Winning Structural Engineer
- Cirilo McSween, Ill. businessman, civil rights activist
- Joaquina Escartin Morales, businesswoman, banking and financing
[edit] Entertainment
- Aurelio Paredes, Actor and Director
- Omar Alfanno, Singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer, with great influence on salsa and popular Latin music around the world. Born in Veraguas, Panama.
- Nancy Ames, singer (her great-grandparents were of Panamanian descent)
- Ingrid De Ycaza, singer
- Camilo Azuquita, singer
- Cage9, rock band
- Leroy Gittens Lewis, singer
- Basilio, singer
- Rubén Blades, Salsa music singer, Hollywood actor, former Presidential candidate, Minister of Tourism
- Jordana Brewster, actress
- Mireya Uribe, actress, singer
- Miguel Bosé, actor and singer bon in Panama on April 3, 1956
- Luis Russell, jazz musician and band director, first Panamanian international jazz musician
- Jeff Buckley, singer-songwriter (half-Panamanian)
- Billy Cobham, drummer, Mahavishnu Orchestra
- Melissa De Sousa, actress (The Best Man)
- Candice Michelle model, actress, and WWE Diva (Half-Panamanian)
- Omar F. Moreno, bass-player/singer and Photographer (Band member of -Peso Neto-, -Instinto-, -Panteón-, Sr. Frog's Caimanes Band, and backup musician for many artists.)
- Jaime Murrell, singer
- Jordan & Jonathan Knight (former member of the New Kids on the Block) (half-panamanian) (Panamanian mother & American father)
- Carlos Garnett, jazz saxofonist
- El General, rapper
- Victor "Vitín" Paz, World class jazz and salsa trompetist, Fania All-Stars among many others
- Danilo Pérez, jazz pianist
- Los Rabanes, reggae-rock band
- J. August Richards, Jaime Agusto Richards, actor (Both parents are from Panama)
- Nichole Robinson, model, actress (of Panamanian parents)
- Daphne Rubin-Vega, Broadway actress and singer
- Marc Anthony Thompson, musician, actor, film composer (of Chocolate Genius, Inc.)
[edit] History
- Omar Torrijos, Military Leader of Panama from 1968 to 1981
- Belisario Porras, President
- Victoriano Lorenzo, patriot
- Floyd Britton, leftist, believed to had been murdered during the Black Years of the various panamanian dictatorships.
- Urracá, indigenous cacique
- Bayano, rebel slave
- Norma Mascoll, the first female US Director of Engineering and Housing (DEH).
- Luis Anderson McNeil, former Minister of Labor of the Republic of Panama
- Edward Ashton Gaskin Stuart, educator and labor leader
- Manuel Noriega, Military leader and Dictator of Panama from 1983 to 1989
[edit] Literature
- Ricardo Miró, poet
- Guillermo Sánchez Borbón, writer, columnist
- José Luis Rodríguez Pittí, writer, photographer
- Darío Herrera, writer
- José María Sánchez, writer
- Melanie Taylor, writer
- Gloria Guardia Novelist, Essayist
- Enrique Jaramillo Levi, writer
- Rosa María Britton, writer
[edit] News Media
- José Griñan, News Anchorman, FOX-26, Houston, Texas
[edit] Politics
- Ricardo J. Alfaro President, Diplomat, Linguist, Vice Presidente International Court of Justice (Hague)
- Arnulfo Arias Madrid, President (former: 3 times)
- Harmodio Arias Madrid, President
- Nicolás Ardito Barletta, President, 1984-1985
- Guillermo Endara, President (former)
- Esteban Huertas, independence fighter
- Jorge Illueca diplomat and politician
- Gabriel Lewis Galindo, Ambassador to Washington, Foreign Minister, Canal Treaties negotiator
- Julio E. Linares Treasury Minister (1963-1964)and Foreign Minister (1989-1993)
- Octavio Méndez Pereira, founder, University of Panama
- Manuel Antonio Noriega, Dictator / CIA operative / Prisoner of War held by US
- Ernesto Pérez Balladares, President (former)
- Belisario Porras, President (former: 3 times)
- Rómulo Escobar Bethancourt, Head panamanian negotiator of the Panama Canal Treaty (1977)
- Omar Torrijos Herrera, National Guard and nation's leader
- Martín Torrijos Espino, President (Current)
- Marcus Neilson, Leader of the Underground Political Party, "Great Justice"
- Alfredo Cragwell M, the first descendant of Anglo speaking West Indian elected to the National Assembly of the Republic. His tenure was very productive for the blacks in Panama. He was successful in overturning Law No. 60 of December 27, 1938. That law imposed a tax of fifty thousand balboas (B/50,000.00) on all Lodges, Brotherly and Charity Societies.
[edit] Religion
- José Dimas Cedeño, Archbishop of Panama
- Marcos Gregorio McGrath, Archbishop of Panama (former)
- Fr. Conrado Sanjur, liberation theologian
- Ambrosio Lewis Tulock, the first West Indian descendant consecrated Bishop of the Catholic Church, in the Republic of Panama, specifically in David, Chiriqui.He was consecrated in 1965 by His Holiness Pope Paulo VI.
[edit] Science
- Bernardo Lombardo, nuclear physicist, President, University of Panama (former: 2 times)
- Eloy Gibbs Cousin, medical nuclear physicist, first medical physicist of the Social Security Hospital, first Panamanian in the International Organization of Atomic Energy, Vienna, professor of Quantitive Biology, University of Panama
- Kenneth Bancroft Clark, psychologist, writer from Colon city. Famed for his 1940 experiments using dolls to study children's attitudes about race.
- Camilo A. Alleyne, ginecologist. In 1990 performed the first successfull in Vitro fertilization in Panama. The baby Kicia Karen Smith was born on December 18, 1990.
- Marion Clark de Martin, MD, MSc, FAAM, the first Mycologist in Panama, professor of Medical Microbiology of the University of Panama, consultant of Microbiology for the Social Security Hospital.
- Hazel Monica Loney Hines, the first known Panamanian Cytologist, contracted in 1961 by the Liberian government of West Africa to organize the first Cytology Laboratory in that African State. Hines died on June 21, 1999.
[edit] Sports
- Lloyd LaBeach, first and only Olympic medal holder of Panama.
- Reginald Beckford, sprinter, 100 and 200 meters, first gold medalist of Panama.
- Alfredo Richards Sr., sprinter- Track and Field - Xavier University of Louisiana Standout.
- Roberto Vásquez, world champion boxer
- Rod Carew, hall of fame baseball player - Minnesota Twins, California Angels.
- Héctor Lopez NY Yankees baseball champions
- Rennie Stennett - MLB Baseball Player - Record Holder - Pittsburgh Pirates, S.F. Giants
- Ismael "El Tigre" Laguna world boxing champion
- Rubén Rivera - MLB Baseball Player - New York Yankees, San Diego Padres
- Juan Berenguer - MLB Baseball Player - World Champion - Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves
- Rolando Blackman, Former NBA basketball player, Dallas Mavericks
- Panamá Al Brown, world boxing champion, first Hispanic world champion in history
- Irichelle Durán, female boxer
- Roberto Durán, 4 times world boxing champion and considered as the greatest latinamerican boxer ever. Father of Irichelle Duran
- Santiago Zorrilla, boxer
- Stuart Gray - NBA Player - Indiana Pacers
- Humberto Valentino Robinson, pitcher, first Panamanian to the MLB
- Alfonso Frazier, world champion boxer
- Omar Moreno - MLB Baseball Player - World Champion - Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves
- William Bedford - NBA Player - Detroit Pistons
- Rolando Frazier, BSN basketball player
- Jaime Lloreda - Former NCAA Basketball Player - Louisiana State University Standout. Now plays in Russian basketball league.
- Roberto Kelly, baseball player
- Ben Oglivie - MLB Baseball Player - most HR by a Panamanian in MLB - Milwaukee Brewers.
- Carlos Lee, baseball player
- Jorge Luján, world champion boxer
- Leroy Jackson - NCAA Basketball Player - Oregon State University Standout
- Eusebio Pedroza, world champion boxer
- Einar Díaz - MLB Baseball Player - Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers
- Laffit Pincay Jr., world class jockey
- Cornelio H. Velásquez, world class jockey
- Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees pitcher
- Ramiro Mendoza -NY Yankees, Boston Red Sox -Pitcher
- Ernesto "El Ñato" Marcel world champion boxer
- "Maravilla" Pinder world champion boxer
- Rigoberto Riasco world champion boxer
- Arturo Worrell, sensei, founder of the Panamanian Academy of Karate Shotokan (APKS) the most outstanding academy of Karate in the Republic. In 1989 he was promoted to 5to. Dan by the Japanese Association of Karate.
- Adolfo Ennever, Hanshi founder of Panama's first karate association on the Canal Zone. Founder of the American Federation of Martial Arts, International, with over 23,000 members and growing, and over 16 counrties affiliated. Hanshi, Ennever is a 9th Black Belt.
- Hilario Zapata -world champion boxer
- José Macías - MLB Baseball Player - Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers
- Jaime Penedo goalkeeper
- Felipe Baloy-defender
- Luis Tejada-forward
- Julio César Dely Valdes-forward
- Jorge Dely Valdes-forward
- Orlando Miller - MLB Baseball Player - Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers
- Rommel Fernandez-forward
- René Mendieta-forward
- Carlos Belizaire Bussette as a sports trainer, he forged many local champions including Lloyd La Beach, the only Olympic medalist of Panama.
- Danilo Pinnock- Basketball shooting guard at George Washington University.
- Bruce Chen - MLB Baseball Player - Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves
- Roberto Corbin-forward (First Panamanian to play in Europe, Stoile Espagnole of Switzerland in 1979)
- Luis Ernesto "Cascarita" Tapia-forward (First Panamanian to score a goal in an World Cup Qualification game against Costa Rica on April 4 1976)
- Olmedo Sáenz - MLB Baseball Player - Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics
- Hulk Hogan - Part Panamanian on mother's side
- Oscar Willis Layne - Cyclist during the 1930's, 40's and 50's
- Leonardo Barker (Leo Barker) played for the Cincinnati Bengals was the first Panamanian to Play NFL Football(1984-1991) (Linebacker #53)College - New Mexico St, Drafted - 1984, Rd - 7, Cincinnati Bengals.
- Frank Davis - Second Panamanian NFL player, Detroit Lions, OL G #61, Born in New York, NY USA but moved back to Panama at 3 months of age. Made his first NFL appearance on Oct 1, 2006. (see Leo Barker for 1st Panamanian in NFL)
- Alfredo Richards Jr.- 1993 South American Jr Champion and record holder in 100 meter dash (10.20 seconds) (ran 10.30 in the final)- University of Miami [[4]], Track and Field[[5]]
[edit] Technology
- Julio Escobar Villarué, National Secretary of Science and Technology and well-known Technology Consultant.
- Alex Neuman van der Hans, Technology Consultant, Linux pioneer.
