List of Croatian Americans

This is a list of notable Croatian 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 Croatian American or must have references showing they are Croatian American and are notable.

Academics

• Ivo Banac - historian and professor at Yale University
• Mladen Bestvina - mathematician
• Jaksa Cvitanic - Professor of Mathematical Finance
• William Feller - mathematician^[1]
• Branko Grünbaum - mathematician
• Henry Suzzallo (1873–1933) - president of the University of Washington
• Victor Wickerhauser - mathematician
• Drazen Prelec - mathematician

Artists

• Mirko Ilic - graphic designer and comics artist from New York
• Ivan Meštrović - Famous Sculptor and Professor at Syracuse and Notre Dame
• Maksimiljan (Makso) Vanka - Painter
• Matthew Yuricich - Academy Award-nominated special effects artist
• Anton Perich - Filmmaker, photographer and video artist in New York

Entertainers

Actors

• Anna Chlumsky - television and movie actress ( mother of Croatian descent Zuncic )
• Jenna Elfman - television and movie actress (of part Croatian descent)
• Cary Elwes - movie actor (maternal grandmother of Croatian-Jewish and Serbian descent)
• Judah Friedlander - actor and comedian (mother of Croatian descent)
• Mira Furlan - television and film actress
• Frank Gorshin - actor and comedian
• Jay Grdina - pornographic film actor, ex-husband of former pornstar Jenna Jameson
• Thomas Horn - child actor (mother is Croatian)
• Michael Klesic - actor^[2]
• Laura La Plante - silent sscreen Actress
• Rade Serbedzija - actor
• John Malkovich - actor (father was of Croatian descent)
• Joe Manganiello - actor (mother of Croatian descent)
• Mark Matkevich - actor
• Ivana Miličević - actress
• Patrick Muldoon - actor (mother is of Croatian descent)
• Lorenzo Music - actor, voice actor, writer, television producer and musician
• Rick Rossovich - actor, father was of Croatian descent^[3]
• Goran Višnjić - actor
• Mia Slavenska - prima ballerina of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet
• Dario Deak - actor

Musicians

• Nenad Bach - recording artist, composer, performer, producer and peace activist
• Tony Butala - co-founder and member of the singing group The Lettermen^[4]
• Katrina Leskanich - singer
• Plavka Lonich - singer
• Michael Matijevic - musician^[5]
• Johnny Mercer - songwriter and singer^[6]
• Helen Merrill - jazz singer
• Tomo Miličević - guitarist for 30 seconds to Mars
• Guy Mitchell - singer & actor
• Krist Novoselic - bassist for Nirvana
• Louis Svečenski - violinist
• Milka Ternina - soprano opera singer with the Metropolitan Opera
• Paul Salamunovich - Award winning chorale conductor
• Jim Korthe (1970-2010) - Singer for 3rd Strike and Dimestore Hoods, Drummer to Phantasm
• Tristan Perich - contemporary composer and sound artist
• Stephen Kovacevich - pianist and conductor
• Zeljko Marasovich - composer of classical and film music
• Zinka Milanov - singer in metropolitan opera

Screenwriters, directors, and producers

• Allan Francovich - film producer and director
• Mike Frankovich - film producer
• Branko Lustig - movie producer, two time Academy Award Winner ^[7]
• Christopher Chulack - Award winning TV producer and director

Inventors and engineers

• Victor Grinich - member of the Traitorous Eight that founded Silicon Valley
• Brian Krzanich - CEO of Intel
• Anthony Francis Lucas - oil explorer, inventor, With Pattillo Higgins he organized the drilling of an oil well near Beaumont, Texas that became known as Spindletop. This led to the widespread exploitation of oil and the start of the petroleum age. - There is even an award named after him
• Anthony Maglica - inventor, owner & founder of Mag Instrument Inc.^[8]
• Jacob Matijevic Ph.D,^[9] - NASA engineer
• Andrija Puharich - medical and parapsychological researcher, medical inventor
• Mario Puratić - inventor of the fishing Puretic power block
• George M. Skurla - aeronautical engineer for the Apollo Program
• Boris Miksic - Cortec Corporation owner and founder

Military personnel

• Paul William Bucha - highly decorated American Vietnam War veteran and recipient of the Medal of Honor (He is currently a foreign policy adviser to Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.)
• Louis Cukela - famous Marine and the recipient of the Medal of Honor
• Leonard Matlovich - Vietnam War veteran and first publicly gay person to appear on TIME Magazine cover
• Michael J. Novosel - World War II veteran, Korean War veteran, Vietnam War veteran - recipient of the Medal Of Honor
• Ron Kovic - Vietnam War veteran and peace activist

Politicians

• Mark Begich - U.S. Senator from Alaska and former Mayor of Anchorage ^[10]
• Nick Begich - Alaska congressman^[11]
• Michael Anthony Bilandic - Illinois politician who served as the mayor of Chicago^[12]
• John Bonacic - New York state senator
• John Kasich - congressman^[7] Ohio Governor (2011- ).
• Dennis Kucinich - former Mayor of Cleveland, US Congressman from Ohio, and 2004 Democratic Presidential candidate^[13]
• Mark Sokolich - mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey
• Mary Matalin - political commentator and former assistant to President George W. Bush
• Tony Peraica - politician of the Republican party
• Rudy Perpich - former Governor of Minnesota as well as Lieutenant Governor & senator ^[14]
• George Radanovich - congressman^[15]

• Rudy Svorinich - politician for the Republican party
• Vincent Thomas - Democratic Party politician from California, the Vincent Thomas Bridge in San Pedro was named after him in 1963
• Peter Tomich - United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
• John J. Tominac - United States Army officer and a recipient of the Medal of Honor
• Michael Antonovich - Los Angeles County Supervisor, 5th District, 9 terms since 1980, former California State Assemblyman for six years, Republican Party
• Michael A. Stepovich - last governor of the Alaska Territory 1957-58, Republican Party
• Andy Vidak - politician

Scientists

• Milislav Demerec - geneticist
• Terry Jonathan Hart - former astronaut
• Hedvig Hricak - radiologist
• Vincent Sarich^[16] - chemist, anthropologist
• Mark Russinovich - Microsoft technical fellow
• Marin Soljacic - Ph.D Professor of Physics, Electrical Engineer at MIT, inventor
• James Spudich - biochemist

Sportspersons

• Mario Ancic – Legal Department of the NBA and a former Croatian professional tennis player once ranked no. 7 in the world
• Gary Beban – 1967 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL player
• Steve Belichick – football player
• Bill Belichick – NFL football head coach (four-time Super Bowl winner)^[17][18]
• Pete Bercich – former NFL player and coach with the Minnesota Vikings; currently the color commentator on KFAN radio
• Nick Burley (Nicholas Barovich) – bare-knuckle boxer, Heavyweight Champion of the Yukon Territory in 1902^[19]
• Jack Carlson – former NHL player
• Jeff Carlson - Former IHL/WHA player, one of the Hanson Brothers in Slapshot
• Steve Carlson - Former NHL player, one of the Hanson Brothers in Slapshot
• Pete Carroll - Super Bowl-winning coach, Seattle Seahawks, former USC football coach
• Tom Cecic - soccer player
• Ann Cindric - All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Fred Couples - golfer (Croatian mother)
• David Diehl - former football player and offensive lineman in the National Football League^[20]
• Bill Fralic - former professional American football offensive guard
• Gary Gabelich - former land speed record holder at 630.388 miles per hour. The record lasted from 1970 to 1983.
• Elvis Grbac - former NFL quarterback
• Bobby Grich - former MLB baseball player
• Mike Golic - former NFL defensive lineman and co-host of ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning
• Tom Haller - former MLB baseball player
• John Havlicek - NBA Hall of Fame, Croatian mother Amanda Turkal (spelt originally Turkalj)
• Frankie Hejduk – US National Soccer Team player and member of the Columbus Crew
• Les Horvath - 1944 Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback
• Marijon Ancich – Football coach in California
• Alvin Joseph Jurisich, former MLB baseball player
• John Jurkovic - former NFL player
• Mike Karakas - NHL hockey player
• David Kopay – first professional athlete (American football) to be out as gay
• Toni Kukoc – former NBA player
• Curtis Leskanic – baseball player^[21]
• Mickey Lolich – Baseball player
• Tony Mandarich – NFL offensive player
• Marv Marinovich – retired American football offensive guard and sports trainer
• Todd Marinovich – former American and Canadian football quarterback
• Dino Mattessich – former Maryland lacrosse coach, current UConn Sr. Assoc. Athletic Director
• Roger Maris – baseball player^[22]
• Kevin McHale – former NBA player
• George Mikan – former NBA player
• Pat Miletich - martial artist^[23]
• Stipe Miocic - mixed martial artist
• Rob Ninkovich - NFL player
• Jim Obradovich - former NFL player
• Mark Pavelich - retired professional ice hockey player, a member of the 1980 Gold Medal winning USA "Miracle on Ice" team at the Winter Olympics
• Erv Palica - former MLB pitcher
• Johnny Pesky - former baseball player and announcer
• Dan Plesac – baseball player^[21]
• Gregg Popovich – NBA coach and five-time NBA champion
• Ante Razov – US soccer player
• Lou Saban – football coach
• Nick Saban – four-time National Champion NCAA football coach^[17][18]
• Vladimir Sabich - skier
• Joe Stydahar - former NFL player
• John Tomac – cyclist, considered the best mountain biker
• Rudy Tomjanovich - basketball player and coach^[24]
• Auggie Vidovich II - driver in the NASCAR Busch Series
• Danny Vranes (Vranješ), professional basketball player (NBA)^[25] NBA All-Defensive Second Team 1985
• Christian Yelich - MLB player
• Fritzie Zivic - "Croat Comet", World boxing champion (welterweight)^[26]
• Mike Zordich - former NFL player
• Chris Zorich - former NFL player
• Bill Vinovich - NFL Official
• John Robic - Kentucky Basketball Assistant Coach
• Scott Boras - Sports agent, specializing in baseball
• Catfish Metkovich - Major League Baseball player

Writers

• Courtney Angela Brkic - anthropologist, short story writer
• Richard Kauzlarich - diplomat, writer, and intelligence analyst^[27]
• Nicholas Kulish - author and journalist
• Josip Marohnić - Published first book of Croatian poetry in America - "Amerikanke"
• Josip Novakovich - writer^[28]
• Jason Smilovic - writer, executive producer

Others

• Blase J. Cupich - Catholic Archbishop of Chicago
• John Owen Dominis - Last Hawaiian Royalty by Marriage to Hawaiian Queen Lydia Kamekaha Kapaaka in 1862
• Mike Grgich - winemaker, 1976 Winner at the Judgement of Paris for the Best White Wine in the world & inducted into the Vintner's Hall of Fame in 2008
• Bill Kurtis - television journalist and producer^[29]
• Michael Lah - cartoonist
• Louis Lucas - winemaker
• Amber Brkich Mariano - reality TV contestant who was the winner of Survivor: All-Stars^[30]
• Capricia Penavic Marshall - worked in the Clinton & Obama White House Administrations
• Zinka Milanov - Metropolitan Opera Coloratura
• Joe "Pegleg" Morgan - high-ranking Mexican Mafia Carnal
• Steve Nelson - Spanish Civil War veteran and Communist Party leader who was jailed in Pittsburgh in the 1950s; birth name Stjepan Mesaros (Croatian of Hungarian extraction)
• Michael J. Novosel - recipient of the Medal of Honor
• Katie Pavlich - journalist
• Kevin Radich - sports reporter
• Bill Rancic - entrepreneur, husband of E! News' Giuliana DePandi
• Gene Rayburn - radio and television personality^[31]
• Teresa Scanlan - Miss America 2011^[32][33]
• Franjo Vlasic - dairyman and founder of Vlasic Pickles
• Vanna White - television personality and co-host of the game show the Wheel of Fortune^[34]
• Edward J. Damich - former Judge and professor

References