Bunch of proud Lebs here at AMALID.COM are compiling a list of prominent and famous Americans of Lebanese descent as well as prominent people from around the world who are Lebanese or of Lebanese decent. 

Regards,

Rami E. Cremesti BS, MS

for the AMALID.COM Team

Famous American Musicians/Composers of Lebanese Descent

Paul Anka: was one of America's first pop teen idols. Click here to read blurb.
Sammy Haggar: former lead vocalist for Van Halen.
The Late Frank Zappa: in the world of rock he was a legend.
Dick Dale: he was the 'King of the Surf Guitar.'
Tiffany: the first teenage singer to have her first two singles hit number
one in U.S. Tiffany is also known for her posing for Playboy Magazine. Now 30, a wife, a mom and releasing a new album titled "The Color of Silence."
Paul Jabara: is the oscar winning composer for "Last Dance" from Thank God,
It's Friday.
Shakira: World-renowned rock singer. Born in Columbia of Lebanese descent.
Waleed Howrani: world-renowned musician, concert pianist and composer.
Walid Akl: world-renowned musician - A pianist.
Abdel Rahman El-Bacha: world-renowned musician.
Bechara El-Khoury: world-renowned musician.
Gabriel Yared - Academy Award winner, music score composer for the movie "The English patient". Click here to read Impression Blurb.
Ron AFFIF - born 30th Dec 1965. He has recorded 5 or so albums for the Pablo label. His latest "Solotude" a solo effort. He has appeared in the far east, in the UK, in clubs and International Festivals and has a big following at his Monday night`s residency at the Zinc Bar in New Yorks Lower Manhattin. His mother`s brother is the celebrated guitarist Ron Anthony (Sinatra's guitarist 1985-1993). I notice George Benson descibes him as an Italian , this is understandable as his mother is still alive and "uncle Ron" is his music mentor. Nevertheless the Affif family are from Lebanon. His father Charlie was a middle weight champion fighter.

Contributed by Sarge Younan

Famous American Sports Figures of Lebanese Descent

Doug Flutie: quarterback for the San Diego Chargers football team.
Jeff George: quarterback for the Washington Redskins football team.
John Elway: former quarterback for the Denver Broncos football team.
Fred Maalouf: former quarterback for the St. Louis Cardinals football team.
Abe Gibran: former offensive lineman and coach for the Chicago Bears football team.
Bill George: former Hall of Fame linebacker for the Chicago Bears football team.
Brian Habib: former lineman for the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks football teams.
Fuad Rubeiz: former kicker for the Minnesota Vikings football team.
Joe Lehoud: former leftfielder for the Boston Red Sox baseball team.
Jim Baxis: former second baseman for Cleveland Indians baseball team.
John Jaha: the first baseman for the Oakland A's.
Rony Seikaly: former NBA center for various clubs.
Frank Skaff: former manager for the Detroit Tigers baseball team.
Joe Robbie: former owner of the Miama Dolphins football team.
Fred Saigh: former owner of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.
Kerbawy Family: former owners of the Detroit Lions football team.
Maloof Bros.: owners of the Sacramento Kings basketball team.
Eddie Elias: founded the Bowling Association of America.
Elias Ghanem: head of the Las Vegas Boxing Association.
Pete Sarron: former featherweight boxing champion.
Victor Taweel: former lightweight boxing champion.
Bobby Rahal: won the Indianapolis 500 in auto racing in 1986. Current CART team owner; acted as interim president-CEO of CART until Dec., 2000 but resigned to assume position with Jaguar Formula One team.
Jim Harrick - Head Coach, University of Georgia Bull Dogs. "Georgia's improbable berth in the 2001 NCAA Tournament marked the latest in Jim Harrick's long list of accomplishments as a collegiate head basketball coach." Click here to read his official Bio.

Prominent American Political Figures of Lebanese Descent

Famous American Actors/Actresses/Producers/Models/
Entertainers of Lebanese Descent

Danny Thomas (The Late) - Founder of St. Jude Hospital for Children with the help of ALSAC (American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities) and comedian and star of sit-com, "Make Room For Daddy". Click here to read article about him from the Daily Star.
Omar Sharif: born Michael Shalhoub in Alexandria, Egypt in 1932, to Lebanese parents. Click here for blurb.
Selma Hayek actress in both the small screen (in cable-TV's movie, "The Hunchback," as the gypsy Esmeralda) and the big screen ("Desperado," "Fools Rush In," "Wild Wild West" "Dogma" )
Keanu Reeves (that's right. Keanu was born in Beirut in the 1970's. He is mixture of Hawaiian, Chinese, and American.)
Tony Shalhoub (one of the alien men in Men In Black)
Casey Kasem (Famous Radio Show Host - America's Top 40). Click here to read his article: "Arab Americans Making A Difference". Click here to read bio blurb.
Neil Sedaka - Lebanese American singer
Herbert Khaury - Lebanese-American folk singer known to all of his fans as "Tiny Tim"
Micheal Nader - Actor
Khrystyne Haje - Actress. Best known in her role as Simone Foster in the television series Head of the Class.
Kristy McNicols - Actress. She is best known in her role as Bubby Lawrence on the late 1970s TV show Family. Also she is best known in her as a undercover cop on the TV show Empty Nest.
Jamie Farr - Actor. Farr is best known in his role as Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger in the TV show M*A*S*H.
Amy Yazbeck - Actress. Played in the TV series Wings and played in the movies Problem Child and Robin Hood Men in Tights.
Tom Shidyac (or Shadyac) - Director. Directed such well known movies like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and The Nutty Professor. Son of Richard Shadyac of St. Jude ALSAC (American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities).
Marlo Thomas - Actress and Producer. Daughter of the late actor Danny Thomas. Marlo has won Emmy Awards and is best known for her role in "That Girl".
Tony Thomas - Producer. Son of the late actor Danny Thomas. Has won Emmy Awards for his productions.
John Bowab - He has directed "Soap," "Benson," "Bosom Buddies," "The Facts of Life," and the last season and a half of the "The Cosby Show."
G.E. Smith - He was the former bandleader for many years for NBC TVs "Saturday Night Live."
James Stacy - He played Johnny Madrid Lancer in the popular TV drama "Lancer." Two time Emmy Award Nominee for his roles as 'Ted Peters' in the "Cagney & Lacey" episode 'The Gimp' and as 'Kenny Briggs' in "Just A Little Inconvenience".
Rosalind Elias - The Opera prima donna she hit the high notes at the Met., NY.
Don Bustanty - Created and produced "American Top 40" and "American Country Countdown." And recently added "Casey's Top 40" and "Casey's Country Countdown."
Moustapha Akkad - producer of the epic "The Message: The Story of Islam" (A'rrisalah) - a biography of the Prophet Mohammed, and "Lion of the Desert," as well as all the blockbuster "Halloween chillers.
George S. Dibie - Emmy Award-winning cinematographer-director now president of the International Photographers Guild.
Fouad Said - the cinematographer who designed Cinemobile -- the first customized van for filming on location -- while working on the TV series "I Spy". For this achievement, he received a Technical Academy Award in 1970.
F. Murray Abraham - Oscar winner for Best Actor for the movie "Amadeus".
Michael Nouri - the leading man who starred in the movie Flashdance; later seen in TV's "Love and War" sitcom.
Shannon Elizabeth (Fadal) - Best known for her "American Pie" movie, where she plays the sexy Chzech student. Check out her awesome Flash website: http://www.ShannonElizabeth.com/
Jack Hanna - Popular host of the hit television series, "Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures," is one of America's most beloved naturalists and adventurers. Click here to visit his website. Click here to read his bio.
Salma Hayek - Superstar of Hollywood hits such as "Desperado" with Antonio Banderas and "Fools Rush In". Salma is mixed Lebanese and Mexican.
Michael Tadross - Was the unit production manager for Die Hard III, Devil's Advocate, and many other movies.
Kathy Najimy - actress and activist, "Veronica's Closet", "Sister Act", "Rat Race". She has a website: http://kathynajimy.com/
Elie Samaha - producer and owner of Franchise Pictures; films: Driven, The whole nine yards, The pledge, Battle Field Earth, Heist, Exit Wounds.
Yamila Diaz (Rahi) - gorgeous and famous model. A regular in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for 1999 and 2000. A regular in the most recent Victoria's Secret catalogues. Originally from Argentina born to a Spanish mother, but a Lebanese father. Read her bio on AskMen.com. Click here to see her gorgeous AskMen.com photos. Contributed by Sandy.

Prominent American Professionals/Business Men/Women of Lebanese Descent

George Boutros: Known as "The Fiercest Tech Mergers and Aquisitions Banker In The World." Heads a 70-man Tech M&A team @ Credit Suisse First Boston in San Fransisco. Son of former Lebanese MP Fouad Boutros. Click here to read The Standard article on him. Click here to read March issue Wired Magazine article on him.
Founder/CEO of Kinko's: Paul Orfalea. Member of the American Task Force for Lebanon.
Charles Rozwat - Executive VP of Server Technologies - ORACLE CORPORATION
Jack Nasser: Former President of the Ford Motor Company. Click here for blurb.
Joseph Abboud: World famous designer of men's line of clothing carrying his name "Joseph Abboud". Great pants. I recommend them.
Dr. Ray Irani - a former chemist with dozens of patents became Armand Hammer's successor as Chairman of the Board at Oxy; President and Chief Executive Officer of Occidental Petroleum. AUB Alumnus and Vice Chariman of the American Task Force for Lebanon (ATFL).
Tony Ismail - entrepreneur who founded the largesr retailer of flags store in Dallas The Alamo Flag Company
Sam Maloof - wood-working furniture maker whose quality prices are in high demand; many of his creations are exhibited in museums. Click here to visit his website.
Waleed Ali & Malik Ali - founded MPI, the world's largest home-video distributor of documentaries.
Joseph D. Jamail - Texas lawyer who won the biggest settlement in U.S. history, on behalf of Pennzoil ($10 billion dollars). Listed in The 100 Most Influential Lawyers page of LAW.COM. #189 on Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans.
Dr. Ray Jallow - internationally respected financial expert and economic forecaster
John Mack - president of one of America's largest investment banking firms "Morgan Stanley Group" which later merged with Dean Witter into the world's biggest securities company. Investment banking legend. ex-CEO of Morgan Stanley, now CEO of Credit Suisse First Boston.
The Naify Brothers - founded cable television in the 50s. At one time both brothers owned 60% of United Artist theaters. Father Michael Naify was the former CEO for United Artist Communications.
Mario Kassar - was the former chairman Carolco, the movie company that produced such blockbusters as Rambo, Terminator 2, and Total Recall. At one time he ran a billion-dollar industry.
Joseph Marion Haggar - Manufacturer. He was the founder and former chairman of the country's leading manufacturers of men's clothing. The company name Haggar Corporation.
George A. Hamid, Jr. - Businessman and circus owner. Besides owning circuses and state fairs, Hamid operated the Steel Pier, a large amusement park that featured live entertainers.
Norma Kamali - Fashion designer. Her clothing line OMO Norma Kamali is known throughout the world.
Mansour Farah - manufacturer. He founded a multimillion-dollar menswear manufacturing company called Farah's.
Robert Abboud - former president of the First National Bank of Chicago.
George Shaheen - former president of Anderson Consulting - one of the Top 4 Consulting Firms in America. Resigned and was CEO of Webvan, ex-on-line grocery delivery service.
Joseph Shaker, Jr. - His father founded Shaker Advertising. Today Shaker Advertising is the oldest and most respected Advertising Firm in the Midwest. Their headquarters is in Chicago, IL.
Lucie Salhany - She was the former chairwoman for Fox Broadcasting Co.; and she was also the former chairwoman for United Paramount (TV) Network
The Maloof Family - manufactured Mod-O-Day women's dresses.
The late George Maloof - former owner of the Houston Rockets NBA basketball team.
John Zogby - one of America's preeminent pollsters, keeping tabs on public opinion and other statistics, founder of Zogby International.
Ned Mansour - president of Mattel, Inc. in 1999, Mattel is the maker of Barbie dolls.
Peter J. Tanous - president of Lynx Investment Advisory, the author of 2 books on investment analysis, one of which is "The Wealth Equation," published by New York Institute of Finance, and he is a founder of the American Task Force for Lebanon. (contributed by F. Paul Maloof).
Abdo Sabban - AUB Alumnus. Founder of multi-million dollar real estate co. Treasurer of the AANA. Read DailyStar article on him.
Nader - CEO of HSBC Bank.
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal - Born and Raised in Lebanon. His mother is Lebanese.
Edmond Safra - Owner of Republic Bank of New York and a number of Brazilian Banks - 22th on Forbes Richest
Bob Manikian and brothers - personal brokers to the Prince of Brunei (richest man in the world ) - They are 90th richest on UK TOP 100.
Bryan J. Zwan Ph.D. - Space physics Founded fiber-optic equipment company Digital Lightwave 1990; IPO 1997. #391 on Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans.
Bill Rouhana Jr. - CEO of Winstar www.winstar.com
The Late Dave Thomas - Founder of fast food chain Wendy's. Passed away in January 2002. He was adopted by Lebanese parents.
Michel T. Halbouty - Ellis Island Medal of Honor - Recognized as one of the world's foremost geologists and petroleum engineers and is acclaimed for his scientific expertise. Read American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation articles on him - Click Article 1, 2. Ellias Island Medal of Honor Recipient article.
Richard Edward Rainwater - #127 on Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans. Read more.
Robert Allen Naify - #124 on Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans. Read more.
George Joseph - #317 on Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans. Read more.
Roger Farah - President, Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.; former notable positions: President, Macy's; CEO, Woolworth/Venator.
Fred Maroon (1924-2001) - one of the Washington's most famous photographers, private photographer of the White House for years. Originally from the Lebanese village "Jwar el Howz". Author of many books on photography, winner of many prizes, photographed in many world events. Click here to read Washington Post article on him. Contributed by Rita Ayoub (relative).
Hasib Sabbagh - The financial and spiritual founder of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. A Christian who grew up alongside Muslims and Jews in the 1920's and 1930's near Tiberias, in what was then British Mandatory Palestine. He earned an engineering degree at the American University of Beirut, and went on to form a construction company that, over the next five decades, built highways, houses, harbors, hospitals-and bridges-in many countries of the Middle East. Sabbagh's daughter Sana, funded the construction of the Center's suite in the University's Bunn Intercultural Center.
Leslie George Lewis - Prominent Lawyer/Businessman.  Leslie (Elias) is the son of Anthony and Alice (#1).  Following an early career as a US Diplomat, Leslie joined ARAMCO, lived for 25 years in Saudi Arabia, and retired recently from ARAMCO as Deputy General Counsel.  Leslie lives in Houston, Texas. (contributed by Barbara Lewis).

Prominent American Men/Women of Science/Engineering and Scholars of Lebanese Descent

Famous American Writers/Poets/Artists of Lebanese Descent

Gibran Khalil Gibran: Highly respected poet/thinker. Born and bred in Lebanon. Moved to Boston in later years. His book "The Prophet" has been translated to tens of languages. Has a park built in his honor in downtown Boston where he lived most of the later years of his life. The park is symbolically situated between a library and a church. Click here to read some more about him. The famous JFK speech quote "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" is from Gibran Khalil Gibran.
William Peter Blatty - author. He is best known for his best-selling book and Academy Award-winning screenplay The Exorcist.
Vance Bourjaily - Novelist. He is known for his nonfiction articles about outdoor activities, some of which have been published in collections like his 1997 book Fishing by Mail: An Outdoor Life of a Father and son.
Elie Chaib - Dancer. He has been the youngest and oldest performer with the famous Paul Taylor company. In 1992 he was named the "Dancer of the Year" by the New York Times.
Samuel John Hazo - Poet. In 1993, Pennsylvania named Hazo its first poet laureate, or official state poet.
Fred Saidy - A broadway playwright. He wrote two classics, Finian's Rainbow and Bloomer Girls.
Georgina Rizk - Miss Universe 1971
Emile Kuri - he was the head set decorator for Disney. He has won two Oscars for his set decorations in two films.
Mike Toney - he played 'Fat Sally' in Martin Scorsese's film Casino.
George Durgon - through the years, he managed Jackie Gleason, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Marilyn Monroe.
Steven Naifeh - He won 1990 Pulitzer Prize for his biography "Jackson Pollock: An American Saga".
Amin Maalouf - Journalist and writer. In 1993 he won the Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary award.
Brian Karem - of lebanese descent and nephew to David Karem of Louisville KY has written five books and is a former television correspondent for America's Most Wanted and NBC.
Cindy Mohammad Saleh - Teenage Lebanese-American Poet. Read Article from Daily Star: "Lebanese-American teenager beats the odds to publish and distribute her own work".
Zeina B. Ghandour - Born in Beirut in 1966 and studied at Kent University, specializing in Islamic and Jewish law, wrote "The Honey": a story about contemporary Palestine that revolves around a village muezzin’s daughter, Ruhiya, who breaches one of the deepest taboos of Islam by performing the call to the dawn prayer. Read Articles: 1, 2.
Alixa Naff - writer, historian. Her collection of interviews is housed at the Smithsonian.

Prominent Lebanese-American Military Figures

Colonel James Jabara - of the U.S. Air Force; Korean War hero
Maj. Gen. Fred Safay - WWII Army Officer; fought alongside General Patton
Brig. Gen. Elias Stevens - WWII Army Officer; served on Gen. Eisenhower's staff
Lt. Alfred Naifeh- of Oklahoma - Navy hero; in 1944, one of our Navy ships, the destroyer USS Naifeh was named in his honor
Four-star Gen. George Joulwan - West Point graduate; commanded both the U.S. and NATO forces in Europe

Prominent American-Lebanese Activists / Patrons of the Arts & Humanities

Cindy Lightner - founder of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
Ralph Johns - a key white participant in the civil rights movement in the 1960's; encouraged the famous Woolworth 'sit-in' at a lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina
George Shibley - Los Angeles lawyer; defended unjustly accused Mexican-Americans.
Abdeen Jabara - attorney, civil rights activist, and former president of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committe.
Stephen P. Yokich - union leader. In 1995 he became the eighth president of the sixty-year-old UAW, a labor union officially named the International Union of United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.
Bill Ferris - the chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Deedee Corradini - Former mayor of Salt Lake City for eight years, from 1992 to 2000. She and her family moved to Beirut in 1947 as the child of a missionary father. “When people ask me where I’m from, I say Beirut,” Corradini said. A former ACS student, now an ACS trustee, she plans to work on raising money for the school in the United States. She is an advocate of student exchanges between Lebanon and the US to promote cultural understanding. Click here to read complete Daily Star article on her.

Prominent Lebanese from Around The World

Brian Peter Medawar - Born in Brazil of Lebanese descent. Won the Nobel Laureate in Medicine in 1960 for discovery of acquired immunological tolerance.
Carlos Slim Helou - President of TelMex, Mexico: 20 billion dollar tele-communications tycoon. They say half of mexican businesses are owned by Carlos Slim Helou. The richest man in Mexico, and one of the richest in Latin America (according to Forbes). His Grupo Carso also owns Comp USA and CDnow
Brazilian Parliament: consists of nearly 20% Brazilians of Lebanese decent.
Carlos Ghosn: President of Nissan Motor Company - Read Wall Street Journal Article on him.
Rafik Al-Hariri: Prominent Lebanese business man. World's top richest 40. Founder of the Hariri Foundation that sponsored thousands of Arab and Lebanese college students around the world.
Wajdi Mouawad - one of Canada's most prominent young writers. Won "Best French Fiction" award in 1998, and "Governor's General Award" earlier in 2001. Read DailyStar article on him, Click here.
Emily Nasrallah - Lebanese American Novelist. One of her books "A House Not Her Own: Stories from Beirut".
Platurco Elias Calles - Former Mexican president is supposely partly or half lebanese they called him "El Turco" In Latin America it means a person of Arab ancestry.
Ellias Serrano - Former President of Guatemala is part Lebanese.
Bucaram - Former Ecuador President of lebanese ancestry.
Nicholas Hayek - "Mr. Swatch". Lebanese-born entrepreneur Nicholas Hayek was credited with revamping the Swiss watch-making industry in the 1980s. Click here for bio blurb.
Dr. Marie Bashir - AUstralia - Appointed as Governor of New South Wales, commencing in March 2001. Dr Bashir has a keen interest in music and the arts, as well as social justice issues, including those involving indigenous people. Dr Bashir will be the first woman to be appointed Governor of NSW, and the first person of Australian Arabic background to be Governor of an Australian State. (source: www.aac.org.au).
David Malouf - Australian Author - Born in Brisbane, Queensland in 1934. His father's family came to Australia in the 1880s from Lebanon and his mother's family from London just before World War I. Read Article.
Steve Bracks - The current premier of the state of Victoria in Australia is of Lebanese descent (his family is originally from Zahle).
Elisabeth Fritz - a Lebanese woman married to a Swede . She is a top advocat (lawyer) and got to be Woman of the Year in Sweden 2001.
Fares Fares - Swedish actor and film director of Lebanese origins. He won the prize for best movie at the Swedish Awards with his movie "yalla yalla" year 2000.
Charbel Touma - A football player in the Swedish first league. Contributed by Roni Doumit, Sweden. Roni Doumit, Khaled Wafai, and Ali Malla are candidates for the parliament elections in Sweden 2002.

Elie Saab - internationally renowned NY based fashion designer. Dressed Hale Berry for the 2002 Oscars when she won Best Actress. Visit website.

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Many thanks to those who made and continue to make a contribution, without whose efforts this proud webpage would not have developed into the list that it currently is: