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

The list is ordered by category of human endeavour. Persons with significant contributions in two fields are listed in both of the pertinent categories, to facilitate easy lookup.

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

List

Academics Harold Leroy Enarson - (1919-2006) president of Cleveland State University and Ohio State University Burton Hatlen – (1936–2008) American literary scholar and professor at the University of Maine C. R. Hagen – professor of particle physics at the University of Rochester Hans-Jørgen Holman – (1925–1986) Norwegian-American musicologist and educationalist Robert Haugen – (1942–2013) financial economist and pioneer in the field of quantitative investing Lloyd Hustvedt – (1922–2004) Norwegian-born American professor and scholar of history Jakob Larsen – (1888–1974) American classical scholar David T. Lykken – (1928–2006) behavioral geneticist and professor emeritus of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Paul Nystrom – (1878–1969) professor of marketing at Columbia University Carleton Opgaard – (1929–2014) American college and university administrator and founding president of Vancouver Island University Reidar Fauske Sognnaes – (1911–1984) Dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, founding Dean of the UCLA School of Dentistry and world-renowned scholar in the field of oral pathology

Historians, sociologists and anthropologists Kenneth O. Bjork – (1909–1991) American professor, historian and author Carl Blegen – (1887–1971) American archaeologist famous for his work on the site of Pylos in modern-day Greece and Troy in modern-day Turkey. Theodore C. Blegen – (1891–1969) American historian and author Elise M. Boulding – (1920–2010) Quaker sociologist Norwegian, and author credited as a major contributor to creating the academic discipline of Peace and Conflict Studies Odd S. Lovoll – American author, historian and educator Peter A. Munch – (1908–1984) Norwegian-American sociologist, educator and author Carlton C. Qualey – (1904–1988) American professor, author and historian Gary O. Rollefson – American anthropologist Rick Steves – American author, historian Martin Ulvestad – (1865–1942) American historian and author whose writings focused on Norwegian-American immigration Thorstein Veblen – (1857–1929) American economist and sociologist

Architects Gene Amdahl – Norwegian-born computer architect and hi-tech entrepreneur George Awsumb – Norwegian-born, prominent American architect of 20th century George Bergstrom – American architect most noted for his design work on the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. Frederick William Cappelen – (1857–1921) Norwegian-born architect and civil engineer who held the office of Minneapolis City Engineer George Dahl – (1894–1987) prominent American architect of 20th century. Joachim Goschen Giæver – (1856–1925) Civil engineer involved in the construction of the framework to Statue of Liberty Jon Jerde – American architect Peter Johnsen Henry Orth – (1866–1946) American architectHenry W. Orth (AIA Historical Directory of American Architects)

Entertainment

Actors and actresses

John Aasen – (1890–1938) American silent film actor, one of the tallest actors in history Jean Arthur – (1900–1991) American actress and a major film star of the 1930s and 1940smaternal grandparents were immigrants from Norway Nina Arvesen – American actress of Norwegian extraction, best known for her performances on American soap operas Richard Dean Anderson – American television and film actor, producer and composer James Arness – (1923–2011) American actor, best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon in the television series Gunsmoke, of part Norwegian descent and was brother of actor Peter Graves Dorothy Arnold – (1917–1997) American film actress Roger Awsumb – (1928–2002) American television host "Casey Jones" for the Lunch with Casey children's show. Earl W. Bascom – (1906–1995) cowboy actor, worked with Roy Rogers, grandmother was Norwegian Rowan Blanchard – American actress Alisha Boe – Norwegian-born actress, Norwegian mother and Somalian father. She is known for playing Jessica Davis in the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why. Stan Boreson – "King of Scandinavian Humor" James Cagney – (1899–1986) American actor, first on stage, then in film, grandfather was of Norwegian descent Dana Carvey – American comedian, actor and producer, 7/16ths Norwegian Jennifer Connelly – American film actress, father is of Irish and Norwegian, mother was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent Erika Christensen – American actress, father is of part Norwegian descent Lauren Cohan – American actress Arlene Dahl – American actress and former MGM contract star, mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas Laura Dern – American actress Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Tom Drake – (1918–1982) American actor Josh Duhamel – American actor and former fashion model, of part Norwegian descent Linda Eder – American singer and actress Dana Elcar – (1927–2005) American television and movie character actor Linda Evans – American actress Jimmy Fallon – American television host, comedian, actor, singer, writer, and producer (Norwegian maternal great-grandfather) Bob Fosse – (1927–1987) American actor, dancer, musical theater choreographer, director, screenwriter, film editor and film director Kristine Froseth – American actress and model of full Norwegian descent Peter Graves (actor) – (1926–2010) American film and television actor, of part Norwegian descent Sigrid Gurie – (1911–1969) Norwegian-born motion picture actress from the late 1930s to early 1940s Carmine Giovinazzo – American actor and singer, best known for his role as Detective Danny Messer in CSI: NY. He is of Norwegian and Italian descent Melanie Griffith – American actress, mother is of part Norwegian descent Josh Hartnett – American actor June Havoc – (1912–2010) Canadian-born American actress, dancer, writer, and theater director Tricia Helfer – Canadian American actress Lance Henriksen – American actor and artist, Norwegian father Celeste Holm – (1917–2012) American stage, film, and television actress Jon-Erik Hexum – (1957–1984) American model and actor Dakota Johnson - American actress of Norwegian descent Jean Kasem – actress and widow of Casey Kasem Joey King – American actress Marta Kristen – American actress Lorenzo Lamas – American actor and reality television participant, mother of Norwegian descent Carole Landis – (1919–1948) American film and stage actress Gypsy Rose Lee – (1914–1970) American burlesque entertainer, famous for her striptease act

Lucille Lund – (1913–2002) American film actress of the 1930s. Dawn Lyn – American actress best known for her role in three seasons of the comedy My Three Sons Kristanna Loken – American actress known for her work in both film and television, and as a fashion model, is of half Norwegian and half German descent John Lund – (1911–1992) American film actor who is probably best remembered for his role in the film A Foreign Affair Jena Malone – actress, of part Norwegian descent Kimberly Matula – actress best known for her role as Hope Logan on CBS’s The Bold and the Beautiful Peter MacNicol – American actor (Ally McBeal) Jenny Maxwell – (1941–1981) American film and television actress, probably best remembered for her role in the 1961 Elvis Presley film Blue Hawaii Robert Mitchum – (1917–1997) American film actor, author, composer and singer, of half Norwegian descent Christopher Mitchum – American actor. He is the second son of film star Robert Mitchum and younger brother of actor James Mitchum, father was of half Norwegian descent James Mitchum – American actor and son of Robert Mitchum, father was of half Norwegian descent Marilyn Monroe – (1926–1962) American actress, singer and model, of part Norwegian descent Harry Morgan – (1915–2011) American actor Patricia Morison – American stage and motion picture actress and mezzo-soprano singer Kari Michaelsen – American actress. She is most known by her role as Katie Kanisky on the television sitcom Gimme a Break! Mildred Natwick – (1905–1994) American stage and film actress Barry Nelson – (1917–2007) American actor (James Bond) Nathan Fillion – actor Greta Nissen – (1906–1988) Norwegian-born American film and stage actress. Dagmar Oakland – (1893–1989) American actress Eric Christian Olsen – American actor known for his role in NCIS: Los Angeles, 100% Norwegian Ashley Olsen – actress, producer, fashion designer and businesswoman. Is the twin sister of Mary-Kate Olsen and elder sister of Elizabeth Olsen Mary-Kate Olsen – actress, producer, fashion designer and businesswoman. Is the twin sister of Ashley Olsen and elder sister of Elizabeth Olsen Elizabeth Olsen – actress, younger sister of twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Barbara Payton – American fashion model and actress, parents of Norwegian descent Piper Perabo – American stage, film and television actress, mother is of Norwegian descent Chris Pratt – American Actor of English, German, Swiss-German, French-Canadian and Norwegian descent Priscilla Presley – American actress and businesswoman and ex-wife of musician Elvis Presley, of part Norwegian descent

John Qualen – (1899–1987) Canadian-American character actor of Norwegian heritage who specialized in Scandinavian roles Evan Ross – American actor and musician, father was Norwegian Peter MacNicol - American Actor, part of Norwegian descent Kathryn Leigh Scott – American television and film actress Kevin Sorbo – American actor (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys), of part Norwegian descent Ann Reinking – American actress, dancer, and choreographer Sonia Satra – American actress David Soul – American-British actor and singer, best known for his role as Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the television programme Starsky and Hutch Sally Struthers – American actress and spokeswoman (Gloria Stivic on All in the Family and as Babette on Gilmore Girls) Harry Tenbrook – Norwegian-American actor Max Thieriot – American actor Sophie Thatcher – American actress Justin Torkildsen – American actor, best known for his role on The Bold and the Beautiful Aaron Tveit – theatre, television, and film actor Kirsten Vangsness – American actress (Criminal Minds) Shantel VanSanten – American actress Vicky Vette – pornographic actress and model Robert Wagner – American actor best known for the Hart to Hart TV series Kristen Wiig – American film and television actress, paternal grandfather was of Norwegian descent Michelle Williams – American film and television actress, of part Norwegian descent Rainn Wilson – American actor Renée Zellweger – American actress and producer, mother is Norwegian-born, and of part Norwegian descent

Screenwriters, directors and producers of film John G. Avildsen – American film director Janae Bakken – American television producer and screenwriter best known for her work on the television series Scrubs Kathryn Bigelow – American director Ron Hauge – American television writer Brian Helgeland – American screenwriter, film producer and director Richard Christian Matheson – novelist, screenwriter and producer Richard Matheson (1926–2013) – American author and screenwriter Sarah Cameron Sunde – American theatrical director

Singers and musicians

Liz Anderson – American country music singer Lynn Andersen – American country music singer and equestrian The Andrews Sisters Peter Askim – American composer of modern classical music Sophie Auster – American singer and actress