The following is a list of notable people who were born in the U.S. state of North Dakota, live (or lived) in North Dakota, or for whom North Dakota is (or was) a significant part of their identity.

A–F

Fred G. Aandahl Fred George Aandahl (April 9, 1897 – April 7, 1966) was an American Republican politician from North Dakota. He served as the 23rd Governor of North Dakota from 1945 to 1951 and as a U.S. Representative from 1951 to 1953. Biography Aandahl w ...

(1897–1966) – Governor of North Dakota 1945–51; born in Barnes County *

James A. Abrahamson James Alan Abrahamson (born May 19, 1933) is a retired U.S. Air Force general who served as a designated astronaut, associate director of NASA and former director of President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative from 1984 until 1989. H ...

(born 1933) – astronaut, Associate Director of NASA; born in Williston * Mark Andrews (1926–2020) – U.S. Senator 1981–87; born in Cass County *

Reese Andy Reese Paul Andy (born March 31, 1973) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 2005 until 2008, he fought in the UFC and was a member of the Seattle Tiger Sharks in the IFL. Background Andy grew up in a family of four bro ...

(born 1973) – mixed martial artist; born in

Minot Minot ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ward County, North Dakota, Ward County, North Dakota, United States, in the state's north-central region. It is most widely known for the Minot Air Force Base, Air Force base approximately north of ...

Jennifer Baumgardner Jennifer Baumgardner (born 1970) is a writer, activist, filmmaker, and lecturer whose work explores abortion, sex, bisexuality, rape, single parenthood, and women's power. From 2013 to 2017, she served as the Executive Director/Publisher at The Fem ...

(born 1970) – journalist and author; born in

Fargo Fargo usually refers to: * Fargo, North Dakota, United States * ''Fargo'' (1996 film), a crime film by the Coen brothers * ''Fargo'' (TV series), an American black comedy–crime drama anthology television series Fargo may also refer to: Othe ...

Carmen Berg __NOTOC__ The following is a list of Playboy Playmates of 1987. ''Playboy'' magazine names its Playmate of the Month each month throughout the year. January Luann Laureen Lee (born January 28, 1961) is an American model, singer and actress. Lua ...

(born 1963) – model and actress, 1987 ''Playboy'' Playmate; born in Bismarck * Leslie Bibb (born 1974) – actress, ''

Talladega Nights ''Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby'' is a 2006 American sports comedy film directed by Adam McKay who co-wrote the film with Will Ferrell. It features Ferrell as the titular Ricky Bobby, an immature yet successful NASCAR driver. The f ...

'', ''

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The charact ...

'', '' Popular''; born in Bismarck * Elizabeth Bodine (1898–1986) – humanitarian; North Dakota Mother of the Year in 1968 * Brooks Bollinger (born 1979) – NFL quarterback (New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings); born and raised in

Grand Forks Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city o ...

* Marcus Borg – theologian *

Jeff Boschee Jeffrey Allen Boschee (; born on December 21, 1979) is an American former basketball player and current coach. He currently serves as head coach of the men's team at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. He was formerly the head coach ...

(born 1979) – University of Kansas basketball player (1998–2002); born in Valley City *

Paula Broadwell Paula Dean Broadwell (née Kranz; born November 9, 1972) is an American writer, academic and former military officer. Broadwell served in the US Army on both active and reserve duty for over 20 years, including time as a military school undergrad ...

Barney, Madison (January 30, 2012)
"Bismarck Native Profiles Gen. David Petraeus in New Book"
''

Bismarck Tribune ''The Bismarck Tribune'' is a daily newspaper with a weekly audience of 82,000 unique readers, printed daily in Bismarck, North Dakota. Owned by Lee Enterprises, it is the only daily newspaper for south-central and southwest North Dakota. Histo ...

''. (born 1972) – bestselling author; extramarital partner of David Petraeus; born in Bismarck * Tom Brosseau – singer-songwriter and guitarist; born and raised in

Dale Brown Dale Brown (born 2 November 1956) is an American writer and aviator known for aviation techno-thriller novels. At least thirteen of his novels have been ''New York Times'' Best Sellers. Early life Brown was born in Buffalo, New York, and w ...

(born 1935) – college basketball coach; born in

* Virginia Bruce (1910–1982) – singer and actress, ''

Born to Dance ''Born to Dance'' is an American musical film starring Eleanor Powell and James Stewart, directed by Roy Del Ruth and released in 1936 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The score was composed by Cole Porter. Plot summary While on leave, sailor Ted Bar ...

'', '' The Great Ziegfeld''; raised in

Norman Brunsdale Clarence Norman Brunsdale (July 9, 1891January 27, 1978) was an American politician who served as the 24th Governor of North Dakota and a United States senator from the state of North Dakota. Biography Clarence Norman Brunsdale was born in Sher ...

(1891–1978) – Governor 1951–57 and U.S. Senator; born in Steele County * James Buchli (born 1945) – astronaut; born in New Rockford * Quentin Burdick (1908–1992) – U.S. Senator; born in Munich * Sam Childers (born 1962) – former gang biker; founder, Angels of East located in

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

; born in

* Warren Christopher (1925–2011) – lawyer, U.S. Secretary of State 1993–97; born in Scranton *

Alf Clausen Alf Heiberg Clausen (born March 28, 1941) is an American film and television composer. He is best known for his work scoring many episodes of ''The Simpsons'', for which he was the sole composer between 1990 and 2017. Clausen has scored or orc ...

(born 1941) – television and film orchestrater; grew up in Jamestown *

Amanda Clement Amanda E. Clement (March 20, 1888 – July 20, 1971) was an American baseball umpire who was the first woman paid to referee a game, and may have also been the first woman to referee a high school basketball game. Clement served as an umpire on ...

(1888–1971) – first female professional baseball umpire; born in

Hudson Hudson may refer to: People * Hudson (given name) * Hudson (surname) * Henry Hudson, English explorer * Hudson (footballer, born 1986), Hudson Fernando Tobias de Carvalho, Brazilian football right-back * Hudson (footballer, born 1988), Hudso ...

* Kent Conrad (born 1948) – U.S. Senator 1992–2013; born in Bismarck *

Chris Coste Christopher Robert Coste (born February 4, 1973), is an American author and former professional baseball catcher, who first played in Major League Baseball (MLB) at age 33, after twelve seasons of independent and minor league baseball. He was an a ...

(born 1973) – Major League Baseball player; born in

Ronnie Cramer Richard Ron Cramer (May 5, 1957 – June 29, 2021) was an American film producer, film director, screenwriter, artist and composer. Born in Bismarck, North Dakota, Cramer lived and work in Denver, Colorado. During the 1980s he produced wat ...

(1957-2021) – artist and film director; born in Bismarck * Angie Dickinson (born 1931) –

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

and

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

award-winning actress, ''

Rio Bravo Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

'', ''

Police Woman The integration of women into law enforcement positions can be considered a large social change. A century ago, there were few jobs open to women in law enforcement. A small number of women worked as correctional officers, and their assignment ...

'', '' Dressed to Kill''; born in Kulm * Byron Dorgan (born 1942) – U.S. Senator 1992–2011; born in Dickinson * Josh Duhamel (born 1972) – actor, '' Las Vegas'', '' Transformers''; born in

James M. Edie James M. Edie (November 3, 1927 – February 21, 1998) was an American philosopher. Life and career Edie was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He studied at Saint John’s University in Minnesota and at the Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm ...

(1927–1998) – philosopher; born in

Richard Edlund Richard Edlund, (born December 6, 1940) is an American visual effects artist and inventor. He was a founding member of Industrial Light & Magic, having already founded Pignose amplifiers, and later co-founded Boss Film Studios and DuMonde VFX. H ...

(born 1940) – Academy Award-winning cinematographer, ''

Raiders of the Lost Ark ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman. It stars Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronal ...

'', original ''

Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...

'' trilogy; born in

Carl Ben Eielson Carl Benjamin "Ben" Eielson (July 20, 1897 – November 9, 1929) was an American aviator, bush pilot and explorer. Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska is named in his honor. In 1997 Carl Ben Eielson was inducted into the North Dakota Aviation Ha ...

– aviator; born in Hatton * Anthony W. England (born 1942) – NASA astronaut; raised in

West Fargo West Fargo is a city in Cass County, North Dakota, United States. It is, as of the 2020 census, the fifth largest city in the state of North Dakota with a population of 38,626, and it is one of the state's fastest growing cities. West Fargo wa ...

* CariDee English (born 1984) – winner, cycle 7 of '' America's Next Top Model''; host, television show ''Pretty Wicked''; born in

Ron Erhardt Ronald Peter Erhardt (February 27, 1931 – March 21, 2012) was an American football coach at both the collegiate and professional levels. From 1979 to 1981 he served as head coach of the National Football League's New England Patriots. Early l ...

(1931–2012) – college and

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

football coach; born in Mandan * Darin Erstad (born 1974) – MLB baseball player (Anaheim Angels, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros); born in Jamestown *

Joe Clifford Faust Joe Clifford Faust (born 1957) is an American author best known for his seven science fiction novels primarily written during the 1980s and 1990s, including '' A Death of Honor'', '' The Company Man'', the '' Angel's Luck'' Trilogy (all publishe ...

(born 1957) – author; born in Williston *

Marneen Fields Marneen Lynne Fields is an actress, musician, and former stuntwoman. She has appeared in over 150 movies and TV episodes as an actress, stuntwoman, or both. She has been noted as one of the prominent stuntwomen of the 1970s and 1980s. Due to he ...

(born 1955) – actress, pop singer, composer, stuntwoman; born in

Michael Forest Gerald Michael Charlebois (born April 17, 1929), better known as Michael Forest, is an American actor who provides the voices for many animated titles. Early life Born in Harvey, North Dakota, he moved with his family at a very early age to Se ...

(born 1929) – actor, voice actor; born in Harvey * Hans Andersen Foss – editor; born in Norway; moved to

Sally Fraser Sally Fraser (December 12, 1932 – January 13, 2019) was an American actress who appeared on television and in numerous films. She became best known for appearing in low-budget science fiction films of the 1950s. Biography Spotted after singin ...

(1932–2019) – actress; born in Williston *

Lynn Frazier Lynn Joseph Frazier (December 21, 1874January 11, 1947) was an American educator and politician who served as the 12th Governor of North Dakota from 1917 until being recalled in 1921 and later served as a U.S. Senator from North Dakota from 192 ...

(1874–1947) – Governor 1913–21 and U.S. Senator 1923–41; raised in

Grafton Grafton may refer to: Places Australia * Grafton, New South Wales Canada * Grafton, New Brunswick * Grafton, Nova Scotia * Grafton, Ontario England * Grafton, Cheshire * Grafton, Herefordshire *Grafton, North Yorkshire * Grafton, Oxfordshi ...

Phyllis Frelich Phyllis Annetta Frelich (February 29, 1944 – April 10, 2014) was a Tony Award-winning deaf American actress. She was the first deaf actor or actress to win a Tony Award. Early life Frelich was born to deaf parents Esther (née Dockter) and Ph ...

(1944–2014)– actress; born in Devils Lake

G–K

Wiz Khalifa Stavernfestivalen 2018 (231822)

William H. Gass William Howard Gass (July 30, 1924 – December 6, 2017) was an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, critic, and philosophy professor. He wrote three novels, three collections of short stories, a collection of novellas, and seven vol ...

(1924–2017) – writer; born in

James Getzlaff ''Boy Meets Boy'' is an American reality television series broadcast by Bravo. The show premiered on July 29, 2003, while its sixth and final episode aired on September 2, 2003. Filmed in Palm Springs, California, the series depicted James Getzl ...

(born 1970) – reality-TV personality; born in Devils Lake *

H. F. Gierke III H. F. Gierke III (born Herman Fredrick Gierke III; March 13, 1943 – August 7, 2016) was an American judge who served as the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces from 2004 to 2006. He was a Judge of the United ...

(1943–2016) – 71st National Commander of The American Legion; Chief Judge of U.S. Court of Appeals for Armed Forces; born in Williston *

William L. Guy William Lewis Guy (September 30, 1919 – April 26, 2013) was an American politician who was the List of Governors of North Dakota, governor of the U.S. state of North Dakota from 1961 to 1973. Guy was North Dakota's longest-serving governor in ...

(1919–2013) – Governor 1961–73; born in Devils Lake *

Travis Hafner Travis Lee Hafner (; born June 3, 1977) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a designated hitter and first baseman. A left-handed hitter, Hafner played for the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indian ...

(born 1977) – MLB player (Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees); born in Jamestown *

Gulbrand Hagen Gulbrand Torsteinson Hagen (March 20, 1865 – February 25, 1919) was an American newspaper editor, writer and photographer in Minnesota and North Dakota at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th. Biography G. T. Hagen was born at ...

(1864–1919) – publisher; lived in Mayville *

Patrick E. Haggerty Patrick Eugene Haggerty (March 17, 1914 – October 1, 1980) was an American engineer and businessman. He was a co-founder and former president and chairman of Texas Instruments, Incorporated (TI). Under his leadership, the company grew from a s ...

(1914–1980) – engineer and businessman; co-founder, Texas Instruments; born in Harvey *

Truck Hannah James Harrison "Truck" Hannah (June 5, 1889 – April 27, 1982) was a Major League Baseball catcher who also had a lengthy minor league career. Hannah played three seasons with the New York Yankees (1918–1920). He had 173 career hits in 736 at ...

(1889–1982) – MLB player (New York Yankees), Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame; born in Larimore *

Monica Hannan Monica Hannan (born 1960) is the Managing Editor of NBC North Dakota News in Bismarck, North Dakota and anchors The Evening Report and First News at Five. She is also the host of North Dakota Today, a morning talk show. Career Monica Hannan star ...

– news anchor and author, KFYR-TV * Phil Hansen (born 1968) – NFL player (Buffalo Bills); born in

Oakes Oakes may refer to: *Oakes (surname) *Oakes, Huddersfield, England *Oakes, North Dakota, US See also * Oakes test, a legal analysis used in Canada to determine under what situations infringements on rights and freedoms are justifiable ** R. v. Oake ...

Beverly Hanson Beverly Hanson (December 5, 1924 – April 12, 2014) was an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. Hanson was born in Fargo, North Dakota in 1924.Fargo Fargo usually refers to: * Fargo, North Dakota, United States * ''Fargo'' (1996 film), a crime film by the Coen brothers * ''Fargo'' (TV series), an American black comedy–crime drama anthology television series Fargo may also refer to: Othe ...

Tom Hatten Tom Hatten (November 14, 1926 – March 16, 2019) was an American radio, film and television personality and actor, known as the long-time host of ''The Popeye Show'' (originally ''The Pier Point 5 Club'') and ''Family Film Festival'' on KTLA C ...

(1926–2019) – film, radio/TV personality, born in Jamestown *Scott Edward Haugen (born 1981) – stage actor, film actor, filmmaker, human rights activist, politician; lived in

* Rick Helling (born 1970) – MLB player (Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins); born in Devils Lake * Kam Heskin (born 1973) – actress, '' Sunset Beach'', '' Passions''; born in

* Clint Hill (born 1932) – United States Secret Service agent who was in the presidential motorcade during the assassination of John F. Kennedy * Virgil Hill (born 1964) – WBA champion boxer; from

Christopher Michael Holley Christopher Michael Holley (born November 23, 1971) is an American actor known for his role as Beanie in ''Smokin' Aces''. He was born in Minot, North Dakota and at one time attended Wheatland Union High School. His first acting role was an uncr ...

(born 1971) – actor; born in

Jeremy Horst Jeremy M. Horst (born October 1, 1985) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He attended Iowa Western Community College and Armstrong Atlantic State University. The Cincinnati Reds drafted him in the 21st round of the 2007 Major Lea ...

(born 1985) – MLB player; raised in

Des Lacs Des Lacs is a city in Ward County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 185 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Minot Micropolitan Statistical Area. Des Lacs was founded in 1888, named after the ''Riviere de Lacs'' (now Des Lacs ...

* Ken Hunt (1934–1997) – MLB player for New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels; born in

* Phil Jackson – NBA player; coach, Chicago Bulls and

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

; president,

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...

; attended high school in Williston *

Ben Jacobson Ben Scott Jacobson (born December 16, 1970) is an American basketball coach. He is the head men's basketball coach at the University of Northern Iowa, a position he has held since 2006. He served as an assistant at North Dakota, North Dakota Sta ...

(born 1970) – basketball head coach at

Northern Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

; born in Mayville *

Leon O. Jacobson Dr. Leon Orris Jacobson (December 16, 1911 – September 20, 1992) was an American physician, hematologist, radiologist and medical researcher. He was professor emeritus of biology and medicine at the University of Chicago and made notable contri ...

(1911–1992) – scientific researcher * Robert Jensen (born 1958) – educator; raised in Fargo * Gary Johnson (born 1953) – governor of New Mexico 1995–2003, presidential candidate; born in

Harold Keith Johnson Harold Keith "Johnny" Johnson (February 22, 1912 – September 24, 1983) was a United States Army general who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1964 to 1968. Regarded as a premier tactician, Johnson became skeptical that the ...

(1912–1983) – U.S. Army general; born in Bowesmont * Tim Johnson (born 1949) – baseball player, scout, manager of Toronto Blue Jays; born in

David C. Jones David Charles Jones (July 9, 1921 – August 10, 2013) was a United States Air Force general and the ninth chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In this capacity, Jones served as the highest-ranking uniformed officer of the United States Armed ...

(1921–2013) – 9th

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: app ...

; born in Aberdeen *

Gordon Kahl Gordon Wendell Kahl (January 8, 1920 – June 3, 1983) was an American member of the far right Posse Comitatus movement who was involved in two fatal shootouts with law enforcement officers in the United States in 1983.Tony Spilde''Changing li ...

– tax protestor; involved in Medina shootout *

Rich Karlgaard Rich Karlgaard is an American journalist, bestselling author, award-winning entrepreneur, and speaker. He was named publisher of ''Forbes'' magazine in 1998 and has written three books, ''Life 2.0: How People Across America Are Transforming Thei ...

– journalist; born in Bismarck * Woodrow W. Keeble (1917–1982) – U.S. Army (Wahpeton National Guard) Medal of Honor * Wiz Khalifa – rapper; born in

* Fred Kirschenmann – leader in the sustainable agriculture movement * Ev Kjelbertson (1935—2018) – football coach, born in Devils Lake *

Jim Kleinsasser Jimmy Carter Kleinsasser (; born January 31, 1977) is a former American Football player who played fullback, H-back, and tight end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He played college football at North Dakota and played f ...

(born 1977) – NFL player (Minnesota Vikings); born in

Carrington Carrington and Carington are surnames originating from one of the Carringtons in England, or from the town of Carentan in Normandy, France. It is also rarely a given name. Surname Scientists * Alan Carrington (1934–2013), British chemist *Benj ...

* Chuck Klosterman (born 1972) – author; grew up in Wyndmere; attended University of North Dakota * Dagny Knutson – swimmer; lived in

Charlie Korsmo Charles Randolph Korsmo (born July 20, 1978) is an American lawyer and actor. He is best known for portraying the Kid from the film adaption of ''Dick Tracy'' and Jack Banning in ''Hook''. Personal life and acting work Korsmo was born in Fargo, ...

(born 1978) – actor, lawyer; born in

John Korsmo John T. Korsmo is an American politician who formerly served as the chairman of the Federal Housing Finance Board. History Korsmo was Chairman of the North Dakota State Republican Party from 1993 to 1995 and ran as the Republican nominee for North ...

– politician who served as the chairman of the Federal Housing Finance Board

L–Q

* Louis L'Amour (1908–1988) – western author; born in Jamestown *

CJ Lotzer CboysTv is an American motorsports and comedy YouTube group headquartered on Cormorant Lake (Minnesota) United States. The "C" in CBoys stands for "Cormorant" and the groups motto is "''Life Wide Open''" In 2021 the Group passed 1 million subsc ...

, co-creator of

CBOYSTV CboysTv is an American motorsports and comedy YouTube group headquartered on Cormorant Lake (Minnesota) United States. The "C" in CBoys stands for "Cormorant" and the groups motto is "''Life Wide Open''" In 2021 the Group passed 1 million subsc ...

a YouTube channel amassing over 1 million subscribers. * Mark Landsberger (born 1955) – professional basketball player; born in

* Jonny Lang (born 1981) – Grammy Award-winning musician; born in

* William Langer (1886–1959) – U.S. Senator and Governor of North Dakota; born in Casselton *

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalis ...

(1920–2002) – three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter; born in Jamestown * William Lemke (1878–1950) – state attorney general and U.S. Representative; raised in Towner County *

Arthur A. Link Arthur Albert Link (May 24, 1914 – June 1, 2010) was an American politician of the North Dakota Democratic Party, and later the Democratic-NPL. He served as a U.S. Representative from 1971 to 1973 and as the 27th Governor of North ...

(1914–2010) – Governor 1973–81; born in Alexander *

Nicole Linkletter Nicole Linkletter Nathanson (born February 27 1985) is an American fashion model and the winner of Cycle 5 of ''America's Next Top Model''. Her prizes were a contract with Ford Models, a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl, and her photo appearing ...

(born 1985) – fashion model, winner of ''America's Next Top Model'' cycle 5; born in

* Kellan Lutz (born 1985) – actor; born in Dickinson *

Francis D. Lyon Francis D. "Pete" Lyon (July 29, 1905 – October 8, 1996) was an American film director, television director, and film editor. He and Robert Parrish were co-recipients of the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for the 1947 film, '' Body and S ...

– director and Oscar-winning film editor; born in Bowbells *

Tyler Lyson Tyler R. Lyson (born 1982 or 1983) is an American paleontologist. He is the discoverer of the dinosaur fossil Dakota, a fossilized mummified hadrosaur. He has done significant research on the evolution of turtles and on the rise of mammals after th ...

– paleontologist; born and raised in Marmarth * Walter Maddock (1880–1951) – Lieutenant Governor and Governor; born in

Roger Maris Roger Eugene Maris (September 10, 1934 – December 14, 1985) was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is best known for setting a new MLB single-season home run record with 61 ...

(1934–1985) – baseball player; broke Babe Ruth home run record; grew up in

Jan Maxwell Janice Elaine Maxwell (November 20, 1956 – February 11, 2018) was an American stage and television actress. She was a five-time Tony Award nominee and two-time Drama Desk Award winner. In a career spanning over thirty years, Maxwell was one ...

(1956–2018) – actress; born in

* Kevin Miller (born 1977) – voice actor; born in

* Marquis de Morès – 19th-century land owner; originally from France *

Cara Mund Cara D. Mund ( ) is an American beauty pageant titleholder from Bismarck, North Dakota. In June 2017, she was crowned Miss North Dakota 2017. On September 10, 2017, she was crowned Miss America 2018 in Atlantic City and became the first contest ...

(born 1993) – Miss America 2018; born in Bismarck *

Gerhard Brandt Naeseth Gerhard Brandt Naeseth (April 14, 1913 – June 10, 1994) was an American librarian and genealogist who specialized in the field of Norwegian-American immigration. Background and career Naeseth was born in Valley City, North Dakota, in 1913, the ...

(1913–1994) – founder of Norwegian-American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library; born in Valley City * Steve Nelson (born 1951) – pro football player; attended

North Dakota State North Dakota State University (NDSU, formally North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences) is a public land-grant research university in Fargo, North Dakota. It was founded as North Dakota Agricultural College in 1890 as th ...

* Sondre Norheim – pioneer of modern skiing; lived in McHenry County *

Casper Oimoen Casper Oimoen (May 8, 1906 – July 28, 1995) was an American ski jumping champion. Biography Casper Oimoen was born at Etnedal in Oppland, Norway. He immigrated to the United States in 1923 and settled near Minot, North Dakota. Unable to compete ...

(1906–1995) – ski jumper; originally from Norway; moved to

John Olerud John Garrett Olerud, Jr. (; born August 5, 1968), nicknamed "Johnny O", is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman from through , most notably as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays te ...

(born 1968) – baseball player; won two World Series championships with the

Toronto Bluejays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

Allen I. Olson Allen Ingvar Olson (born November 5, 1938) is an American Republican politician and attorney who served as the 28th governor of North Dakota from 1981 to 1985. He defeated incumbent Art Link in the 1980 election and served one term. Educatio ...

(born 1938) – Governor 1981–85; born in Rolla *

Lute Olson Robert Luther "Lute" Olson (September 22, 1934 – August 27, 2020) was an American basketball coach, who was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was the head co ...

(1934–2020) – coach in College Basketball Hall of Fame; born in Mayville *

Carleton Opgaard Carleton Opgaard (February 18, 1929 – July 6, 2014) was an American college and university administrator and founding president of Vancouver Island University. Early life and education Carleton Myron Opgaard was born in Fort Ransom, North Dako ...

(1929-2014) – educator; born in

Fort Ransom Fort Ransom is a city in Ransom County, North Dakota, United States. The population was 91 at the 2020 census. Fort Ransom was founded in 1880 with the first merchants arriving in 1878. Geography Fort Ransom is located at (46.521154, -97.92914 ...

Gregory R. Page Gregory "Greg" R. Page (born 1952) is an American businessman. He served as executive chairman of Cargill, Inc. of Minnetonka, Minnesota. Early life Gregory R. Page was born in 1952 in Bottineau, North Dakota. He graduated with a bachelor's degre ...

(born 1952) – executive chairman of

Cargill Cargill, Incorporated, is a privately held American global food corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1865, it is the largest privately held corporation in the United States in ter ...

; born in Bottineau *

Ronald Paulson Ronald Howard Paulson (born May 27, 1930 in Bottineau, North Dakota) is an American professor of English, a specialist in English 18th-century art and culture, and the world's leading expert on English Painting, artist William Hogarth. Educati ...

(born 1930) – educator; born in Bottineau * Leonard Peltier (born 1944) – American Indian activist and convicted murderer; born in

Arthur Peterson Jr. Arthur Peterson Jr. (November 18, 1912 – October 31, 1996) was an American actor. He played character and supporting roles on stage, television, and feature films. On television, he played the Major in the TV series ''Soap'' (1977–1981). ...

(1912–1996) – actor, '' Soap''; born in Mandan * Amber Preston – stand-up comedian; born in

Adam Quesnell Adam Quesnell is an American stand-up comedian and screenwriter from Fargo, North Dakota now living in Los Angeles. Quesnell has released two comedy albums on Stand Up! Records, 2014's ''Can We Afford This Much Despair?'' and 2018's ''Despair 2: ...

– stand-up comedian; lived in

R–Z

Aagot Raaen Aagot Raaen (December 3, 1873 - January 7, 1957) was an American author and educator. Background Raaen was one of five children born to Thomas T. Raaen (1827-1903) and Ragnhild (Rodningen) Raaen (1839-1923), who were immigrants from Norway. In Ju ...

(1873–1957) – author and educator; lived near Hatton *

Erik Ramstad Erik Reiersen Ramstad (January 17, 1860 – January 21, 1951) was one of the founders of Minot, North Dakota. Biography Ramstad was the son of tenant farmer Reier Pedersen and Anne Ellefsdatter. He was born at Køsahaugen in Sigdal in Buskerud, N ...

(1860–1951) – a founder of

Tom Rapp Thomas Dale Rapp (March 8, 1947 – February 11, 2018) was an American singer and songwriter who led Pearls Before Swine, an influential psychedelic folk rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Described as having "a slight lisp, gentle v ...

(1947–2018) – leader of band

Pearls Before Swine A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle (mollusc), mantle) of a living animal shell, shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pea ...

; born in Bottineau * Greg Raymer (born 1964) – poker player; born in

Clint Ritchie Clinton Charles Augustus Ritchie (August 9, 1938 – January 31, 2009) was an American actor. Early life Ritchie was born on a farm near Grafton, North Dakota, to J. C. and Charlotte Ritchie, and his family moved to Washington state when he ...

(1938–2009) – actor, ''

One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...

''; born in

Alan Ritchson Alan Michael Ritchson (born November 28, 1982) is an American actor, model, singer and songwriter. He made his acting debut as Aquaman / Arthur Curry on The CW superhero series ''Smallville'' (2005–2010), where he appeared as a guest star betw ...

(born 1984) – model, actor, '' Blue Mountain State''; born in

* James Rosenquist (1933–2017) – artist; born in

* Ronda Rousey (born 1987) – UFC champion; raised in Jamestown *

Sacagawea Sacagawea ( or ; also spelled Sakakawea or Sacajawea; May – December 20, 1812 or April 9, 1884)Sacagawea
...

(1788–1812, or 1884) – guide; key to success of Lewis and Clark Expedition by helping establish ties with Native American tribes * Ed Schafer (born 1946) – Governor of North Dakota and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture; born in Bismarck *

Harold Schafer Harold Schafer (February 1, 1912 – December 2, 2001) was a North Dakota businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Gold Seal Company, the original maker of '' Mr. Bubble''. He also was a major benefactor in the tourist town of ...

(1912–2001) – businessman; born near

Stanton Stanton may refer to: Places United Kingdom ;Populated places * Stanton, Derbyshire, near Swadlincote * Stanton, Gloucestershire * Stanton, Northumberland * Stanton, Staffordshire * Stanton, Suffolk * New Stanton, Derbyshire * Stanton by Bri ...

* Donny Schatz (born 1977) – auto racer; World of Outlaws sprint car champion; born in

* Ed Schultz (1954–2018) – TV personality; worked in

Kyle Schweigert Kyle Frederick "Bubba" Schweigert (born September 15, 1962) is an American football coach. He is the current head football coach at the University of North Dakota. From 2004 to 2007, Schweigert served as the head football coach at University ...

(born 1962) – football coach, University of North Dakota; born in Zeeland *

Gary Serum Gary Wayne Serum (born October 24, 1956) is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played two and half seasons at the major league level for the Minnesota Twins. He was signed by the Twins as an amateur free agent in 1975. Serum played his l ...

(born 1956) – baseball player; born in

* Eric Sevareid (1912–1992) – TV journalist; born in Velva *

George F. Shafer George Frederick Shafer (November 23, 1888August 13, 1948) was an American politician who served as the 16th Governor of North Dakota, serving from 1929 to 1932. Biography Shafer was educated in Mandan's public school system and attended the Uni ...

(1888–1948) – Governor 1929–32; born in Mandan * Timm Sharp (born 1978) – actor; raised in

George A. Sinner George Albert Sinner (May 29, 1928 – March 9, 2018) was an American politician who served as the 29th governor of North Dakota from 1985 to 1992. He served two four-year terms and was the most recent governor of North Dakota from his party, t ...

(1928–2018) – Governor 1985–92; born in Fargo * Arthur G. Sorlie (1874–1928) – Governor 1925–28; lived in Grand Forks * Ann Sothern (1909–2001) – actress in the ''Maisie'' films, '' A Letter to Three Wives'', '' The Ann Sothern Show''; born in Valley City * Richard St. Clair (born 1946) – composer; born in Jamestown * Rodney Stark (born 1934) – sociologist; born in Jamestown *

Leslie Stefanson Leslie Ann Stefanson (born May 10, 1971) is an American model, actress and artist. She is most known for playing the title role as Capt. Elisabeth Campbell in the film '' The General's Daughter'', and Joan Bennett Kennedy in the television minise ...

(born 1971) – artist, actress; born in

Shadoe Stevens Shadoe Stevens (; ) is an American radio host, voiceover actor, and television personality. He was the host of ''American Top 40'' from 1988 to 1995. He currently hosts the internationally syndicated radio show ''Top of the World,'' and co-hosts ...

(born 1947 as Terry Ingstad) – TV personality; born in Jamestown *

Dorothy Stickney Dorothy Stickney (June 21, 1896 – June 2, 1998) was an American film, stage and television actress, best known for appearing in the long running Broadway hit ''Life with Father''. Early years Stickney was born in Dickinson, North Dakota, but ...

(1896–1998) – actress; born in Dickinson * Clyfford Still (1904–1980) – painter; born in Grandin * Matt Strahm (born 1991) – baseball player; born in

Era Bell Thompson Era Bell Thompson (August 10, 1905 – December 30, 1986) was an American writer and editor. Thompson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, Includes brief bio and a selection from ''Africa''. to an African American family, the only daughter of Ste ...

(1905–1986) – magazine editor; lived in Driscoll * Chris Tuchscherer (born 1975) – UFC heavyweight fighter; born in

Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

* Bobby Vee (1943–2016) – pop singer; born in

* Harley Venton (born 1952) – actor; attended University of North Dakota *

Mary Wakefield Mary Wakefield (born August 12, 1954) is an American nurse and health care administrator, who served in the Obama administration as acting United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services from 2015 to 2017, and as head of the Health ...

(born 1954) – deputy director, Department of Health and Human Services; from Devils Lake * Matthew Ward (born 1958) – singer; born in

Mimi Weddell Marion Rogers "Mimi' Weddell (February 15, 1915 – September 24, 2009)Dennis McLellanMimi Weddell, the subject of 'Hats off,' dies at 94''Los Angeles Times''. Retrieved on October 4, 2009. was an American actress. She is best known for portrayi ...

(1915–2009) – actress; born in Williston * Sister Thomas Welder (1940–2020) – academic administrator and Benedictine nun; born in

Linton Linton may refer to: Places Australia * Linton, Victoria Canada * Linton, Ontario * Linton, Quebec United Kingdom England * Linton, Cambridgeshire * Linton, Derbyshire * Linton (near Bromyard), Herefordshire * Linton (near Ross-on-Wye), Her ...

, lived in Bismarck * Walter Welford (1868–1952) – Governor 1935–37; raised in Pembina * Lawrence Welk (1903–1992) – bandleader, entertainer, TV personality; born in Strasburg * Carson Wentz (born 1992) – quarterback, NDSU and Philadelphia Eagles; born in Bismarck *

Gabby West Gabrielle D. "Gabby" West is an American actress. She won a role in ''Saw 3D'' in a competition on the reality show '' Scream Queens''. Life and career West was born in Los Angeles, California; she graduated from Century High School in 2003. S ...

(born 1985) – actress; attended

Natalie West Natalie West (born Natalie Neal West; January 23, 1956) is an American television, film and stage actress best known for her role as Crystal Anderson-Conner on the 1988–2018 TV series ''Roseanne''. Career West's career began in the early 1980s ...

(born 1956) – actress; born in

* Frank White (1856–1940) – Governor 1901–05 and U.S. Treasury Secretary; lived in Valley City *

Larry Woiwode Larry Alfred Woiwode (October 30, 1941April 28, 2022) was an American writer from North Dakota, where he was the state's Poet Laureate from 1995 until his death. His work appeared in ''The New Yorker'', ''Esquire'', ''The Atlantic Monthly'', '' H ...

(born 1941) – poet and novelist; born in

Milton Young Milton Ruben Young (December 6, 1897 – May 31, 1983) was an American politician, most notable for representing North Dakota in the United States Senate from 1945 until 1981. At the time of his retirement, he was the most senior Republican in the ...

(1897–1983) – U.S. Senator 1948–81; born in Berlin

References

{{Lists of people by U.S. state