This is a list of prominent Lebanese people, both from Lebanon and from the Lebanese diaspora.

Contents

1 Historical figures 1.1 Lebanese politicians 1.2 Foreign politicians 1.3 Activists 1.4 Military 2 Cultural figures 2.1 Film, TV, and radio 2.2 Musicians 2.3 Writers & Journalists 2.4 Artists 3 Practical figures 3.1 Scientists 3.2 Entrepreneurs 3.3 Other 4 See also

Historical figures

Lebanese politicians

See also: Politics of Lebanon

• Michel Aoun - military Prime Minister, general
• Camille Chamoun - President (1952-8), founder of National Liberal Party
• Dany Chamoun - leader of National Liberal Party
• Fouad Chehab - President (1958-64), general
• Émile Eddé - President (1936-41,1943), founder of National Bloc
• Raymond Eddé - statesman
• Suleiman Frangieh - President (1970-6)
• Samir Geagea - militia leader
• Amine Gemayel - President (1982-8)
• Bachir Gemayel - President-elect (1982), founder of Lebanese Forces
• Pierre Gemayel - founder of Kataeb Party
• Saad Haddad - militia leader
• Rafiq Hariri - Prime Minister, businessman
• Charles Hélou - President (1964-70)
• Elie Hobeika - militia commander, politician
• Selim al-Hoss - Prime Minister
• Elias Hrawi - President (1989-1998)
• Kamal Jumblatt - founder of Progressive Socialist Party
• Walid Jumblatt - leader of Progressive Socialist Party
• Omar Karami - Prime Minister
• Rashid Karami - Prime Minister
• Béchara El-Khoury - President (1943-52)
• Émile Lahoud - President (1998-)
• René Moawad - President (1989)
• Nayla Moawad - Legislator (1991-)
• Saeb Salam - Prime Minister
• Étienne Saqr - founder of Guardians of the Cedars
• Elias Sarkis - President (1976-82)

Foreign politicians

• Spencer Abraham - US Secretary of Energy (2001-)
• Anthony Alexander Alam - political leader, member of the Australian Labor Party
• Marie Bashir - Governor of New South Wales, Australia (2001-)
• Steve Bracks - Premier of Victoria, Australia (1999-)
• Abdalá Bucaram - President of Ecuador (1996-1997)
• Assid Corban - former Mayor of Henderson Borough and of Waitakere City, New Zealand.
• Bob Katter - right-wing Australian politician
• George J. Mitchell - US Senator & peace activist (Lebanese mother)
• Jamil Mahuad - President of Ecuador (1998-2000)
• Paulo Maluf - mayor & governor of São Paulo
• Edward Seaga - Prime Minister of Jamaica (1980-1989)
• Donna Shalala - US Secretary of Health (1993-2001)
• John H. Sununu - White House Chief of Staff (1989-1991)
• Julio César Turbay Ayala - President of Colombia (1978-1982)

Activists

• Bahia Hariri - politician & UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
• Candy Lightner - founder of Mothers Against Drunk Driving
• Charles Malik - (1906-1987) - diplomat, philosopher, co-drafter of Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Ralph Nader - consumer rights activist & US presidential candidate

Military

• John Abizaid - US general, CENTCOM Commander
• James Jabara - world's first jet-vs-jet ace
• George Joulwan - US general, SACEUR

Cultural figures

Film, TV, and radio

• Yamila Diaz, model (Lebanese father)
• Shannon Elizabeth, actress (Lebanese/Syrian father)
• Jamie Farr, actor
• Khrystyne Haje , actress
• Salma Hayek, actress (Lebanese father)
• Casey Kasem, radio host
• Kathy Najimy, actress & comedienne
• Keanu Reeves, actor (Lebanese-born)
• Tom Shadyac, director
• Tony Shalhoub, actor
• Danny Thomas, actor
• Marlo Thomas, actor
• Amy Yasbeck , actress (Lebanese father)
• John Dolmayan, System of a Down drummer

Musicians

• Paul Anka, singer
• Al Bowlly, singer (Lebanese mother)
• Clotaire K , rapper, raps in Arabic, French and English
• Dick Dale, surf guitarist (Lebanese father)
• Herbert Khaury (Tiny Tim), singer, ukelele player (Lebanese father)
• Shakira, Colombian singer (Lebanese father)
• Gabriel Yared, composer

Writers & Journalists

• William Peter Blatty - writer, "The Exorcist"
• Khalil Gibran - poet, "The Prophet "
• Amin Maalouf - writer, Prix Goncourt (1993)
• Ann-Marie MacDonald - writer (Lebanese mother)
• David Malouf - author (Lebanese father)
• Helen Thomas - veteran White House Press Corps journalist
• Jorge Zahar - publisher & editor (Lebanese father)
• Rabih Alameddine - painter, novelist
• Nadia Tuéni - poet

Artists

• Joseph Abboud - fashion designer
• Reem Acra - fashion designer
• Sam Maloof - woodworker
• Elie Saab - fashion designer

Practical figures

Scientists

• Michael Atiyah - mathematician, Fields Medal (1966), Abel Prize (2004) (Lebanese father)
• Elias J. Corey - chemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1990)
• Charles Elachi - director of Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA
• Peter Medawar - immunologist, Nobel Prize in Medicine (1960) (Lebanese father)

Entrepreneurs

• Robert Abboud - ex-chairman of First Chicago , brother of Joseph Abboud
• Assid Corban - winemaker, founder of Corbans
• Carlos Ghosn - CEO of Nissan
• Joseph Maroun Haggar - founder of Haggar Clothing Company
• Sam Hammam - owner of Cardiff City F.C.
• Nicolas Hayek - the 'father of Swatch'
• Carlos Slim Helu - 'Latin America's richest man'
• Mario Kassar - co-founder of Carolco Pictures
• Jacques Nasser - ex-CEO of Ford Motors
• Paul Orfalea - founder of Kinko's
• Edmond Safra - founder of Republic Bank of New York (Syrian/Lebanese)
• Elie Samaha - chairman/CEO of Franchise Pictures
• Dave Thomas - founder of Wendy's (was adopted by Lebanese parents)
• Oussama Ziade - founder of Ptech

Other

• Christa McAuliffe - teacher and astronaut on the Challenger Disaster

See also

• Culture of Lebanon
• List of people by nationality