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Famous Balts

The Baltic's are famous for many things, among them the first Christmas tree, communications revolution Skype (Estonian developers wrote Skype's code) and Levi jean rivets. Below are a few famous people with Baltic ancestry:

Arch enemy of James Bond and the British Secret Service, Auric Goldfinger, also had a respectable day job as a gold merchant from Riga.
The world's most renowned ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, hails from Riga. Famously defected from the USSR in 1974 during the Kirov's tour of Canada. Mikhail is equally as well known as Carrie's love interest in the cult TV show "Sex and the City"
Kevin, Fred Savage, was the child star of US sitcom "The Wonder Years", Fred is rumored to have a Latvian heritage.

Real life inspiration for Paul Hogan's movie character, Crocodile Dundee, was Latvian born Arvids Blumentals. From 1955 Arvids, generally know as Crocodile Harry became Australia's best known crocodile hunter, he is rumored to have killed10, 000 reptiles. His native town of Dundaga in Latvia, erected a huge monument of a stone crocodile in his honor.

Hollywood's original gun toting tough guy, star of "The Magnificent Seven", "The Great Escape" & "Death Wish", Charles Bronson was born in Pennsylvania to a Lithuanian, of Lipka tatar ancestry and a Lithuanian-American mother. Originally born as a Buchinski, but later Americanized his name.

American actor Sean Penn's father was of mixed Russian and Lithuanian descent.

Billy McNeill, Scottish soccer legend, had a Lithuanian mother.

Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman was the son of Lithuanian Jewish parents.

Trashy American talk show host Maury Povich, famous for his on screen paternity tests, paternal grandparents emigrated from Lithuania.

Sir John Gielgud, regarded as one of the greatest English actors, father was of Polish-Lithuanian descent. Original Lithuanian form of his name was Gelgaudas.

Bob Dylan's mother's grandparents were Lithuanian Jews.

Famous US cheesecake maker and corporate giant Sarah Lee, was founded by Lithuanian Charlie Lubinanian, who named the company after his beautiful daughter

Late actor and comedian John Candy, of "Uncle Buck", "Home Alone" and "Splash" fame, his mother was Lithuanian.

Blonde star from American Pie & American Beauty, Mena Suvari was born in 1979 to Estonian psychiatrist Ando Suvari.

Estonian born international supermodel, regularly adorning the covers of Vogue and GQ, Carmen Kass was discovered in a Tallinn supermarket by an Italian modeling scout.

Mart Poom, Estonia's national football goalkeeper is very well known in England where he had spells at Sunderland, Derby County and Arsenal football clubs. He currently plays for Watford.