From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Fargo, North Dakota .
Name
Image
Birth
Death
Known for
Association
Reference
Richard Edlund
Dec 6, 1940
Multiple Academy Award -winning visual effects artist for Star Wars , The Empire Strikes Back , Raiders of the Lost Ark , Return of the Jedi , and Ghostbusters
Born in Fargo
CariDee English
Sep 23, 1984
Winner of America's Next Top Model , Cycle 7
Born in Fargo
William H. Gass
Jul 30, 1924
Dec 6, 2017
Writer
Born in Fargo
Chuck Klosterman
Jun 5, 1972
Author and journalist (Spin , Esquire , ESPN )
Lived in Fargo
James Lileks
Aug 9, 1958
Writer, journalist, and blogger
Born in Fargo
Audra Mari
Jan 8, 1994
Model, television host, and beauty pageant titleholder
Attended Davies High School in Fargo
[ 3]
Carey McWilliams
Jul 5, 1973
Blind marksman and author
Born in Fargo
Amber Preston
Stand-up comedian
Born in Fargo; 1996 graduate of West Fargo High School [ 4]
Adam Quesnell
Stand-up comedian
Lived in Fargo
Kristin Rudrüd
May 23, 1955
Actress, known for starring in the films Fargo and Pleasantville
Born in Fargo
Roxana Saberi
Apr 26, 1977
Journalist, 1997 Miss North Dakota
Worked at KVLY-TV
Ed Schultz
Jan 27, 1954
Jul 5, 2018
Host of The Ed Show , a weekday news talk program, and The Ed Schultz Show , a talk radio show
Worked at KTHI-TV , WDAY-TV , and KFGO in Fargo
[ 5]
Ari Shapiro
Sep 30, 1978
Reporter (NPR )
Born in Fargo
Jon L. Wanzek
May 10, 1964
Film producer
Lives in Fargo
Musicians and singers [ edit ]
Name
Image
Birth
Death
Known for
Association
Reference
The Blenders
Vocal quartet
Virginia Bruce
Sep 29, 1910
Feb 24, 1982
Singer and actress, starred in such films as Born to Dance and The Great Ziegfeld
Grew up in Fargo
Shannon Curfman
Jul 31, 1985
Blues guitarist and singer
Born in Fargo
Dakota Dave Hull
Apr 19, 1950
Acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and music historian
Born in Fargo
[ 6]
Jonny Lang
Jan 29, 1981
Blues guitarist and singer
Born in Fargo
Peter Schickele
Jul 17, 1935
Jan 16, 2024
Musical composer (alter ego of PDQ Bach )
Frank Scott
Jul 21, 1921
Oct 5, 1995
Musician and arranger with the Lawrence Welk orchestra
Born in Fargo
Bobby Vee
Apr 30, 1943
Oct 24, 2016
1960s era pop music singer
Born in Fargo
Name
Image
Birth
Death
Known for
Association
Reference
Dan Arnold
Mar 15, 1996
Tight end for the New Orleans Saints 2017–2019, Arizona Cardinals 2019–2020, Carolina Panthers 2021–2021, Jacksonville Jaguars 2021-2022, Philadelphia Eagles 2023-2023; free agent 2023-present
Played football at Shanley High School in Fargo
Henry Luke Bolley
Feb 1, 1865
Nov 9, 1956
First North Dakota State University football coach; plant pathologist
Lived and died in Fargo
Jim Brandt
May 19, 1929
NFL and CFL player
Born in Fargo
Joe Burrow
Dec 10, 1996
Quarterback for the LSU , 2019 Heisman Trophy winner, 2019–2020 College Football National Champion, NFL Pick No.1, quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals
Attended Centennial Elementary School while his father was on the coaching staff for the NDSU Bison
[ 7]
Joe Cichy
May 12, 1948
Safety for the North Dakota State Bison football team and inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame
Born in Fargo and played football at Shanley High School in Fargo
[ 8]
Chris Coste
Feb 4, 1973
Major League Baseball catcher
Born in Fargo
Kyle Emanuel
Aug 16, 1991
NFL linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers 2015–2019
Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo, host of NDSU Bison Football Pregame Show on KVLY-TV
Paul Gaustad
Feb 3, 1982
Center for the Nashville Predators
Born in Fargo
Andy Heck
Jan 1, 1967
Offensive line coach and player for the Kansas City Chiefs
Born in Fargo
Gary Larsen
Mar 13, 1942
Defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings ' Purple People Eaters
Born in Fargo
Roger Maris
Sep 10, 1934
Dec 14, 1985
Outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals; American League Most Valuable Player in 1960 and 1961
Raised in Fargo and graduate of Shanley High School
Connor McGovern
Apr 27, 1993
Center for the Denver Broncos 2016–2019, center for the New York Jets 2020–present
Played football at Shanley High School in Fargo
John Noah
Nov 21, 1927
Sep 3, 2015
Silver medalist at the 1952 Winter Olympics
Lived and died in Fargo
Donny Schatz
Aug 10, 1977
Driver for the World of Outlaws
Easton Stick
Sep 15, 1995
Quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers , No.166 overall NFL draft pick
Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo
Erik Swanson
Sep 4, 1993
Relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays , formerly played for the Seattle Mariners
William Turner
Oct 17, 1991
NFL guard who is a free agent
Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo
Carson Wentz
Dec 30, 1992
Quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs , No.2 overall NFL draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl Champion (LII)
Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo
Statesmen (religious and political)[ edit ]
Name
Image
Birth
Death
Known for
Association
Reference
Doug Burgum
Aug 1, 1956
33rd governor of North Dakota (2016–present); candidate for president in 2024
Graduate of North Dakota State University, lived in Fargo
Ronald N. Davies
Dec 11, 1904
Apr 18, 1996
Federal judge for the district of North Dakota (1955–1985)
Lived and died in Fargo
Leo Ferdinand Dworschak
Apr 6, 1900
Nov 5, 1976
Roman Catholic bishop of Fargo
Aloisius Joseph Muench
Feb 18, 1889
Feb 15, 1962
Roman Catholic bishop of Fargo
Ilhan Omar
Oct 4, 1982
US congresswoman from Minnesota
Graduated North Dakota State University
Collin Peterson
Jun 29, 1944
US congressman from Minnesota
Born in Fargo
Ed Schafer
Aug 8, 1946
30th governor of North Dakota (1992–2000), 29th United States Secretary of Agriculture under George W. Bush
Lives in Fargo
George A. Sinner
May 29, 1928
Mar 9, 2018
29th governor of North Dakota (1985–1992)
Born in Fargo
Burleigh F. Spalding
Dec 3, 1853
Mar 17, 1934
US congressman
Lived and died in Fargo
Evan S. Tyler
Mar 22, 1843
Aug 24, 1923
North Dakota state congressman
Lived and died in Fargo
^ "Nancy Friese". New American Paintings, Issue 20 . Open Studios Press. 1999. p. 71.
^ Knudson, Pamela (August 26, 2016). "Artist Nancy Friese: Beauty of the wide open" . Grand Forks Herald .
^ "Changes ahead for Fargo's own Miss World America" .
^ Lamb, John (February 12, 2014). "Look who's laughing now: West Fargo graduate returns to headline comedy club opening" . Forum . Fargo, North Dakota. Retrieved April 20, 2020 .
^ Donovan, Lauren (February 17, 2002). "Ed Schultz: He's live and he takes 'em cold on his weekday radio program" . Bismarck Tribune . Retrieved April 28, 2012 .
^ Clark, Jerome (Winter 2006). "Dakota Dave Hull: Voodoo King of the Acoustic Guitar" (PDF) . Sing Out! . Vol. 49, no. 4. pp. 65–70. Retrieved July 31, 2020 .
^ "UPDATE: It was tough on two Fargo second graders the day Joe Burrow moved to Ohio" .
^ "Joe Cichy" . footballfoundation.org . College Football Hall of Fame . Retrieved April 29, 2024 .