For over five decades, Bob Costas has worked as a sportscaster for HBO, NBC, MLB and many other networks. Named “National Sportscaster of the Year” eight times, he has famously called many World Series, All Star Games, and NBA Finals. Along with his work in sports, he is a 29-time Emmy award winner, recognized in the categories of hosting, play-by-play, writing journalism, news, and entertainment. 

Born and raised on Long Island, Costas has an immigrant connection in his family story. His grandfather, Giánnis Basilios Kostas immigrated from the island of Kalymnos, Greece in 1904 aboard S.S. Roma. 

Along with her husband, Andromachi Papanikolaou is the namesake of the “pap” test. The couple immigrated from Greece, traveling First Class in 1913 aboard S.S. Athinai. The couple did not speak English upon arrival and took odd jobs up until her husband, Georgios obtained a position in the pathology department at Cornell.

Andromachi volunteered herself to be his test subject in the development of what we now know as the pap test. Their contributions to medicine are invaluable and serve as the basis for cervical cancer screening today.  

Telly Savalas was a Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning actor whose career spanned four decades. Savalas starred in many epic films in the 1960s including Birdman of Alcatraz but is most well-known for his titular role in the crime series Kojak. Savalas was nominated for numerous awards, winning two Golden Globes and a Primetime Emmy. 

Savalas was born on Long Island to Greek immigrant parents Nikolas Tsavalas and Christitsa Capsali. His parents immigrated separately, with his mother arriving in 1914 aboard S.S. Athinai.  

Originally called “Paul & Gregory’s,” this iconic boardwalk restaurant was established by Kalapothos “Paul” Georgoulakos and Gregory Bitetzakis in 1962. Georgoulakos arrived in New York on November 28th, 1946, aboard S.S. Marine Karp with his siblings. His parents had immigrated several years before, and had become U.S. Citizens.

At 21, Paul opened a milk stand at Coney Island before meeting Gregory and opening their boardwalk business. Paul changed its name to “Paul’s Daughter” after his daughter, Tina, who now operates the restaurant. The restaurant boasts a large menu of boardwalk meals and snacks and continues to gather beach and amusement park-goers. 

Acclaimed director Elia Kazan was a Greek immigrant who arrived with his mother and siblings in 1913 aboard S.S. Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, settling in New York. Kazan was born in a Greek neighborhood in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire, and retained fluency in Turkish throughout his life.

He started his career on stage as an actor on Broadway in the 1930s, quickly transitioning to being a director. Kazan later graduated to filmmaking. Films he directed such as On the Waterfront, A Streetcar Named Desire, and East of Eden remain influential to this day. 

Patricia Field is an award-winning costume and fashion designer based in New York City. A native New Yorker, Field is one of the greatest visionaries in fashion with her career spanning over 5 decades. Field is most notable for her work designing costumes for the Devil Wears Prada, Ugly Betty, and the Sex and the City franchise. 

Aside from her work in film and TV, she owns a boutique in New York that is frequented by performers, celebrities, and artists alike. Field’s mother, Marika Yomayines, immigrated from Greece in 1930 with her parents aboard S.S. Edison. The family settled in Astoria, Queens.