Notable People
- Dan Ahdoot, comedian.
- Eric Meyersfield (born 1974) actor who starred in the Tony Award winning musical "The Fantasticks" with television guest appearances on "The Drew Carey Show" and "As the World Turns". (former resident and high school graduate)
- David Baltimore (born 1938), Nobel prize winning biologist and former president of Caltech (former resident and high school graduate).
- Nikki Blonsky (born 1988), actress who starred as Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 version of Hairspray and in Harold, filmed in Great Neck North High School and Middle School.
- Malé B. Alexander, Actor played Junior Pierce as a lead for 4 seasons on the T.V. hit series HBO OZ, Producer and Writer
- Enea Bossi (1888–1963), Italian-American engineer and aviation pioneer
- Oscar Brand (born 1920), folk singer and songwriter (resident)
- Donald Brian (1877–1948), Broadway actor, singer and dancer
- Fanny Brice, American illustrated song "model," comedienne, singer, theatre and film actress
- Algis Budrys (1931–2008), science-fiction author and editor (former resident)
- Sid Caesar (born 1922), television pioneer known for Your Show of Shows (former resident)
- Maurice Chevalier (1888–1972), actor and entertainer
- Walter Chrysler (1875–1940), automobile pioneer, founder of the Chrysler Corporation
- Mary L. Cleave (born 1947), space shuttle astronaut.
- George M. Cohan, entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer, director, and producer (former resident)
- Steven A. Cohen, hedge fund manager (SAC Capital), billionaire (former resident)
- Kenneth Cole, designer (attended school in Great Neck)
- Francis Ford Coppola, film director (graduated from Great Neck High School )
- Andrew W. Cordier, Columbia University president (former resident)
- Anthony Cumia, latter half of Opie and Anthony (resident)
- Thomas DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller (resident)
- Shay Doron, first Israeli to play in the Women's National Basketball Association (New York Liberty)
- Quinn Early, former National Football League player who was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 3rd round of the 1988 NFL Draft. (Graduated from Great Neck South High School)
- Percy Faith, orchestra conductor (former resident)
- W. C. Fields, comedian and actor (former resident)
- F. Scott Fitzgerald, novelist and author of The Great Gatsby (former resident)
- Whitey Ford, New York Yankees pitcher (resident)
- Matt Fox, songwriter/producer of New York Jets Anthem "Rex's Gang Green"
- Harry D. Gideonse (1901–1985), economist, president of Brooklyn College (resident)
- Arnold and Jesse Friedman, subject of the award-winning 2003 documentary Capturing the Friedmans (former residents)
- Julius Genachowski FCC chairman under Obama administration
- Micah Goldman Writer, Producer
- Steven Goldman, political activist, BU star, bus exec, world traveler (former resident)
- Matthew Goodman, author, "The Sun and the Moon" and "Jewish Food: The World at Table"
- Jamie Gorelick, Clinton Administration official (former resident)
- Morton Gould, concert pianist (former resident)
- Joseph Peter Grace, Sr., businessman (former resident)
- Mark J. Green, former New York City Public Advocate and mayoral candidate (former resident and high school graduate)
- Ilan Hall, chef and winner of reality television show Top Chef (former resident)
- Oscar Hammerstein II, writer, producer and director of musicals (former resident)
- Christopher Howes, Yale Medical Professor in Cardiology and Head of Greenwhich Hospital Cardiology (Grew Up in Great Neck)
- Emily Hughes, member of the U.S. Figure Skating Team at the 2006 Winter Olympics
- Sarah Hughes, Gold medalist in Figure Skating at the 2002 Winter Olympics
- Eric Isaacs (born 1957) accomplished physicist who is the director of Argonne National Laboratory
- David Kahn, US historian, journalist, and writer on subjects of cryptography and military intelligence
- Michael Karlan, founder of the nation's largest networking and socializing group, Professionals in the City (former resident)
- Andy Kaufman, comedian and actor (former resident)
- Evan Wecksell, comedian/singer/songwriter (graduated from Great Neck South High School and former resident)
- Josh Kopelman, American entrepreneur (former resident)
- Alan King, comedian and actor (former resident)
- Christopher Lambert, actor (born in Great Neck)
- Ring Lardner, sports columnist and short story writer (former resident)
- The Marx Brothers, stars of vaudeville and movies (former residents)
- Mimi Michaels (1983), actress
- Minae Mizumura, novelist, essayist, critic, based in Tokyo, Japan. Author of A Real Novel. (former resident)
- Bobby Muller, Vietnam War veteran and anti-war activist (grew up in Great Neck)
- Louise Nevelson, abstract sculptor (former resident)
- Paul Newman, actor (former resident)
- Ted Nierenberg (1923–2009), founder of Dansk International Designs, created in the garage of his Great Neck home.
- Eugene O'Neill, playwright (former resident)
- Larry Poons, abstract painter (graduated from Great Neck High School )
- Neil Portnow, President of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (former resident)
- Dan Raviv, author and CBS TV and radio correspondent who hosts the CBS News Weekend Roundup (former resident)
- Daniella Rabbani, Yiddish theatre actress
- Jordan Rudess, Keyboard Player for the band Dream Theater (grew up in Great Neck)
- Tamir Sapir, Georgian-born billionaire. 12-acre (49,000 m2) Estate on Pond Road.
- George Segal, actor (resident)
- David Seidler, screenwriter of "The King's Speech," 2011 Oscar winner; former resident, Great Neck H.S. graduate, 1955
- Talia Shire, actress (former resident)
- Jared Siegel (Jared Evan), singer, songwriter, and producer
- Elie Siegmeister, composer (resident)
- Harry F. Sinclair, oil industrialist (former resident)
- Helen Slater (born 1963), actress
- Alfred P. Sloan, president of General Motors (former resident)
- Tim Sommer, musician in Hugo Largo and record executive and producer
- Seth Swirsky, songwriter and author
- Norma Talmadge, actress (former resident)
- Richard Tucker, operatic tenor (former resident)
- William Kissam Vanderbilt II, railroad executive and yachtsman (former resident)
- Robert Varkonyi, World Series of Poker champion (resident)
- Sam Warner (1887–1927), one of the four brothers who were co-founders of Warner Bros.
- Mordecai Waxman (1917–2002), prominent rabbi in the Conservative movement and of Temple Israel of Great Neck.
- Mort Weisinger, editor (Batman, Superman, Thrilling Wonder Stories)
- Charlie Williams, traded by the New York Mets along with cash for Willie Mays. Mr. Williams did not make the Great Neck South Senior baseball team as a senior.
- P. G. Wodehouse (1881–1975), English comic writer (former resident).
- Herman Wouk (born 1915), author (former resident)
- Harris Wulfson (1974–2008), composer, instrumentalist and software engineer (graduated from Great Neck South High School)
- Chic Young (1901–1973) created Blondie in his Great Neck studio in the summer of 1930.
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