Public service & public thinking •
Jørgen von Ansbach (ca.1510–ca.1590), a German-Norwegian timber merchant who was Mayor of Skien •
Diderik von Cappelen (1761–1828), a wholesaler, shipowner, estate owner, and politician •
Ulrich Fredrich von Cappelen (1770–1820), a ship owner and timber merchant •
Severin Løvenskiold (1777–1856), a landowner, Prime Minister, and Governor in Norway •
Peter Andreas Munch (1810–1863), a historian who worked on the medieval history of Norway •
Brynild Anundsen (1841–1913), a Norwegian-American editor and publisher •
Gunnar Knudsen (1848–1928), the
Prime Minister of Norway from 1908–1910 & 1913–1920 •
Hjalmar Johansen (1867–1913), a
polar explorer •
Halvdan Koht (1873–1965), a Norwegian historian and politician •
Carl Størmer (1874–1957), a Norwegian mathematician and astrophysicist •
George Awsumb (1880–1959), a Norwegian-American architect •
Alfhild Hovdan (1904–1982), a tourist manager who started the
Trafalgar Square Christmas tree •
Herman Wold (1908–1992), a Swedish
econometrician and statistician •
Einfrid Halvorsen (born 1937), a trade unionist and mayor of Skien from 1983 to 1986 •
Bjørn Tore Godal (born 1945), a politician who was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1994–1997 •
Jon Fredrik Baksaas (born 1954), the
CEO of
Telenor •
Margareth Øvrum (born 1958), an engineer and executive VP of
Statoil •
Eskil Pedersen (born 1984), the leader of the Labour Party´s Youth Organization, AUF, during terrorist attack on AUF at
Utøya on 22 July 2011 •
Bastian Vasquez (1990 – ca.mid 2015), a Norwegian
ISIS jihadist
The arts •
August Cappelen (1827–1852), a Norwegian painter of melancholic, dramatic landscapes •
Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906), a Norwegian playwright and theatre director •
Iver Holter (1850–1941), a Norwegian composer and conductor •
Rolf Christensen (1894–1962), an actor in operettas, plays and farces, and film director •
Ella Peaters (1907–1991), an actress, revue artist, singer, and circus performer •
Aage Samuelsen (1915–1987), a Norwegian evangelist, singer, and
composer •
Knut Wigert (1916–2006), a Norwegian actor, known for his
Ibsen roles •
Kari Løvaas (1939–2025), a Norwegian operatic soprano •
Tor Åge Bringsværd (born 1939), an author, playwright, editor, and translator •
Yngvar Numme (1944–2023), a singer, actor, revue writer, and director •
Torhild Staahlen (1947–2022), a Norwegian operatic mezzo-soprano •
Iver Kleive (born 1949), a Norwegian composer and organist •
Audun Kleive (born 1961), a Norwegian jazz drummer •
Bugge Wesseltoft (born 1964), a jazz musician, pianist, composer, and producer •
Gisle Kverndokk (born 1967), a Norwegian contemporary composer •
Heidi Hauge (born 1967), a Norwegian folk and country music singer •
Paal Flaata (born 1968), a Norwegian vocalist •
Bård Tufte Johansen (born 1969), a Norwegian comedian •
Wetle Holte (born 1973), a Norwegian jazz drummer and composer •
Lage Lund (born 1978), a Norwegian jazz guitarist •
Atle Pettersen (born 1989), a Norwegian singer and songwriter •
Julie Bergan (born 1994), a Norwegian singer and songwriter
Sport •
Per Mathias Jespersen (1888–1964), a gymnast who was a team silver medallist at
1908 Summer Olympics •
Werner Nilsen (1904–1992), an American high-scoring soccer forward •
Nicolai Johansen (1917–1999), the Secretary Gen. the
Norwegian Football Association from 1955–1983 •
Geir Karlsen (born 1948), a retired footballer with nearly 300 club caps and 32 for
Norway •
Dag Erik Pedersen (1959–2024), a road racing cyclist and anchorman with
NRK •
Jeanette Nilsen (born 1972), a handball player who was a team bronze medallist at the
2000 Summer Olympics •
Tommy Svindal Larsen (born 1973), a retired footballer with 517 club caps and 24 for
Norway •
Torjus Hansén (born 1973), a Norwegian former footballer with 373 club caps •
Frode Johnsen (born 1974), a retired footballer with 518 club caps and 35 for
Norway •
Alexander Aas (born 1978), a retired Norwegian footballer with 350 club caps •
Erik Midtgarden (born 1987), a Norwegian footballer with 320 club caps ==Twin towns – sister cities==