List of people from Missouri

The following are people who were either born/raised or have lived for a significant period of time in Missouri.

Military/War

* Ulysses S. Grant, Union Army General (Civil War)
* Sterling Price, Confederate General for Missouri State Guard
* Omar Bradley (1893–1981), World War II general last 5 star general
* John J. Pershing (1860–1948), soldier and General of the Armies
* Arthur Lee Willard, (1870-1955), US Navy Admiral.
* Randall Duke Cunningham, only US Navy "Ace" in Viet Nam War. Former US Congressman.

Public office

* John Ashcroft (born 1942), U.S. Attorney General (2001–2005)
* Ulysses S. Grant, U.S. President (1869-1877)
* John Claggett Danforth (born 1936), former U.S. Senator and Ambassador to the U.N.
* Thomas Hart Benton (1782–1858), U.S. Senator
*Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (born 1939), Current Senior U.S. Senator of Missouri. At 33, Bond became the youngest Governor of Missouri
* Pete Wilson (born 1933), Former California Governor and Senator
* Bill Bradley (born 1943), U.S. Senator, Basketball Hall of Fame
* Jean Carnahan, The first Missouri woman to become a U.S. Senator
* Budd Dwyer (1939–1987), politician
* J. William Fulbright (1905–1995), U.S. Senator, established the Fulbright Fellowships
* Richard Gephardt (born 1941), former Democratic leader in the U.S. House of Representatives and cadidate for president
* Claire McCaskill, the first woman elected U.S. senator from Missouri
* Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876–1977), first female governor of a U.S. State
* Harry S. Truman (1884–1972), 33^rd President of the United States
* David King Udall (1851–1938), born in Missouri, served in Arizona Legislature
* Harold Volkmer (born 1931), served as Assistant Attorney General of Missouri, then served in U.S. House of Representatives
* Roy Blunt, former Republican speaker of the House, and majority whip

Entertainment

Film/Theater

* Robert Altman (1925–2006), film director
* Scott Bakula (born 1954), actor
* Josephine Baker (1906–1975), dancer, singer, actress
* Wallace Beery (1885–1949)
* Linda Blair (born 1959), actress, famous for her role in "The Exorcist"
* Don Cheadle, (born 1964), actor
* Anthony Cistaro, actor
* Chris Cooper (born 1951), actor
* Robert Cummings (1908–1990), actor
* Don S. Davis (born 1942), actor
* Walt Disney (1901–1966), (born in Illinois, raised in Missouri) film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and animator
* Cliff Edwards (1895–1971), actor, musician. The voice of Jiminy Cricket.
* Jenna Fischer (born 1974), actress
* Phyllis Fraser (born 1915), actress, journalist, children's book publisher, wife of Bennett Cerf and Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
* Friz Freleng (1905–1995), film producer, director, screenwriter, and animator
* Betty Garrett (born 1919), actress
* John Goodman (born 1952), actor
* Lucas Grabeel (born 1984), actor (High School Musical star, Ryan Evans)
* Betty Grable (1916–1973), actress, singer and World War II pin-up girl
* Eddie Griffin (born 1968), actor, comedian
* James Gunn (born 1970), film director and screenwriter.
* Sean Gunn (born 1974), actor
* Jean Harlow (1911–1937), actress and sex symbol
* John Huston (1906–1987), film director
* Don Johnson (born 1949), film and television actor
* Andreas Katsulas (1946–2006), actor
* Kevin Kline (born 1947), actor
* John Milius (born 1944), screenwriter, director and producer
* Dan O'Bannon (born 1946), film director and screenwriter
* Geraldine Page (1924–1987), Academy Award and Emmy Award winning actress
* Brad Pitt (born 1963), actor (born in Oklahoma, but raised in Missouri)
* William Powell (1892–1984), Academy Award-nominated actor (born in Pennsylvania, but raised in Missouri)
* Vincent Price (1911–1993), actor
* Ginger Rogers (1911–1995), actress, dancer and partner with Fred Astaire
* Craig Stevens (1918–2000), actor
* Kathleen Turner (born 1954), actress
* Dick Van Dyke (born 1925), actor
* Dennis Weaver (born 1924), actor
* Jane Wyman (born 1914), actress, former wife of Ronald Reagan
* David Koechner

Comedians

* Cedric The Entertainer (born 1964)
* Redd Foxx (1922–1991), comedian, starred in "Sanford and Son
* Dick Gregory (born 1932), comedian, social activist

Music

* Ahmad Alaadeen (born 1934), jazz saxophonist and composer
* Burt Bacharach (born 1928), pianist, composer
* Chuck Berry (born 1926), rock musician
* Grace Bumbry (born 1937), soprano
* Sarah Caldwell (born 1924), opera conductor
* Helen Cornelius (born 1941), country singer
* Sheryl Crow (born 1962), singer-songwriter
* Eminem (born 1972), rap musician
* Sara Evans, Country music star
* Bob Ferguson (music), Country music songwriter and producer
* Bob James (born 1939 in Marshall, Missouri) award-winning smooth jazz musician
* Scott Joplin (1867–1917), ragtime musician and composer, (born in Texas but considered Sedalia, Missouri to be home base)
* Dan Landrum (born 1961), Hammer dulcimer player, featured instrumentalist with Yanni
* Michael McDonald (born 1952), singer, former Doobie Brothers frontman
* Pat Metheny (born 1954), jazz guitarist and musician
* Nelly (born 1974), rap musician, (born in Texas and raised in St. Louis)
* Charlie "Bird" Parker (1920–1955), jazz saxophonist and composer
* Basil Poledouris (born 1945), film soundtrack composer
* David Sanborn (born 1945 in Tampa, Florida and grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri), award-winning smooth jazz musician
* Trent Tomlinson (born Jul 3, 1975), singer-songwriter
* Rhonda Vincent, award-winning bluegrass musician
* Porter Wagoner, Grand Old Opry member and country music legend
* Bob Walkenhorst, founder and lead singer of alternative rock band The Rainmakers
* Wilco, rock band (formed in St. Louis)
* Tech N9ne, rapper (Kansas City)
* Kimberly Wyatt, singer/dancer pussycat dolls
* The Urge, rock band (formed in St. Louis)
* Gravity Kills, rock band (formed in Jefferson City, MO)
* Story of the Year, rock band (formed in St. Louis)
* Louise Post, founder and lead singer/guitarist of alternative rock band Veruca Salt
* David Cook (born 1982), 2008 American Idol winner from Blue Springs, MO
* Ludo rock band (formed in St. Louis)

Television/Radio

* Bob Barker (born 1923), television game show host
* Walter Cronkite (born 1916), television journalist
* Rush Limbaugh (born 1951), political commentator
* Marlin Perkins (1905–1986), zoologist and host of "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom

Miss America/Miss USA

* Debbye Turner (born 1965), Miss America 1990
* Shandi Finnessey (born 1978), Miss USA 2004

Athletics

*Forrest Clare Phog Allen (1885-1974) American collegiate basketball coach
*Henry Armstrong (1912–1988), boxer, (born in Mississippi but grew up in St. Louis)
*Yogi Berra (born 1925), catcher and manager in Major League Baseball and an Aphorist
* Bill Bradley (born 1943), Basketball Hall of Famer, U.S. Senator
*Harry Caray (1914–1998), baseball broadcaster
*Mort Cooper (1913–1958), baseball pitcher
*Walker Cooper (1915–1991), baseball catcher and coach
*Joe Crede (born 1978), baseball third baseman
*Dwight F. Davis (1879–1945), Tennis player, Founder of the Davis Cup
*Carl Edwards (born 1979), NASCAR driver
*Ryan Howard (born 1979), Baseball player
*Glen Jacobs (Born 1967) professional wrestler and actor.
*Ben A. Jones (1882–1961), thoroughbred horse trainer
*Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones (1906–2001), thoroughbred horse trainer
*Jamie McMurray, NASCAR driver
*Stan Musial (born 1920), Baseball Player
*Randy Orton (born 1980), Professional Wrestler
*Kareem Rush, NBA champion with the L.A. Lakers
*Mike Rucker Defensive End Carolina Panthers
*Kenny Schrader, NASCARdriver
*Casey Stengel (c. 1890 – 1975), Baseball Hall of Famer
*Payne Stewart (1957–1999), golfer
*Rusty Wallace, NASCAR driver
*Kenny Wallace, NASCAR driver
*Mike Wallace, NASCAR driver
*Justin Gage, NFL wide receiver for the Chicago Bears and tennesee Titans
*Justin Smith, Defensive End for the Bengals and 4th overal pick in the 2001 NFL Draft
*Brad Smith, NFL Wide Receiver for the New York Jets
* Luke Snyder(1982) Professional Bull Rider
* Matt Bohon(1983) Professional Bull Rider
*Matthew Korklan(born 1983)Professional wrestler

Business

* Bill Lear (1902–1978), founder of Lear Jet
* J. C. Penney (1875–1971), businessman and entrepreneur
* Ken Lay (1942–2006), chairman and CEO of Enron
* John Q. Hammons, hotel enterprizer
* Sam Walton founder of Wal-Mart
* Jack C. Taylor (born 1923), founder of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, billionaire philanthropist
* James Smith McDonnell (1899-1980) Founder of McDonnell Aircraft Corporation (later McDonnell Douglas), philanthropist
* Adolphus Busch (1839-1913) Founder of Anheuser-Busch (the world's largest brewer)

Art/Literature/Journalism

* Maya Angelou (born 1928), author and poet
* Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975), painter
* George Caleb Bingham (1811–1879) artist (born in Virginia but moved to central Missouri)
* William S. Burroughs (1914–1997), author
* Samuel Clemens (1835–1910), "Mark Twain", humorist, writer and lecturer
* Lester Dent (1904–1959), author Doc Savage novels
* T. S. Eliot (1888–1965), poet, dramatist and literary critic
* Eugene Field (1850–1895), writer and poet
* William Least Heat-Moon (born 1940), travel writer
* Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988), science fiction author
* Langston Hughes (1902–1967), African-American poet, novelist and playwright
* Donald Judd (1928-1994), artist
* Dennis L. McKiernan (born 1932), author
* Marianne Moore (1887–1972), poet and writer
* Joseph Pulitzer (1847–1911), journalist (from Hungary), known for creating "St. Louis Post-Dispatch" and the prestigious Pulitzer Prize
* Charles Marion Russell (1864–1926), artist
* Kimora Lee Simmons
* Sara Teasdale (1884–1933), poet
* Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957), writer and author of the book "Little House on the Prairie"
* Tennessee Williams (1911–1983), playwright (born in Mississippi but grew up in St. Louis)

cience and medicine

* George Washington Carver (c. 1864 – 1943), botanist
* Charles Stark Draper (1901–1987), Inventor
* Edwin Hubble (1889–1953), astronomer
* Virginia Eshelman Johnson (born 1925) psychology researcher
* Jack Kilby (1923–2005), inventor of the integrated circuit
* William Howell Masters (1915–2001), Gynecologist
* Lewis Stadler (1896–1954) A.K.A., L.J. Stadler. Maize geneticist
* Andrew Taylor Still (1828–1917), physician and founder of osteopathic medicine

Aviation/Aeronautics

* Charles Lindbergh (1902–1974), aviator first solo non-stop trans-Atlantic flight in 1927, (born in Detroit, Michigan but lived in St. Louis)

Infamous Missourians

James-Younger Gang

*Frank James (1843–1915), outlaw
*Jesse James (1847–1882), outlaw
*Cole Younger (1844–1916), outlaw
*John Younger, outlaw
*Bob Younger, outlaw
*Jim Younger, outlaw
*Bob Ford, outlaw (gunned down Jesse James)

Famous Missourians

* Dred Scott, litigant in the famous Dred Scott Decision
* Helen Andelin (born 1920), author Fascinating Womanhood
* Calamity Jane (c. 1852 – 1903), Indian fighter and frontierswoman]
* Dale Carnegie (1888–1955), public and motivational speaker
* George Washington Carver (c. 1864 – 1943), botanist
* Max Factor (1877–1935), cosmetologist, make-up artist and cosmetics giant
* Mary Ranken Jordan (1869–1962), philanthropist and community advocate
* Emmett Kelly (1898–1979), clown
* Phyllis Schlafly (born 1924), conservative political activist and author
* Raleigh Shaver (1872–1937) Farmer and philanthropist
* Rajiv Tarigopula (born 1992), Scripps National Spelling Bee finalist 2003-06, placed 4th in two consecutive years; National Vocabulary Championship finalist 2008
* George Thampy (born 1987), Scripps National Spelling Bee champion 2000, staff member 2006
* Roy Wilkins (1901–1981), civil rights activist

ee also

* Missouri Wall of Fame