List of people from Louisville, Kentucky

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Following are notable people who were either born/raised or have lived for a significant period of time in the Louisville, Kentucky metropolitan area:

Name	Description
Terry Adams	Musician, founding member of NRBQ.
James S. Albus	Engineer and Senior NIST Fellow, developer of Digital Solar Aspect Sensor, Real-Time Control System, Robocrane among other things.
Muhammad Ali	Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
Major Robert Anderson[1]	Union Army officer in the Civil War, known for his command of Fort Sumter at the start of the war.
John James Audubon	Ornithologist, naturalist and painter. Lived in Louisville for about two years.
Patricia and Cybil Barnstable	One set of the "Doublemint Twins", Hostesses of the Barnstable Brown Gala-considered the premier Derby Eve party, Tricia was Miss Kentucky and 2nd runner-up in the Miss USA Pageant, 1970's signed with the prestigious modeling agency Eileen Ford Models, in 1978 - the sisters had their own television show "Quark", posed for Playboy magazine
Marty Bass	Television news reporter, weatherman, and Presidential candidate. Born and raised in Louisville.
Ned Beatty	Character Actor in films, TV and on stage, has appeared in a wide variety of roles ranging from dramatic to comedic in movies such as The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, Deliverance, Superman (1978), Network and 1941.
James Best	Character Actor, best known for his role as Rosco P. Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard.
Barry Bingham, Jr.	Publisher of The Courier-Journal.
Barry Bingham, Sr.	Publisher of The Courier-Journal and The Louisville Times, and led both papers to national prominence.
Static Major	American record producer who gained fame posthumously for feauturing in Lil Wayne's Lollipop
Larry Birkhead	American entertainment photojournalist
Rob Bironas	Professional Football player. Tennessee Titans NFL.
Phil Bond	Former Professional Basketball Player for the Houston Rockets.
Anne Braden	Civil rights activist.
Louis Brandeis	Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Brian Brohm	Green Bay Packers Quarterback.
Foster Brooks	Actor and Comedian. Renowned for his "Lovable Lush" character, Brooks was a long-time Las Vegas headliner and appeared on numerous TV programs from the mid 1960s to mid 1990s, as well as appearing in cameo roles in such films as The Villain and Cannonball Run 2.
Pete Browning[2]	19th century major league baseball player, first to use custom pats, uncle of Tod Browning.
Tod Browning	Film Actor and Director. Directed several films starring silent screen legend Lon Chaney Sr., among them, The Unholy 3 (1925) and West of Zanzibar (1928). Best known for directing the horror classic Dracula (1931) starring Bela Lugosi as well as the cult classic Freaks (1932).
W.C. Brummett, Jr.	Founder of Gibson Houseboats and world-renowned chef.
Lance Burton	Stage Magician.
Paul Byrd	Professional Baseball Player for the Boston Red Sox
Harry Carter	Silent film actor.
George Rogers Clark	The preeminent military leader on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War.
Claudia Coffey	Reporter and Anchor for Fox Affiliate in Washington, D.C. WTTG TV, Reporter role in the movie Run Away Jury starring Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman, former Miss Louisville.
William Conrad	Actor and Narrator in radio, film and television from the 1930s through the 1990s.
Jim Cornette	Noted Wrestling Manager and Promoter.
Joe Creason	Journalist for the Courier-Journal.
Iman Crosson	Actor, Internet celebrity and Obama impersonator who became an example of professional promotion using the Internet.
Tom Cruise	Actor. (Actually born in Syracuse, New York, lived in Louisville until his mid-teens.) Star of the films Risky Business, Top Gun, A Few Good Men, and Mission: Impossible, among others.
Denny Crum	Former Men's Basketball Coach for the University of Louisville Cardinals.
Matthew Dattilo	Creator of the 'Matt's Today in History' podcast.
Roger Davis	Actor, Dark Shadows and Alias Smith and Jones; currently a custom home designer and builder in Los Angeles, CA.
George Devol	Inventor of the first industrial robot.
Irene Dunne	Actress, starred in 1931 Academy Award Best Picture Cimarron.
Thomas Alva Edison	Before fame lived in Butchertown. House now a museum.
Bob Edwards	Radio Broadcaster, National Public Radio.
Jimmy Ellis	Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
Pervis Ellison	Basketball player. Born in Savannah, Georgia. "Never Nervous Pervis" was the starting center for the University of Louisville for four years, including the 1986 national championship year. Ellison was the second freshman ever to be named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four and the first overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings.
Norris Embry	Expressionist painter.
Abraham Flexner	American educator.
Dian Fossey	Nurse at Kosair Children's Hospital. Ethologist interested in gorillas.
Fontaine Fox	Nationally syndicated cartoonist, creator of "The Toonerville Trolley" (aka "Toonerville Folks"), one of the most popular strips of the World War I era.
Heather French	Miss America 2000.
Jeff Gaither	Graphic designer for The Misfits, Guns N' Roses, Look Afraid, The Undead, Biohazard, Insane Clown Posse, The Accüsed and many more bands of all genres.
Billy Gilbert	Comedic character actor in films during the 1930s and 1940s, appeared in supporting roles in such classic Laurel & Hardy shorts as The Music Box and County Hospital, also was the model for and provided the voice of Sneezy in Disney's Snow White
Sam Gilliam	Abstract expressionist painter.
William Girdler	Director/producer of 1970s B-grade films such as Abby, Asylum of Satan and Grizzly.
CW Grafton	Author.
Sue Grafton	Author
D.W. Griffith	Film Director, Innovator. Credited with originating many camera techniques that are still commonly used in films today. Directed numerous films, among them, Birth of a Nation, Intolerance and Way Down East. Lived several years in the Brown Hotel, until his death in 1948.
Darrell Griffith	Basketball Player. Won 1980 NCAA basketball championship and John R. Wooden Award; 1980 NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player; 1981 NBA Rookie of the Year Award; played 11 seasons with the Utah Jazz; nicknamed Dr. Dunkenstein for aerial exploits.
David Grissom	Guitarist for Storyville (band), Joe Ely, Allman Brothers, John Mellencamp and others.
Lionel Hampton	Band Leader and Jazz Musician.
John Hensley	TV and film actor, regular cast member on the cable TV program Nip/Tuck.
Mildred & Patty Hill	Composers of the song "Happy Birthday To You".
Audrey Hollander	Pornographic actress.
Telma Hopkins	Singer and Television Actress, member of the 1970s pop music trio Tony Orlando & Dawn
Paul Hornung	Football player with the NFL's Green Bay Packers and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Allan Houston	Professional Basketball Player for the New York Knicks.
Wade Houston	Basketball Player and Assistant Coach at the University of Louisville and Head Coach at the University of Tennessee, Father of Allan Houston
Edwin Hubble	Astronomer/Astrophysicist, Basketball Coach at New Albany, IN High School and namesake of the Hubble Space Telescope. Lived in the Highlands.
Henry Hull	Stage and film actor, star of the 1935 film Werewolf of London.
Joe Jacoby	Former pro football player for the Washington Redskins.
Ken Jenkins	Stage and film actor, co-founder of Actors Theatre of Louisville and acted in Scrubs, Gone in Sixty Seconds, and I Am Sam.
Tom Kennedy	Game show host.
James Kottak	Current drummer for legendary metal band Scorpions, Yamaha drums endorser/clinician and former drummer for Kingdom Come, Warrant and Wild Horses.
Tim Krekel	Musician, recording artist, hit songwriter, former member of Jimmy Buffett's band.
Increase Allen Lapham	Surveyor, Naturalist, helped found the U.S Weather Bureau.
Maggie Lawson	TV actress.
Cody Lane	Pornographic actress.
Tom London	Bit player and stunt performer in numerous films, primarily westerns, began film career in early silent era and later transitioned to TV roles in the early 1950s. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as Hollywood's most prolific actor, with over 600 film appearances to his credit.
William Mapother	Film and television actor. Career includes roles on Lost (TV series) and In the Bedroom.
Joe E. Martin	Olympic boxing coach who trained World Heavyweight Champions Muhammad Ali, Jimmy Ellis, and several National Golden Gloves champions.
Victor Mature	Film Actor. Starred in a wide range of films, including My Darling Clementine, Kiss of Death, Samson and Delilah and The Robe.
Jane Mayhall	poet.[3]
U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell	Senate Minority Leader.
Brian McMahan	Rock musician known for work in Squirrel Bait, Slint, Palace Brothers, The For Carnation, and King Kong.
Mary T. Meagher	Olympic gold medalist and numerous world record holder-Swimming.
Terry Meiners	Radio talk show host.
Milton Metz	Popular local radio and television personality.
Beverle Graves Myers	Author.
Jack Narz	Game show host.
Bobby Nichols	Professional golfer, best known for winning the 1964 PGA Championship, one of the Majors in men's professional golf.
Marsha Norman	American playwright who won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Grady Nutt	Humorist and television personality (Hee Haww); lived in Louisville from 1960 until his death in 1982; graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Will Oldham	Songwriter and Musician.
Joan Osborne	Singer and Songwriter.
Greg Page	Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
Scott Padgett	Professional basketball player for the New Jersey Nets.
David Pajo	Indie musician known for work in Slint, Tortoise, and Zwan.
Bubba Paris	Graduate of Louisville's DeSales High School, offensive tackle for the 1982 Super Bowl winning San Francisco 49ers.
Fred Pfeffer[2]	Major league baseball player.
Wilson Pickett	American R&B/Rock and Roll and soul singer
Rick Pitino	Current Head Coach of the University of Louisville Cardinals Men's Basketball Team; Former Head Coach of the University of Kentucky Wildcats and the Boston Celtics.
George Dennison Prentice	Acclaimed American newspaper editor and journalist for the Louisville Journal
Artimus Pyle	Drummer for legendary Southern Rock and Roll band Lynryd Skynyrd
Steve Raible	Former NFL Player for the Seattle Seahawks and co-anchor of local KIRO News in Seattle, Washington.
Wes Ramsey	TV and film actor, appearing in episodes of the daytime serial Guiding Light and star of the independent film Latter Days
Jimmy Raney	Jazz guitarist
Jon Rauch	Professional Baseball Player for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Pee Wee Reese	Professional Baseball Player for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Marco Reguzzoni	Italian politician and entrapreneur, owner of Biocell Center, honorary citizen
Rob Riggle	Actor[4] on The Daily Show, The Office, and SNL
Rajon Rondo	Pro-Basketball player with Boston Celtics, also played for the University of Kentucky Wildcats.
Don Rosa	Illustrator of Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck and other Disney characters.
Rudy Rucker	Computer scientist and science fiction author.
Col. Harland Sanders	Founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, born, raised, and lived in Henryville, Indiana until adulthood.
Diane Sawyer	Television Journalist and Co-Anchor of ABC's Good Morning America.
Nicole Scherzinger	Actress, singer and dancer best known for her work as the lead vocalist for The Pussycat Dolls.
"Papa" John Schnatter	Founder of Papa John's Pizza, born and raised in Jeffersonville, Indiana until founding his pizza chain.
Phil Simms	Former quarterback for the NFL's New York Giants and currently a television sportscaster.
Donta Smith	Professional basketball player for the South Dragons of the National Basketball League.
James Breckenridge Speed	Businessman and Philanthropist.
James Speed	Lawyer, politician, and professor.
Rudell Stitch	Welterweight Boxer.
John William "Bubbles" Sublett	Half of the black comedic song and tap dance team "Buck & Bubbles", became a popular vaudeville entertainer and toured extensively with his partner Ford Lee "Buck" Washington. The team also appeared in films such as A Star Is Born ('37) and Cabin in the Sky ('43). Originated the role of the character "Sportin' Life" in George Gershwin's musical Porgy and Bess. Later, he became the first black entertainer to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Danny Sullivan	Former racing driver and winner of the 1985 Indianapolis 500.
Zachary Taylor	U.S. President.
Hunter S. Thompson	Journalist and author, long-time contributing writer for Rolling Stone magazine.
Mary Travers	Folk Artist Peter, Paul and Mary.
Dan Uggla	Professional Baseball Player for the Florida Marlins
Johnny Unitas	Professional Football Player from the 1950s through the 1970s.
Gus Van Sant	Film Director, Photographer, Musician, and Author.
Eugene Ulrich	Chief Editor of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Wes Unseld	Former basketball player and coach in the NBA.
Jack Warden	Film and television actor. Began his career in the early 1950s, performing on such TV shows as Playhouse 90 and Studio One, later appeared in such films as Run Silent, Run Deep, Shampoo and All the President's Men.
Ford Lee "Buck" Washington	Half of the black comedic song and tap dance team "Buck & Bubbles". Joined with partner John William "Bubbles" Sublett in 1917, the team became a top vaudeville act, playing extensively across the U.S. and Europe and were the first black entertainers to perform at New York's Radio City Music Hall. He also sang on recordings with Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith and Coleman Hawkins. (see also: John William "Bubbles" Sublett)
Henry Watterson	Founder of The Courier-Journal and namesake of the Henry Watterson Expressway.
Todd Wellemeyer	Major League Baseball Player (Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals)
Dr. Jeffrey Wigand	60 Minutes Tobacco informant.
Enid Yandell	Sculptor.
York	William Clark's manservant and participant in Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Sean Young	Film and television actress. Began career with supporting roles in such films as Blade Runner, Stripes and Dune
Mia Zapata	Murdered singer of the Seattle punk band The Gits.
John Ziegler	Radio talk show host.

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