List of people from Nebraska

The following are notable people who were born in, raised in, or have lived for a significant period of time in Nebraska.

Native Americans

Listing of Notable Native Americans of Nebraska with Tribal Affiliations.

• Joba Chamberlain. New York Yankees pitcher. Ho-Chunk
• Crazy Horse (1838–1877), great warrior of the Oglala Lakota Sioux Pre-statehood.
• Angel De Cora Dietz Hinook-Mahiwi-Kalinaka (Fleecy Cloud Floating in Place) Painter, illustrator, American Indian advocate.
• Chief Waukon Decorah
• He Dog
• Hononegah Ho-Chunk
• High Horse
• Francis La Flesche Zhogaxe (1857–1932) First Native American Anthropologist, Author. Omaha people
• Susan La Flesche Picotte Born on Omaha Reservation 1865. First Native American woman to earn a medical degree.
• Susette LaFlesche Tibbles "Bright Eyes" Born in Bellvue, 1854. Writer (published in New York Tribune, Omaha World-Herald...) and trial translator and media source for the plight of the Ponca people and Standing Bear during the Trial of Standing Bear May 1879. Omaha/Ponca
• Little Eagle
• Little Hawk
• Mountain Wolf Woman Ho-Chunk
• Red Bird
• Red Cloud (1822–1909), chief of the Oglala Sioux
• Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr.
• Chief Standing Bear (1829?–1908), Civil rights leader and at the fore of the famous petition to stay on traditional homelands post-removal as documented in The Trial of Standing Bear. In this trial the state was led to recognize that Native Americans are human beings.
• John Trudell Civil Rights activist, Community Activist, Speaker, Poet, Performer, Musician, Actor. Santee
• Yellow Thunder
• Kim Winona (October 10, 1930 – June 1978) Actress.
• Raymond Yellow Thunder Nebraska Ranch Hand killed in a notable hate crime in 1972 in Gordon. Oglala Lakota
• James Young Deer

Public office

• Herbert Brownell, Jr. (1904–1996), United States Attorney General in President Eisenhower's cabinet from 1952 to 1957
• William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925), United States Secretary of State, U.S. Representative, Democratic Party nominee for President in 1896, 1900, and 1908, and prosecuting attorney in Scopes Trial
• Hugh A. Butler (1878–1954), U.S. Senator
• James Vincenzo Capone (1892–1952), federal Prohibition agent, oldest brother of gangster Al Capone, changed name to Richard James Hart
• Ernie Chambers (Born July 10, 1937) in Omaha Nebraska State Senator Nebraska State Legislature Civil Rights Activist
• Dick Cheney (1941–), 46th Vice President of the United States
• George E. Cryer (1875–1961), 32nd Mayor of Los Angeles between 1921 and 1929
• Glenn Cunningham (1912–2003), U.S. Representative and mayor of Omaha
• Carl Curtis (1905–2000), U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator
• Samuel Gordon Daily (1823-1866), U.S. Representative - 3 terms.
• Robert Vernon Denney (1916–1981), U.S. Representative and United States district court judge
• J. James Exon (1921–2005), Governor of Nebraska and U.S. Senator
• Gerald Ford (1913–2006), 38th President of the United States (born in Omaha, but raised in Michigan)
• Dwight Griswold (1893–1954), Governor of Nebraska and U.S. Senator
• Chuck Hagel (1946–), U.S. Senator and 24th U.S. Secretary of Defense
• Robert Dinsmore Harrison (1897–1977), U.S. Representative
• Edgar Howard (1858–1951), private secretary to William Jennings Bryan, Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska, and U.S. Representative
• Bob Kerrey (1943–), Governor of Nebraska and U.S. Senator
• Julius Sterling Morton (1832–1902), United States Secretary of Agriculture and founder of Arbor Day
• Kay A. Orr (1939–), first Republican woman governor (Nebraska) in United States history (1987–1991)
• Peter George Peterson (1926–), U.S. Secretary of Commerce under Richard Nixon, Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Chair of the Council on Foreign Relations
• Donald Pike (1925–2008), Los Angeles County Superior Court Commissioner
• Leo Ryan (1925–1978), U.S. Representative (Democrat–California; born in Lincoln)
• Ted Sorensen (1928–2010), speechwriter and special counsel to President John F. Kennedy
• Charles Thone (1924–), Governor of Nebraska and U.S. Representative
• Kenneth S. Wherry (1892–1951), U.S. Senator

Military and war

• Buffalo Bill Cody (1845–1917)Lived in Nebraska (born in Iowa Territory) While working as a scout for the Fifth Army, on July 17, 1876 at War Bonnet Creek, while dressed in his Wild West stage clothing, he killed and scalped Chief Yellow Hair Cheyenne, claiming it a revenge for Custer. William F. Cody later took up residence in Scout's Rest Ranch in 1886.
• Alfred Gruenther (1899–1983), youngest four-star general in United States history, Supreme Allied Commander Europe
• Galen B. Jackman (1951–), United States Army major general (retired), Nancy Reagan's escort throughout the death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan, first commanding general of the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region
• Bob Kerrey (1943–), United States Navy, LT(JG), commanded a Navy SEAL team in Vietnam, Medal of Honor recipient
• Francis P. Matthews (1887–1952), served as 49th United States Secretary of the Navy during the administration of President Harry Truman
• Butler B. Miltonberger (1897–1977), commanded the 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division during World War II
• Jarvis Offutt (1894–1918), World War I aviator, namesake of Offutt Air Force Base
• John J. Pershing (1860–1948), General of the Armies, led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I
• Forrest S. Petersen (1922–1990), Navy and NASA test pilot, head of Naval Air Systems Command
• James G. Roudebush (c. 1949–), United States Air Force lieutenant general and doctor of medicine, current Surgeon General of the United States Air Force
• Albert Coady Wedemeyer (1897–1989), noted military planner and strategist

Entertainment

Film and theater

James Valentine , 1978- present , Guitarist of Maroon 5

• Wesley Addy (1913–1996), actor

• Adele Astaire (1897–1981), dancer and entertainer
• Fred Astaire (1899–1987), dancer and actor
• Ray Baker (1948–), actor, Cybill
• John Beasley (1943–), actor, Everwood
• Michael Biehn (1956–), actor
• Ward Bond (1903–1960), actor
• Marlon Brando (1924–2004), Academy Award-winning actor
• Montgomery Clift (1920–1966), actor
• James Coburn (1928–2002), actor
• James M. Connor (1960–), actor
• Merle Dandridge, actress
• Sandy Dennis (1937–1992), actress
• David Doyle (1929–1997), actor
• Mary Doyle (1931–1995), actress
• Christopher B. Duncan (1964–), actor, The Jamie Foxx Show, The District, Aliens in America
• Leslie Easterbrook (born 1949), actress
• Jim Fitzpatrick (born 1959), actor, All My Children
• Henry Fonda (1905–1982), Academy Award-winning actor
• Hoot Gibson (1892–1962), actor and rodeo cowboy
• [[James Valentine 1978- present, Guitarist at Maroon 5
• Coleen Gray (1922-), actress
• Bryan Greenberg (born 1978), actor, musician, One Tree Hill, October Road, How to Make It in America
• Leland Hayward (1902–1971), Hollywood and Broadway agent and producer
• Marg Helgenberger (1958–), actress
• Brad William Henke (1971–), actor, October Road, Nikki, Lost
• Hallee Hirsh (1987–), actress, Flight 29 Down, JAG, ER
• Virginia Huston (1925–1981), actress
• David Janssen (1931–1980), actor
• Jay Karnes (1963–), actor, Det. "Dutch" Wagenbach on The Shield
• Jaime King (1979–), actress
• Swoosie Kurtz (1944–), actress
• Harold Lloyd (1893–1971), actor and comedian
• Pierce Lyden (1908–1998), actor
• Gordon MacRae (1921–1986), actor and singer
• Holt McCallany (1964–), actor, Lights Out, Freedom, CSI: Miami
• Dorothy McGuire (1916–2001), actress
• Fred Niblo (1874–1948), actor, director, and producer
• Nick Nolte (1941–), actor and producer
• Alexander Payne (1961–), director and screenwriter
• Lenka Peterson (1925–), actress
• Scott Porter (1979–), actor, Friday Night Lights, The Good Wife, Hart of Dixie
• Anne Ramsey (1929–1988), actress
• Thurl Ravenscroft (1914–2005), voice actor and singer
• Rebecca Staab (1961–), actress, former beauty queen, Live Shot
• Hilary Swank (1974–), two-time Academy Award-winning actress
• Inga Swenson (1932–), actress
• Robert Taylor (1911–1969), actor
• Janine Turner (1962–), actress
• John Trudell Born on February 15, 1946 in Omaha. Civil Rights Actor, Musician, performer, subject of film documentary.
• Gabrielle Union (1973–), actress
• Lucky Vanous (1961–), model, actor, Pacific Palisades
• Charles Weidman (1901–1975), dancer and choreographer
• Darryl F. Zanuck (1902–1979), producer, writer, actor and director

Comedians and humorists

• James Adomian (1980–), actor, stand-up comedian
• Johnny Carson (1925–2005), comedian
• Adam DeVine, actor, comedian, writer, Workaholics
• Godfrey (1969–), comedian, actor
• Larry the Cable Guy (1963–), comedian
• Angela V. Shelton, actress, comedienne
• Roger Welsch (1936–), author, humorist, and folklorist

Television and radio

• Dick Cavett (1936–), television talk show host
• Floyd Kalber (1924–2004), television journalist and anchorman
• Lindsey Shaw (1989–), child actor for Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, born in Lincoln
• Kim Winona (1930–1978), actress who portrayed Morning Star on CBS's Brave Eagle (1955–1956)
• Paula Zahn (1956–), news anchor for CNN

Music

• 311, rock band
• Remedy Drive, rock band
• VOTA (formerly Casting Pearls), rock band
• Kianna Alarid (1978-), lead singer for band Tilly and the Wall
• Roni Benise, flamenco guitarist
• Ruth Etting (1896–1976), singer and actress
• Todd Fink (1974-), member of the band The Faint
• Chip Davis (1947–), singer-songwriter, founder of Mannheim Steamroller, and president and CEO of American Gramaphone
• Amy Heidemann, member of the band Karmin, graduated from Seward High School in Seward, Nebraska
• Howard Hanson (1896–1981), composer and conductor
• Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris (1915–1969), rhythm and blues singer
• Neal Hefti (1922–), jazz trumpeter and composer
• Neely Jenkins (1974-), member of band Tilly and the Wall
• Tim Kasher (1976–), singer
• Matty Lewis (1975–), singer/guitarist
• Conor Oberst (1980–), singer-songwriter with Bright Eyes
• Bryan Olesen (1973–), singer/guitarist of VOTA, former member of Newsboys
• Jamie Pressnall (1976-), member of band Tilly and the Wall
• Paul Revere (January 7, 1938–) born in Harvard, Clay County. Musician, teen idol. Founder Paul Revere and the Raiders.
• Ann Ronell (1906 or 1908–1993), jazz composer and lyricist
• Josh Rouse (1972–), singer-songwriter
• Elliott Smith (1969–2003), singer-songwriter
• Ryland Steen (1980–) Reel Big Fish drummer
• Matthew Sweet (1964–), rock musician
• John Trudell Born on February 15, 1946 in Omaha. Poet, Performer, Musician. Leader AKA Graffiti Band.
• James Valentine (1978–), Maroon 5 guitarist
• Luigi Waites (July 10, 1927 – April 6, 2010) Jazz drummer and vibraphonist
• Paul Williams (1940–), singer-songwriter
• Roger Williams (1925–), pianist
• Zager and Evans (Rick Evans and Denny Zager), rock band made famous by hit song In the Year 2525 in 1969.

Art, literature, and journalism

• Bess Streeter Aldrich (1881–1954), author of 200 short stories and 13 novels including Miss Bishop
• Hartley Burr Alexander (1873–1939), writer, educator, scholar, philosopher, poet, and iconographer
• Kurt Andersen (1954–), co-founder of Spy Magazine
• Gutzon Borglum (1867–1941), painter, sculptor, designer and engineer of the presidential busts on Mount Rushmore
• Solon Borglum (1869–1922), sculptor, younger brother of Gutzon Borglum
• Willa Cather (1873–1947), author
• Earle D. Chesney (1900-1966), cartoonist
• Ana Marie Cox (1972–), founder and editor of the political blog Wonkette
• Loren Eiseley (1907–1977), anthropologist, science writer, ecologist, and poet, born in Lincoln
• Angel De Cora Dietz Hinook-Mahiwi-Kalinaka (Fleecy Cloud Floating in Place) Painter, illustrator, American Indian Advocate, Carlisle Boarding School Teacher. (1871–1919)Ho-Chunk
• John Philip Falter (1910–1982), renowned Nebraska artist famous for his many Saturday Evening Post covers
• Ernest K. Gann (1910–1991), pioneer airline pilot, aviation writer, author of The High and the Mighty
• Terry Goodkind (1948–), bestselling fantasy author
• Robert Henri (1865–1929), painter
• M. Miriam Herrera, poet (has published one book)
• Clifton Hillegass (1918–2001), publisher and founder of CliffsNotes
• L. Ron Hubbard (1911–1986), science fiction author and founder of Scientology
• Lew Hunter (1935–), screenwriter
• Weldon Kees (1914–1955), poet, novelist, and short story writer
• Ted Kooser (1939–), Former Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress|Former Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize winner
• Stephen R. Lawhead (1950–), bestselling author of fantasy and historical fiction
• Francis La Flesche Zhogaxe (1857–1932) Author. Omaha
• Susette LaFlesche Tibbles "Bright Eyes" Born in Bellevue, 1854. Writer. Omaha/Ponca
• Christopher Lasch (1932–1994), historian, moralist, and social critic
• DeBarra Mayo (1953–) writer and author
• Wright Morris (1910–1998), novelist, photographer, and essayist
• John Neihardt (1881–1973), poet, dubbed the "Poet Laureate of Nebraska and the Plains" by the Nebraska State Legislature in 1921
• Rose O'Neill (1874–1944), Illustrator, writer, and creator of the Kewpie doll
• Daniel Quinn (1935–), author of the philosophical novel, Ishmael and its sequels
• Edward Ruscha (1937-), artist
• Mari Sandoz (1896–1966), novelist, biographer, lecturer, and teacher; author of Old Jules, Cheyenne Autumn, Slogum House, and others.
• Joel Sartore National Geographic Photographer
• Nicholas Sparks (1965–), author
• Anna Louise Strong (1885–1970), journalist and author
• John Trudell (1946–) Born on February 15, 1946 in Omaha. Civil Rights Author, Activist, Community Activist, Speaker, Poet, Performer, Musician, Actor.

Business

• Howard F. Ahmanson, Sr. (1906–1968), financier and philanthropist
• Walter Behlen (1905–1994), founder of the Behlen Manufacturing Company in Columbus, Nebraska
• Warren Buffett (1930–), "Oracle of Omaha", investor; Forbes Magazine's 2008 Richest Man in the World
• Richard N. Cabela (1936–), entrepreneur, founder of Cabela's sporting store
• Paul Endacott, Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (University of Kansas), president of Phillips Petroleum Company
• Joyce Hall (1891–1982), founder of Hallmark Cards
• Andrew Higgins (1886–1952), industrialist and shipbuilder, owner and founder of Higgins Industries, and manufacturer of "Higgins boats"
• Peter Kiewit (1900–1979), contractor, investor, and philanthropist
• C. Edward McVaney (1940–), founder of JD Edwards
• William Norris (1911–), pioneering CEO of Control Data Corporation
• Edwin Perkins (1889–1961), inventor of Kool-Aid and philanthropist
• Walter Scott, Jr. (1931–), civil engineer and philanthropist
• Phil Sokolof (1922-2004), industrialist and proponent of low-cholesterol diet
• Carl A. Swanson (1879–1949), founder of Swanson
• Evan Williams, creator of Blogger and CEO of Twitter
• Saddle Creek Records

Science and medicine

• Clayton Anderson (1959–) NASA astronaut assigned to International Space Station Expedition 15;
• Nancy Coover Andreasen, neuroscientist and neuropsychiatrist;
• Henry Beachell (1906–), developer of hybrid rice;
• George Wells Beadle (1903–1989), geneticist;
• Charles Edwin Bessey (1845–1915), botanist, responsible for planting of the Nebraska National Forest;
• Leon Douglass (1869–1940), inventor and co-founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company;
• John R. Dunning (1907–1975), physicist, played an instrumental role in the development of the atomic bomb;
• Doc Edgerton (1903–1990), professor at MIT, pioneer in stroboscopic photography;
• Rollins A. Emerson (1873–1947), geneticist, pioneer in researching the genetics of maize;
• Jay Wright Forrester (1918–), pioneer of computer engineering;
• Daniel Freeman (1826–1908), a homesteader, physician and American Civil War veteran, first person to file for a claim under the Homestead Act of 1862
• Jay Keasling (1964- ), synthetic biology pioneer
• Francis La Flesche (1857–1932) First Native American Anthropologist, Author;
• Susan La Flesche Picotte (1865–1915), first person to receive federal aid for education and the first American Indian woman to become a "western medicine" physician in the United States;
• Max Mathews (1926–2011), wrote first computer music program;
• Victor Mills (1897–1997), chemical engineer, inventor of the modern disposable diaper;
• Donald Othmer (1904–1995), chemical engineer;
• Ivan Sutherland (1938–), inventor of the Sketchpad.

Athletics

• Grover Cleveland Alexander (1887–1950), Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
• Barry Alvarez (1946–), Wisconsin Badgers football coach and athletic director
• Max Baer (1909–1959), boxer
• Brad Beckman (1964–1989), professional football player from 1988 to 1989
• Wade Boggs (1958–), professional baseball player from 1982 to 1999
• Steve Borden "Sting" (1959–), professional wrestler for CWA, UWF, NWA, WCW, WWA, and TNA
• Bob Cerv (1926–), professional baseball player from 1951 to 1962
• Joba Chamberlain (1985–), professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees
• Jeromey Clary (1983–), offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers
• Bob Devaney (1915–1997), football coach for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers
• Ted "The Million Dollar Man" DiBiase (1954–), professional wrestler
• Brian Duensing (1983–), starting pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
• Rulon Gardner (1971-), Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling
• Bob Gibson (1935–), Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
• Alex Gordon (1984–), left fielder for the Kansas City Royals
• Ahman Green (1977–), football player for the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, and Houston Texans
• Alex Henery (1987–), placekicker for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Russ Hochstein (1977–), guard for the Denver Broncos
• Jeremy Horn (1975–), mixed martial arts fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship
• Chris Kelsay (1979–), outside linebacker for the Buffalo Bills
• Monte Kiffin (1940–), assistant head coach for the USC Trojans
• Sam Koch (1982–), punter for Baltimore Ravens
• Manny Lawson (1984–), outside linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers
• Frank Leahy (1908–1973), football player, coach, and College Football Hall of Famer
• Sean McDermott (1974–), defensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers
• Zach Miller (1984–), tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Gregg Olson (1966–), professional baseball pitcher
• Jed Ortmeyer (1978–), professional hockey player for the Minnesota Wild
• Tom Osborne (1937–), former football coach for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers
• Zach Potter (born 1986), tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars
• Ron Prince (1969–), assistant offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts
• James Raschke (1940–), professional wrestler
• Andy Roddick (1982–), tennis star
• Gale Sayers (1943–), Football Hall of Fame running back for the Chicago Bears
• Scott Shanle (1979– ), outside linebacker for the New Orleans Saints

George Stone

• George Stone (1876–1945), Major League Baseball left fielder who was the 1906 batting champion
• Curtis Tomasevicz (1980–), 2006 U.S. Olympic bobsledder and former Nebraska Cornhuskers football player
• "Gorgeous George" Wagner (1915–1963), professional wrestler
• Dan Warthen (1952–), former MLB pitcher and current pitching coach for the New York Mets
• Danny Woodhead (1983–), running back for the New England Patriots, attended Chadron State College

Other

• David Phelps Abbott (1863–1934), magician and author
• Grace Abbott (1878–1939), social worker and child welfare reformer
• Frank W. Cyr (1900–1995), educator, author, and "Father of the Yellow School Bus"
• K. G. William Dahl (1883–1917), Lutheran minister and founder of the Bethphage Inner Mission in Axtell
• Merle Elwin Hansen (1919–2009) farmer and conservationist
• Carmelita Hinton (1890–1983), progressive educator
• Malcolm X (1925–1965), civil rights leader
• Roscoe Pound (1870–1964), botanist, lawyer, and law professor and theorist
• Teresa Scanlan (born 1993), titleholder for Miss America 2011
• Charles Starkweather (1938–1959), spree killer who murdered 11 victims
• Brandon Teena (1972–1993), a female-to-male transsexual whose murder was the basis of the movie Boys Don't Cry
• Virginia Lamp Thomas (born 1957), consultant for the The Heritage Foundation and wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas
• Lucas Cruikshank created and plays the character of Fred Figglehorn in internet videos
• Ryley James Hubbard (1996-) Radio host/ Male Stripper
• Robert Michael Garcia (1997-) Hand model/ Inventor of the "snuggie"
• Jackson Thomas Hinzman (1996-) Inventor of Lava Lamp/ Founder of "Greater Rights For Women Program"

See also

• Who’s Who in Nebraska

External links

• "700 Famous Nebraskans"