List of people from Philadelphia
The following is a list of notable residents, natives, and persons generally associated with the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the fifth largest city in the United States.
Academia
- Noam Chomsky - linguist
- Gordon Clark - Christian theologian, professor
- Margaret Mead - noted anthropologist
- Cornelius Van Til - Christian theologian, professor
Art & Architecture
- Edmund Bacon - city planner
- Alexander Calder - artist
- Robert Crumb - underground comics artist, writer
- Thomas Eakins - painter
- Louis Kahn - architect
- Thomas Sully - painter
Business
- Michael Johns - health care exec, former government official
- Justus Strawbridge - department store founder
- John Wanamaker - department store founder
Cinema, Television, and Theater
- Kevin Bacon - actor
- Chuck Barris - actor/composer/writer/director
- John Barrymore - actor
- Danny Bonaduce - actor
- Peter Boyle - actor
- David Brenner - comedian
- Imogene Coca - actress
- Bill Cosby - comedian, actor
- Mike Douglas - singer, television talk-show host
- Kevin Eubanks - Tonight Show band leader
- Norman Fell - actor
- Tina Fey - comedian
- Larry Fine - actor
- W. C. Fields - actor
- Richard Gere - actor
- Sherman Hemsley - actor
- Nicole Kassell - director/writer
- Jack Klugman - actor
- David Lynch - movie director
- Chris Matthews - television talk-show host
- Zero Mostel - actor
- William S. Paley - President CBS
- Will Smith (Fresh Prince) - comedian, actor
- M. Night Shyamalan - movie director
- Nancy Walker - actress
- John Zacherle ("The Cool Ghoul") - actor/producer
Historical Figures
- Richard Allen - clergyman, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
- Nick Berg (from nearby West Chester), man who was beheaded in Iraq
- Benjamin Franklin - statesman, Revolutionary War patriot, inventor
- Grace Kelly - princess of Monaco
- William Penn - founded the Province of Pennsylvania
- Betsy Ross - sewed first American flag
- Philip Syng Physick - father of American surgery
Media
- Angelo Cataldi- Sports radio host
- Howard Eskin- Sports radio host
- Terry Gross - Radio Host
- Aries Keck - Author, Radio Reporter
- Michelle Malkin- Political commentator
- Joey Sweeney- Blog editor
Music
- Al Alberts (of The Four Aces) - singer
- Marian Anderson - opera singer/contralto
- Frankie Avalon - singer
- Pearl Bailey - singer, dancer, actress
- Len Barry (of The Dovells) - rock n' roll singer
- Boyz II Men - singers
- Solomon Burke - R&B singer
- Cassidy- rapper
- Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans) - singer
- Stanley Clarke - bassist
- John Coltrane - saxophonist
- Jim Croce - singer
- James Darren - singer
- The Dead Milkmen - punk/alternative band
- Eve - rapper, actress
- Fabian (born Fabian Forte) - singer
- Eddie Fisher - singer
- Freeway (rapper)- rapper
- G. Love and Special Sauce - jam band
- Kenny Gamble - producer and co-founder, Philadelphia International Records
- Stan Getz - saxophonist
- Charlie Gracie - rock n' roll singer
- Gogi Grant (born Myrtle Audrey Arinsberg) - singer
- Bobby Gregg - jazz drummer
- Daryl Hall (of Hall and Oates) - singer
- Leon Huff - producer and co-founder, Philadelphia International Records
- DJ Jazzy Jeff - hip-hop DJ
- Joan Jett - rock musician
- Kitty Kallen (born Katie Kallen) - pop singer
- Keith (born James Barry Keifer) - singer
- Patti LaBelle - singer
- Mario Lanza - operatic singer
- Al Martino (born Alfred Cini) - singer
- Barbara Mason - R&B singer/composer
- Harold Melvin (of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes) - soul singer
- Musiq - R&B singer
- John Oates (of Hall and Oates) - singer
- Teddy Pendergrass - singer
- Pink - R&B/rock n' roll singer
- Trudy Pitts - Jazz Keyboardist
- Danny Rapp (of Danny & the Juniors) - singer
- Diane Renay - singer
- Paul Robeson - singer, activist
- Todd Rundgren - singer
- Bobby Rydell (born Robert Ridarelli) - singer
- The Disco Biscuits - jam-band artists
- The Roots - hip hop artists
- Jill Scott - R&B singer
- Beanie Sigel- rapper
- Bunny Sigler - R&B singer/multi-instrumentalist/composer/producer
- Silvertide members - rock band
- Princess Superstar - hip-hop performer
- Tammi Terrell - R&B/Motown singer
- Mark Valentino (born Anthony Busillo) - singer
- Grover Washington, Jr. - jazz musician
- Pamela Williams - jazz saxophonist
- Josh Wink - DJ and electronic music producer
- Karen Young - disco singer
- The Bloodhound Gang - Rock Band
Politics
- Oscar Goodman - attorney, mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Ed Rendell - Governor of Pennsylvania, former mayor of Philadelphia.
- Frank Rizzo - mayor of Philadelphia from 1972 to 1980.
- John F. Street - Current mayor of Philadelphia.
Sports
- Richie Ashburn - baseball player, sportscaster for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Mohini Bhardwaj - American gymnast
- Kobe Bryant - basketball player
- Steve Carlton - baseball player
- Wilt Chamberlain - basketball legend
- John Chaney - Temple University basketball coach
- Maurice Cheeks - 76ers basketball coach
- Randall Cunningham - football quarterback
- Darryl Dawkins - basketball player
- Julius Erving - basketball legend
- Joe Frazier - boxer
- Marvin Harrison - football player
- Bernard Hopkins - boxing legend
- Allen Iverson - basketball player
- Ron Jaworski - football quarterback, ESPN analyst
- Harry Kalas - sportscaster for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Sonny Liston - boxer former heavyweight champion
- Moses Malone - basketball player
- Donovan McNabb - football player
- Cuttino Mobley - basketball player
- Merrill Reese- Philadelphia Eagles radio broadcaster
- Curt Schilling - baseball player
- Mike Schmidt - baseball player
- Jerry Stackhouse - basketball player
- Jim Thome - baseball player
- Rasheed Wallace -basketball player
- Chris Webber -basketball player