List of people from Peoria, Illinois

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Peoria, Illinois.

For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Peoria, Illinois.

Authors and academics

• Dorothy Cannell, mystery author
• William Lane Craig, Christian apologist
• Philip José Farmer, science fiction and fantasy author
• Betty Friedan, feminist author (The Feminine Mystique)
• Kendall Gott, author and historian; grew up in Peoria
• Joseph C. Hafele, physicist
• Kent Hovind, Christian creationist; convicted of 58 federal counts involving money fraud
• Kate Klise, children's book author
• Dan Simmons, author (Hyperion Cantos series)

Business and engineering

• Bruce Borland, golf course designer for Jack Nicklaus; died in a 1999 plane crash with Hall of Famer Payne Stewart
• John Coleman, meteorologist and weatherman; founder of The Weather Channel
• Harry Frazee, owner of Boston Red Sox who traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees
• Susan G. Komen, namesake of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
• George D. Sax, entrepreneur; credited with the innovation of drive-through banking

Media and arts

• Richard Pryor, comedian and actor
• Mark Staff Brandl, artist
• Charles Correll, performer (Amos and Andy radio show)
• Mariclare Costello, actress
• Lee Garmes, cinematographer
• Harry Harrison, radio host, disc jockey
• Teck Holmes, actor, rapper, former Direct Effect host; The Real World: Hawaii cast member
• Tom Irwin, actor; founding member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company
• Jim and Marian Jordan, radio performers (Fibber McGee and Molly)
• Tami Lane, makeup artist; Academy Award winner for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Camryn Manheim, actress
• Kathryn McGuire, actress
• James Millhollin, character actor; born in Peoria
• Bill Ballance, radio host
• David Ogden Stiers, actor (Major Charles Emerson Winchester III on M*A*S*H)
• Cynthia Stone, actress
• Sander Vanocur, television news journalist
• Marty Wombacher, writer, photojournalist, blogger

Music

• Dan Fogelberg, musician
• Jerry Hadley, opera tenor
• Bruce Johnston, member of the Beach Boys; born in Peoria, then adopted and moved to Chicago and Los Angeles
• Julia H. Johnston, Christian songwriter who composed Grace Greater Than All Our Sin
• Tim Kelley, recipient of Key To The City of Peoria; Grammy Award-winning record producer; half of the production duo Tim & Bob
• Cristy Lane, singer
• Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane, lead singer for Spanky and Our Gang; replaced Cass Elliot in The Mamas & the Papas
• Craig Moore, lead singer and bassist of 1960s garage rock band Gonn; grew up in Peoria
• Abbie Parker, member of the contemporary Christian music band I Am They
• Gary Richrath, guitarist from REO Speedwagon; raised in East Peoria
• Bob Robinson, recipient of Key To The City of Peoria; Grammy Award-winning record producer; half of the production duo Tim & Bob
• Bart Shatto, featured vocalist with Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• Fred Stobaugh, 96-year-old widower; wrote a love letter that became the viral video "Oh Sweet Lorraine"
• Greg X. Volz, lead singer of Christian rock band Petra
• Richard A. Whiting, composer
• Emile Ghantous, Grammy-nominated record producer and songwriter

Bands

• The Forecast, indie rock band
• Minsk, metal band
• Mudvayne, metal band
• Planes Mistaken for Stars, punk and hardcore band

Military

• General Wayne A. Downing, US Special Operations Commander and Joint Special Operations Commander; 75th Ranger Regiment
• General John M. Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Frank Wead, US Navy aviator turned screenwriter; early promoter of US Naval aviation

Politics and law

• Prescott E. Bloom, Illinois state senator
• Nancy Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure; Chief of Protocol of the United States; U.S. Ambassador to Hungary
• Jefferson R. Boulware, Illinois state representative and lawyer
• Robert L. Burhans, Illinois state legislator and lawyer
• John Edward Cassidy, Illinois Attorney General
• Mark Clark, Black Panther; killed in infamous Chicago police raid in 1969
• Joseph E. Daily, Chief Justice of Illinois Supreme Court
• William L. Eagleton, US diplomat
• Sherman W. Eckley, legislator and businessman
• Susan Fargo, Massachusetts state senator
• Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, controversial orator; Illinois Attorney General
• Garrett D. Kinney, state treasurer
• Raja Krishnamoorthi, Representative of Illinois's 8th congressional district
• Ray LaHood, Representative of Illinois's 18th congressional district; Secretary of Transportation under President Obama
• James B. McCoy, Wisconsin state legislator
• Robert H. Michel, longest-serving Republican leader of US House of Representatives
• Robert Dale Morgan, US federal judge and mayor of Peoria
• Norman H. Purple, Illinois Supreme Court justice and lawyer
• Don Saltsman, state legislator
• Aaron Schock, former US Congressman
• Robert Scholes, state legislator and lawyer
• Fred J. Schraeder, IIllinois state legislator and businessman
• Daniel R. Sheen, Illinois state legislator and lawyer
• David Sills, former mayor of Irvine, California and son-in-law to President Ronald Reagan
• LeRoy Smallenberger, lawyer, judge, state chairman of Louisiana Republican Party 1960-64
• Hudson R. Sours, Illinois state legislator
• Clyde E. Stone, Chief Justice of Illinois Supreme Court
• Fred J. Tuerk, Illinois state legislator
• Hubert W. Woodruff, Illinois state legislator and lawyer

Religion

• Rabbi David Hirsch, Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, an affiliate of Yeshiva University
• Julia H. Johnston, Christian songwriter who composed Grace Greater Than All Our Sin
• Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, bishop of Rochester and host of The Catholic Hour on radio and Life is Worth Living

Sports

Auto racing

• Irv Hoerr, IMSA sports car racing champion

Baseball

• Amy Irene Applegren, pitcher and infielder in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
• Charlie Bartson, pitcher for Chicago Pirates
• Harry Bay, outfielder for Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Bronchos/Naps
• Lynn Brenton, pitcher for Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds
• Ben Caffyn, outfielder for Cleveland Naps
• Mike Donlin, outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams
• Dan Dugdale, catcher for Kansas City Cowboys and Washington Senators
• Elizabeth Farrow, pitcher in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
• Norwood Gibson, pitcher for Boston Americans
• Tom Gilles, pitcher for Toronto Blue Jays
• June Gilmore, outfielder in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
• Joe Girardi, MLB catcher and manager of New York Yankees, 3-time World Series champion; raised in East Peoria
• Irene Kerwin, catcher in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, born in Peoria, member of three Halls of Fame
• Esther Lyman, catcher in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, born in Peoria
• Chris Mabeus, pitcher for Milwaukee Brewers
• Zach McAllister, pitcher for Cleveland Indians, raised in Chillicothe, Illinois
• Zach Monroe, pitcher for New York Yankees
• Darby O'Brien, outfielder for New York Metropolitans and Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Grooms; born in Peoria
• Leo Schrall, baseball head coach at Bradley University
• Allyn Stout, pitcher for St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, and Boston Braves; born in Peoria
• Lee Thomas, All-Star player for six MLB teams, general manager of Philadelphia Phillies; born in Peoria
• Jim Thome, first baseman for Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and other teams; born and raised in Peoria
• Walter Thornton, outfielder and pitcher for Chicago Cubs
• Bill Tuttle, center fielder for three MLB teams; born and raised in Cramer, 18 miles west of Peoria
• Pete Vonachen, owner of Peoria Chiefs minor league club; born and raised in Peoria
• George Whiteman, outfielder for Boston Americans, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox; World Series champion (1918); born in Peoria
• Ben Zobrist, 2nd baseman for Chicago Cubs, World Series Champion (2016), voted MVP; born in Peoria

Basketball

• Acie Earl, power forward selected by Boston Celtics with 19th overall pick in 1993 NBA draft
• Ray Giacoletti, head coach, University of Utah, Drake, Eastern Washington, North Dakota State
• AJ Guyton, point guard selected by Chicago Bulls with 32nd overall pick in 2000 NBA draft
• Charlotte Lewis, 1976 Olympic silver medalist, ISU sports Hall of Fame
• Shaun Livingston, guard for NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 4th overall pick in 2004 NBA draft
• Sergio McClain, NBA D-League forward for Asheville Altitude and University of Illinois
• Carla McGhee, basketball forward, gold medalist at 1996 Summer Olympics
• Howard Nathan, point guard for Atlanta Hawks
• Brian Randle, power forward for University of Illinois and Euroleague team Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.
• Jamar Smith, guard for Euroleague team Limoges CSP
• J. R. Koch, professional basketball player
• Dick Versace, head coach for Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers; NBA executive; head coach for Bradley University basketball in Peoria
• Frank Williams, point guard for University of Illinois, 25th overall pick in 2002 NBA draft

Ice skating

• Matt Savoie, Olympic figure skater; bronze medalist (2006)

Football

• Darryl Ashmore, offensive tackle for Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins; cousin of Carla McGhee
• Dick Jauron, NFL defensive back, head coach for Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears
• Sherrick McManis, cornerback for Chicago Bears
• Jeff Monken, football head coach for Army
• Tim Simpson, offensive guard for Pittsburgh Steelers; raised in East Peoria
• Mike Zimmer, head coach for Minnesota Vikings

Sports media

• Jack Brickhouse, broadcaster; radio-TV announcer of the Chicago Cubs
• Ralph Lawler, broadcaster; radio-TV announcer of the Los Angeles Clippers
• Jack Quinlan, broadcaster, radio announcer of the Chicago Cubs
• Lyall Smith, sports columnist, editor and PR director of the Detroit Lions, alumnus of Bradley University
• Charley Steiner, broadcaster, radio-TV announcer of the Los Angeles Dodgers, alumnus of Bradley University
• Rick Telander, sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times; panelist on Sportswriters on TV

Tennis

• Jeff Salzenstein, tennis player

Track

• Herbert Jamison, sprinter

Swimming

• Amanda Adkins, swimmer who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics