List of people from Kansas City, Missouri
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The list of people from Kansas City, Missouri is of notable individuals who were born in or have lived in the city. Notable residents include these: cartoonists Walt Disney, Friz Freleng, and Ub Iwerks; musicians Count Basie, Melissa Etheridge, Eminem, and Tech N9ne; politicians Emanuel Cleaver and Tom Pendergast; actors Don Cheadle, Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd, and Jason Sudeikis; reporter Walter Cronkite; pilot Amelia Earhart; and writer Ernest Hemingway.
A
- Bud Abell – linebacker in the American Football League; born in Kansas City[1]
- Oleta Adams – singer
- Amy Alcott (born 1956) – Hall of Fame professional golfer; born in Kansas City[2]
- M.A. Alford – multimedia artist
- Henry Wilson Allen – Western author and screenwriter
- Robert Altman – film director[3]
- Raleigh DeGeer Amyx – collector of Olympic and Presidential memorabilia[4]
- Stewart Ashby, Jr. – rapper
- Edward Asner – actor, born in Kansas City[5]
B
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- Burt Bacharach – pianist and composer
- Parrish Baker – cartoonist
- Joy Bang – actress born in Kansas City[6]
- Kay Barnes – mayor of Kansas City 1999–2007
- Thomas D. Barr (1931–2008) – prominent lawyer at Cravath, Swaine & Moore
- H. Roe Bartle – mayor of Kansas City and namesake of Kansas City Chiefs
- Count Basie – jazz musician and bandleader
- Noah Beery – actor
- Wallace Beery – Oscar-winning actor
- Thomas Hart Benton – artist
- Richard L. Berkley – politician, former mayor
- Ken Berry – baseball player
- Danni Boatwright – Survivor: Guatemala winner; Miss Kansas
- Johnny Yong Bosch – actor, martial artist, voice actor, and musician
- Connee Boswell – singer
- Diane Brewster – actress
- Bob Brookmeyer – jazz musician, composer, and bandleader
- Walter Brown – blues musician
- Sylvia Browne – psychic and medium
- Clinton Sumner Burns – Greater Kansas City Business Hall of Fame laureate and civil engineer
C
- Melvin Calhoun – rapper
- Danny Carey – drummer for rock band Tool
- John D. Carmack – game programmer
- Joe Carter – baseball player with Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays, lives in the city
- Don Cheadle – actor, Hotel Rwanda, Ocean's Eleven, Crash
- Anthony Civella – mobster
- Emanuel Cleaver – politician, U.S. Representative for Fifth District in Missouri[7]
- Gene Clark – singer-songwriter with The Byrds
- Jonathan Coachman – ESPN sportscaster, wrestling commentator, college basketball player[8]
- Jennifer Jo Cobb – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver
- Robert Coldsnow – Kansas legislator and lawyer
- Vinson Cole – operatic tenor
- Jalen Collins - NFL cornerback
- Evan S. Connell – author[9]
- Chris Cooper – Oscar-winning actor[10]
- John Coughlin – figure skater, 2011 U.S. pairs champion
- Joan Crawford – Oscar-winning actor[11]
- Walter Cronkite – CBS television journalist, news anchor
D
- Marcus Denmon – NBA player
- Bob Dernier – MLB outfielder
- Joyce DiDonato - opera singer
- Walt Disney – film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, and animator[12]
- Sophia Dominguez-Heithoff – model and Miss Teen USA 2017
- James T. Draper, Jr. – president of Southern Baptist Convention 1982–1984; pastor of Red Bridge Baptist Church in Kansas City 1965–1970
- David Dreier – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California and longest serving chairman of the House Rules Committee
- Carol Duboc – singer, composer, arranger, and actress[13]
E
- Amelia Earhart – iconic aviator born in Atchison, KS
- James E. Edmondson – Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
- Eminem (Marshall Mathers) – rapper and actor
- Melissa Etheridge – singer[14]
F
- Harris Faulkner – newscaster
- Samantha Fish – musician
- Scott Foley – actor
- Lisa Forbes – Miss Kansas and Miss Earth USA 2007
- William P. Foster – band director
- Thomas Frank – writer, editor
- Josh Freeman – NFL quarterback
- Matt Freije – NBA player
- Friz Freleng – film producer, director, animator, and cartoonist
G
- Heidi Gardner – comedian, and Saturday Night Live cast member
- Gene Gauntier – actress, scenarist, producer, pioneer of motion pictures
- Caroline Glaser – The Voice contestant
- Maurice Greene – sprinter, gold-medalist Olympian in track and field
- Masten Gregory – auto racing
- Eddie Griffin – comedian and actor, Deuce Bigalow, Undercover Brother
- Karolyn Grimes – actress, Zu-Zu in the Frank Capra classic It's a Wonderful Life, lived in town for many years
H
- Donald J. Hall, Sr. – businessman
- Joyce Hall – businessman, founder of Hallmark Cards
- Leon Harden – football player for Green Bay Packers
- Jean Harlow – actress[15]
- Jessica Harp – country music singer-songwriter, former member of The Wreckers with Michelle Branch[16]
- Thomas Hayward – leading tenor of Metropolitan Opera
- Robert A. Heinlein – science fiction author; his stories are frequently set in or reference Kansas City
- Ernest Hemingway – iconic novelist and short story author
- Shauntay Henderson – FBI Ten Most Wanted fugitive, convicted criminal
- Paul Henning – writer, producer of The Beverly Hillbillies TV series
- Opal Hill – golfer and LPGA co-founder
- Jerry Hines – Emmy Award-winning photographer, voted cutest baby of Kansas City 1975
- Ralph F. Hirschmann (1922–2009) – biochemist who led synthesis of first enzyme[17]
- Mabel Hite – vaudeville and musical comedy performer, father worked at Owl Drug Store
- Clara Cleghorn Hoffman (1831–1908) – temperance activist
- Bob Holden – 53rd Governor of Missouri[18]
- Dorothy B. Hughes – novelist
- Jane Dee Hull – 20th Governor of Arizona
I
- Sean Ingram – musician and entrepreneur[19]
- Lisa Irwin – infant missing since 2011[20][21]
- Ub Iwerks – animator and cartoonist[22]
J
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- Pete Johnson – blues and jazz pianist
- Elaine Joyce – actress
K
- Tim Kaine – former Governor and current U.S. Senator from Virginia; 2016 Democratic nominee for Vice president under Hillary Clinton
- Krizz Kaliko (born Samuel Watson, Jr.) – rapper
- Jason Kander – former Missouri Secretary of State
- John Kander – composer
- Ewing Kauffman – pharmaceutical magnate, philanthropist, and Major League Baseball owner
- Gerren Keith – television director Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, 227
- Ellie Kemper – actress, The Office, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
- Vern Kennedy – baseball pitcher
- Bill Kenney – politician, ex-Chiefs player
- Edward Kerr – actor, Above Suspicion, Confessions of a Sexist Pig, The Astronaut's Wife
- Craig Kilborn – actor, sportscaster, talk show host
- Philip Klutznick – U.S. Secretary of Commerce to President Jimmy Carter
- Evalyn Knapp – actress
L
- Sarah Lancaster – actress
- Frank Sherman Land – Freemason and founder of Order of DeMolay, international organization for young men
- Barbara Lawrence – actress
- William Least Heat-Moon – author
- Muna Lee – three-time track and field Olympic finalist
- Jeff Leiding – football player
- Lesa Lewis – IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Ryan Lilja – NFL player for Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School graduate
- Tyronn Lue – NBA player and current head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Raytown Senior High School
- Betty Lynn – actress best known for playing Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show
M
- Bill Maas – NFL player
- Arthur Mag – lawyer, legal counsel to Harry S. Truman
- Sean Malto – professional skateboarder
- Amanda Marsh – first winner of The Bachelor
- Denny Matthews – sportscaster, author
- John Mayberry, Jr. – baseball outfielder with Philadelphia Phillies
- Claire McCaskill – politician and senator
- Edie McClurg – actress
- Courtney McCool – athlete and Olympian
- Glenn McGee – bioethicist and philosopher
- Phil McGraw – psychologist and talk show host, lived in the area as a teen
- Katherine McNamara – actress, Shadowhunters
- Jay McShann – blues musician
- Merrell Twins – YouTubers, actresses and musicians
- Pat Metheny – jazz guitarist
- Frederick H. Michaelis – U.S. Navy Admiral
- Sue Miller – breast cancer activist
- Janelle Monáe – singer
- Wendy Moniz – actress
- Julia Montgomery – actress in Revenge of the Nerds and One Life to Live
- Dennis Moore – Congressman, politician
- Logan Morrison – baseball player
- Paul Morrison – politician
- Tommy Morrison – heavyweight boxer
- Bennie Moten – pianist, bandleader
- Mancow Muller – radio personality
- Bob Munden – exhibition shooter and gunsmith[23]
- Ashleigh Murray – actress
- Richard B. Myers – U.S. Air Force General and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
N
- Danielle Nicole – blues and soul musician
- Jesse Clyde Nichols – developer of commercial and residential real estate
- William F. Nolan – author
O
- Buck O'Neil – baseball player, scout, and coach; first African-American coach in the MLB; helped establish the Negro League Hall of Fame
P
- Satchel Paige – baseball pitcher
- Charlie Parker – jazz saxophonist and composer
- Gordon Parks – screenwriter, director, actor, photographer
- Mark Patton – actor
- Jamie Paulin-Ramirez – American Muslim convert arrested in Jihad Jane plot to kill a Danish artist
- Rodney Peete – NFL quarterback, Fox Sports TV host
- Tom Pendergast – political boss
- Tom Pernice, Jr. – professional golfer[24]
- Darrell Porter – professional baseball player, author
- Joe Posnanski – sports writer, author
- William Powell – actor
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R
- Joe Randa – baseball player
- Cathy Reynolds - professional golfer
- Rob Riggle – actor and comedian
- Bullet Rogan – baseball player
- Ginger Rogers – dancer, Academy Award-winning actress, Broadway performer
- Michael Rosbash – geneticist at Brandeis University, Nobel Laureate
- Paul Rudd – actor, Ant-Man, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
- Karl L. Rundberg (1899–1969) – Los Angeles City Council member
- Brandon Rush – NBA player
- Kareem Rush – NBA player
- Pierre Russell – basketball player
S
- Ray Sadecki – Major League Baseball pitcher
- Lori Saunders – actress, Petticoat Junction
- Rachel Saunders – 2005 Miss Kansas USA
- Melana Scantlin – Miss Missouri USA and Average Joe star, co-host of World Series of Blackjack
- Wes Scantlin – lead singer and rhythm guitarist of rock band Puddle of Mudd, cousin of Melana Scantlin[25]
- Nick Schnebelen – blues rock musician[26]
- Landry Shamet - basketball player with the NBA's Brooklyn Nets
- Ted Shawn – modern dance pioneer
- Columbus Short – choreographer, actor, singer
- Josh Shapiro – Pennsylvania state attorney general
- Sam Simmons – former NFL and Arena Football League player
- Seth Sinovic – defender for hometown team Sporting Kansas City
- Aldon Smith – NFL outside linebacker
- Crystal Smith – model
- Jack Sock – professional tennis player
- Alberto Sordi – Italian actor (honorary citizen)
- Kate Spade – fashion designer
- Alexis Spight – gospel musician
- Darren Sproles – NFL running back
- Casey Stengel – baseball player and Hall of Fame manager
- Michael Stevens – educator and Internet celebrity
- George Strohmeyer – football player
- Darrell Stuckey – NFL player with the San Diego Chargers
- Jason Sudeikis – actor, Saturday Night Live
- Justin Swift – football player with NFL's Detroit Lions
T
- Myra Taylor – blues singer, solo career and member of the Wild Women of Kansas
- Tech N9ne (Aaron D. Yates) – rapper
- Bobb'e J. Thompson – child actor
- Virgil Thomson – Pulitzer Prize-winning composer
- Calvin Trillin – food writer, journalist, humorist
- Marion A. Trozzolo – businessman, River Quay
- Lisa Tucker – writer
- Big Joe Turner – blues singer
V
- Henry Clay Van Noy – owner of Van Noy Railway News and Hotel Company (today known as HMSHost)
- Grace VanderWaal – singer-songwriter, ukuleleist, and season 11 winner of NBC's America's Got Talent
W
- Janie Wagstaff – 1992 Olympic swimmer
- Dee Wallace – actress, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- Earl Watson – basketball player
- Orla Watson – inventor[27]
- Tom Watson – professional golfer, twice Masters champion, five-time British Open winner, World Golf Hall of Fame
- Mary Watson Weaver - composer
- Ben Webster – jazz saxophonist
- Jason Whitlock – sports journalist
- Charles Wheeler – Kansas City Mayor
- Frank White – professional baseball player
- Dianne Wiest – two-time Oscar-winning actress
- Chuck Wild – recording artist, songwriter and composer[28]
- Jason Wiles – actor, played Maurice 'Bosco' Boscorelli in TV series Third Watch[29]
- Rollin Williams – first African American professor at the University of Connecticut[30]
- Barry Winchell – Private First Class, murdered by a fellow soldier for his sexual orientation
- Larry Winn – former U.S. Congressman
- Smoky Joe Wood – a.k.a. The Kansas Cyclone; professional baseball player for Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians[31]
- Doug Worgul – journalist and author of the novel Thin Blue Smoke
- Chely Wright – country music singer[32]
- Katie Wright – actress;[33] married to Hank Azaria
See also
References
- ^ "Bud Abell". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
- ^ "Amy alcott". Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
- ^ "Robert Altman". IMDb. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
- ^ Shields, Todd (January 25, 1997). "Super Bowl Rings Now in Hands of Collector". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
- ^ "Edward Asner Biography (1929–)". Film Reference. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
- ^ Interview with Joy Bang
- ^ "CLEAVER, Emanuel, II (1944 – )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Jonathan Coachman". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Evan S. Connell". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Chris Cooper". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Joan Crawford". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Walt Disney". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Carol Duboc". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Melissa Etheridge". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Jean Harlow". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Jessica Harp". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ Hevesi, Dennis "Ralph F. Hirschmann, Leading Scientist on Early Enzyme Research, Dies at 87", The New York Times, July 18, 2009. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
- ^ "Missouri Governor Robert L. Holden". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ Harkins, Ray (June 26, 2014). "Sean Ingram from Coalesce and Blue Collar Distro – Episode 113". 100 Words Or Less: The Podcast (Podcast). No. 113. Buzzsprout.com. Event occurs at 21:19. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- ^ "EPISODE 32: LISA IRWIN". The Vanished Podcast. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ Staff, KMBC 9 News (April 30, 2020). "Updated age-progressed picture of Lisa Irwin on website for missing children". KMBC. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Ub Iwerks". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Bob Munden". December 31, 2012. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
- ^ "Tom Pernice Jr". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
- ^ "Wes Scantlin". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Bio – Nick Schnebelen". Nickschnebelenkc.com. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
- ^ Jeanne Sklar. "Technology, Invention, and Innovation collections". Amhistory.si.edu. Archived from the original on October 12, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
- ^ Chuck Wild Biography by Greg Prato on the AllMusic website. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
- ^ "Jason Wiles". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ Hamilton, Anne M. (October 28, 2012). "Rollin Williams: A Pioneering Professor, And A Stylish Lover Of Culture". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Smoky Joe Wood". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Chely Wright". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ "Katie Wright". IMDb. Retrieved October 30, 2012.