List of people from Oklahoma
Appearance
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The following are people who were either born, raised, or have lived for a significant period of time in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.
Actors, Directors, Screenwriters, Producers
- A–M
- Lexi Ainsworth (born 1992), actress (General Hospital)
- Chet Allen (1928–2011), actor (The Troubleshooters)
- Erika Anderson (born 1963), actress
- Lou Antonio (born 1934), actor
- Royce D. Applegate (1939–2003), actor (seaQuest DSV)
- Gene Autry (1907–1998), actor, musician, Major League Baseball team owner
- Nicki Aycox (born 1975), actress (Cold Case)
- Marshall Bell (born 1942), actor (G vs E)
- Sherman Billingsley, actor
- William Boyd (1895–1972), actor (Hopalong Cassidy)
- Gary Busey (born 1944), actor (The Buddy Holly Story)
- T. V. Carpio (born 1981), actress, singer
- Irene Champlin (1931-1990), actress (Flash Gordon)
- Greyson Chance (born 1997), singer
- Lon Chaney Jr (1906–1973), actor (The Wolf Man, Of Mice and Men)
- Lonny Chapman (1920–2007), actor
- Maree Cheatham (born 1942), actress (Days of Our Lives)
- Kristin Chenoweth (born 1968), Tony Award-winning actress (Wicked)
- Danny Cooksey (born 1975), actor, voice actor (Diff'rent Strokes)
- Candy Clark (born 1947), actress (American Graffiti)
- Larry Clark (born 1943), filmmaker (Kids, Ken Park), photographer
- Patrick Cranshaw (1919–2005), actor (AfterMASH)
- Joan Crawford (1906–1977), Academy Award-winning actress
- Burr DeBenning (1936-2003), actor
- Michael Dolan (born 1965), actor
- Richard Erdman, actor
- Blake Edwards (1922–2010), director, writer, producer
- Glenda Farrell (1904–1971), actress (Torchy Blane)
- Kay Francis (1905–1968), actress
- James Garner (1928–2014), actor (The Rockford Files, Maverick, The Great Escape)
- Bill Hader (born 1978), actor, writer, comedian (SNL)
- Van Heflin (1908–1971), Academy Award-winning actor
- Mark Holton (born 1958), actor
- Darla Hood (1931-1979), actress (Darla from Little Rascals), Leedley
- Clint Howard (born 1959), actor (and Ron's brother)
- Jean Speegle Howard (1927–2000), actress, mother of Ron Howard
- Rance Howard (born 1928), actor, father of Ron and Clint Howard
- Ron Howard (born 1954), director, producer, actor
- Ben Johnson (1918–1996), Academy Award-winning actor
- Jennifer Jones (1919–2009), actress (The Towering Inferno, Duel in the Sun)
- Olivia Jordan (born 1988), actress, beauty pageant winner
- Christian Kane (born 1974), actor, singer (Leverage)
- Wright King (born 1923), actor, native of Okmulgee
- Heather Langenkamp (born 1964), actress (A Nightmare on Elm Street)
- Jason London (born 1972), actor (Wildfire)
- Dick Lowry (born 1944), director
- Thad Luckinbill (born 1975), actor (The Young and the Restless)
- Terrence Malick (born 1943), film director
- April March (born 1935), burlesque dancer
- James Marsden (born 1973), actor (X-Men)
- Rue McClanahan (1934–2010), actress (The Golden Girls)
- Hayley McFarland (born 1991), actress (Lie to Me)
- Beverlee McKinsey (1938–2008), soap-opera actress
- Ryan Merriman (born 1983), actor (The Pretender)
- Vera Miles (born 1929), actress (The Searchers, Psycho)
- Sharron Miller, Emmy winning director, writer, producer
- Megan Mullally, actress, dancer, singer (Will & Grace)
- Olivia Munn (born 1980), actress, television personality (The Daily Show, The Newsroom)
- N–Z
- Clarence Nash (1904–1985), voice of Donald Duck
- Tim Blake Nelson (born 1964), actor, director (O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Grey Zone)
- Chuck Norris (born 1940), actor, martial artist (Walker, Texas Ranger)
- Lee Pace (born 1979), actor, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
- Kinga Philipps (born 1976), actress, television personality
- Cindy Pickett (born 1947), actress (St. Elsewhere, Ferris Bueller's Day Off)
- Brad Pitt (born 1963), actor and producer
- Mary Kay Place (born 1947), actress (The Big Chill)
- Megyn Price (born 1971), actress (Rules of Engagement)
- Tony Randall (1920–2004), actor (The Odd Couple)
- Erik Rhodes (1906–1990), actor, singer
- Dale Robertson (1923–2013), film and television actor; later rancher near Yukon, Oklahoma
- Will Rogers (1875-1935), actor, columnist, radio personality
- Chelcie Ross (born 1942), actor
- Will Sampson (born 1933), artist, actor (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
- Gailard Sartain (born 1946), actor, artist, comedian (Hee Haw, The Buddy Holly Story)
- Tobe Sexton (born 1968), actor, filmmaker, singer, dancer (Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, Offerings)
- Ted Shackelford (born 1946), actor (Knots Landing)
- Paul Sparks (born 1971), actor (Boardwalk Empire, House of Cards)
- G. D. Spradlin (1920–2011), actor (The Godfather Part II)
- Lauren Stamile (born 1976), actress (Grey's Anatomy)
- Wes Studi (born 1947), actor (Dances with Wolves, Avatar)
- Maria Tallchief (1925–2013), ballerina
- Paula Trickey (born 1966), actress (Pacific Blue)
- Jeanne Tripplehorn (born 1963), actress (Basic Instinct, Big Love)
- Countess Vaughn (born 1978), actress (The Parkers)
- Heather Wahlquist (born 1977), actress
- Randy Wayne (born 1981), actor
- Dennis Weaver (1924–2006), actor, (Gunsmoke, McCloud)
- Michael Wilson (1914–1978), Academy Award-winning screenwriter
- Alfre Woodard (born 1952), Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe Award-winning actress
Athletes
- A–G
- Xavier Adibi (born 1984), linebacker for the Houston Texans
- Troy Aikman (born 1966), quarterback, OU, UCLA and Dallas Cowboys, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, sportscaster
- Brent Albright, professional wrestler
- Brett Anderson (born 1988), pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
- Mark Anderson (born 1983), defensive end for the Buffalo Bills
- Kelenna Azubuike (born 1983), shooting guard/small forward for the New York Knicks
- David Baas (born 1981), guard and center for the New York Giants
- Alvin Bailey (born 1991), offensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks
- Dan Bailey (born 1988), placekicker for the Dallas Cowboys
- Billy Bajema (born 1982), tight end for the Baltimore Ravens
- Jeff Banister (born 1964), MLB catcher, manager of the Texas Rangers
- Dallas Beeler (born 1989), pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Johnny Bench (born 1947), MLB catcher for Cincinnati Reds, member Baseball Hall of Fame
- Al Benton (born 1911), Former MLB Pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, and the Boston Red Sox.
- Nick Blackburn (born 1982), starting pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
- Brian Bosworth (born 1965), Oklahoma Sooners football and NFL player
- Sam Bradford (born 1987), football quarterback, OU and Philadelphia Eagles
- Jack Brisco, professional wrestler
- Jerry Brisco, professional wrestler
- Louise Brough (1923–2014), Hall of Fame tennis player
- Josh Brown (born 1979), placekicker for the New York Giants
- Mike Brumley (born 1963), third base coach for the Seattle Mariners
- Ryan Budde (born 1979), catcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Bruce Buffer (born 1957), Octagon announcer for UFC main events
- Mikey Burnett, UFC fighter
- Sol Butler (1895–1954), athlete who competed in football and track and field
- Joe Carter (born 1960), Major League Baseball outfielder
- Sherri Coale (born 1965), women's basketball coach at University of Oklahoma
- Charles Coe (1923-2001), U.S. Amateur Golfer that won Seven Titles
- Larry Coker (born 1948), football coach at University of Miami
- Nick Cole (born 1984), guard for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Bart Conner (born 1958), Olympic gold medal gymnast
- Riley Cooper (born 1987), wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Bobby Cox (born 1941), Baseball Hall of Fame manager for the Atlanta Braves
- Phillip Dillard (born 1986), linebacker for the UFL's Omaha Nighthawks
- Tim Flannery (born 1957), third base coach for the San Francisco Giants
- Brian Flynn (born 1990), pitcher for the Kansas City Royals
- Dominique Franks (born 1987), cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons
Ryan Franklin pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
- Vickie Gates (born 1962), IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Bill Goldberg, professional wrestler
- Kelly Gregg, OU and NFL player
- Jermaine Gresham (born 1988), tight end for the Arizona Cardinals
- Matt Grice (born 1981), UFC fighter
- Blake Griffin (born 1989), power forward for the Los Angeles Clippers
- Taylor Griffin, forward for the Phoenix Suns
- H–M
- Charlie Haas, WWE professional wrestler
- Tommy Hanson (1986–2015), MLB starting pitcher, primarily with the Atlanta Braves
- Chris Harris, Jr. (born 1989), cornerback for the Denver Broncos
- Mickey Hatcher (born 1955), OU baseball, outfielder for Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins
- Andrew Heaney (born 1991), relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels
- Rusty Hilger (born 1962), Oklahoma State and NFL quarterback
- A. J. Hinch (born 1974), MLB catcher, manager of the Houston Astros
- Danny Hodge (born 1932), Olympic champion wrestler
- Mat Hoffman, world champion BMX biker
- Matt Holliday (born 1980), left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Henry Iba (1904–1993), basketball coach, Basketball Hall of Famer
- Gabe Ikard (born 1990), center for the Buffalo Bills
- Darnell Jackson, forward for the Sacramento Kings
- Betty Jameson (1919–2009), golfer in World Golf Hall of Fame
- Charlie Johnson, guard for the Minnesota Vikings
- Felix Jones, running back for the Dallas Cowboys
- Bob Kalsu (1945–1970), Oklahoma Sooners football and Buffalo Bills player, only active professional football player killed in Vietnam War
- Deji Karim (born 1986), running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Matt Kemp (born 1984), outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Dallas Keuchel (born 1988), pitcher for the Houston Astros
- Stacey King, three-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls (1991–1993)
- Jon Kolb, Oklahoma State and Pittsburgh Steelers center
- Hal Lahar (1919–2003), professional football player and college football coach
- Steve Largent (born 1954), Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, Pro Football Hall of Famer and politician
- Abe Lemons (1922–2002), Oklahoma City University, Pan American University, and Texas Longhorns basketball coach
- Ronnell Lewis (born 1990), NFL player for Detroit Lions
- Joe Lillard (1905–1978), running back for the Chicago Cardinals
- Ray Mallouf (1918–2008), NFL quarterback and punter for the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants
- Mickey Mantle (1931–1995), New York Yankees outfielder, Baseball Hall of Famer
- Pepper Martin (1904–1965), St. Louis Cardinals baseball player
- Bryan McCann (born 1987), cornerback for the Oakland Raiders
- Gerald McCoy (born 1988), defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- "Jumping Jack" McCracken (1911–1958), Basketball Hall of Famer
- Leroy McGuirk, professional wrestler and promoter
- Mike McGuirk, ring announcer for World Wrestling Federation
- R. W. McQuarters (born 1976), former NFL cornerback
- Robert Meachem (born 1984), wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers
- Jordy Mercer (born 1986), shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates
- Shannon Miller (born 1977), Olympic gold medal gymnast
- Garrett Mills (born 1983), tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Ryan Minor, Oklahoma Sooners baseball and basketball player
- Gil Morgan (born 1946), professional golfer
- Marty Mornhinweg (born 1962), offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Tommy Morrison (1969–2013), heavyweight champion boxer
- Bobby Murcer (1946–2008), professional baseball player and sportscaster
- N–R
- Rico Noel (born 1989), outfielder for the New York Yankees
- Lance Norick (born 1968), NASCAR driver
- Daniel Orton (born 1990), center for the Orlando Magic
- Bill Owen (1903–1975), NFL offensive tackle
- Steve Owen (1898–1964), Hall of Fame NFL player and head coach
- Steve Owens (born 1947), Oklahoma Sooners football player and 1969 Heisman Trophy winner
- Brad Penny (born 1978), MLB baseball pitcher
- Beth Phoenix, professional wrestler
- Darrell Porter (1952–2002), MLB baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Maurkice Pouncey (born 1989), center for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Mike Pouncey (born 1989), center and guard for the Miami Dolphins
- Mark Price (born 1964), basketball player; Enid H.S., Georgia Tech, and Cleveland Cavaliers
- Bryant Reeves (born 1973), basketball player, attended Gans high school in eastern Oklahoma, played for Oklahoma State and NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies
- Allie Reynolds (1917–1994), Baseball Hall of Famer
- Crystal Robinson, New York Liberty, WNBA basketball player
- Bullet Rogan (1893–1967), Baseball Hall of Famer
- Matt Roney (born 1980), MLB relief pitcher
- Jim Ross, WWE announcer
- Darrell Royal (1924–2012), football coach at University of Texas
- T. J. Rushing (born 1983), cornerback and return specialist for the Detroit Lions
- John Russell (born 1961), bench coach for the Baltimore Orioles
- Rex Ryan (born 1962), head coach for the Buffalo Bills
- Rob Ryan (born 1962), defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys
- S–Z
- Barry Sanders, running back, Oklahoma State Cowboys Heisman Trophy winner, Football Hall of Famer
- Spec Sanders (born 1919), football player for the New York Yankees (AAFC) and New York Yanks
- Bill Self (born 1962), basketball coach at the University of Kansas
- Lee Roy Selmon (1954–2011), Oklahoma Sooners football player and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee
- Jeremy Shockey (born 1980), tight end for the New Orleans Saints
- Billy Sims (born 1955), running back Oklahoma Sooners football and Detroit Lions, Heisman Trophy winner
- Antonio Smith (born 1981), defensive end for the Denver Broncos
- John Smith (born 1965), Olympic gold medalist and wrestling coach
- Reggie Smith (born 1986), safety for the Carolina Panthers
- Warren Spahn (1921–2003), pitcher, Baseball Hall of Famer
- Willie Stargell (1940–2001), outfielder, Baseball Hall of Famer with the Pittsburgh Pirates, known for his ability to hit home runs completely out of stadiums
- John Starks (born 1965), basketball player for the New York Knicks
- Cory Sullivan (born 1979), outfielder for the Houston Astros
- Eddie Sutton (born 1936), Arkansas Razorbacks and Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball coach
- Jack Swagger, OU and WWE wrestler
- Barry Switzer (born 1937), football coach, Oklahoma Sooners and Dallas Cowboys
- Brian Tallet (born 1977), relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Ralph Terry (born 1936), pitcher, primarily with the New York Yankees
- Jim Thorpe (1887–1953), athlete, Olympic gold medalist, played professional football and Major League Baseball; born in Prague, Oklahoma
- Spencer Tillman, All-American running back for the Oklahoma Sooners and CBS television football analyst
- Wayman Tisdale (1964–2009), professional basketball player and jazz musician
- Bob Tway (born 1959), professional golfer and PGA Championship winner in 1986
- Ekpe Udoh (born 1987), player for the Milwaukee Bucks
- J. D. Walton (born 1987), center for the New York Giants
- Lloyd "Little Poison" Waner (1906–1982), Baseball Hall of Famer
- Paul "Big Poison" Waner (1903–1965), Baseball Hall of Famer
- "Cowboy" Bill Watts (born 1939), professional wrestler and promoter
- J.C. Watts (born 1957), Oklahoma Sooners football quarterback and U.S. Congressman
- Brandon Weeden (born 1983), quarterback for the Houston Texans
- Wes Welker (born 1981), wide receiver for the Denver Broncos
- Jason White (born 1980), Oklahoma Sooners football quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner
- Bud Wilkinson (1916–1994), famed Oklahoma Sooners football coach, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
- Shelden Williams (born 1983), former NBA player
- Reggie Willits (born 1981), left fielder for the Los Angeles Angels
- Matt Wiman (born 1983), UFC fighter
- James Winchester (born 1989), long snapper for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Jamey Wright (born 1974), MLB relief pitcher
Authors
- William Bernhardt (born 1960), novelist
- John Berryman (1914–1972), poet
- Angie Debo (1890–1988), author and Oklahoma historian
- Ralph Ellison (1914–1994), writer and scholar
- Martin Gardner (1914–2010), author specializing in recreational mathematics
- Tony Hillerman (born 1925), journalist, historian, professor, and novelist
- S.E. Hinton (born 1948), author and novelist
- Nicole Jordan (born 1954), author
- Louis L'Amour (1908–1988), western novelist
- Billie Letts (1938-2014), novelist
- Tracy Letts, playwright, screenwriter, actor
- N. Scott Momaday, author, printmaker
- Jeff Rowland, cartoonist, author of WIGU
- Wilson Rawls (1913–1984), author
- Josh Shipp (born 1981), author and motivational speaker
- Jim Thompson (1906–1977), novelist
- Bill Moyers (born 1934), journalist and public commentator
- Jason Nelson (born 1970), internet artist and digital poet
Aviators and astronauts
- Thomas and Paul Braniff, airline entrepreneurs, founders of Braniff International Airways
- Gordon Cooper (1927–2006), astronaut
- Owen K. Garriott (born 1930), astronaut
- John Herrington (Chickasaw, born 1958), astronaut
- James Jabara (1923–1966) world's first jet ace, and Korean War triple ace with 15 kills
- Shannon Lucid (born 1943), astronaut
- William R. Pogue (born 1930), astronaut
- Wiley Post (1898–1935), first pilot to fly solo around the world, (born in Texas but grew up in Oklahoma)
- Will Rogers (Cherokee, 1879–1935), aviator
- Thomas Stafford (born 1930), astronaut
- Clarence L. Tinker (Osage, 1887–1942), U.S. Army Air Corps general and supreme commander of the U.S. Army Air Corps in the Pacific during World War II
Businesspeople
- Rick Bayless (born 1953), restaurateur, chef, PBS television personality
- Clay Bennett, chairman, Dorchester Capital, Professional Basketball LLC; owner, Oklahoma City Thunder
- James A. Chapman (1881–1966), oil industry businessman
- Edward K. Gaylord (1873–1974), founder, Daily Oklahoman
- Edward L. Gaylord (1919–2003), editor, Daily Oklahoman; founder, TNN & CMT; owner, Grand Ole Opry
- Sylvan Goldman (1898–1984), businessman and inventor of the shopping cart
- J. M. Hall (1851–1935), merchant and pioneer of Tulsa, Oklahoma
- George Kaiser,[1] chairman of BOK Financial Corporation
- W. W. Keeler (Cherokee, 1908–1987), principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, President and CEO of Phillips Petroleum Company (1968–1973)
- Henry Kravis,[2] co-founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
- Eugene Lorton (1868–1949), owner, publisher and editor of the Tulsa World
- James H. McBirney (1870–1944) founder and president, National Bank of Commerce,[3]
- Sam P. McBirney (1877–1936), founder and vice president, National Bank of Commerce, Tulsa[3]
- Robert M. McFarlin (1866–1942), oil industry businessman
- Neal Patterson (born 1950), chief executive officer, Cerner Corporation; owner, Sporting Kansas City soccer team
- Waite Phillips (1883–1964), oil industry businessman
- T. Boone Pickens, Jr. (born 1928), oil industry businessman
- William Skelly (1878–1957), founder of Skelly Oil Company and Spartan School of Aeronautics
- Helen Walton (1919–2007), wife of Sam Walton, once richest woman in the world
- Sam Walton (1918–1992), founder of Wal-Mart
- Tom L. Ward, oil industry businessman
- William K. Warren, Sr. (1897–1990), oil industry businessman, founder of Warren Petroleum Corporation and of St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa
Comedians
- Bill Hader (b. 1978), actor, comedian
- Harris Wittels (1984–2015) television writer, comedian
- Alexander Posey (Muscogee Creek, 1873–1908) poet, humorist, journalist, and politician
- Will Rogers (Cherokee, 1879–1935), humorist
Criminals
- Cattle Annie (1882–1978), female bandit of the American Old West[4]
- Little Britches (born 1879; year of death unknown), female bandit, companion in crime with Cattle Annie[4]
- William K. "Bill" Hale, (died 1962), ringleader of the Osage Indian murders, convicted of murder in 1929.
- Richard Lee McNair (born 1958), convicted murderer
- Jon Schillaci (born 1971), former FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive
- Belle Starr (1848–1889), queen of the outlaws; a female Jesse James
- Cameron Willingham (1968–2004), convicted arsonist, whose case spawned a controversy over use of forensic evidence in capital trials
Miss America winners
- Jennifer Berry (born 1983), Miss America 2006
- Jane Anne Jayroe (born 1946), Miss America 1967
- Lauren Nelson (born 1987), Miss America 2007
- Susan Powell (born 1959), Miss America 1981
- Norma Smallwood (Cherokee, 1909–1966), Miss America 1926, first Miss America of Native American heritage
- Shawntel Smith (born 1971), Miss America 1996
Military and political figures
- Carl Albert (1908–2000), Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977; born in McAlester, reared in Bugtussle, Oklahoma
- Bob Ballinger, Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives; reared in Tulsa
- Dewey F. Bartlett, Sr. (1919–1979), Oklahoma Governor and U.S. Senator
- Dan Boren (born 1973), represents Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional district in the U.S. House
- David Boren (born 1941), former Governor of Oklahoma, U.S. Senator and University of Oklahoma president
- Donna Campbell (born 1954), physician and member of the Texas Senate; reared in Oklahoma
- Joseph J. Clark (Cherokee, 1893–1971), Admiral U.S. Navy and first Native American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy
- William J. Crowe (1925–2007), Admiral U.S. Navy and former Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Floyd D. Culbertson, Jr. (1908–1989), mayor of Minden, Louisiana (1940–1942); later practiced law in Texas and Tulsa, where he died and is interred at Memorial Park Cemetery
- Drew Edmondson (born 1946), state Attorney General
- General Tommy Franks (born 1945), Commander of US Central Command, US Invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq
- Bo Gritz (born 1939), most decorated Green Beret officer during the Vietnam War
- Enoch Kelly Haney (Seminole, born 1940), Senator State of Oklahoma, campaign manager for George P. Nigh during his first successful bid for Governor, Principal Chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, artist, sculptor, historian, businessman
- Patrick J. Hurley (1883–1963), U.S. Secretary of War under President Herbert Hoover
- Jeane Kirkpatrick (1926–2006), U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
- Perle Mesta (1889–1975), political hostess, U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg
- A. S. Mike Monroney (1902–1980), U.S. Senator, sponsor of the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958
- Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927–2003), U.S. Senator, ambassador to India, Ambassador to the United Nations
- Donald Lee "Don" Nickles (born 1948), U.S. Senator from Oklahoma 1981–2005
- George Nigh (born 1927), two-time Governor of Oklahoma from McAlester, Oklahoma
- Tony Perkins (born 1963), director of the Family Research Council and former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
- Dennis Reimer (born 1939), four-star General, Chief of Staff of the US Army
- Alice Mary Robertson (1854–1931), educator, social worker, government official, and politician
- Gene Stipe (1926–2012), longest-serving member of the Oklahoma State Senate, from McAlester, Oklahoma
- Apollo Soucek (1897–1955 ), test pilot and Vice Admiral, U. S. Navy, born in Medford, Oklahoma
- Clarence L. Tinker (1887–1942), Air Force major general killed in action in World War II
- Elizabeth Warren (born 1949), US Senator for Massachusetts, Special Advisor for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- J.C. Watts (born 1957), former U.S. representative in the majority leadership; OU Sooners quarterback
- Neil Woodward (born 1962), Naval officer, former NASA astronaut
- Jim Woolsey (born 1941), former Director of Central Intelligence and head of the CIA (1993–1995)
Musicians
- A–M
- Hoyt Axton (1938–1999), country music singer-songwriter, wrote "Never Been to Spain"
- Chet Baker (1929–1988), jazz trumpeter who helped popularize 1950s cool jazz style
- Molly Bee (1939–2009), country singer
- Elvin Bishop, singer-songwriter; from Tulsa; hit record "Fooled Around and Fell in Love"
- Anita Jane Bryant (1940), singer, former Miss Oklahoma
- Bob Bogle, bassist and founding member of The Ventures, member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Earl Bostic (1913–1965), R&B and jazz musician
- Garth Brooks (born 1962), country music singer-songwriter
- Don Byas (1912–1972), jazz tenor saxophonist; a leading musician of swing and bebop eras
- JJ Cale (1938-2013), country rock (see Tulsa sound)
- Henson Cargill (born 1941), country music singer
- Jerry Cantrell, musician, lead guitarist and vocalist, Alice in Chains
- Gary Chapman (born 1957), Contemporary Christian musician
- Charlie Christian (1916–1942), jazz guitarist, member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, considered father of jazz guitar
- Roy Clark (born 1933), country musician
- Eddie Cochran, rockabilly musician
- Wayne Coyne, member, indie rock band The Flaming Lips
- Jesse Ed Davis (Kiowa-Comanche, 1944–1988), Taj Mahal band, session musician post-Beatles, born in Norman
- Bob Dunn, musician, invented electric guitar; from Beggs, Oklahoma
- Ronnie Dunn (born 1953), half of country music duo Brooks & Dunn
- Nokie Edwards (born 1935), lead guitarist of The Ventures, member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Gail Farrell (born 1947), singer-songwriter, featured performer from The Lawrence Welk Show
- John Fullbright, singer-songwriter; from Bearden
- David Gates (born 1940), singer-songwriter associated with the band Bread
- Vince Gill (born 1957), country musician
- Earl Grant (1933–1970), easy listening pianist
- Woody Guthrie (1912–1967), folk singer
- Glen Hardin (born 1939), musician, piano player
- Roy Harris (1898–1979), classical composer
- Richard Hart (born 1955), jazz guitarist, composer, arranger, published artist
- Lee Hazlewood (1929–2007), singer-songwriter, record producer
- Michael Hedges (1953–1997), acoustic guitarist, born in Enid, Oklahoma
- Wanda Jackson (born 1938), rockabilly singer, born in Maud, Oklahoma
- Brett James (born 1968), country singer-songwriter
- Toby Keith (born 1961), country musician
- Merle Kilgore (1934–2005), singer-songwriter, manager
- Tosca Kramer (1903–1976), violinist, violist, music educator
- Fredell Lack (born 1922), violinist
- Mel McDaniel (born 1942), country music singer-songwriter
- Reba McEntire (born 1955), country singer
- Susie McEntire (born 1957), inspirational country singer and storyteller
- Roger Miller (1936–1992), singer-songwriter
- Leona Mitchell (born 1948), African-American soprano; member, Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
- N–Z
- Norma Jean (born Norma Jean Beasler in 1938), country music singer
- Patti Page (1927–2013), traditional pop music and country music singer
- Sandi Patty (born 1957), contemporary Christian music singer
- Tom Paxton (born 1937), singer-songwriter
- Ben Rector (born 1986), pop singer-songwriter
- Steve Ripley (born 1950), songwriter, studio engineer, guitarist, and inventor, leader of rock band, The Tractors
- Sam Rivers (born 1923), jazz tenor saxophonist with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, and Quincy Jones
- Joe Don Rooney (born 1975), country music singer, one-third of group Rascal Flatts
- Leon Russell (1942-2016), singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist
- Neal Schon (born 1954), lead rock guitarist of Journey
- Mark Selby, blues rock musician
- Blake Shelton (born 1976), country musician
- John Simmons (1918–1979), jazz bassist
- Kay Starr (born 1922), pop and jazz singer
- Ryan Tedder, frontman, pop rock band OneRepublic
- B. J. Thomas (born 1942), singer-songwriter (singer of "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head")
- Carrie Underwood (born 1983), country music singer-songwriter, American Idol 2005 winner
- Jimmy Webb (born 1946), popular music composer
- Bryan White (born 1974), country music singer
- Reese Wilson (born 1962), country music songwriter
- Claude Williams (1908–2004), jazz musician, Count Basie band
- Mason Williams (born 1938), composer ("Classical Gas"), recording artist, comedy writer (Smothers Brothers)
- Bob Wills (1905–1975), country music singer-songwriter, leader of band The Texas Playboys
- Sheb Wooley (1921–2003), actor and singer (Purple People Eater)
Native Americans
- Bill Anoatubby (born 1945), Governor of the Chickasaw Nation
- Lisa Johnson Billy (born 1967), Oklahoma State Legislator; first Woman Native American elected to HD 42; one of the founders of the Native American Caucus; Chickasaw Indian
- Black Kettle (1801/07–1868), Cheyenne Chief killed near Cheyenne, Oklahoma, in Roger Mills County
- T.C. Cannon (Kiowa/Caddo, 1946–1978), 20th-century Native American artist and poet
- Joseph J. Clark (Cherokee Nation, 1893–1971), Admiral in U.S. Navy
- George W. Harkins (Choctaw, (1810–1861), attorney, judge, Chief of the Apukshunnubbee District
- Wilma Mankiller (1945–2010), first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation
- Doris McLemore, (Wichita, 1927–2016), last speaker of the Wichita language[5]
- Quanah Parker (Comanche, c. late 1840s–1911), chief and cofounder of the Native American Church
- Peter Pitchlynn (Choctaw, 1806-1881), provisional Choctaw Chief, Choctaw Delegate to Washington, D.C.; buried in the Congressional Cemetery
- Pleasant Porter (Muscogee, 1840–1907), Muscogee (Creek) Nation principal chief
- Harvey Pratt (Southern Cheyenne, born 1941), Native American forensic artist, Cheyenne peace chief
- Will Rogers (Cherokee, 1879–1935), humorist, actor, author, aviator, movie producer
- John Ross (Cherokee, 1790–1866), principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, buried at Park Hill, Oklahoma
- Sequoyah (Cherokee, 1776–1842), lived in what is now Sequoyah County; blacksmith, teacher, inventor of the Cherokee syllabary
- Maria Tallchief (Osage Nation, 1925–2013), first American prima ballerina
- Marjorie Tallchief (Osage Nation, 1925–2013), ballerina
- Clarence L. Tinker (Osage Nation, 1887–1942), U.S. Army Air Corps general, first American general to die in World War II
- Fred Waite (Chickasaw, 1853–1895), cowboy, member of Billy the Kid's gang and politician
- Stand Watie (Cherokee, 1806–1871), Brigadier General in the Confederate Army, chief
- Della Warrior (Otoe-Missouria, born 1946), first female chairperson of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians, president of the Institute of American Indian Arts, executive director of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture
Radio and television personalities
- Skip Bayless (born 1951), sports journalist (ESPN First Take)
- Walter Cronkite (1916–2009), television journalist
- Douglas Edwards (1917–1990), radio and television journalist
- Gary England (born 1939), chief meteorologist for KWTV Channel 9
- Kathy Lee Gifford (born 1953), television personality, Oral Roberts University graduate
- Kayne Gillaspie, television personality and fashion designer
- Paul Harvey (1918–2009), radio broadcaster and commentator
- Mary Hart (born 1950), television personality, co-host Entertainment Tonight
- Glenn Hauser (born 1945), radio broadcaster
- Phil McGraw (born 1950), television psychologist
- Bill Moyers, television journalist
- Bob Murphy (1924–2004), sportscaster, play-by-play for New York Mets
- Ross Porter (born 1938), longtime broadcaster for Los Angeles Dodgers
- Dan Rowan (1922–1987), comedian and co-host, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
- Reed Timmer (born 1980), television personality, Storm Chasers
- Judy Woodruff (born 1946), television journalist
Scientists, including medicine
- Richard E. Berendzen (born 1938), astronomer, author, and professor
- Kenneth H. Cooper (born 1931), physician, United States Air Force officer, pioneer of aerobics
- David Deming, PhD, author, professor of geology, and political comentator
- Edwin R. Gilliland (1909–1973), chemical engineer and professor
- Lyle Goodhue (1903–1981), research chemist and American inventor
- James Herndon (born 1952), media psychologist
- Karl Guthe Jansky (1905–1950), physicist and radio engineer
- John York (born 1949), cancer research pathologist
Religious figures
- Finis Alonzo Crutchfield (1916–1987), Methodist minister and Bishop of Oklahoma
- Paul Vernon Galloway (d. 1990), Methodist minister and Bishop of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana
- Charles William Kerr (1875–1951), first permanent Protestant minister in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Jerry Johnston (born 1959), Southern Baptist clergyman and university administrator, born in Oklahoma City
- Robert McGill Loughridge (1809–1900), Presbyterian missionary
- Quanah Parker (Comanche, 1852–1911), Native American Church leader and advocate
- Oral Roberts (1918–2009), evangelist
- John Wilson (Caddo) (ca. 1840–1901), Native American Church roadman
- Yahweh ben Yahweh (born Hulon Mitchell Jr.), leader, religious group Nation of Yahweh
Visual artists
- Joe Andoe, painter
- Fred Beaver, painter, printmaker
- Charles Bell (1935–1995), photorealist painter
- Acee Blue Eagle, artist
- Carolyn Brady, artist
- Joe A. Rector, artist
- Joe Brainard, artist
- T.C. Cannon, artist
- Larry Clark, photographer, filmmaker
- Woody Crumbo, artist
- Joe Goode, artist
- Chester Gould (1900–1985), creator of the Dick Tracy comic strip
- Stephen Hillenburg (born 1961), cartoonist, creator of SpongeBob SquarePants
- Allan Houser, sculptor
- N. Scott Momaday, author, printmaker
- Jason Nelson (born 1970), internet artist and digital poet
- Gary Panter (born 1950), illustrator, painter and designer
- Jeff Rowland, cartoonist, author of WIGU
- Ed Ruscha (born 1937), artist
- David Salle (born 1952), artist
- Leon Polk Smith (born 1906), artist
Other
- Gary Clayton Anderson (born 1948), American historian, specialist in American Indian studies
- Bobby Baldwin (born c. 1950), professional poker player
- Daniel J. Boorstin (1914–2004), historian, professor, attorney, and writer
- Bill G. Chapman (1928–2007), advocate for the blind, author
- Tom Colbert (born 1949), first African-American Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice
- Kim Davenport (born 1955), professional pool player
- David Duke (born 1950), white nationalist, politician, antisemitic conspiracy theorist
- Ben Graf Henneke (1914–1999), educator; president, University of Tulsa
- Anita Hill (born 1956), professor of social policy, law, and women's studies who testified at the U.S. Senate confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas
- Sherri Hill, fashion designer; grew up in Minco
- Ray William Johnson (born 1981), Internet comedian and musician
- Stephen Jones (born 1940), attorney; Timothy McVeigh's lead defense lawyer during McVeigh's trial for the Oklahoma City bombing
- Robert L. Lynn (born 1931), college administrator and president, journalist and poet; reared in Carter County
- Charles Page (1860–1920), philanthropist and founder of Sand Springs, Oklahoma
- Amanda Rochelle Penix, winner of Miss Oklahoma Teen USA 1997 and Miss Oklahoma USA 2000
- Joe Redington (1917–1999), "Father of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race"
- Bass Reeves (1838–1910), first African-American U.S. Marshal and one of the chief law enforcement agents in early Oklahoma
- Steven W. Taylor (born 1949), Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice, presided over Oklahoma City bombing suspect Terry Nichols's state murder trial
- Cornel West (born 1953), scholar
See also
- List of Northeastern State University alumni
- List of Oklahoma State University people
- List of people from Enid, Oklahoma
- List of people from Muskogee, Oklahoma
- List of people from Norman, Oklahoma
- List of people from Oklahoma City
- List of people from Tulsa, Oklahoma
- List of University of Central Oklahoma people
- List of University of Oklahoma alumni
- List of University of Tulsa people
- Lists of Americans
References
- ^ "Forbes's The World's Richest People". Retrieved September 16, 2007.
- ^ "Academy of Achievement Biography". Retrieved September 16, 2007.
- ^ a b Tulsa Gal Website. "Tulsa Founders: James H. McBirney."June 20, 2010.
- ^ a b "Cattle Annie & Little Britches, taken from Lee Paul [http://www.theoutlaws.com]". ranchdivaoutfitters.com. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
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- ^ Poolaw, Rhiannon (August 31, 2016). "Last Wichita Speaker Passes Away". ABC News 7. KSWO. Retrieved September 1, 2016.