List of people from Rockford, Illinois
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The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Rockford, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Rockford, Illinois.
Academics, science, and engineering
- James Henry Breasted, scholar, first American teacher of Egyptology
- Griffith Buck, rose breeder
- Richard Bulliet, scholar of the Middle East
- Robert Clodius, educator, acting President of the University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Arnold Krammer, historian, resided in Rockford from 1970 to 1974 while on the faculty of Rockford College; at Texas A&M University from 1974 to retirement in 2015
- John Henry Manny, inventor, founder of Manny Reaper Works
- Fred Merkel, broadcast engineer for Premiere Networks and iHeartMedia
- Gordon Tullock, economist
- Janice E. Voss, astronaut and engineer; lived in Rockford[1]
- Daniel Hale Williams, surgeon, first doctor to successfully complete open heart surgery;[2] founder of the first integrated American hospital, Provident Hospital of Cook County[3]
Business
- Virgil Abloh, fashion designer and businessman
- Stewart Brand, founder of Whole Earth Catalog, co-founder of The WELL
- Robert Greenblatt, television executive, Chairman of NBC Entertainment[4]
- Albert Henry Loeb, attorney and business executive, Sears
- Pehr August Peterson (1846–1927), business executive, Sundstrand Corporation[5]
- John Sall, co-founder of SAS Institute
- Albert Spalding (1850–1915), co-founder of Spalding; pitcher with Rockford Forest Citys; manager of Chicago White Stockings; executive of National League of Baseball Clubs; inductee in National Baseball Hall of Fame[6]
Entertainment and media
Acting
- Ginger Lynn Allen, porn actress
- Jodi Benson, voice actress, Ariel in The Little Mermaid
- Barbara Hale, actress, Perry Mason
- Kathryn Layng, actress, Doogie Howser, M.D.
- Natasha Leggero, comedian, actress
- Joseph Mantello, actor, director, Wicked, Take Me Out, Assassins
- Andra Martin, actress, Up Periscope, The Thing That Couldn't Die
- Aidan Quinn, actor, Desperately Seeking Susan, Elementary
- Anthony Tyler Quinn, actor, Boy Meets World[7]
- Betty Jane Rhodes, actress, singer, Sweater Girl, The Fleet's In
- Susan Saint James, actress, Kate & Allie, McMillan & Wife
- Linda Wallem, actress, writer, producer, Nurse Jackie
- Stephen Wallem, singer, actor, Nurse Jackie
Animation
- Bill Kopp, animator
Cinematography
- Declan Quinn, cinematographer, Leaving Las Vegas, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"[8]
Music
- Emily Bear, pianist, composer
- Bun E. Carlos, drummer, Cheap Trick
- Kurt Elling, jazz vocalist, composer, lyricist
- Swan Hennessy, classical composer
- Joie De Vivre (band), emo band
- Sarah Kelly, singer, songwriter
- Marin Mazzie, actress, singer (Kiss Me, Kate)
- Matthew McDonough, drummer for Mudvayne
- Lou Musa, guitarist, The Verve Pipe[9][verification needed]
- Rick Nielsen, lead guitarist for Cheap Trick
- Tom Petersson, bass guitarist for Cheap Trick[10]
- Marty Ross, musician, songwriter and performer
- Jake Runestad, composer and conductor
- Shawn Wade, bass guitarist for 12 Stones[citation needed]
- Ryley Walker, guitarist
- Michelle Williams, part of the R&B group Destiny's Child
- Robin Zander, vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Cheap Trick
Reality
- Paris Bennett, contestant on Season 5 of American Idol
- Kelly Killoren Bensimon model, former cast member of Real Housewives of New York City
- Heather Nauert, news anchor on Fox News; born in Rockford
- Kayla Ferrel, Cycle 16 Contestant of America's Next Top Model
Special effects
- Shaun Smith, visual effects artist
Writing
- Robert Lee Maupin Beck, writer, producer, Pimp: The Story of My Life[11]
- Thomas Fleming, writer, editor, Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture
- John Ortberg, author, pastor
- Will Pfeifer, comic book writer
- Shawn Ryan, television producer, screenwriter (The Shield)
- Barbara Santucci, artist, poet, author[12]
- Erica Spindler, author
- Leopold Tyrmand, novelist, editor, dissident; originally from Poland
- Kimberla Lawson Roby , New York Times bestselling author
Politics and law
- John B. Anderson, US Representative, US presidential candidate
- Debra Bowen, Secretary of State of California, 2007–2015
- William Brown, Illinois House of Representatives
- John T. Buckbee, US Representative
- Robert R. Canfield, Illinois state legislator and lawyer
- James E. Cartwright, US Marine Corps general; Vice Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Mary Lou Cowlishaw, Illinois House of Representatives
- Barbara Giolitto, Illinois House of Representatives
- Edolo J. Giorgi, Illinois House of Representatives
- Rodney Grams, Republican United States Senator, news anchor, WIFR 23 Rockford[13]
- Kim Hammer, Baptist clergyman and Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Saline County; born in Rockford in 1958
- Joyce Holmberg, educator and Illinois state senator
- Alta M. Hulett, attorney, first woman admitted to the state of Illinois Bar[14]
- Betty Ann Keegan, Illinois State Senator
- Julia Lathrop, social and political activist, subject of biography My Friend, Julia Lathrop (1935) by Jane Addams[15]
- Donald A. Manzullo, United States Representative
- Lynn Morley Martin, United States Representative, United States Secretary of Labor
- Stanley Mosk, justice, Supreme Court of California
- David Campbell Mulford, United States Ambassador to India; Vice-Chairman International, Credit Suisse
- Paula J. Raschke-Lind, Illinois state politician
- Benjamin R. Sheldon, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
- Steve Stadelman, Illinois state senator
- Fred E. Sterling, Illinois politician
Sports
Baseball
- Ross Barnes (1850–1915), second baseman, shortstop, Boston Red Stockings[16]
- Aldine Calacurcio, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Rockford
- Hal Carlson, pitcher for Chicago Cubs
- Jean Cione, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Rockford
- Orville Jorgens, pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies
- Margaret Jurgensmeier, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Rockford
- Gene Lamont, catcher, coach, manager, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox
- Berith Melin, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Rockford
- Rodney Myers, pitcher, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Hattie Peterson, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Winnebago, Illinois
- Ken Rudolph, catcher, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles
- Jake Smolinski, outfielder, Texas Rangers; born in Rockford
- Harry Sullivan, pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals
- Ed Swartwood, player, umpire, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Charles Swindells, catcher, St. Louis Cardinals
- Daniel E. Tipple, pitcher, New York Yankees; born in Rockford
Basketball
- Bill Erickson, player for Illinois in 1949 Final Four
- John E. Erickson, coach, University of Wisconsin, and GM of Milwaukee Bucks
- Ernie Kent, coach, Washington State University and University of Oregon
- Fred VanVleet, point guard with Toronto Raptors
Billiards
- Dallas West, pool player; inducted into the Billiards Congress of America Hall of Fame (1996)
Boxing
- Kenneth Gould, boxer, 1988 United States Olympics welterweight bronze medalist
- Sammy Mandell, boxer, World Boxing Association lightweight champion
Diving
- Ronald Merriott, Olympic diver; 1984 bronze medalist
Football
- John Blake, nose guard, coach, University of Oklahoma, Dallas Cowboys
- Merwin Hodel, fullback, New York Giants
- Dean Lowry, defensive end, Green Bay Packers
- Walt McGaw, guard, Green Bay Packers
- Carlos Polk, linebacker, Dallas Cowboys
- Ken Roskie, fullback, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions
- Brock Spack, head coach, Illinois State University
- Jerry Stalcup, linebacker, Los Angeles Rams
Golf
- Dave Barclay, golfer, 1947 national collegiate champion
- Jeff Mitchell, pro golfer
Ice skating
- Alexe Gilles, champion figure skater
- Janet Lynn Nowicki, ice skater, 5-time national champion, 1972 Olympic bronze medalist
Motor racing
- Chad Knaus, crew chief, Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion
Mountaineering
- Ed Viesturs, high-altitude mountaineer
Soccer
- Steve Cherundolo, defender for the US Men's National Team and Hannover 96 in Germany's Bundesliga
- Peri Marosevic, forward for the Toronto FC
- Bryan Namoff, defender and midfielder for D.C. United
- Brad Ring, midfielder for the San Jose Earthquakes
Wrestling
- Stephanie Bellars, wrestling manager; married to Paul Caiafa of the Misfits
References
- ^ "Our View: 'Job well done' in space ends after 30 eventful years". Rockford Register Star. Rockford, Illinois. July 11, 2011. Archived from the original on February 8, 2012.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Daniel Hale Williams". The Black Inventor Online Museum. Adscape International, LLC. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- ^ "African American Medical Pioneers: Daniel Hale Williams (1856–1931)". American Experience: Partners of the Heart. PBS Online. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- ^ Baum, Geraldine (30 April 2009). "TV Exec Turns Back the Clock to Stage '9 to 5'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ^ "P.A. Peterson: Immigrant Industrialist". Northern Illinois University Libraries. December 1996. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ^ McMahon, William E. "Al Spalding". RootsWeb. Ancestry.com Inc. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ^ "Anthony Tyler Quinn". Metacritic. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ Turnbaugh, Kristi (August 2013). "Shooting Stars". Columbia College Chicago. Columbia College Chicago. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ Chiarelli, Vince (14 August 2013). "Vince's Notes: Following the Great Talent of Rockford Native Lou Musa". Rock River Times. The Rock River Times. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ Rowe, Mark; Snyder, Philip (1 February 2005). "The 12-String Bass". The 12-String Bass. www.12StringBass.net. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
- ^ Skillz, Mark (5 February 2010). "The Hustle-The Story of Robert Beck aka Iceberg Slim". Hip Hop and Politics. Metro Theme. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
- ^ "Artist: Barbara Santucci lives in Rockford, where she works from her". Courier-News. August 29, 1999. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ^ Salisbury, Bill (9 October 2013). "Rod Grams Dies; Minnesota Congressman, Senator, TV Anchor Was 65". Twin Cities. St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
- ^ "United Our Shared Histories". Rockford College. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- ^ Lundin, Jon W. "Rockford An Illustrated History", Windsor Publications 1989 p. 84
- ^ Appell, Howard W. (27 January 2013). "Campaign Renewed to Get Livingston Native into Baseball Hall of Fame". The LCN. The Livingston County News. Retrieved 13 October 2013.