Famous people born in your home town.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I don’t know if we’ve done this thread before, but how many famous people have been born in the same town as you? Obviously, lots of people have been born in large cities such as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles, but my home town of Johnstown, PA, has its share of famous people. By famous, I mean well-known national or international figures, not just regionally. Obviously, not all of these people lie within everyone’s interests, sports figures particularly, but each of these people are well-known within their field.

Johnstown can claim

Carroll Baker, Academy Award nomininee for Best Actress in 1956.

Ray Scott, lead football announcer for CBS Sports. He called the first two Super Bowl games, as well as many other NFL games, and was also the play-by-play voice of the Green Bay Packers.

Pete Vuckovich, American baseball pitcher who won the 1982 American League Cy Young Award with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Jack Ham, linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers who played on four Super Bowl champion teams.

Tim Kazurinsky, former SNL cast member, famous for playing Officer Sweetchuck in the Police Academy series of movies.

Steve Ditko, Marvel Comics artist and co-creator of the Amazing Spider-Man.

Emil Sitka, who appeared in many short films and features with the Three Stooges. He was known as the Fourth Stooge and was one of only two actors who had worked with Moe, Curly, and Shemp Howard, Larry Fine, Joe Besser, and Joe DeRita.

Jerry Peloquin original drummer for the Jefferson Airplane.

2

Not many from Jefferson City, Missouri.

That may vary according to your interests, though, I saw a few in the Wikipedia list that were interesting I’d never known about before.

The two main ones I remembered off the top of my head were golfer John Daly and baseball pitcher Tom Henke. I have a baseball signed by him somewhere.

3

I dunno if he was born here but he lived in my city and went to the high school across the street from where I’m sitting. Denzel Ward, the kid who was picked 4th in the NFL draft last night.

I know, sports, sorry. BUT it’s really recent news so maybe he’s well-known, this moment? :smiley:

4

Maybe not exactly famous, but do you remember Megan Meier from the MySpace suicide case? She and her primary harassers lived in the little suburb I grew up in. Megan went to the small parochial school I attended. Awful story.

5

Mostly hockey players, for both where I was born (Labrador City) and where I grew up (Grand Falls, now Grand Falls-Windsor).

The exceptions (I know of) are singer Damhnait Doyle, from Lab City, and actor Gordon Pinsent from Grand Falls.

6

I grew up in a small town and it’s even possible I’m the most famous person born there. Various famous names passed through – Albert Einstein, Benjamin Britten, Anne Meara, Walter Matthau, John Sebastian – but none stayed for any length of time.

7

Famous. Hmm. I will count that as people who have Wikipedia pages. So my friend Simon McKinney will not count. Or my brother.

There’s not many. Dunedin, New Zealand, is at the arse end of a country at the arse end of the world.

Alan Dale. Robert Sarkies. Ryan O’Kane. Colin Wilson.

8

I’m from Topeka, Kansas, and we have quite a number of well known people.

I’d like to claim Rex Stout, but he was born elsewhere and came here in early infancy. Same for Ron Evans, the astronaut.

Others actually born here include:

Karl Menninger, doctor
Gwendolyn Brooks, poet
Nancy Landon Kassebaum, politician and US Senator, daughter of Alf Landon
Linda Brown, she was a girl in the Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka
Charles Curtis, VPOTUS
Peter Max, artist
Annette Bening, actress
Aaron Douglas, Harlem Renaissance artist

For the OP, don’t forget Victor Heiser, a doctor in the public health field. 1888 flood survivor.

9

Forgot Mike Torrez, the baseball player.

10

I think it’s hilarious how some towns (like mine) build up some fourth-tier performer or politician all because of where they happened to be born.

“You’ve got to come back and visit in the summer. It sucks less, you’ll actually see the sun, and Chip Zien’ll be here for the Cow Chip Toss.”
“I hear he’s cutting the ribbon on our first Ethnic Restaurant!”
“On your left, you’ll see the childhood home of Chip Zien… there’s his mom, you’ve GOT to wave!”

Seriously, they should just have a week-long Zienapalooza (and hand out Zien 'zines).

Oh, who’s Chip Zien? Well, in the mid-80s, I remember thinking that the panning of his one big acting role wasn’t fair, because he was hindered by a duck suit.

That’d be a Howard The Duck suit.

11

Too many to count from Macon, Georgia. To name a few Jason Aldean, The Allman Brothers, Little Richard and Otis Redding. There are many many more.

12

I’m from Oyster Bay, New York…so is the writer and extremely mysterious individual Thomas Pynchon. Theodore Roosevelt wasn’t born there, but stayed there in the summer.

13

Majel Barrett (1932–2008), television (Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation). Barrett was born in Columbus, Ohio.
Beverly D’Angelo (1951– ), film (National Lampoon’s Vacation series). D’Angelo was born and raised in Columbus.
Dody Goodman (1915–2008), television (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman). Goodman was born in Columbus.
Tom Poston (1921–2007), television (Newhart); husband of Suzanne Pleshette. Poston was born in Columbus.
Josh Radnor (1974– ), television (How I Met Your Mother). Radnor was born and raised in Columbus.
Philip Michael Thomas (1949– ), actor. Thomas was born in Columbus.
Terry Glenn (1974–2017), Ohio State University and NFL wide receiver. Glenn was born and raised in Columbus.
Jack Nicklaus (1940– ), pro golfer, winner of a record 18 golf majors and member of World Golf Hall of Fame. Nicklaus was born in Columbus and attended the Ohio State University. He won the 1961 NCAA Championship while playing for the school.
Archie Griffin (1954– ), only two-time Heisman Trophy winner. Griffin attended Eastmoor High School, then the Ohio State University and won the Heisman Trophy twice as a running back for the OSU Buckeyes.
Randy Savage (1952–2011 ), professional wrestler, former WWE champion. Savage was born in Columbus
Eddie Rickenbacker (1890–1973), World War I fighter pilot, “Ace of Aces”. Rickenbacker was born and raised in Columbus
Prescott Bush (1895–1972), U.S. Senator elected from Connecticut, father and grandfather of Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively.
R. L. Stine (1943– ), author. Stine was born and raised in Columbus, attended the Ohio State University.

14

These people.
Shane Dawson, 29.
Snoop Dogg, 46. Rapper.
Jennette McCurdy, 25.
Russell Westbrook, 29. Basketball Player.
Tay-K 47, 17. Rapper.
Jenni Rivera (1969-2012)
Jazmine Lucero, 25. Musical.ly Star.
Nicolas Cage, 54. Movie Actor.

Of whom I have only heard of Snoop Dogg and Nicolas Cage.

15

I don’t live in no stinkin’ town;)
But, near enough to count:
David Pryor. US senator and Gov. of Arkansas
Johnny Cash
Bear Bryant
And some famous Opera Singer, can’t recall her name.
We’ve had several NFL players.
My 1st cousin played for the St.Louis Cardinals for 2 seasons in the 90s.
ETA Susan (Henley) McDougal famous for going to jail for contempt of court defending Clinton went to highschool with me.

16

Wasn’t Poopie McPoopface born there?

17

Oliver Smith. Oliver Smith (designer) - Wikipedia

He was a theatrical scenic designer, who designed the set for virtually every Broadway musical you can name in the 50s-60s, Nominated for the Tony Award 25 times, won ten of them. Bet you never heard of him.

18

There is a chocolate factory.

19

main person I think of lately is Evan Rachel Wood of Westworld

Evan Rachel Wood - Wikipedia

20

Houston has far too many to list. However, they have a page for them:

And of course, to top off the list: Me! :smiley: