# Who is the most famous person BORN in your state? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 11, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341 "2010-11-11T18:41:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/1 "2010-11-11T18:41:44Z")
Extra points if the person became famous while still living in that state. I thought of this because I was listening to an Eddie Cochran ('50s rocker) album, and Wikipedia tells me he is born in Minnesota. I was thinking he might be the most famous Minnesota native, but then further searching showed a Frances Ethel Gumm born in Minnesota (you may remember her under her stage name, Judy Garland). I’ll start the list with these two entries: State / Most famous person born in that state California / Norma Jeane Baker aka Marilyn Monroe Minnesota / Frances Ethel Gumm aka Judy Garland What about other states? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/2 "2010-11-11T18:50:05Z")
Ohio / Neil Armstrong Which is kind of funny to say because I woudn’t recognize him if he walked into my office right now. But, his is the first name that pops into my mind. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/3 "2010-11-11T18:52:13Z")
Nebraska / probably Gerald Ford or Marlon Brando, possibly Malcolm X ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/4 "2010-11-11T18:52:30Z")
Virginia/ George Washington. . . or maybe Sandra Bullock. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/5 "2010-11-11T18:55:53Z")
Iowa/John Wayne. No extra points - he was gone before he was old enough to drawl or swagger. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/6 "2010-11-11T18:56:32Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Ohio / Neil Armstrong > > Which is kind of funny to say because I woudn’t recognize him if he walked into my office right now. But, his is the first name that pops into my mind. It seems to me that there are a lot of contenders for people from Ohio, with none really standing out. I’d suggest Ulysses Simpson Grant. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/7 "2010-11-11T18:58:48Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Virginia/ George Washington. . . or maybe Sandra Bullock. I’m not sure we get to claim him. He was born in the colony of Virginia, that later became the Commonwealth of Virginia. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/8 "2010-11-11T19:00:09Z")
> [@Mrs.Cake](#): > > Iowa/John Wayne. No extra points - he was gone before he was old enough to drawl or swagger. Also Johnny Carson, but I don’t know how long he stayed. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/9 "2010-11-11T19:01:21Z")
Montana/Gary Cooper no extra points. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/10 "2010-11-11T19:02:01Z")
Maine … uh, Idunno … Judd Nelson? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/11 "2010-11-11T19:06:09Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Maine … uh, Idunno … Judd Nelson? Stephen King ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/12 "2010-11-11T19:06:59Z")
Masschusetts has a lot. Start with the Kennedys and go from there. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/13 "2010-11-11T19:07:02Z")
Tennessee – Davy Crockett ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/14 "2010-11-11T19:08:19Z")
Massachusetts – way too many to count. JFK maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/15 "2010-11-11T19:09:47Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Stephen King Or Longfellow, but I’ve never really read any Longfellow and I hate Stephen King. On the other hand, I’ve seen \*The Breakfast Club \*probably a hundred times. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/16 "2010-11-11T19:16:56Z")
Vermont: Joesph Smith. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/17 "2010-11-11T19:20:10Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > Extra points if the person became famous while still living in that state. > > I thought of this because I was listening to an Eddie Cochran ('50s rocker) album, and Wikipedia tells me he is born in Minnesota. I was thinking he might be the most famous Minnesota native, but then further searching showed a Frances Ethel Gumm born in Minnesota (you may remember her under her stage name, Judy Garland). Ummm, how about Prince? For Wisconsin I’d have to say either Spencer Tracy or Joseph McCarthy. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/18 "2010-11-11T19:36:23Z")
Presidents, especially recent presidents, tend to trump other people on the “fame” meter. so: Illinois – Ronald Reagan ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/19 "2010-11-11T19:44:03Z")
For Washington DC, I am going to go with Marvin Gaye. ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341/20 "2010-11-11T19:46:43Z")
Indiana - John Mellencamp. And he lives here year-round. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-famous-person-born-in-your-state/560341.md?page=2)