List of people from Evanston, Illinois explained

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Evanston, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Evanston, Illinois.

Academia

• Oliver Marcy, two-time president of Northwestern University.
• Dale T. Mortensen, Nobel Prize winner in economics, faculty of Northwestern University.
• Gail Thain Parker, Scholar of American literature, President, Bennington College.
• Dwight H. Perkins, Economist, Harvard University.
• Edmund Phelps, Nobel Prize winner in economics and professor.
  • Morton O. Schapiro, 16th president of Northwestern University, and 16th president of Williams College Stuart Vyse, psychologist and author. Specialist on superstitions.^[1]
• John Carrier Weaver, American professor of geography, and college administrator for several major universities in the United States.
• John Henry Wigmore, dean of Northwestern Law School.

Business

• John C. Whitehead, banker, chairman of Goldman Sachs, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State 1985–89, board member of World Trade Center Memorial Foundation (WTC Memorial Foundation)^[2]
• William Liston Brown, director of American Ship Building Company^{[3] [4]}
• James Cayne, former CEO of Bear Stearns^[5]
• Lester Crown, son of Chicago financier Henry Crown and controls family holdings^[6]
• John Donahoe, president and CEO of eBay, born in Evanston^[7]
• Bob Galvin, former CEO of Motorola^[8]
• Hecky Powell, restaurateur^[9]
• Gordon Segal, founder and CEO of Crate & Barrel^[10]
• Gwynne Shotwell, American businesswoman, engineer, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX^[11]

Entertainment

• Kate Baldwin, actress and singer
• Viola Barry, silent film actress
• William Bassett, actor
• Carlos Bernard, actor
• Marlon Brando, actor
• Tamara Braun, actress
• Heather Burns, actress
• Ronnie Burns, actor
• Timothy Carhart, actor
• William Christopher, actor, charity spokesperson
• Joan Cusack, actress^[12]
• John Cusack, actor
• John Dickson, poet and short story writer
• Sean Evans, host of Hot Ones
• Robert Falls, director
• Richard Fancy, actor
• Julie Fulton, actress
• Zach Gilford, actor
• Alicia Goranson, actress
• Seth Gordon, director, producer, editor
• Laura Harrier, actress
• Barbara Harris, actress
• Charlton Heston, actor
• Anders Holm, comedian and co-creator of Workaholics
• James Jewell, voice actor, producer & director for radio shows The Lone Ranger and The Green Hornet
• Jake Johnson, actor
• Amanda Jones, Miss Illinois USA 1973 & Miss USA 1973
• Tim Kazurinsky, actor and writer, Saturday Night Live^{[13] [14]}
• Walter Kerr, drama critic
• Lauren Lapkus, actor and comedian
• Jeffrey Lieber, writer and co-creator of the television series Lost
• Richard Long, actor
• Michael Madsen, actor
• John Lee Mahin, Oscar-nominated screenwriter
• Jeff McCracken, actor, director, producer
• Elizabeth McGovern, Oscar-nominated actress^[15]
• Patrick Melton, screenwriter
• Josh Meyers, actor and comedian^[16]
• Seth Meyers, actor and comedian^[17]
• John Moffatt, producer
• Jessie Mueller, actress and singer
• Bill Murray, actor and comedian
• Ajay Naidu, actor and singer^[18]
• Christopher Nolan, director, screenwriter, and producer^[19]
• Jonathan Nolan, screenwriter, producer and director
• James Olson, actor
• Geeta Patel, film and TV director
• D.A. Pennebaker, documentary filmmaker^[20]
• William Petersen, actor
• Steve Pink, director, screenwriter, and producer
• Jeremy Piven, actor^{[21] [22]}
• Shira Piven, director^[23]
• David Schwimmer, actor
• Anna D. Shapiro, award-winning director^{[24] [25] [26]}
• Jerry Springer^{[27] [28] [29] [30]}
• Hope Summers, actress, founder of Evanston's Showcase Theater
• Daniel Sunjata, actor
• Dave VanDam, voice actor
• Lori Voornas, radio personality
• Ruby Wax, comedian
• Jenniffer Weigel, actress, writer^[31]
• Rafer Weigel, actor, television personality^{[32] [33]}
• Martin Sherman, actor

Music

• Steve Albini, music producer
• Fred Anderson, saxophonist
• Benjamin Bagby, singer, performer of medieval music
• Stuart D. Bogie, musician and arranger
• David Burge, pianist
• Kenneth C. Burns, Jethro of Homer and Jethro
• Kevin Cronin, of REO Speedwagon
• Patti Drew, 1960s soul singer
• Alexander Frey, conductor, pianist, organist, harpsichordist, composer and recording artist
• Ezra Furman, of Ezra Furman and the Harpoons^[34]
• Steve Goodman, songwriter and musician^[35]
• Greg Graffin^[36]
• Nancy Gustafson, opera singer
• David Ryan Harris, musician
• Stafford James, musician, composer^{[37] [38]}
• Josh Kantor, organist^[39]
• Howard Levy, harmonica musician^[40]
• Junior Mance, jazz pianist and composer
• Jason Narducy, musician
• Michael Omartian, pianist, keyboard player and producer
• Julianne Phillips, model and actress
• Matthew Polenzani, opera singer
• Ryan Raddon, producer known as Kaskade^[41]
• Frank Rosenwein, classical oboist
• Natalie Sleeth, composer
• Grace Slick, of Jefferson Starship
• Patrick Stump, of Fall Out Boy^[42]
• Eddie Vedder, of Pearl Jam^{[43] [44]}
• Loraine Wyman, early 20th century performer and fieldworker in folk song

Politics, government, and military

• Lorraine H. Morton, mayor of Evanston, Illinois from 1993 to 2009; Evanston's Longest serving mayor, first democratic mayor and first African-American mayor
• W. Russell Arrington, Illinois state legislator and lawyer^[45]
• Alan E. Ashcraft Jr., Illinois state representative and judge^[46]
• George Wildman Ball, Undersecretary of State for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson
• James J. Barbour, Illinois lawyer and state legislator, practiced law in Evanston^[47]
• John Lourie Beveridge, 16th governor of Illinois
• Charles E. Browne, Wisconsin territorial legislator^[48]
• Marguerite S. Church, U.S. Representative 1951–1963
• Ralph E. Church, U.S. Representative 1935–1941, 1943–1950
• James M. Cole, U.S. Deputy Attorney General
• Burton C. Cook, U.S. Representative 1865–1871
• Charles Gates Dawes, Vice President of the United States, 1925–1929; Nobel Peace Prize winner, 1925
• Henry M. Dawes, U.S. Comptroller of the Currency 1923–1924
• Frances L. Dawson, Illinois state representative and educator^[49]
• Thomas C. Foley, U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, 2010 Republican gubernatorial candidate in Connecticut
• Robert Gettleman, federal judge
• James William Good, U.S. Secretary of War 1929
• Nathaniel M. Gorton, federal judge
• Mary Jeanne Hallstrom, nurse and politician
• Julian J. Hook, Minnesota state legislator and lawyer^[50]
• Jim Kolbe, congressman
• Lynn Morley Martin, Secretary of Labor under President George H.W. Bush
• Catherine Waugh McCulloch, lawyer, suffragist, first woman to be elected Justice of the Peace in Illinois
• H.H.C. Miller, colonel to Illinois Governor Richard Yates, Jr., three-time mayor of Evanston
• Lenora Moragne (1931–2020), nutritionist
• John Porter, congressman
• Donald Rumsfeld, U.S. Secretary of Defense, congressman
• Andrew Shuman, Lieutenant Governor of Illinois 1877–1881
• Joseph A. Strohl, Wisconsin state senator
• Leroy D. Thoman, U.S. Civil Service Commissioner 1883–1885
• Julius White, American Civil War brigadier general

Scientists

• Isabella Garnett, pioneering African-American female physician and founder of Community Hospital
• J. Allen Hynek, astronomer, professor, and ufologist
• Peter Shirley, computer scientist and computer graphics researcher

Sports figures

• Mike Adamle, NFL running back and sports broadcaster^{[51] [52] [53]}
• Cornelia Wicker Armsby, golfer
• Bessie Anthony, golfer
• Elmer Bennett, ACB basketball player
• Dave Bergman, MLB player for the New York Yankees, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers
• Pete Burnside, MLB pitcher for the New York Giants, San Francisco Giants, Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles
• John Castino, MLB infielder for the Minnesota Twins
• Jack Cooley, basketball player for the University of Notre Dame
• Yu Darvish, baseball player for the Chicago Cubs^[54]
• Luke Donald, professional golfer
• Paddy Driscoll, Hall of Fame football player
• Lindsey Durlacher, wrestler
• Kevin Foster, MLB pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers
• Pat Fitzgerald, head football coach for the Northwestern Wildcats
• Tim Floyd NBA and college basketball coach
• Clint Frank, college football halfback, 1937 Heisman Trophy winner
• Kevin Frederick, MLB pitcher for the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays
• Timothy Goebel, Olympic figure skater
• Dov Grumet-Morris (born 1982), ice hockey player
• Robert Jeangerard, Olympic basketball gold medalist
• Damon Jones, NFL tight end
• Brandon Hyde, coach for the Chicago Cubs
• Mike Kenn, offensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons, Pro Bowl selection
• Bob Lackey, Marquette and ABA basketball player
• Jim Lindeman, MLB player for the St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros and New York Mets
• Freddie Lindstrom, Hall of Fame baseball player^[55]
• Billy Martin, tennis player and coach
• Brian McBride, soccer player
• Bob Mionske, Olympic and professional bicycle racer
• Emery Moorehead, tight end for Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears
• Steve Parker, NFL player
• Wes Parker, MLB first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Josh Paul, MLB catcher for the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Tampa Bay Devil Rays
• Dan Peterson, basketball coach
• Mike Quade, baseball player, coach and manager of Chicago Cubs
• Dewey Robinson, MLB pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
• Mike Rogodzinski, MLB outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies
• Clarke Rosenberg (born 1993), American-Israeli basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League
• Erik Spoelstra, head coach, Miami Heat
• Everette Stephens, player for the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks
• Dick Strahs, MLB pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
• Peter Ueberroth, sixth commissioner of Major League Baseball, chairman of the United States Olympic Committee
• Ed Weiland, MLB pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
• Aaron Williams, NBA basketball player
• Tommy Wingels, NHL player for the Chicago Blackhawks

Visual artists, designers

• Jane Fulton Alt, photographer
• John Dilg, painter and educator
• Edie Fake, fine artist and comic/zine author^[56]
• Karen Finley, performance artist
• Margaret Burnham Geddes, architect
• Martha Nessler Hayden, painter^[57]
• Kysa Johnson, painter
• Albert Henry Krehbiel, art teacher; impressionist painter and muralist; married to Dulah Marie Evans; died in Evanston
• Allison Miller, abstract painter
• Eugene Montgomery, painter
• Jay Ryan, illustrator and screen-printer, working professionally as The Bird Machine, musician
• Robert Slimbach, typeface designer, author of Myriad, Adobe Garamond, Adobe Jenson, Utopia, Cronos
• Adrian Smith, architect of the tallest building in the world^[58]
• Gahan Wilson, cartoonist for The New Yorker, Playboy.
• Erik Winquist, visual effects supervisor, Best known for his work on films featuring computer generated effects: Peter Jackson's King Kong (2005), Avatar (2009), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), and War for the Planet of the Apes (2017).^[59]

Writers, playwrights, journalists

• Mildred L. Batchelder, namesake of the ALA award given to the publisher of a translated children's book
• Beatrice Bruteau, American contemplative, philosopher and author
• Algis Budrys, science fiction author
• Carolyn Crimi, writer of children's books
• Allen G. Debus, historian of science and medicine, known primarily for his work on the history of chemistry and alchemy.
• Sarah Dessen, fiction author
• Carl Fick, author and film director
• James Foley, journalist, freelance war correspondent, and first American killed by the terrorist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant,^{[60] [61]}
• Jeffrey Gettleman, journalist
• Charles Gibson, news anchor
  • Laurens Hammond, inventor of the Hammond organ George W. Hotchkiss, 19th-century journalist, editor, historian, and lumber dealer
• Cassidy Hubbarth, sports anchor
• Charles R. Johnson, author, National Book Award winner
• Clara Ingram Judson, children's book author
• Benay Lappe, publicist, professor, writer, female theologian, Covenant Award winner in education
• Mark McIntosh, priest and theologian
• Samuel Merwin, author and playwright
• Bob Mionske, attorney, author, former Olympic and professional bicycle racer
• Drew Pearson, newspaper columnist
• Richard Powers, author and National Book Award winner
• Alice Riley (1867–1955), author of children's media; founder of the Drama League of America and the Evanston Arts Center; lived in Evanston
• Albert Tangora, holder of world speed record for typing on a manual typewriter
• George Thiem, 1950 Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter
• Edward Thomson, writer and bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church
• Henry Kitchell Webster, author and playwright
• Edmund White, literary critic, novelist
• Frances Willard, temperance advocate and suffragist
• Garry Wills, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer/critic

Other

• Starr Faithfull, socialite known for her unsolved death

Notes and References

1. News: Burns-Fusaro . Nancy . 9 July 2022 . In the Easy Chair with Stuart Vyse . The Westerly Sun . 25 July 2022.
2. News: John Whitehead, Who Began Goldman's Global Reach, Dies. Harper. Christine. Bloomberg. 7 February 2015 . 2016-08-01.
3. Book: Catalog. 1908. en.
4. Book: History of Northwestern University and Evanston. 543. william liston brown evanston.. Sheppard. Robert Dickenson. Hurd. Harvey Bostwick. 1906. Munsell Publishing Company. en.
5. Web site: Jimmy Cayne: The rise and fall of Bear Stearns's ex-CEO - Aug. 4, 2008. Cohan. By William D.. archive.fortune.com. 2018-08-03.
6. News: Miss Renee Schine Becomes a Bride; Married to Lester Crown of Evanston, III., in Ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria. The New York Times . 29 December 1950 . 2018-06-13. en.
7. Web site: John Donahoe. Irish America. 27 April 2012 . 3 November 2014.
8. News: Robert W. Galvin, Who Led Motorola Into the Modern Age, Dies at 89. McFadden. Robert D.. The New York Times . 12 October 2011 . 2018-06-13. en.
9. Web site: Green . Penelope . Hecky Powell, Barbecue Master and Civic Leader, Dies at 71 . New York Times . June 9, 2020.
10. News: Famous ETHS Grads: Where Are They Now?. 2013-01-24. Evanston, IL Patch. 2018-06-13. en-US.
11. Web site: Shotwell, Gwynne E., 1963-. findingaids.library.northwestern.edu/. June 9, 2022.
12. News: John and Joan Cusack's Childhood Home Sold. Chicago magazine. 2018-08-03. en.
13. Web site: Tim Kazurinsky: Hardest-Working Funny Guy in Town - Evanston RoundTable. evanstonroundtable.com. 2018-08-04.
14. News: Tim Kazurinsky The Dinner Party. 2013-03-11. The Dinner Party with Elysabeth Alfano. 2018-08-04. en.
15. News: From Downtown Evanston to Downton Abbey. Evanston Magazine. 2018-08-03. en-US.
16. Web site: Josh Meyers. IMDb. 2018-06-13.
17. News: Sunday Breakfast: Late Night's Unsung Hero. DailyNorthShore. 2018-08-03. en-US.
18. News: In What Language? - An Interview with Ajay Naidu. Asia Society. 2018-08-04. en.
19. News: Nolan . Christopher . Christopher Nolan injects his sci-fi with soul .
20. http://www.filmreference.com/film/75/D-A-Pennebaker.html D.A. Pennebaker biography
21. News: Jeremy Piven returns to Chicago and the spotlight after denying allegations of sexual misconduct. Swartz. Tracy. chicagotribune.com. 2018-08-03. en-US.
22. News: Fun with Jeremy Piven, home to honor his mom Joyce and her work at Piven Theatre Workshop. 2017-05-03. WGN-TV. 2018-08-03. en-US.
23. News: Evanston-raised director discusses new movie. Davies. Janet. 2015-05-13. ABC7 Chicago. 2018-08-03. en-US.
24. News: Evanston's Anna D. Shapiro Directs the New Chris Rock Show in New York City - Make It Better - Family, Food, Finances & Philanthropy. 2011-04-17. Make It Better - Family, Food, Finances & Philanthropy. 2018-08-03. en-US.
25. Web site: Anna D. Shapiro . steppenwolf.org. en. 2018-08-03.
26. News: Anna D. Shapiro at Steppenwolf Theatre: Work in progress. Borrelli. Christopher. chicagotribune.com. 2018-08-03. en-US.
27. Web site: Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos tell us their favorite places in Chicago and predict if the Cubs make it to the World Series in 2018. WCIU, The U. 2019-06-13.
28. Web site: Springer gives $230,000 to school aiding disabled. chicagotribune.com. en-US. 2019-06-13.
29. Web site: Parents fear Evanston school for severely disabled students in danger. Peter. Cameron. chicagotribune.com. en-US. 2019-06-13.
30. Web site: Jerry Springer says talk show 'can last forever,' thanks to teen appeal. Zwecker. Bill. 2015-02-01. Chicago Sun-Times. 2019-06-13.
31. News: Writer Jenniffer Weigel on Her Favorite Bookstore and Why Women Should Splurge on Lingerie. Chicago magazine. 2018-08-03. en.
32. News: Rafer Weigel. WFLD Fox 32. 2018-08-03. en-US.
33. Web site: Rafer Weigel joins Fox 32 as weekend news anchor . robertfeder.com. 2018-08-03.
34. News: Ezra Furman confronts the fears of the marginalized on new album, 'Transangelic Exodus'. Kot. Greg. chicagotribune.com. 2018-06-13. en-US.
35. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=qojgLBuEFEUC&pg=PA133. 133. Chicago Portraits: New Edition. 2012. June Skinner Sawyers. 978-0810126497. Steve Goodman. Northwestern University Press .
36. Web site: Greg Graffin The band The Bad Religion Page - Since 1995. thebrpage.net. 2018-06-13.
37. Web site: Guide to the Stafford James Collection 2001-2005. lib.uchicago.edu. en. 2018-08-18.
38. Web site: Stafford James - roots. staffordjames.com. 2018-08-18.
39. News: I Love My Job: The Organist at Fenway Park. 2018-04-18. Boston Magazine. 2018-06-13. en-US.
40. News: Howard Levy: Reinventing The Harmonica. NPR.org. 2018-06-13. en.
41. News: Kaskade Is Mormon?! And Other Surprising Facts. Bein. Kat. 2013-09-06. Miami New Times. 2018-06-13.
42. News: Our Town's Patrick Stump talks 'The Sing-Off,' Fall Out Boy's future. Chicago Sun-Times. 2018-08-03. en.
43. News: 10 Most Famous Celebrities Born in Evanston. 2013-09-18. Evanston, IL Patch. 2018-08-03. en-US.
44. News: Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder spends the weekend at Wrigley Field. Swartz. Tracy. chicagotribune.com. 2018-08-03. en-US.
45. News: Evanston dedicates lagoon in honor of W. Russell Arrington. Luc. Karie Angell. chicagotribune.com. 2018-08-18. en-US.
46. 'Illinois Blue Book 1943-1944,' Biographical Sketch of Alan E. Ashcraft, Jr., pg. 376-377
47. 'Illinois Blue Book 1941-1942,' Biographical Sketch of James J. Barbour, pg. 162-163
48. 'The Convention of 1846,' Milo Milton Quaife, Wisconsin Historical Society: 1919, Biographical Sketch of Charles E. Browne, pg. 762-753
49. Illinois Blue Book 1969-1970, Biographical Sketch of Frances L. Dawson, pg. 10-191
50. https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?ID=10264 Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present-Julian J. Hook
51. Web site: PrivateBank sues sportscaster Adamle over former Evanston home. 2012-02-09. Crain's Chicago Business. en. 2019-09-11.
52. Web site: Mike Adamle DUI: Chicago sportscaster Mike Adamle cleared of DUI charges - tribunedigital-chicagotribune. https://web.archive.org/web/20160220060123/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-07-30/news/ct-met-admale-cleared-20110730_1_daryl-hawks-legal-limit-chicago-sportscaster. dead. 2016-02-20. 2016-02-20. 2019-09-11.
53. Web site: Ch. 5's Adamle lists home in Evanston - Chicago Tribune. https://web.archive.org/web/20110305155758/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-12-27/classified/ct-mre-1226-elite-street-20101226_1_evanston-lists-farnsworth-house. dead. 2011-03-05. 2011-03-05. 2019-09-11.
54. News: Cubs player Yu Darvish buys $4.55M Evanston home. Curbed Chicago. 2018-06-13.
55. News: Fred Lindstrom Dies at 75; Ex-Giant Was Hall of Famer. Goldaper. Sam. The New York Times . 6 October 1981 . 2018-06-13. en.
56. Web site: MacMillan. Kyle. 2018-12-01. Edie Fake. 2019-11-06. Art in America. en-US. (Fake) the Evanston, Illinois, native.
57. Web site: 20 October 2005. Martha Hayden planning annual art exhibition. limited. 2021-01-31. Newspapers.com. The Lake Geneva Regional News. 43. en.
58. News: January 2, 2010. The tallest building ever--brought to you by Chicago; Burj Dubai's lead architect, Adrian Smith, personifies city's global reach. Chicago Tribune.
59. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0935445/
60. Web site: James Foley Obituary - Hanover, PA Evening Sun. https://web.archive.org/web/20160219055626/http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/eveningsun/obituary.aspx?n=james-wright-foley&pid=172472852. dead. 2016-02-19. Legacy.com. 2016-02-19. 2019-09-11.
61. Web site: James W. Foley Legacy Foundation James W. Foley . foleyfund.wpengine.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170402161551/http://foleyfund.wpengine.com/james-w-foley/ . 2017-04-02.