List of people from Oak Park, Illinois explained

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

Academics and sciences

• Lee Archambault (b. 1960), astronaut
• A. O. L. Atkin (1925–2008), mathematician
• Dmitri Borgmann (1927–1985), logologist
• Wallace Broecker (1931–2019), geochemist^[1]
• Jeannette Howard Foster (1895–1981), librarian and professor, born in Oak Park^[2]
• Emil Frei (1924–2014), oncologist
• Percy Julian (1899–1975), chemist
• Joseph Kerwin (b. 1932), astronaut
• Edith Merritt McKee (1918–2006), American geologist
• Vera Pless (1931–2020), mathematician^[3]
• Carl Rogers (1902–1987), psychologist, author and researcher
• Bruce Schneier (b. 1963), cryptographer
• John Robert Schrieffer (1931–2019), physicist
• John C. Slater (1900–1976), pioneer in quantum theory
• Susan Subak, environmental scientist and author ^[4]
• Chad Trujillo (b. 1973), astronomer
• Edward Wagenknecht (1900–2004), educator and author

Arts and culture

Architecture

• Thomas H. Beeby, architect
• Marion Mahony Griffin, architect
• Walter Burley Griffin, architect
• E.E. Roberts, architect
• Louis Sauer, architect
• John Van Bergen, architect
• Frank Lloyd Wright, architect and writer

Dance

• Heléne Alexopoulos, ballet dancer
• Doris Humphrey, choreographer and dancer

Illustrating

• Gene Ha, comic book artist
• Chris Ware, cartoonist
• Rick Yager, cartoonist

Painting and sculpture

• Leslie Erganian, painter
• Mary Agnes Yerkes, Impressionist painter

Photography

• Bruce Davidson, photographer
• Esther Henderson, photographer

Writing

• Yashar Ali, journalist
• Jacob M. Appel, author of Einstein's Beach House (lived in Oak Park, 1997–2004)^[5]
• Richard Bach, writer (Jonathan Livingston Seagull)
• Bruce Barton, author of best-selling book The Man Nobody Knows
• Edgar Rice Burroughs, author, creator of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars
• Kenneth Fearing, poet and author (The Big Clock)
• Jane Hamilton, author The Book of Ruth
• Ernest Hemingway, author (For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea)
• Leicester Hemingway, writer; younger brother of Ernest Hemingway
• Kara Jackson, poet, musician
• Tymoteusz Karpowicz, poet and playwright
• Agnes Newton Keith, writer
• E. E. Knight, writer
• John Frush Knox, memoirist
• Alex Kotlowitz, journalist and writer
• Steven Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics
• Claire Lombardo, author
• Charles MacArthur, journalist and film-writer
• Caroline Myss, author
• Edith Nash, writer
• Sandra Novack, author
• Jerry Saltz, art critic
• Carol Shields, author
• Charles Simic, fifteenth Poet Laureate of the United States
• Frances Hodges White, children's author
• William Wondriska, children's author and illustrator

Music

• Matt B, singer-songwriter
• GAWNE, rapper, singer, and songwriter
• Eleanor Friedberger, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
• Matthew Friedberger, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist

Crime

• Armando Fosco, alleged member of the Chicago Outfit^[6]
• Sam Giancana, mafia crime boss
• Tony Spilotro, alleged mafia enforcer

Business

• Allan Cox, author and business leader
• James Dewar, baker; inventor of the Twinkie^[7]
• Donald F. Duncan, Sr., parking meter and Yo-yo manufacturer
• Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's
• Richard Sears, founder of Sears, catalogue innovator
• Robert Wahl, two-time All-American and former president of Valmont Industries

Media

Acting and comedy

• William Bishop, actor
• Daws Butler, voice artist of animated characters including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound
• Dan Castellaneta, actor and voice of cartoon character Homer Simpson
• Anna Chlumsky, actress (My Girl, Veep)^[8]
• Johnny Galecki, actor (The Big Bang Theory, Roseanne, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation)
• Mason Gamble, actor (Dennis the Menace, Rushmore)
• Kathy Griffin, actress and comedian
• Julie Haydon, actress
• Thomas Lennon, actor and screenwriter
• Ted Levine, actor (The Silence of the Lambs, Monk)
• Deanna Lund, actress (Land of the Giants)
• John Mahoney, actor (Eight Men Out, Frasier, )
• Sally Mansfield, actress (Rocky Jones, Space Ranger)
• Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, actress (Scarface, The Color of Money)
• Amy Morton, actress (Chicago P.D.)
• Lois Nettleton, actress
• Bob Newhart, comedian and actor (The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart)
• Kate Norby, actress (The Devil's Rejects)
• Busy Philipps, actress (Dawson's Creek)
• Cecily Strong, actress, comedian (Saturday Night Live)
• Judy Tenuta, comedian
• Betty White, actress (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls)^[9]

Directing and producing

• John Avildsen, film director (Rocky, The Karate Kid)
• Steve James, documentary filmmaker^[10]
• David Loughery, film producer (Flashback, Lakeview Terrace)
• George Schaefer, television director (Hallmark Hall of Fame)
• John Sturges, filmmaker (The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape)

Journalism

• Tavi Gevinson, fashion blogger^[11]
• Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me!
• Gene Sherman, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter
• Alfred Henry Spink, founder of The Sporting News, lived and died in Oak Park
• Hannah Storm, television personality and sportscaster
• Dorothy Thompson, journalist
• Marjorie Vincent, 1991 Miss America, journalist

Military

• William J. Cullerton, flying ace during World War II, host of Great Outdoors on WGN Radio until 1999^[12]
• Milo Smith Hascall, Union general in the Civil War

Music

• Lane Brody, musician
• Jon Deak, bassist and composer with the New York Philharmonic
• Billy "The Kid" Emerson, R&B and rock 'n' roll singer
• Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger of the indie rock band The Fiery Furnaces
• Bud Herseth, principal trumpet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; charter member Trumpet Hall of Fame
• Mia Joy, American indie rock musician
• Ludacris, rapper; attended Emerson Junior High School in Oak Park^[13]
• Marc Okubo, guitarist of heavy metal band Veil of Maya
• Martin Pearlman, classical musician and composer
• Landon Pigg, singer-songwriter
• Felix Wurman, classical cellist and composer^[14]

Politics and law

• Theresa Amato, Nader 2000 and Nader 2004 national presidential campaign manager^[15]
• Henry W. Austin, Illinois state legislator and businessman^[16]
• David Axelrod, political strategist and former White House official
• Ralph H. Barger, Illinois state legislator^[17]
• Bruce Barton, author and advertising pioneer; congressman from New York (1937–1940)
• Redd Griffin, Illinois state legislator (1980–1982)^[18]
• John Frush Knox, clerk to United States Supreme Court Justice James Clark McReynolds; memoirist
• Eric D. Miller, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Dick Murphy, 33rd Mayor of San Diego
• Pat Quinn, 41st Governor of Illinois
• Phil Radford, environmental activist; Executive Director of Greenpeace USA; raised in Oak Park^[19]
• Leland Rayson, Illinois state legislator and lawyer^[20]
• Walter J. Reum, Illinois state legislator and lawyer^[21]
• Gerald W. Shea, Illinois state legislator^[22]
• John D. Tomlinson, Minnesota state legislator and businessman^[23]
• Greg Zito, Illinois state legislator^[24]

Religion

• William Eugene Blackstone, 19th-century evangelical Christian and Zionist; lived in Oak Park
• Edward Egan, retired Roman Catholic Cardinal Archbishop of the Diocese of New York [City]
• Louis Francescon, missionary and pioneer of the Italian Pentecostal Movement; lived and died in Oak Park
• Andrew Greeley, Catholic priest and author; born in Oak Park (1928)

Sports

Baseball

• Dick Bertell, catcher for Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants
• Art Bramhall, third baseman for Philadelphia Phillies
• Shirley Danz, outfielder with All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
• Jim Dorsey, pitcher for California Angels and Boston Red Sox
• Tony Fiore, pitcher for Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Minnesota Twins
• Justin Huisman, relief pitcher for Kansas City Royals
• Sean Lawrence, pitcher for Pittsburgh Pirates
• Lee Pfund, pitcher for Brooklyn Dodgers
• Johnny Rigney, pitcher and general manager for the Chicago White Sox
• Brian Schlitter, pitcher for Chicago Cubs
• John Sevcik, catcher for Minnesota Twins
• Ben Shelton, outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Marv Staehle, second baseman for Chicago White Sox, Montréal Expos and Atlanta Braves
• Craig Stimac, catcher for San Diego Padres
• Bill Stoneman, pitcher for California Angels, Chicago Cubs and Montreal Expos, general manager of Angels
• Joe Tinker, Hall of Fame shortstop for Chicago Orphans/Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Chi-Feds/Whales
• Mike York, pitcher for Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians

Basketball

• Ashraf Amaya, forward for the Washington Bullets, Vancouver Grizzlies, and several international teams
• Gabe Levin (born 1994), American-Israeli basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Corey Maggette, small forward and shooting guard for five NBA teams
• Jimmy Rodgers, head coach, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics
• Iman Shumpert, guard for the 2016 NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers^[25]
• Evan Turner, guard and small forward for the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Portland Trail Blazers^[26]
• Norm Van Lier, point guard for the Chicago Bulls; sports radio personality

Football

• Andy Frederick, offensive lineman, played for Super Bowl championship teams of Chicago Bears
• Eric Kumerow, linebacker for the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys
• Johnny Lattner, halfback for Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, 1953 Heisman Trophy winner
• Milt McColl, linebacker for San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Raiders
• Mike Shanahan, head coach for the Los Angeles Raiders, Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins; three-time Super Bowl winner
• Marques Sullivan, NFL offensive lineman with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and New England Patriots
• George Trafton, Hall of Fame center for the Chicago Bears
• Bob Zuppke, head football coach, University of Illinois

Ice hockey

• Joe Corvo, defenseman for several NHL teams

Ice skating

• Emery Lehman (born 1996), Olympic speed skater

Rowing

• Carol Feeney, Olympic rower; silver medalist^[27]

Wrestling

• Ellis Coleman, Olympic wrestler; alumnus of Oak Park and River Forest High School

Cathy Kelley American journalist, television host, model and actress currently signed to WWE, working as a backstage interviewer on the SmackDown brand.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Oral History Transcript — Dr. Wallace Broecker. www.aip.org. American Institute of Physics. 10 June 2014.
2. Web site: Gay and Lesbian Movement aka: LGBT Movement . Alan F. Hickman . www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net . The Central Arkansas Library System . December 31, 2015.
3. Web site: Vera Pless. Chicago Tribune. March 4, 2020. March 5, 2020.
4. Web site: Bridge. Nick. 2019-09-17. How to live a 5-ton life. 2021-08-15. Oak Park. en-US.
5. Phoning Home: Essays, University of South Carolina Press, 2014
6. Web site: Federal Bureau of Investigation files on Ross Prio . 2015-01-20.
7. Web site: Biemer . John . Delicious discovery: Mr. Twinkie slept here . Chicago Tribune . 10 March 2021.
8. News: Anna Chlumsky: Act II, Local child star decides to give acting a grown-up try . Laura . Stuart . January 4, 2005 . February 11, 2021 . . Oak Park, Illinois . October 31, 2021 .
9. Web site: Golden Girls star Betty White dies aged 99 . the Guardian . 31 December 2021 . en . 31 December 2021.
10. News: 'Hoop Dreams' filmmaker producing doc about race, achievement at OPRF . Terry . Dean . Oak Leaves . May 22, 2015 . Chicago Tribune . October 31, 2021 . Filmmaker and Oak Park resident Steve James, who produced 1994's "Hoop Dreams" and 2012's "The Interrupters," .
11. News: Schulman. Michael. The Oracle of Girl World. 10 June 2014. The New York Times. July 29, 2012. July 29, 2012.
12. News: Graydon . Megan . William Cullerton, 1923-2013 WWII pilot, entrepreneur, radio host and well-known outdoorsman championed conservation. . 2013-01-16 . 2013-01-25.
13. News: Anonymous. Ludacris revels in holiday spirit. 3 July 2013. Chicago Tribune. November 9, 2007.
14. Web site: Lotus . Jean . Albuquerque cellists honor late Oak Park native Felix Wurman . Oak Park . November 2014 . Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forrest . 10 March 2021.
15. Web site: Nader in Oak Park . 11 February 2021 .
16. 'Illinois Blue Book 1921-1922,' Biographical Sketch of Henry W. Austin, pg. 156-157
17. 'Illinois Blue Book 1989-1990,' Biographical Sketch of Ralph H. Barger, pg. 82
18. News: Remembering Redd. 2012-11-20. Wednesday Journal. 2012-11-26. Ken Trainor.
19. Web site: . Oak Park and River Forest High School Tradition of Excellence Past Award Recipients . 2013-07-19.
20. 'Illinois Blue Book 1975-1976,' Biographical Sketch of Leland Rayson, pg. 88
21. 'Illinois Blue Book 1961-1962,' Biographical Sketch of Walter J. Reum, pg. 236-237
22. Valiukenas. Barb. Gerald W. Shea. Illinois Issues. Springfield, Illinois. Sangamon State University. 2. 6. 8. June 1976. August 10, 2017.
23. https://www.lrl.mn.gov/legdb/fulldetail?ID=10668 Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present-John D. Tomlinson
24. 'Illinois Blue Book 1989-1990,' Biographical Sketch of Greg Zito, pg. 89
25. News: Just like old times for Turner and Shumpert . Chicago Tribune . Shannon . Ryan . 2010-03-21.
26. Web site: Evan Turner | Philadelphia 76ers . .
27. Web site: Olympedia – Carol Feeney . www.olympedia.org . 31 December 2021.