List of people from Waukegan, Illinois explained

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

Artists and performers

• Harrison Bankhead, jazz double bassist
• Jack Benny, comedian, actor, iconic radio and television personality
• Landis Blair, artist (The Hunting Accident, From Here to Eternity.)
• David Clennon, actor (Thirtysomething)
• J. Campbell Cory, cartoonist
• Steve DiGiorgio, musician
• Greg Drasler, artist
• Lee England Jr., violinist, composer, producer, singer
• Neil Flynn, actor (Scrubs, The Middle)^[1]
• Jon Michael Hill, actor (Detroit 1-8-7, Superior Donuts)
• Jason Kao Hwang, violinist and composer
• Mickey Kuhn, film actor of 1930s-1950s
• Norm Magnusson, artist, actor
• Justin Mentell, actor
• Joshua Mallett, musician
• Lori Peters, musician and former drummer of Skillet (band)
• Jerry Orbach, actor (Law & Order, Dirty Dancing)
• Adam Pearce ("Scrap Iron"), professional wrestler for Ring of Honor and the National Wrestling Alliance and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment.
• Bryan W. Simon, film and stage director, Along for the Ride, I'm No Dummy, Jay Johnson: The Two & Only!, Stage Two Theatre Company
• Marvin Smith, drummer on The Tonight Show
• Greg and Colin Strause, directors and visual effects supervisors of and Skyline.
• Brian Van Holt, actor

Journalism and writing

• Diane Ackerman, author and naturalist
  • Jim Bittermann, senior correspondent for CNN Eleanor Taylor Bland, crime fiction author
• Ray Bradbury, author, iconic science-fiction writer, wrote about 1920's Waukegan as "Green Town" in many of his novels and short stories
• James Grippando, New York Times best-selling novelist
• Isadore Gilbert Jeffery (1840-1919), poet, lyricist
• Ward Just, writer
• Kim Stanley Robinson, science-fiction writer; born in Waukegan in 1952

Criminal justice

• Juan Rivera, wrongfully convicted of the 1992 murder of Holly Staker in Waukegan
• Alton Coleman, serial killer

Politicians and law

• Jack E. Bairstow, Illinois legislator
• Reuben W. Coon, Illinois state senator
• Robert E. Coulson, Illinois legislator, lawyer, and mayor of Waukegan
• Elisha P. Ferry, first mayor of Waukegan, first governor of state of Washington
• Vic Kohring, Alaska legislator
• Thomas J. Moran, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
• Kim Olson, military officer and political candidate
• Charles E. Redman, United States ambassador to Sweden and Germany

Sports

Baseball

• Gary Bennett, catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers^[2]
• Jarvis Brown, outfielder for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles^[3]
• Johnny Dickshot, outfielder for with Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants and Chicago White Sox^[4]
• Eric Eckenstahler, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers^[5]
• Jay Hook, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets^[6] (winning pitcher in the first ever victory for the New York Mets)
• Bill Krueger, pitcher for eight MLB teams^[7]
• Ernie Krueger, was the catcher for the Brooklyn Robins in the "longest game in baseball history"–27 innings.
• Jerry Kutzler, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox^[8]
• Doc Oberlander, pitcher for the Cleveland Blues^[9]
• Bob O'Farrell, catcher for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants, World Series champion, National League MVP and manager
• Ed Sedar, first base coach for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Scott Stahoviak, first baseman for the Minnesota Twins
• Jigger Statz, outfielder for the Chicago Cubs, New York Giants, Boston Red Sox and Brooklyn Robins
• Brian Traxler, first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Renae Youngberg, third basewoman in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League

Basketball

• Shawn Marion, small and power forward for the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Dallas Mavericks^[10]
• Billy McKinney, retired professional basketball player and former radio broadcaster^[11]
• Jerome Whitehead, center and power forward for several NBA teams ^[12]

Football

• Otto Graham, award-winning quarterback for the Cleveland Browns^[13]
• Brian Schwenke current offensive lineman for the New England Patriots, born in Waukegan
• Michael Turner, running back for the Atlanta Falcons
• Mike Wagner, safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers; four time Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV) ^[14]

Motorsports

• John Morton, Champion Trans Am Series driver
• Ted Musgrave, American former stock car racing driver

Other

• Rick Bay, served as head wrestling coach for Michigan (1970–74), and was later a college athletic director and professional sports executive

Other

• Richard E. Bush (1924 - 2004), Master Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and awardee of the Medal of Honor as a corporal for heroism on Okinawa during World War II. He resided in Waukegan in 1999.^[15]
• Althea Warren, president of the American Library Association, 1943–44

Notes and References

1. News: Rosenberger. Tim. TV Star Returns to Bradley to Receive Alumni Award. April 3, 2017. Peoria Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois. August 28, 2017.
2. Web site: Gary Bennett Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 3, 2012.
3. Web site: Jarvis Brown Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 3, 2012.
4. Web site: Johnny Dickshot Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 3, 2012.
5. Web site: Eric Eckenstahler Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 3, 2012.
6. Web site: Jay Hook Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 3, 2012.
7. Web site: Bill Krueger Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 3, 2012.
8. Web site: Jerry Kutzler Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 3, 2012.
9. Web site: Doc Oberlander Stats. Baseball Almanac. December 3, 2012.
10. Web site: Shawn Marion. Basketball-Reference.Com. December 3, 2012.
11. Web site: Billy McKinney. Basketball-Reference.Com. December 3, 2012.
12. Web site: Jerome Clay Whitehead. Basketball-Reference.Com. December 3, 2012.
13. Web site: Otto Graham . databaseFootball.com . December 3, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121017050630/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=GrahaOtt01 . October 17, 2012 .
14. Web site: Mike Wagner . databaseFootball.com . December 3, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121102214943/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=WAGNEMIK01 . November 2, 2012 .
15. Web site: Jones. Emil. Philip. Pate. Senate Resolution 116, 91st General Assembly. May 7, 1995. Illinois General Assembly. November 29, 2020.