From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of people whose career was all or part in Illinois; people are not included if they left the state before beginning a career.

A

• Flozell Adams, offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys
• Jane Addams, social work
• George Ade, author
• Paul Adelstein, television actor; Prison Break, Private Practice
• Dankmar Adler, architect
• Nelson Algren, author
• Karen Allen, actress, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Justin Allgaier, sports, 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series Champion
• John Peter Altgeld, politics, Dem
• Philip Danforth Armour, business
• Matthew John Armstrong, television actor; Heroes, American Dreams
• Louis Armstrong, music
• Jason Avant, wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles
• Bill Ayers, founder and former member of the Weather Underground
• Reiko Aylesworth, actress, Michelle Dessler on 24

B

• Bob Balaban, actor and director
• Paris Barclay, Emmy-winning and DGA Award-winning TV director, In Treatment, NYPD Blue, Cold Case
• John Bardeen (1908-1991) winner of two Nobel prizes in physics
• Brandon Barnes, musician Rise Against
• Hank Bauer (1922-2007), right fielder and manager who played with the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics; also a decorated WWII U.S. Marine
• Edward Beecher, religion
• Louis Bellson, music
• Jack Benny, comedian
• Tom Berenger, actor, Platoon
• Shelley Berman, comedian, actor, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boston Legal, Meet the Fockers
• Joseph Cardinal Bernardin (1928-1996), religion, Cardinal for the Archdiocese of Chicago
• Black Hawk, Sauk Indian Chief
• Zach Blair, musician Rise Against
• Michael Bowden, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
• Lydia Moss Bradley, philanthropy
• Mac Brandt, actor, Prison Break
• Andre Braugher, actor, Homicide: Life on the Street, Hack, Gideon's Crossing
• Anthony Braxton, jazz musician
• David Broder, journalist, author, Washington Post columnist
• Phil Brooks, professional wrestler under the ring name "CM Punk"
• William Jennings Bryan, politician
• Bob Bryar, musician My Chemical Romance Drummer
• Daniel H. Burnham, architect

C

• Joe Cannon, politics, GOP
• Al Capone, business
• Steve Carell, actor, comedian^{[citation needed]}
• Dan Castellaneta, actor, The Simpsons, The Pursuit of Happyness, Happy Feet
• Anton Cermak, politics, Democrat
• George Chandler (1898-1985), actor
• Jay Chandrasekhar, actor, comedian, film director
• Brenda Chapman, animator, film director, The Prince of Egypt
• Judy Chicago, feminist artist
• Danny Clark, linebacker for the New York Giants
• Hillary Rodham Clinton, former first lady, New York Senator and current Secretary of State, Democrat
• Gary Cole (born 1956), actor, The Brady Bunch Movie, Office Space, Talladega Nights
• Martin Cooper, the inventor of the modern cell phone
• Billy Corgan (born 1967), rock musician from Alternative Rock band "Smashing Pumpkins"
• John Coughlin, politics, Dem
• Cindy Crawford (born 1966), supermodel
• Common (rapper), rapper , songwriter , producer , actor
• Adrianne Curry, model and America's Next Top Model, Cycle 1 winner
• Ann Cusack, actress, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Maggie
• Joan Cusack, (born 1962), actress
• John Cusack, (born 1966), actor

D

• Richard J. Daley (1902-1976), Chicago mayor (1955-1976); Democrat
• Richard M. Daley (born 1942), Chicago mayor (1989-present), son of Richard J. Daley; Democrat
• Erik Darnell (1982-), NASCAR driver for Roush Fenway Racing
• Lisa Darr, actress, Popular, Life As We Know It, Flesh 'n' Blood
• Clarence Darrow, law
• Andrew Davis, film director, The Fugitive
• Miles Davis, musician
• John Deere, manufacturer
• John Dewey, philosopher
• Bo Diddley, musician
• Ryan Diem, offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts
• Everett Dirksen (1896-1969), politics, United States Senator, Senate Minority Leader, Republican
• Walt Disney, creator
• Dorothy L. Dodson, athlete
• Stephen Douglas, politics, Dem
• Theodore Dreiser, author
• Dennis Dugan, director, actor, Big Daddy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
• Nora Dunn, actress, comedienne, Saturday Night Live, Sisters, Bruce Almighty
• Finley Peter Dunne, author
• Chad Durbin, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
• Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, settler
• Dick Van Dyke, actor

E

• Roger Ebert (1942-present), film critic
• Ninian Edwards, politics
• Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama
• Larry English, outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers
• Richard Estes, painter

F

• Louis Farrakhan, Nation of Islam leader
• James T. Farrell, author
• Enrico Fermi (1901-1954), nuclear physics
• Eugene Field, author
• Marshall Field, business
• Marshall Field Jr., business
• Marshall Field III, business
• Dan Fogelberg, musician
• Thomas Ford, politics, Dem
• John T. Frederick, literature
• William Friedkin, director, The Exorcist
• R. Buckminster Fuller, scientist
• Harrison Ford, actor, the Indiana Jones films, the original Star Wars trilogy
• Lupe Fiasco, Rapper, musician
• Francis Fukuyama, philosopher, political economist, author

G

• John Wayne Gacy (1942-1994), serial killer
• Lyman J. Gage, business
• Joe Girardi, manager of the New York Yankees
• Jaslene Gonzalez, model and America's Next Top Model, Cycle 8 winner
• Stuart Gordon, director, writer, producer
• Curtis Granderson, center fielder for the New York Yankees
• Red Grange, sports
• Ulysses S. Grant, military, 18th President of the United States 1869–1877
• Andrew Greeley (born 1928), author; religion; sociology
• Frank W. Gunsaulus, education
• Buddy Guy, music

H

• Gene Hackman, screen actor
• Michael G. Hagerty, actor, Lucky Louie, The George Carlin Show, Friends
• Jerry Hairston, Jr., utility player for the San Diego Padres
• George Halas, (1895-1983) sports, co-founder of National Football League and longtime coach-owner of the Chicago Bears
• Herbie Hancock, jazz musician
• J. A. Happ, pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
• Erika Harold, model, 2003 Miss America, politics, conservative activist, attorney
• William Rainey Harper, education
• Carter Harrison, Sr., politics, Dem
• Carter Harrison, Jr., politics, Dem
• Dennis Hastert, Republican, Speaker of the U.S. House, 1998-2006
• Helge Alexander Haugan, (1847 - 1909) - Chicago bank executive
• H. G. Haugan, railroad executive
• Reidar Rye Haugan (1893 – 1972) - Chicago newspaper publisher
• George Peter Alexander Healy, artist
• Ben Hecht, author
• Hugh Hefner, publisher
• Ernest Hemingway, writer
• Max Henius, co-founded the American Academy of Brewing in Chicago
• Michael Hitchcock, actor, MADtv, Wild Hogs
• William Holabird, architect
• Raymond Hood, architect
• Henry Horner, politics, Dem
• Reginald Hudlin, film and television director, screenwriter
• Warrington Hudlin, film director, producer
• Rock Hudson, actor
• Robert Maynard Hutchins, education

I

• Andre Iguodala, swingman for the Philadelphia 76ers
• Robert G. Ingersoll, religion
• Samuel Insull, business
• Burl Ives, music

J

• Jesse Jackson, political activist
• William Le Baron Jenney, architect
• Michael Jordan (born 1963), athlete

K

• Harry Kalas (1936–2009), sportscaster, play-by-play for the Philadelphia Phillies
• Maria Kanellis, WWE Diva
• Leslie Keeley, medicine
• Florence Kelley, social work
• T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh, actress, That's So Raven, Cosby, In Living Color
• Fazlur Khan (1929-1982), structural engineer
• John Kinzie, settler
• Chris Klein, actor, the American Pie films
• Frank Knox, newspapers, newspapers, newspapers
• Olof Krans , Swedish-American Folk Art painter and artist.
• Ray Kroc, businessman known for turning McDonald's into the most successful worldwide fast food operation
• Alison Krauss, musician
• Mike Krzyzewski, Also known as Coach K, College basketball coach - Duke University
• Ken Kwapis, film and television director, The Office, The Bernie Mac Show, Malcolm in the Middle

L

• René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, explorer
• Ray LaHood, current U.S. Secretary of Transportation
• Victor F. Lawson, newspapers. Longtime owner/editor of the Chicago Daily News
• Brian Levant, film director, The Flintstones
• Greg Lewis, wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings
• Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, member of Congress
• Mary Todd Lincoln, Lincoln's wife
• Robert Todd Lincoln, Lincoln's son
• Charles Magnus Lindgren, Shipping Executive
• John R. Lindgren, Banking Executive
• Vachel Lindsay, author
• John A. Logan, politics, Dem, GOP
• Tony Lovato, from the band MEST
• Frank Orren Lowden, politics, GOP
• Jane Lynch, actress, comedian; The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Alvin and the Chipmunks

M

• Amy Madigan, actress, Carnivàle
• Michael Madsen, actor, Die Another Day
• Virginia Madsen, actress
• Ron Mahay, relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
• John Malkovich actor, Con Air, In the Line of Fire
• David Mamet, screenwriter, playwright, director, producer, The Unit
• James Robert Mann, politics, GOP
• Michael Mann, film director
• Richard Martini, writer, director
• Edgar Lee Masters, author
• Marlee Matlin, Academy Award-winning actress, Children of a Lesser God
• George S. May, businessman, golf promoter
• Cyrus Hall McCormick, business
• Robert R. McCormick, newspapers
• Tim McIlrath, musician, Rise Against
• Donovan McNabb, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles
• John McNaughton, film and television director
• Joseph Medill, newspapers
• Charles Edward Merriam, education
• Robert H. Michel, (born 1923), politics, longtime member of Congress and former House Minority Leader, Republican
• Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969), architect
• Bob Mionske, attorney and former Olympic and professional bicycle racer
• Harriet Monroe, poet
• Meredith Monroe, actress, Dawson's Creek, Criminal Minds
• Dwight L. Moody, religion
• William Vaughn Moody, author
• Stephen Moore, economic writer, policy analyst, founder of the Club for Growth
• Read Morgan, actor
• George Cardinal Mundelein, religion
• James Murtaugh, actor
• John Musker, animation director, Aladdin, Hercules, The Princess and the Frog

N

• Wayne Nelson, (born 1950) musician from classic rock's Little River Band
• Eliot Ness, Chief Investigator of the Prohibition Bureau
• Frank Nitti, gangster

O

• Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, US Senator from Illinois, Illinois State Senator
• William Butler Ogden, business
• Richard James Oglesby, politics, GOP
• Diana Oughton, Member of The Weathermen

P

• John M. Palmer, politics, GOP, Dem
• Phoebe Palmer, society
• Potter Palmer, business
• Danielle Panabaker, actress, Shark
• Francis W. Parker, education
• Mandy Patinkin, actor, The Princess Bride, Dick Tracy, Chicago Hope
• Tom Paxton, (born 1937) folk musician and singer-songwriter
• Sean Payton, head coach for the New Orleans Saints
• John Mason Peck, author
• Michael Peña, actor, World Trade Center, Crash, The Shield
• Pehr August Peterson, Rockford, Illinois business executive
• Father Michael Pfleger, controversial Roman Catholic priest
• Busy Philipps, actress, Dawson's Creek, Freaks and Geeks, ER
• Joe Principe, musician Rise Against
• Richard Pryor, comedian
• George M. Pullman, business

Q

Governor Pat Quinn

R

• Henry T. Rainey, politics, Democrat
• Harold Ramis, actor, director, writer, Ghostbusters parts 1 and 2, As Good as It Gets, Analyze This
• Antwaan Randle El, wide receiver for the Washington Redskins
• Lou Rawls, singer
• James Earl Ray, assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Ronald Reagan (1911-2004), 40th President of the United States, Republican
• John C. Reilly, actor; Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, Chicago
• Andy Richter, actor, comedian, writer, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, the Madagascar films & cartoons
• Richard Roeper, columnist, film critic, former co-host of At the Movies
• John Root, architect
• Derrick Rose, NBA player
• Julius Rosenwald, business
• Benjamin Rusk, medicine^{[citation needed]}
• Chuck Russell, director, The Mask, Eraser
• Krystle Russin, journalist
• Ann Rutledge, friend of Lincoln
• Rex Ryan, head coach for the New York Jets
• Shawn Ryan, television producer and writer, The Shield, The Unit, Angel

S

• Jonathan Sadowski, actor, Live Free or Die Hard
• Craig Sager, sportscaster
• Pat Sajak, host of Wheel of Fortune
• Carl Sandburg, poet
• Rusty Schwimmer, actress, Twister, The Perfect Storm
• Edward Willis Scripps, newspapers
• Richard Warren Sears, business
• Bernard J. Sheil, religion
• Sam Shepard, actor, playwright, Black Hawk Down, The Pelican Brief, The Right Stuff
• Sherri Shepherd, comedienne, actress, co-host of The View
• William Shockley, (1910-1989), physicist invented transistor
• Bobby Short, singer
• Brian Shouse, relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
• Casey Siemaszko, actor, NYPD Blue, Back to the Future parts 1 and 2
• Bobby Simmons, small forward/shooting guard for the New Jersey Nets
• Gary Sinise, actor, CSI: NY, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13
• Gene Siskel, film critic
• Albion W. Small, sociology
• Joseph Smith, religion
• Lonnie Smith, former MLB outfielder
• Sandra Smith, on-air personality for the Fox Business Network
• John Spalding, Scottish churchman
• Amos Alonzo Stagg, sports
• Ellen Gates Starr, social work
• John Paul Stevens, supreme court justice
• Adlai Stevenson II, politician, Vice President, Presidential candidate in 1952 and 1956, Democrat
• David Ogden Stiers, actor, conductor; M*A*S*H, The Dead Zone, Better Off Dead
• Melville E. Stone, newspapers
• John Stossel, consumer reporter, investigative journalist, author
• Michael Stoyanov, actor, TV comedy writer, Blossom
• Barbara Stuart, actress
• Patrick Stump, lead singer from Fall Out Boy
• Louis Sullivan, architect
• Gustavus Franklin Swift, business
• Keith Szarabajka, actor, The Dark Knight, We Were Soldiers, The Equalizer

T

• Graham Taylor, social work
• Andy Tennant, actor, writer, film director, Hitch
• Felisha Terrell, actress, Days of our Lives
• Lynne Thigpen, actress, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
• Roy Thinnes, actor, The Invaders, The Long, Hot Summer, Falcon Crest
• Pierre Thomas, running back for the New Orleans Saints
• Theodore Thomas, conductor and violinist
• Jim Thome, designated hitter for the Minnesota Twins
• Gregg Toland, cinematographer
• Lauren Tom, film & TV actress, voice actress, King of the Hill, Futurama, W.I.T.C.H.
• Robert Townsend, actor, director, The Parent 'Hood
• Mary Ellen Trainor, actress, Roswell, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, the Lethal Weapon films
• Lyman Trumbull, politics, Dem, GOP, Dem
• Robin Tunney, actress, The Mentalist, Prison Break
• Jonathan Baldwin Turner, scholar and activist
• Michael Turner, NFL running back for the Atlanta Falcons

U

V

• Melvin Van Peebles, director, screenwriter, actor, composer
• Vince Vaughn, actor, The Lost World: Jurassic Park
• Nadine Velazquez, actress, model, My Name Is Earl

W

• Andy and Larry Wachowski, filmmakers, the Matrix trilogy
• Dwyane Wade, NBA Star
• David Foster Wallace, author
• Aaron Montgomery Ward, business
• Muddy Waters, music
• George Wendt, actor, best known for the role of Norm Peterson on the television show Cheers
• John Wentworth, politics, Dem
• Pete Wentz, bass player from Fall Out Boy
• Jayson Werth, outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies
• Kanye West, rapper , songwriter , producer
• Frances E. Willard, social activist
• Oprah Winfrey, media icon
• Samuel Witwer, actor, Davis Bloome on Smallville
• Frank Lloyd Wright, architect

X

Y

• Richard Yates Sr., Republican Civil War Governor
• Richard Yates Jr., Republican Progressive Era Governor
• Charles Yerkes, business

Z

• Billy Zane, actor, Titanic
• Robert Zemeckis, film director, Forrest Gump, Cast Away, the Back to the Future films
• Edward Zwick, film director, The Last Samurai

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