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State Flag of Washington

The following is a list of prominent Washingtonians, notable people who were born in the U.S. state of Washington, live in Washington, or are strongly associated with the state.

A

• Paul Allen (born 1953) (Seattle), entrepreneur and philanthropist, co-founder of Microsoft
• Rick Anderson (born 1956) (Everett), pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins

B

• Bob Barker (born 1923) (Darrington), game show host for The Price Is Right
• Glenn Beck (born 1964) (Mount Vernon), conservative talk radio and television host.
• Caprice Benedetti (born 1966) (Seattle), actress
• Bruce Bennett (1906-2007) (Tacoma), athlete and actor
• Steven "Jesse" Bernstein (1950-1991) (Seattle), poet, author, essayist
• Greg Biffle (born 1969) (Camas), NASCAR driver
• Josie Bissett (born 1970) (Seattle), actress
• Drew Bledsoe (born 1972) (Ellensburg), former quarterback for the NFL's New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys
• Jeremy Bonderman (born 1982) (Kennewick) Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
• Bill Bowerman (1911-1999) (Seattle), track coach at University of Oregon; Nike co-founder
• Richard Brautigan (1935-1984) (Tacoma), writer
• Linda B. Buck (born 1947) (Seattle), scientist, Nobel Prize winner
• Travis Buck (born 1983) (Richland) Major League Baseball player for Oakland Athletics (OF)
• Ted Bundy (1946-1989) (Tacoma), serial killer
• Raegan Butcher (Snohomish), poet
• George Washington Bush (1779–1863) (Tumwater), pioneer
• Octavia E. Butler (1947-2006) (Lake Forest Park), science fiction writer

C

• Tom Cable (born 1964) (Snohomish), head coach for the Oakland Raiders
• Dyan Cannon (born 1937) (Tacoma), actress
• Jerry Cantrell (born 1966) (Tacoma), guitarist for Alice in Chains
• Maria Cantwell (born 1958) (Edmonds), United States Senator, former VP of RealNetworks
• Orson Scott Card (born 1951) (Richland), author and professor at Southern Virginia University
• Chester Carlson (1906-1968) (Seattle), inventor of xerography
• Raymond Carver (1938-1988) (Port Angeles), author
• Neko Case (born 1970) (Tacoma), chanteuse
• Pat Cashman (Seattle), actor and radio personality
• James Caviezel (born 1968) (Mount Vernon), actor
• Ron Cey (born 1948) (Tacoma), former All-Star Major League Baseball player
• Carol Channing (born 1921) (Seattle), actress
• Dale Chihuly (born 1941) (Tacoma), glass artist
• Chin Gee Hee (1844–1929) (Seattle), Chinese immigrant, made a fortune in Seattle, returned to China where he became a railway entrepreneur
• Louis Chirillo (born 1961) (Seattle), voice actor
• Jori Chisholm (born 1975) (Seattle), Champion bagpiper
• Erika Christensen (born 1982) (Seattle), actress
• Chuck Close (born 1940) (Monroe), artist
• Kurt Cobain (1967-1994) (Aberdeen), Nirvana vocalist and guitarist
• Judy Collins (born 1939) (Seattle), folk singer
• Jeff Conine (born 1966) (Tacoma), All-Star Major League Baseball player
• Chris Cornell (born 1964) (Shoreline), Vocalist for Soundgarden and Audioslave
• John Considine (1868–1943) (Seattle), impresario, founded one of the first vaudeville circuits
• Fred Couples (born 1959) (Seattle), golfer
• Bing Crosby (1903-1977) (Spokane), singer and actor
• Merce Cunningham (born 1919) (Centralia), dancer and choreographer

D

• Gail Devers (born 1966) (Seattle), athlete
• Garret Dillahunt (born 1964) (Selah), actor
• Corey Dillon (born 1974) (Federal Way), running back for the NFL's New England Patriots
• James Doohan (1920-2005) (Redmond), actor
• William O. Douglas (1898-1980) (Yakima), longest-serving Justice of U.S. Supreme Court
• Howard Duff (1913-1990) (Bremerton), radio, stage, and film actor
• Jeff Dye (Kent), stand-up comedian, socialite

E

• Harris Ellsworth (1899-1986) (Hoquiam), member of U.S. Congress from Oregon.
• John Elway (born 1960) (Port Angeles), NFL Quarterback and two time Super Bowl winner.
• Helga Estby (1860-1942) (Spokane), noted for her walk across the United States during 1896.

F

• Anna Faris (born 1976) (Edmonds), actress, most noted for lead role in the Scary Movie series, and Just Friends
• Frances Farmer (1914-1970) (Seattle), actress
• Shirley E. Flynn (born 1929) (Spokane), historian
• Tom Foley (born 1929) (Spokane), Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1989–1995
• Bryan Fuller (born 1969) (Clarkston), writer, producer, creator of Dead Like Me and Pushing Daisies
• Stacy Marie Fuson (born 1978) (Tacoma), Playboy model, February 1999 Playmate of the Month

G

• Kenny G (born Kenneth Gorelick, 1956) (Seattle), musician
• Nathan Gamble (born 1998) (Tacoma), child actor, The Dark Knight, Marley & Me, Hank
• Bill Gates (born 1955) (Seattle), of Microsoft, world's second richest man
• Cam Gigandet (born 1982) (Tacoma), actor
• Vernon Greene (1908-1965) (Battle Ground), cartoonist
• David Guterson (born 1956) (Bainbridge Island), author

H

• Richard Haag (born 1923) (Seattle), landscape architect, only two-time recipient of the ASLA President's Award for Design Excellence
• Ivar Haglund (1905-1985) (Seattle), folk singer, restaurateur
• Marcus Hahnemann (born 1972) (Kent), goalkeeper for Reading F.C.
• Thomas Hampson (born 1955) (Spokane), opera singer^[1]
• Jason Hanson (born 1970), placekicker for the Detroit Lions
• Spencer Hawes (born 1988) (Seattle), NBA player
• Roman Heart (born 1986) (Bellingham), Porn Star
• Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) (Seattle), guitarist
• Frank Herbert (1920-1986) (Tacoma), author of the Dune series of science fiction books
• Steven Hill (born 1922) (Seattle), actor, best known as District Attorney Adam Schiff on NBC's Law & Order
• Gordon Hirabayashi (born 1918) (Auburn), sociologist
• Joe Ronnie Hooper (1938-1979) Most Decorated Soldier of the Vietnam War
• Peter Horton (born 1953) (Bellevue), actor and TV director; Prof. Gary Shepherd on thirtysomething
• Fred Hutchinson (1919-1964)(Seattle), Major League Baseball player and manager of the Cincinnati Reds

I

• Burl Ives (1909-1995) (Anacortes), actor and folk singer

J

• Henry M. Jackson (1912-1983) (Everett), Long serving US Senator and two time Presidential candidate
• Robert Joffrey (1930-1988) (Seattle), choreographer
• Russell Johnson (born 1924) (Bainbridge Island), actor ("The Professor" on Gilligan's Island)
• Chuck Jones (1912-2002) (Spokane), animator
• Quincy Jones (born 1933) (Seattle), musician

K

• Brian Kendrick (born 1979) (Olympia), WWE Superstar
• Kasey Kahne (born 1980) (Enumclaw), NASCAR driver
• Richard Karn (born 1956) (Seattle), actor
• Carol Kaye (born 1935) (Everett), musician
• John Keister (born 1956), comedian
• Mick Kelleher (born 1947), first base coach for the New York Yankees
• Kasey Keller (born 1969), soccer former goalkeeper for United States Soccer current Seattle Sounders FC goalie
• Donald M. Kendall (born 1921), CEO of PepsiCo 1971–1986
• Hank Ketcham (born 1920), cartoonist
• Edward Kienholz (1927-1994), artist
• Dale Kinkade (born 1933), linguist and professor
• Kip Kinkel (born 1982), school shooter
• Ed Kirkpatrick (born 1944), former Major League Baseball player
• Kitsap, Suquamish leader
• John Kitzhaber, (born 1947, Oregon Governor, 1995–2003
• Michael Koenen (born 1982), punter for the Atlanta Falcons

L

• Bertha Knight Landes (1868–1943), Seattle mayor, first female mayor of a major American city.
• Steve Largent (born 1954), football player and congressman
• Rick Larsen (born 1965), member of the United States House of Representatives
• Gary Larson (born 1950), cartoonist and creator of The Far Side
• Gypsy Rose Lee (1911-1970), entertainer
• Leschi (1808-1858), Nisqually chief
• Jon Lester (born 1984), starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
• Blake Lewis (born 1981), American Idol runner-up, singer, and beatboxer
• Tim Lincecum (born 1984) Major League Baseball player for San Francisco Giants 2008 National League Cy Young winner, 2008 National League All Star
• Mary Livingstone (1905-1983), comedienne
• Gary Locke (1950–), Governor of Washington and Secretary of Commerce
• Kenny Loggins (born 1948), singer and songwriter

M

• Warren Magnuson (1905-1989) Six term US Senator and Dean of the United States Senate 1979–1981
• Sanjaya Malakar (born 1989), American Idol finalist
• Blu Mankuma, actor; Capt. Joe Reese on Forever Knight
• Kevin McCarthy (born 1914), actor
• Mary McCarthy (1912-1989), author
• Mike McCready (born 1966), Pearl Jam guitarist
• Darren McGavin (1922-2006), actor
• Joel McHale (born 1971), actor
• Steve Miller (born 1943), rock musician
• Jeffrey Dean Morgan (born 1966), actor, The Comedian in Watchmen and Denny Duquette on Grey's Anatomy
• Jeff Monson Mixed Martial Artist, UFC fighter
• Mark Morris (born 1956), dancer and choreographer
• Adam Morrison (born 1984), current Charlotte Bobcats basketball player
• Robert Motherwell (1915-1991), American Abstract Expressionist painter
• Patty Murray (born 1950), United States Senator
• Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965) CBS News Correspondent

N

• Craig T. Nelson, (born 1944), actor, The Incredibles, The Proposal, Blades of Glory
• Billy North (born 1948), former Major League Baseball player
• Krist Novoselic (born 1965), Nirvana Bassist
• Bill Nye (born 1955), scientist and host of the Emmy Award-winning show Bill Nye the Science Guy

O

• Pat O'Day (born 1934) KJR radio disc jockey considered to be the godfather of the Seattle rock music scene
• Apolo Anton Ohno (born 1982), speed skater
• John Olerud (born 1968), former Major League Baseball first baseman
• Robert Osborne, (born 1932) film historian

P

• Janis Paige (born 1922), actress
• Jaebeom Park (born 1987), member of the popular Korean music group, 2PM
• Jay Pickett (born 1961), actor, Port Charles, General Hospital
• Cory Procter (born 1982), guard for the Dallas Cowboys

R

• John Ratzenberger (born 1947), Cliff Clavin on Cheers
• Pamela Reed (born 1949), actress
• Ann Reinking (born 1949) actress, dancer, choreographer
• John Requa (born 1967), screenwriter Cats & Dogs and Bad Santa
• Roger Revelle (born 1909), scientist and pioneer of global warming studies
• Gary Ridgway (born 1949), serial killer
• Tom Robbins (born 1936), author
• Howard Percy Robertson (born 1903), prominent cosmologist
• Jimmie Rodgers (born 1933), pop singer
• Jarred Rome (Marysville), Olympic discus thrower, bodybuilder
• Emily Rose (born 1981), actress, ER, Brothers & Sisters, John from Cincinnati
• Ann Rule (born 1935), popular true crime writer

S

• Robert (Bob) Satiacum (1929–1991) was Puyallup tribal leader, American Indian activist.
• Ryne Sandberg (born 1959), former Major League Baseball second baseman, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Larry Sanger (born 1968), Wikipedia co-founder
• Ron Santo (born 1940), former Major League Baseball third baseman, radio broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs
• Dan Savage (born 1964), writer of the internationally syndicated advice column Savage Love and editor of Seattle weekly newspaper The Stranger
• Dick Scobee (1939-1986), astronaut, commander of Space Shuttle Challenger
• Seattle (c. 1786-1866), Duwamish/Suquamish leader and diplomat
• Kyle Secor (born 1957), actor
• Joe Shell (1918-2008), California politician
• Grady Sizemore (born 1982) Major League Baseball player for Cleveland Indians (OF) 3x All Star, 2x Gold Glover, Silver Slugger Award Winner
• Sir Mix-a-Lot (born Anthony Ray, 1963), hip-hop artist
• Jeff Smith (1939-2004), food expert
• Shawn Smith (born 1965), rock musician
• Smohalla (c. 1851-1895), Sahaptin spiritual leader
• Hope Solo (born 1981) United States Soccer Goalkeeper (Olympic Gold Medalist in Beijjing 08)
• Quintin Sondergaard (1925-1984) western television actor
• Layne Staley (1967-2002), vocalist for Alice in Chains
• Rick Steves (born 1955), authority on European travel
• John Stockton (born 1962), former star with the NBA's Utah Jazz and a likely future member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
• Mel Stottlemyre (born 1941), former Major League Baseball pitcher, former pitching coach for the New York Yankees
• Robert Stroud (1890-1963), the Birdman of Alcatraz
• Rodney Stuckey (born 1986), NBA player
• Hilary Swank (born 1974), Oscar-winning actress
• Gloria Wilson Swisher (born 1935), composer and educator

T

• Kim Thayil (born 1960), guitarist for grunge band Soundgarden
• Brian Thompson (born 1959, actor in over 100 films and TV shows: The X-Files, Cobra, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Joe Dirt, Terminator, ¡Three Amigos!
• Earl Torgeson (1924-1990), former Major League Baseball player
• Rachel Trachtenburg (born 1993), drummer, singer, and member of the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
• Ann Tyrrell (1909-1983), actress: Private Secretary and The Ann Sothern Show

U

• Blair Underwood (born 1964), actor
• Don Rich (born 1941), guitar player and singer of The Buckaroos with Buck Owens

V

• Eddie Vedder (born 1964), vocalist for Pearl Jam

W

• Jennifer Warnes (born 1947), singer
• Chris Wedes (born 1928) aka J. P. Patches, longest running locally produced children's program in U.S. history.
• Adam West (born 1928), actor who played Batman on the TV show (1966 - 1968)
• Sammy White (1928-1991), former Major League Baseball player
• Bernie Whitebear (born Bernard Reyes 1937–2000), American Indian activist
• Lis Wiehl (born 1961), legal analyst for Fox News and author
• Marcus Williams (born 1986) NBA player
• Ann (born 1950) and Nancy Wilson (born 1954), the principal members of Heart
• Rainn Wilson (born 1968), actor

Y

• Takuji Yamashita (born 1874), early 20th century civil rights pioneer

Z

• Constance Zimmer (born 1970), actress, Dana Gordon on Entourage

References

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

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