List of people from Oak Park, Illinois

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 edit

Lee Archambault
Lee Archambault (b. 1960), astronaut
A. O. L. Atkin (1925–2008), mathematician^{[citation needed]}
Dmitri Borgmann (1927–1985), logologist^{[citation needed]}
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^{[citation needed]}
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 edit

Frank Lloyd Wright

Architecture edit

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 edit

Heléne Alexopoulos, ballet dancer
Doris Humphrey, choreographer and dancer

Illustrating edit

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

Painting and sculpture edit

Leslie Erganian, painter
Mary Agnes Yerkes, Impressionist painter

Photography edit

Bruce Davidson, photographer
Esther Henderson, photographer

Edgar Rice Burroughs

Writing edit

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
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
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

Music edit

Matt B, singer-songwriter
GAWNE, rapper, singer, and songwriter

Crime edit

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

Business edit

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
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 edit

Acting and comedy edit

William Bishop, actor
Daws Butler, voice artist of animated characters including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound
Dan Castellaneta
Dan Castellaneta, actor and voice of cartoon character Homer Simpson
Anna Chlumsky
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
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, Atlantis: The Lost Empire)
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
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
Betty White, actress (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls)^[9]

Directing and producing edit

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

Journalism edit

Tavi Gevinson, fashion blogger^[11]
Peter Sagal
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 edit

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 edit

Lane Brody, musician
Jon Deak, bassist and composer with the New York Philharmonic^{[citation needed]}
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
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 edit

Phil Radford, environmental activist

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 edit

William Eugene Blackstone, 19th-century evangelical Christian and Zionist; lived in Oak Park
Edward Egan
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 edit

Baseball edit

Dick Bertell, catcher for Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants
Art Bramhall, third baseman for Philadelphia Phillies^{[citation needed]}
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^{[citation needed]}
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 edit

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^{[citation needed]}

Football edit

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
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 edit

Joe Corvo, defenseman for several NHL teams

Ice skating edit

Emery Lehman (born 1996), Olympic speed skater

Rowing edit

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

Wrestling edit

Ellis Coleman
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.

References edit

^ "Oral History Transcript — Dr. Wallace Broecker". www.aip.org. American Institute of Physics. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
^ Alan F. Hickman. "Gay and Lesbian Movement aka: LGBT Movement". www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net. The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
^ "Vera Pless". Chicago Tribune. March 4, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
^ Bridge, Nick (2019-09-17). "How to live a 5-ton life". Oak Park. Retrieved 2021-08-15.
^ Phoning Home: Essays, University of South Carolina Press, 2014
^ "Federal Bureau of Investigation files on Ross Prio". Retrieved 2015-01-20.
^ Biemer, John. "Delicious discovery: Mr. Twinkie slept here". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
^ Stuart, Laura (February 11, 2021) [January 4, 2005]. "Anna Chlumsky: Act II, Local child star decides to give acting a grown-up try". Wednesday Journal. Oak Park, Illinois. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^ "Golden Girls star Betty White dies aged 99". the Guardian. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
^ Dean, Terry (May 22, 2015). "'Hoop Dreams' filmmaker producing doc about race, achievement at OPRF". Oak Leaves. Retrieved October 31, 2021 – via Chicago Tribune. Filmmaker and Oak Park resident Steve James, who produced 1994's "Hoop Dreams" and 2012's "The Interrupters,"
^ Schulman, Michael (July 29, 2012). "The Oracle of Girl World". The New York Times. No. July 29, 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
^ Megan, Graydon (2013-01-16). "William Cullerton, 1923-2013 WWII pilot, entrepreneur, radio host and well-known outdoorsman championed conservation". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2013-01-25.
^ Anonymous (November 9, 2007). "Ludacris revels in holiday spirit". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
^ Lotus, Jean (November 2014). "Albuquerque cellists honor late Oak Park native Felix Wurman". Oak Park. Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forrest. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
^ "Nader in Oak Park". 11 February 2021.
^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1921-1922,' Biographical Sketch of Henry W. Austin, pg. 156-157
^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1989-1990,' Biographical Sketch of Ralph H. Barger, pg. 82
^ Ken Trainor (2012-11-20). "Remembering Redd". Wednesday Journal. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
^ "Oak Park and River Forest High School Tradition of Excellence Past Award Recipients". Oak Park and River Forest High School. Retrieved 2013-07-19.
^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1975-1976,' Biographical Sketch of Leland Rayson, pg. 88
^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1961-1962,' Biographical Sketch of Walter J. Reum, pg. 236-237
^ Valiukenas, Barb (June 1976). "Gerald W. Shea". Illinois Issues. Vol. 2, no. 6. Springfield, Illinois: Sangamon State University. p. 8. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
^ Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present-John D. Tomlinson
^ 'Illinois Blue Book 1989-1990,' Biographical Sketch of Greg Zito, pg. 89
^ Ryan, Shannon (2010-03-21). "Just like old times for Turner and Shumpert". Chicago Tribune.
^ "Evan Turner | Philadelphia 76ers". NBA.com.
^ "Olympedia – Carol Feeney". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 31 December 2021.

[1] "Oral History Transcript — Dr. Wallace Broecker". www.aip.org. American Institute of Physics. Retrieved 10 June 2014.

[2] Alan F. Hickman. "Gay and Lesbian Movement aka: LGBT Movement". www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net. The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved December 31, 2015.

[3] "Vera Pless". Chicago Tribune. March 4, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.

[4] Bridge, Nick (2019-09-17). "How to live a 5-ton life". Oak Park. Retrieved 2021-08-15.

[5] Phoning Home: Essays, University of South Carolina Press, 2014

[6] "Federal Bureau of Investigation files on Ross Prio". Retrieved 2015-01-20.

[7] Biemer, John. "Delicious discovery: Mr. Twinkie slept here". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 March 2021.

[8] Stuart, Laura (February 11, 2021) [January 4, 2005]. "Anna Chlumsky: Act II, Local child star decides to give acting a grown-up try". Wednesday Journal. Oak Park, Illinois. Retrieved October 31, 2021.

[9] "Golden Girls star Betty White dies aged 99". the Guardian. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.

[10] Dean, Terry (May 22, 2015). "'Hoop Dreams' filmmaker producing doc about race, achievement at OPRF". Oak Leaves. Retrieved October 31, 2021 – via Chicago Tribune. Filmmaker and Oak Park resident Steve James, who produced 1994's "Hoop Dreams" and 2012's "The Interrupters,"

[11] Schulman, Michael (July 29, 2012). "The Oracle of Girl World". The New York Times. No. July 29, 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2014.

[ctribune-12] Megan, Graydon (2013-01-16). "William Cullerton, 1923-2013 WWII pilot, entrepreneur, radio host and well-known outdoorsman championed conservation". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2013-01-25.

[13] Anonymous (November 9, 2007). "Ludacris revels in holiday spirit". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 3 July 2013.

[14] Lotus, Jean (November 2014). "Albuquerque cellists honor late Oak Park native Felix Wurman". Oak Park. Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forrest. Retrieved 10 March 2021.

[15] "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] Ken Trainor (2012-11-20). "Remembering Redd". Wednesday Journal. Retrieved 2012-11-26.

[Oak_Park_and_River_Forest_High_School_Tradition_of_Excellence_Past_Award_Recipients-19] "Oak Park and River Forest High School Tradition of Excellence Past Award Recipients". Oak Park and River Forest High School. Retrieved 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 (June 1976). "Gerald W. Shea". Illinois Issues. Vol. 2, no. 6. Springfield, Illinois: Sangamon State University. p. 8. Retrieved August 10, 2017.

[23] Minnesota Legislators: Past & Present-John D. Tomlinson

[24] 'Illinois Blue Book 1989-1990,' Biographical Sketch of Greg Zito, pg. 89

[Bball-25] Ryan, Shannon (2010-03-21). "Just like old times for Turner and Shumpert". Chicago Tribune.

[26] "Evan Turner | Philadelphia 76ers". NBA.com.

[27] "Olympedia – Carol Feeney". www.olympedia.org. Retrieved 31 December 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]