List of people from Waukegan, Illinois
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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[edit]
- 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 Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Skyline.
- Brian Van Holt, actor
Journalism and writing[edit]
- 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[citation needed]
- Isadore Gilbert Jeffery (1840-1919), poet, lyricist
- Ward Just, writer
- Kim Stanley Robinson, science-fiction writer; born in Waukegan in 1952
Criminal justice[edit]
- Juan Rivera, wrongfully convicted of the 1992 murder of Holly Staker in Waukegan
- Alton Coleman, serial killer
Politicians and law[edit]
- 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[edit]
Baseball[edit]
- 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[edit]
- 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[edit]
- 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[citation needed]
- Mike Wagner, safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers; four time Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV) [14]
Motorsports[edit]
- John Morton, Champion Trans Am Series driver
- Ted Musgrave, American former stock car racing driver
Other[edit]
- Rick Bay, served as head wrestling coach for Michigan (1970–74), and was later a college athletic director and professional sports executive
Other[edit]
- 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
References[edit]
- ^ Rosenberger, Tim (April 3, 2017). "TV Star Returns to Bradley to Receive Alumni Award". Peoria Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
- ^ "Gary Bennett Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Jarvis Brown Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Johnny Dickshot Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Eric Eckenstahler Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Jay Hook Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Bill Krueger Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Jerry Kutzler Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Doc Oberlander Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Shawn Marion". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Billy McKinney". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Jerome Clay Whitehead". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Otto Graham". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Mike Wagner". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Jones, Emil; Philip, Pate (May 7, 1995). "Senate Resolution 116, 91st General Assembly". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved November 29, 2020.