List of people from Indianapolis

The following is a list of notable people who have been born or lived in Indianapolis, Indiana. Organized alphabetically by field of study and then by last name.

Actors

 * Abraham Benrubi (1969– ), actor, best known for ER and Parker Lewis Can't Lose
 * Monte Blue (1887–1963), silent film/character actor
 * Connie Booth (1944– ), actress, screenwriter
 * Steve Burton (1970– ), television actor
 * Joyce DeWitt (1949– ), actress, best known for Three's Company
 * Cullen Douglas (1967– ), actor, producer, director, best known for Grey’s Anatomy and Pure Genius
 * Robert Emhardt (1914–1994), Actor
 * Mike Epps (1970– ), stand-up comedian, actor, producer, writer, rapper
 * Frances Farmer (1913–1970), actress
 * Rhett Fisher (1980– ), actor, best known for Power Rangers: Lightspeed Rescue
 * Brendan Fraser (1968– ), film actor
 * Ken Foree (1948– ), actor
 * Vivica A. Fox (1964- ) actress
 * Doug Jones (1960– ), actor
 * Brook Kerr (1973– ), actress
 * Priscilla Lawson (1914–1958), actress
 * Marjorie Main (1890–1975), actress
 * Steve McQueen (1930–1980), Academy Award-nominated actor
 * Julie McWhirter (1947– ), actress
 * Margo Moore (1931–2000), actress
 * Dohn Norwood (1974– ) actor, Hell on Wheels (TV series)
 * Dayo Okeniyi (1988– ), film actor
 * Jake Short (1997– ), actor
 * Steve Talley (1981– ), television/film actor
 * Harry von Zell (1906–1981), television/film actor and radio announcer, best known for The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
 * Clifton Webb (1889–1966), stage/film actor
 * Sasheer Zamata (1986– ), comedian, actress, former cast member on Saturday Night Live

Artists

 * Vija Celmins (1938– ), visual artist
 * Don Gummer, artist
 * John Wesley Hardrick (1891–1968), artist
 * Ron McQueeney, photographer
 * Wilhelmina Seegmiller (1866–1913), author, illustrator, art teacher
 * Sheida Soleimani (1990–), contemporary artist, born in Indianapolis.
 * Jeremy Spencer, musician (1973– )

Athletes

 * Donie Bush (1887–1972), Major League Baseball (MLB) player/manager
 * George Bailey (1900–1940), IndyCar Series driver
 * Bryce Campbell (1994– ), plays for the United States national rugby union team
 * Rodney Carney (1984– ), National Basketball Association (NBA) player
 * Oscar Charleston (1896–1954), baseball player, member of Baseball Hall of Fame
 * Mike Conley Jr. (1987– ), NBA player
 * Hooks Dauss (1889–1963), MLB player
 * Euphrasia Donnelly (1905–1963), swimmer, Olympic gold medalist (1924)
 * Stu Douglass (1990– ), American-Israeli basketball player for the Israeli team Maccabi Ashdod
 * Jack Doyle (1990– ), National Football League (NFL) tight end
 * Jeff George (1967– ), NFL quarterback
 * Eric Gordon (1988– ), NBA player
 * Greg Graham (1970– ), NBA player
 * Marcellus Greene (1957– ), NFL player
 * Gordon Hayward (1990– ), NBA player
 * Alan Henderson (1972– ), NBA player
 * John F. Hennessey (1900–1981), tennis player (1920s)
 * Oral Hildebrand (1907–1977), MLB All-Star pitcher
 * George Hill (1986– ), NBA player
 * Cole Hocker (2001– ), distance runner, Olympian
 * Lauren Holiday (1987– ), US Women's National Soccer player, Olympic gold medalist, 2015 Women's World Cup champion
 * Lester Horton (1906–1953), dancer and choreographer
 * Tommy Hunter (1986– ), Major League baseball pitcher for Philadelphia Phillies
 * Kenny Irwin (1969–2000), NASCAR driver
 * Jack Johnson (1987– ) NHL player
 * Mathias Kiwanuka (1983– ), NFL player
 * Ken Klee (1971– ), National Hockey League (NHL) player
 * Chuck Klein (1904–1958), MLB player
 * Kyle Krisiloff (1986– ), NASCAR driver
 * Shawn Langdon (2007– ), Current NHRA Funny Car Driver 2013 Top Fuel Champion 2 Time Super Comp Champion
 * Brad Leaf (1960–), American-Israeli basketball player for Hapoel Galil Elyon and Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israel Premier League
 * Courtney Lee (1985– ), NBA player
 * Don Leppert (1931– ), MLB player
 * Lori Lindsey (1980– ), U.S. Women's National Soccer player, Olympic gold medalist
 * Maicel Malone-Wallace (1969– ), sprinter, Olympic gold medalist (1996)
 * Zack Martin (1990– ), NFL player
 * George McGinnis (1950– ), NBA player
 * Frank McKinney (1938–1992), diver, Olympic gold medalist (1960), banking executive
 * Terry McLaurin Ohio State Buckeyes and Washington Redskins wide receiver
 * Eric Montross (1971– ), NBA player
 * Greg Oden (1988– ), NBA player
 * Jaycie Phelps (1979– ), gymnast, Olympic gold medalist (1996), Magnificent Seven (gymnastics) team member
 * Austin Price (born 1995), basketball player in the Israeli Premier Basketball League
 * Derrick Ransom (1976– ), National Football League (NFL) player defensive tackle
 * Matt Reiswerg (born 1980), soccer player, coach, and administrator
 * Oscar Robertson (1938– ), basketball player, member of Basketball Hall of Fame
 * Sally Schantz, figure skater, U.S. ice dancing champion (1963)
 * Judy Schwomeyer (1950– ), figure skater, U.S. ice dancing champion (1968–72)
 * Sandra Spuzich (1937–2015), LPGA pro golfer
 * Brad Stevens (1976– ), President of Basketball Operations and former head coach of the Boston Celtics
 * Major Taylor (1878–1932), cyclist
 * Jeff Teague (1988– ), NBA player
 * Johnny Weaver (1935–2008), pro wrestler, first to use the sleeper hold "Weaver Lock"
 * Randy Wittman (1959– ), NBA head coach
 * Greg Wojciechowski (1951– ), wrestler
 * Sean Woods (1970– ), college basketball coach
 * T. J. Yates (1987–), former quarterback who is currently the wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons

Business and philanthropy

 * Steve Bellamy, sports media entrepreneur, founder of The Ski Channel and The Tennis Channel
 * Steve Ells, founder, CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill
 * Scott Flanders, businessman and former CEO of Playboy, Inc.
 * John Geisse, businessman, founder of Target Stores
 * Bob Glenalvin, first manager of Detroit Tigers
 * Sid Grauman, founder of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, former home of the Academy Awards
 * Scott A. Jones, co-founder of ChaCha
 * Eli Lilly, founder, president of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company
 * Josiah K. Lilly Sr., president of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company
 * Ruth Lilly, philanthropist
 * Kim Ng, Major League Baseball executive
 * Freeman Ransom, lawyer, businessman, civic leader
 * Willard Ransom, lawyer, businessman, civic leader
 * Henry J. Richardson Jr., lawyer and civil rights activist, member of the Indiana House of Representatives (1932–36), and a judge in Marion County, Indiana.
 * Madam C.J. Walker, pioneering African-American businesswoman, first female self-made millionaire in America
 * Margaret Ray Wickens (1843–1918), organizer and social reformer

Criminals

 * Herb Baumeister, suspected serial killer
 * Melvin Carr, murderer, rapist, and suspected serial killer
 * John Dillinger, bank robber
 * Jared Fogle, Subway restaurant endorser, motivational speaker, and convicted child pornographer
 * Jim Jones, cult leader and mass murderer who led the Peoples Temple between 1955 and 1978

Entertainment

 * Rupert Boneham, reality show contestant, Survivor: Pearl Islands, Survivor: All-Stars, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, "Survivor: Blood vs. Water; politician
 * June Cochran, model, Miss Indiana USA 1960, Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Year 1963
 * Ken Hixon, screenwriter
 * David Letterman, television personality, former host of The Late Show (1993–2015)
 * Ryan Murphy, film and television screenwriter, director, and producer, notably Nip/Tuck, 'American Horror Story and Glee
 * Blair St. Clair (Andrew Bryson), drag performer
 * Marc Summers, game show host, television personality
 * Dan Wakefield, screenwriter, novelist
 * Marjorie Wallace, Miss World 1973

Journalists and media

 * Roy Blount Jr., journalist, author
 * Scott Evans, television personality
 * Louis McHenry Howe, reporter for the New York Herald; political advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
 * Jack Olsen, journalist and author
 * Jane Pauley, television personality, journalist
 * Myrta Pulliam, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist

Military

 * Timothy Maude, U.S. Army Lieutenant General, the highest ranking military officer killed in the September 11 attacks
 * Thomas A. Morris, railroad executive, civil engineer, Union General in the Civil War
 * Norris W. Overton, U.S. Air Force Brigadier General
 * Raymond A. Spruance, commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet (1944–1945)

Musicians

 * Mark Battles, rapper-songwriter, founder of record label Fly America
 * Scrapper Blackwell, blues musician and songwriter, writer of the earliest version of "Sweet Home Chicago"
 * Darrell Clanton, singer
 * Dorian, hip-hop recording artist and music producer
 * Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, R&B music producer/performer
 * Guitar Pete Franklin, blues musician
 * Jan Garber, bandleader
 * Blind Leroy Garnett, boogie-woogie and ragtime pianist and songwriter
 * Thurston Harris, singer, songwriter
 * Billy Henderson, singer, member of The Spinners (American group)
 * John Hiatt, musician
 * Freddie Hubbard, jazz trumpeter
 * J. J. Johnson, jazz trombonist
 * Josh Kaufman, singer-songwriter, contestant on The Voice (U.S. Season 6)
 * Adam Lambert, singer, runner-up of American Idol (Season 8)
 * Adrianne Lenker, musician, singer songwriter of the indie band, Big Thief
 * Ted Leo, musician
 * Charles Scott Leonard, member of the a cappella group Rockapella
 * Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, indie rock band formed in Indianapolis
 * Tim McIlrath, musician
 * Wes Montgomery, jazz guitarist
 * Plumb, singer/songwriter
 * Hal Rayle, voice artist
 * Larry Ridley, jazz bassist
 * June Rochelle, singer/songwriter
 * David Michael Schuster, opera singer
 * George Shirley, operatic tenor
 * Noble Sissle, composer
 * Tiara Thomas, singer-songwriter
 * Albert Von Tilzer, composer, notably "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"
 * Pharez Whitted, jazz trumpeter
 * Keke Wyatt, R&B singer

Politicians

 * James Bingham, Indiana Attorney General (1907–1911)
 * Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator from Washington
 * Paul Cantwell, Indiana state representative
 * André Carson, member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Indiana, second Muslim to be elected to the U.S. Congress (2008)
 * Julia Carson, member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Indiana; grandmother of André Carson
 * Harriette Bailey Conn, state representative and the first African American to serve as Indiana's state public defender
 * Ray Crowe, basketball coach and politician
 * John J. Dillon, Indiana Attorney General (1965-1969)
 * Charles W. Fairbanks, 26th Vice President of the United States (1905–1909)
 * William T. Francis, United States Ambassador to Liberia (1927–1929)
 * Benjamin Harrison, 23rd President of the United States (1889–1893); lived and died in Indianapolis
 * Thomas A. Hendricks, 21st Vice President of the United States (1863–1869)
 * Eric Holcomb, Governor of Indiana
 * William A. Ketcham, Indiana Attorney General (1894–1898), Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (1920–1921).
 * Jon Krahulik, Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court (1990–1993)
 * Daisy Riley Lloyd, first female African American to serve in the Indiana legislature
 * Richard Lugar, U.S. Senator from Indiana
 * Frank E. McKinney, Democratic Party chairman
 * Mike Pence, 48th Vice President of the United States (2017–2021)
 * Dan Quayle, 44th Vice President of the United States (1989–1993)
 * Charles Ray, Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court (1865–1871)
 * Edwin K. Steers, Indiana Attorney General (1953–1965)
 * Ted Stevens, former U.S. Senator from Alaska
 * Mark Warner, U.S. Senator from Virginia

Writers

 * Georgia Alexander (1868–1928), textbook author and educator
 * Grace Alexander (1872–1951), writer, journalist, teacher
 * Margaret C. Anderson, critic, editor and publisher
 * John David Anderson (1975– ), children's book author of Ms. Bixby's Last Day, 2017 Indiana Authors Award Winner
 * Allan Bloom, philosopher and essayist
 * A'Lelia Bundles (1952– ), TV producer, journalist, and author of On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker
 * Jared Carter (1939– ), poet, author of Work, for the Night Is Coming (1981), and winner of the Walt Whitman Award and the Poets' Prize.
 * Matt Dellinger (1975– ), author of Interstate 69: The Unfinished History of the Last Great American Highway
 * Mari Evans (1923–2017), poet, author of I Am a Black Woman (1970), winner of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters poetry award
 * Janet Flanner, Paris correspondent of The New Yorker
 * Hildegarde Flanner, poet
 * John Green, children's book award-winning author of The Fault in Our Stars; vlogger
 * Alex Hall, author of Ben Drowned (2010)
 * Joseph Hayes, author
 * Phillip Hoose (1947– ), award-winning children's book author of Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
 * Kathryn Lasky (1944– ), children's book author of Guardians of Ga'Hoole
 * Charles Major, author
 * Elizabeth Miller (1878–1961), novelist
 * Bill Peet (1915–2002), children's book author and illustrator of Pamela Camel,
 * Madelyn Pugh, script-writer I Love Lucy television program
 * Booth Tarkington, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
 * Kurt Vonnegut, author
 * James Whitcomb Riley, poet

Other

 * Frank J. Anderson, former Sheriff of Marion County, Indiana (2003–2011)
 * Kent Brantly, physician, author, speaker, first American to be treated for the Ebola virus in 2014, TIME Person of the Year 2014
 * Emmett I. Brown Jr., professional photographer, documented Indiana Avenue's jazz scene in the 1940s and 50s, editor Sepia magazine
 * John P. Donohue, professor, doctor, pioneered treatments for testicular cancer
 * Ruth M. Gardiner, first nurse killed in action during World War II
 * Michael Graves, architect
 * Margaret Yandes Holliday, Presbyterian missionary in Tabriz from 1883 to 1919
 * Peter Kassig, aid worker, taken hostage and ultimately beheaded by The Islamic State
 * Justin Knapp, Wikipedia editor
 * John Morton-Finney, Buffalo soldier, lawyer, educator and civil rights leader
 * Irvine Page, physiologist, former president of the American Heart Association (1956–1957)
 * John C. Rule, historian at Ohio State University
 * Bill Shirk, escape artist, president of Hoosier Broadcasting Corp.
 * Avriel Shull, architect
 * William V. Wheeler, founder of Wheeler Mission Ministries of Indianapolis
 * David A. Wolf, astronaut
 * Evans Woollen III, architect, founder and principal of Woollen, Molzan and Partners