List of people from Spokane, Washington

This is a list of people from Spokane, Washington. The list includes individuals who were born in or lived in the city. A person who lives in or comes from Spokane, Washington, is known as a Spokanite.

Authors

 * Arthur C. Brooks, author
 * Sherman Alexie, author
 * David Eddings, author of The Belgariad and many other books
 * Wilbur Crane Eveland, served in various functions as secret agent for the USA in the Arab East
 * Michael Gurian, New York Times bestselling author of thirty-two books published in twenty-two languages
 * Quail Hawkins, bookseller and children's author
 * Bruce Holbert, author, Washington State Book Award winner
 * Kenn Nesbitt, Children's Poet Laureate (2013–2015)
 * Jack Nisbet, author of several books on explorer David Thompson
 * Shann Ray, author, American Book Award winner
 * Rick Rydell, outdoor writer, worked at local radio stations as a radio talk show host
 * David Shannon, author of No, David! and many other children's books
 * Wayne Spitzer, author and low-budget horror filmmaker
 * Terry Trueman, Printz Award winning author of Stuck in Neutral and numerous other young adult novels
 * Shawn Vestal, author, Washington State Book Award winner and recipient of the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize
 * Jess Walter, author, recipient of the 2006 Edgar Allan Poe Award

Chefs and restaurateurs

 * Sarah Minnick, chef owner at Lovely Hula Hands and Lovely's Fifty Fifty

Comedians

 * Julia Sweeney, actor and comedian (appeared on Saturday Night Live)
 * Tom McTigue, actor and comedian, Baywatch, Quantum Leap, Boyhood
 * Kelsey Cook, stand up comedian

Convicted criminals

 * Kevin Coe, convicted "South Hill rapist"
 * Jack Owen Spillman, serial killer
 * Rollen Stewart, kidnapper
 * Robert Lee Yates, serial killer

Film, stage and television industry

 * Rick Alverson, film director
 * Sophia Anne Caruso, Broadway actress best known for playing Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice: The Musical
 * Gary Frank, Emmy award-winning actor, known for playing Willie in the ABC series Family.
 * Russell Hodgkinson, actor
 * Jim Ignatowski, The Reverend Jim "Iggy" Ignatowski, played by Christopher Lloyd, is a fictional character in the 1970s television series Taxi.
 * Cheyenne Jackson, singer and actor, known for United 93
 * Paul Johansson, actor, appeared in One Tree Hill
 * Eric Johnston, former head of the United States Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America
 * Chuck Jones, director of animated films, three-time Academy Award winner
 * Neil LaBute, film director/playwright
 * David Lynch, film director, known for Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks
 * Darren McGavin, actor, known for starring in Kolchak: the Night Stalker and A Christmas Story
 * John McIntire, actor on Wagon Train and The Virginian
 * Michele Morrow, actress, appeared in Basement Jack, The Young and the Restless, and Alias
 * Craig T. Nelson, actor, star of television series Coach and Parenthood, as well as the films The Incredibles and Poltergeist
 * Seena Owen, silent-film actress
 * Gale Page, actress, starred in Knute Rockne, All American with Ronald Reagan
 * Patrick Page, Tony-nominated actor best known as Hades in Hadestown
 * Susan Peters, actress
 * Matt Piedmont, film director and writer
 * Mariel Sheets, actress, known for The Peanuts Movie
 * Trevor St. John, actor; known for his role on One Life to Live (graduated from Whitworth University)
 * Wayne Spitzer, low-budget horror filmmaker
 * Hilary Swank, two-time Oscar-winning actress (father was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base)
 * Sydney Sweeney, actress; best known for her role as Cassie Howard in Euphoria
 * Tongolele, film and television actor
 * Sarah Truax, stage and film actress, Spokane resident from 1912 to 1927
 * Mary Ann Wilson, American Nurse and TV Fitness Instructor
 * Michael Winslow, actor and comedian, known for Police Academy
 * Deanna Oliver, actress and writer, known for her role in The Brave Little Toaster and work with Animaniacs and Casper movie
 * Clifton James, film actor Cool Hand Luke
 * Troy Robertson, Reality Star best known as 'Troyzan' on CBS Survivor (American TV series) Survivor: One World, Survivor: Game Changers

Artists

 * Harold Balazs, sculptor
 * Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, photographer/traveller
 * Kenneth Callahan, painter from the Northwest School
 * Brian Crane, cartoonist
 * Jerry Holkins, writer for Penny Arcade
 * Mike Krahulik, artist for Penny Arcade
 * Tom Kundig, principal at Olson Kundig Architects
 * George Nakashima, furniture maker, entrepreneur
 * Clyfford Still, abstract-expressionist painter
 * Paula Mary Turnbull, welding nun

Journalists

 * Timothy Egan, journalist, winner of the National Book Award and the Washington State Book Award
 * Neil Everett, journalist, ESPN SportsCenter anchor
 * Julian Guthrie, journalist and author based in San Francisco
 * Sue Herera, journalist, CNBC anchor
 * Eric Johnson, journalist, former sports director for KREM 2; weeknight news anchor for KOMO 4
 * John Richards, journalist, radio personality, producer of The Morning Show and Audioasis on 90.3 FM KEXP Seattle
 * Rick Rydell, journalist, worked at local radio stations KJRB, KZZU, and KKZX as a radio talk show host

Musicians

 * Jim Boyd, musician
 * Cami Bradley, America's Got Talent finalist and member of The Sweeplings
 * Keeley Brineman, musician and lead singer with Lord Mouse and the Kalypso Katz
 * Mike Clarke, member of the band The Byrds
 * Bing Crosby, singer/actor
 * Bob Crosby, bandleader and vocalist
 * Andra Day, singer-songwriter
 * Paul D'Amour, former member of the band Tool
 * Andy Gibson, singer-songwriter
 * Theo Hakola, singer/songwriter/musician
 * Dan Hamilton, member of Surf band The Ventures, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, and The T-Bones.
 * Thomas Hampson, baritone
 * Dan Hoerner, lead guitarist and backup vocalist for the band Sunny Day Real Estate
 * Myles Kennedy, lead singer of the band Alter Bridge
 * Keyboard Cat and his handler Charlie Schmidt, performer on a viral internet meme
 * Ryan Lewis, music producer; primarily with Macklemore
 * George Lynch, former member of the rock band Dokken; member of Lynch Mob
 * Chad Mitchell, member of the Chad Mitchell Trio
 * Craig Montoya, former member of the band Everclear
 * Matty Mullins, lead singer of the band Memphis May Fire
 * Patrice Munsel, former Metropolitan Opera star
 * Danny O'Keefe, singer-songwriter
 * Eckart Preu, conductor of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra
 * Jimmy Rowles, jazz pianist
 * Ann Sandifur, composer
 * Scott Thompson, former member of the Canadian band Lillix
 * Billy Tipton, jazz musician
 * Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, boogie-woogie and blues-rock pianist
 * Tyrone Wells, singer-songwriter
 * Merrill Womach, undertaker, organist and gospel singer, founder of National Music Service
 * Charlie Butts - saxophone player, frontman of Charlie Butts and The Filter Tips
 * GrandMixer GMS - DJ/remixer for Tairrie B

Politicians

 * Civic
 * James Everett Chase, mayor of Spokane
 * Jack Geraghty, mayor of Spokane; former Spokane County Commissioner
 * Dennis P. Hession, mayor of Spokane
 * John Powers, mayor of Spokane
 * David H. Rodgers, mayor of Spokane
 * Ron Sims, former member of the King County Council; former King County Executive; former member of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
 * Jon Snyder, member of the Spokane City Council
 * John Talbott, mayor of Spokane
 * Mary Verner, mayor of Spokane
 * James E. West, Washington State Senator and Spokane mayor


 * Federal


 * Ryan Crocker, U.S. diplomat, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
 * Tom Foley, U.S. Congressman, former Democratic Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Former US Ambassador to Japan
 * Eric Johnston, former head of the United States Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America
 * Mike McKevitt, U.S. Congressman for Colorado's 1st District in the United States House of Representatives (1971–73)
 * George Nethercutt, former Republican U.S. Congressman, judge and attorney
 * Ron Sims, former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development


 * State
 * Andy Billig, Washington State Senator
 * James M. Geraghty, Washington State Supreme Court Justice
 * Sam C. Guess, Washington State Senator
 * Samuel G. Havermale, early Spokane pioneer, minister and politician
 * Horace E. Houghton, Washington and Wisconsin state legislator, lawyer
 * James E. West, Washington State Senator and Spokane mayor
 * Marcus Riccelli, Washington State Representative

Science and technology

 * Michael P. Anderson, astronaut killed in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
 * Walter Houser Brattain, awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics
 * Robert Dirks, computational chemist killed in a 2015 train wreck in New York
 * Dorothy M. Horstmann, virologist, made important discoveries about polio
 * Anne McClain, NASA Astronaut, Flight Engineer for Expedition 58/59 to the International Space Station
 * Wilder Graves Penfield, American-born Canadian neurosurgeon who mapped out the functional areas of the cerebral cortex and pioneered groundbreaking research into epilepsy treatment
 * Irwin Rose, biologist awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Sports

 * Auto racing
 * Chad Little, NASCAR race winner
 * Tom Sneva, Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Series champion


 * Baseball
 * Jeremy Affeldt, Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
 * Ed Brandt, MLB pitcher (1928–38)
 * Ed Kirkpatrick, former MLB outfielder and catcher
 * Andrew Kittredge, pitcher for Tampa Bay Rays
 * Larry Koentopp, Gonzaga University three-sport all-state selection, baseball head coach and athletic director
 * Tyler Olson, pitcher for Cleveland Indians
 * Mike Redmond, former MLB player for the Florida Marlins, Minnesota Twins, and Cleveland Indians; manager for the Marlins; (Gonzaga University graduate, 1993)
 * Ryne Sandberg, 2005 inductee in the Baseball Hall of Fame, former second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, former MLB manager for the Philadelphia Phillies
 * Kevin Stocker, former shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Anaheim Angels; current analyst for the Pac-12 Network
 * Christine Wren, second female professional baseball umpire


 * Basketball
 * Briann January, former Arizona State Sun Devils player; plays for the WNBA's Indiana Fever (Lewis and Clark High School graduate, 2005)
 * Adam Morrison, former Gonzaga player, former 2005–2006 first-team All-American, Charlotte Bobcats and Los Angeles Lakers basketball player (Mead High School graduate, 2003)
 * John Stockton, NBA Hall of Fame former point guard for the Utah Jazz
 * Wayne Tinkle, player for the Montana Grizzlies (Ferris High School graduate, 1984); currently head coach for the Oregon State Beavers


 * Billiards
 * Dorothy Wise, member of Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame


 * Boxing
 * Chauncy Welliver, professional boxer


 * Hockey
 * Patrick Dwyer, Spokane native who last played for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes
 * Tyler Johnson, former Spokane Chiefs player and 2008 Memorial Cup winner plus back-to-back Stanley Cup winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning
 * Derek Ryan, Spokane native currently playing for NHL's Edmonton Oilers
 * Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane native currently playing for NHL's Seattle Kraken


 * Extreme sports
 * Jess Roskelley, youngest American (at the time) to climb Mount Everest
 * Eric Uptagrafft, sport shooter


 * Football
 * Bob Bellinger, football player
 * Erik Coleman, former Washington State Cougars football player, former player for the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions (Lewis and Clark High School graduate, 2000)
 * Joe Danelo, former kicker for the Green Bay Packers, the New York Giants, and the Buffalo Bills (graduated from WSU and Gonzaga Prep 1971)
 * Will Davis, former defensive back for the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, and Salt Lake Stallions of the AAF
 * Steve Emtman, 1992 NFL No. 1 draft pick, former defensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts
 * Steve Gleason, NFL former special teams player for the New Orleans Saints and a graduate of WSU and Gonzaga Prep.
 * Jason Hanson, former kicker with the Detroit Lions
 * Max Krause, running back for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins
 * Dan Lynch, first team All-American for Washington State University (Lewis & Clark High School graduate 1980)
 * Steve Parker, former NFL defensive end for the New Orleans Saints
 * Mark Rypien, former quarterback for the Washington Redskins; Most Valuable Player of 1991 Super Bowl; Shadle Park High School, Washington State University
 * Bishop Sankey, former NFL running back for the Tennessee Titans (attended Gonzaga Preparatory School)
 * Cory Withrow, former NFL center for the St. Louis Rams
 * John Yarno, former NFL offensive lineman (attended Gonzaga Preparatory School and Ferris High School)


 * Mixed martial arts
 * Michael Chiesa, Ultimate Fighter winner and current UFC lightweight
 * Julianna Peña, Ultimate Fighter winner and current UFC women's bantamweight champion
 * Sam Sicilia, Ultimate Fighter alumnus and former UFC featherweight
 * Brady Hiestand, Ultimate Fighter finalist and current UFC bantamweight


 * Rowing
 * Joe Rantz, 1936 Summer Olympics gold medal winner in the eights competition


 * Soccer
 * Amy LePeilbet, professional player for Boston Breakers; vice world champion


 * Tennis
 * Jan-Michael Gambill, professional player


 * Track and field
 * Madonna Buder, 75-year-old Catholic nun and oldest Hawaii Ironman Triathlete competitor
 * Helga Estby, walked across the United States in 1896
 * Fortune Gordien, Olympic silver and bronze medalist in discus throw
 * Gerry Lindgren, runner, won 11 NCAA championships at Washington State University (attended John R. Rogers High School)
 * Brad Walker, American record holder and two-time world champion in the pole vault (University High School graduate)

Early Spokane notable residents

 * Joe Albi, attorney and civic leader
 * Kirtland Cutter, architect, known for his work in Spokane, including the Davenport Hotel
 * Sonora Smart Dodd, successfully campaigned for the establishment of Father's Day
 * Helga Estby, Norwegian-American resident of the Spokane area; in 1896 walked across America from Spokane to New York City
 * James Geraghty, Spokane City Corporate Counsel
 * Alice Houghton, broker
 * Henry John Kaiser, American industrialist


 * Native Americans
 * Chief Garry, one of the Spokane tribes' most prominent and influential leaders during the shift from indigenous to European-American control of their land


 * Military
 * John Babcock, last Canadian veteran of World War I
 * Col. David P. Jenkins, Civil War Colonel, Spokane homesteader, and philanthropist

Crime

 * Keith Hunter Jesperson, serial killer
 * Robert Lee Yates, serial killer
 * William H Parks III, serial killer

Other

 * Jimmy Marks, Romani American who sued Spokane