List of people from Peoria, Illinois

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Peoria, Illinois.

Peoria has the three largest hospitals in its metropolitan area; many people said to be "from Peoria" in biographies may have actually been born in a Peoria hospital but grown up in Peoria County, Tazewell County, or Woodford County, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Peoria, Illinois.

Authors and academics

• William Lane Craig, Christian apologist
• Philip José Farmer, science fiction and fantasy author
• Betty Friedan, feminist author (The Feminine Mystique)
• Kendall Gott, author and historian; grew up in Peoria
• Kent Hovind, Christian creationist; convicted of 58 federal counts involving money fraud
• Kate Klise, children's book author
• Dan Simmons, author (Hyperion Cantos series)

Business and engineering

• Bruce Borland, golf course designer for Jack Nicklaus; died in a 1999 plane crash with Hall of Famer Payne Stewart
• John Coleman, meteorologist and weatherman; founder of The Weather Channel
• Susan G. Komen, namesake of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
• George D. Sax, entrepreneur; credited with the innovation of drive-through banking

Media and arts

• Bill Ballance, radio host
• Mark Staff Brandl, artist
• Charles Correll, performer (Amos and Andy radio show)
• Mariclare Costello, actress
• Lee Garmes, Oscar-winning cinematographer
• Harry Harrison, radio host ("Morning Mayor of Peoria" on WPEO); disc jockey on several New York City radio stations
• Tecumseh "Teck" Holmes III, actor, rapper, former Direct Effect host; The Real World: Hawaii cast member
• Tom Irwin, actor; founding member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company
• Jim and Marian Jordan, radio performer (Fibber McGee and Molly)
• Tami Lane, makeup artist; Academy Award winner for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• Camryn Manheim, actress
• Kathryn McGuire, actress
• James Millhollin, character actor; born in Peoria
• Richard Pryor, comedian and actor
• David Ogden Stiers, actor (Major Charles Emerson Winchester III on M*A*S*H)
• Cynthia Stone, actress
• Sander Vanocur, television news journalist
• Marty Wombacher, writer, photojournalist, blogger

Music

• Dan Fogelberg, musician
• Jerry Hadley, opera tenor
• Bruce Johnston, member of the Beach Boys; born in Peoria, then adopted and moved to Chicago and Los Angeles
• Tim Kelley, recipient of Key To The City of Peoria; Grammy Award-winning record producer; half of the production duo Tim & Bob
• Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane, lead singer for Spanky and Our Gang; replaced Cass Elliot in The Mamas & the Papas
• Craig Moore, lead singer and bassist of 1960s garage rock band Gonn; grew up in Peoria
• Gary Richrath, guitarist from REO Speedwagon
• Bob Robinson, recipient of Key To The City of Peoria; Grammy Award-winning record producer; half of the production duo Tim & Bob
• Bart Shatto, featured vocalist with Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• Fred Stobaugh, 96-year-old widower; wrote a love letter that became the viral video "Oh Sweet Lorraine"
• Greg X. Volz, lead singer of Christian rock band Petra
• Richard A. Whiting, composer

Bands

• The Forecast, indie rock band
• Minsk, metal band
• Mudvayne, metal band
• Planes Mistaken for Stars, punk and hardcore band

Military

• General Wayne A. Downing, US Special Operations Commander and Joint Special Operations Commander; 75th Ranger Regiment
• General John M. Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Frank Wead, US Navy aviator turned screenwriter; early promoter of US Naval aviation

Politics and law

• Nancy Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure; Chief of Protocol of the United States; United States Ambassador to Hungary
• John Edward Cassidy, Illinois Attorney General
• Mark Clark, Black Panther; killed in an infamous Chicago police raid in 1969
• Joseph E. Daily, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
• William L. Eagleton, US diplomat
• Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, controversial orator; Illinois Attorney General
• Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democratic candidate for Illinois Comptroller (2010)
• Ray LaHood, US congressman representing Illinois's 18th congressional district; Secretary of Transportation under President Obama
• Robert H. Michel, longest serving Republican leader of the US House of Representatives
• Robert Dale Morgan, US federal judge and mayor of Peoria
• Norman H. Purple, Illinois Supreme Court justice and lawyer
• Don Saltsman, Illinois state legislator
• Aaron Schock, former US congressman
• Robert Scholes, Illinois state legislator and lawyer
• LeRoy Smallenberger, lawyer, judge and state chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party from 1960 to 1964
• Clyde E. Stone, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court

Religion

• Rabbi David Hirsch, Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, an affiliate of Yeshiva University
• Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, bishop of Rochester and host of The Catholic Hour on radio and Life is Worth Living

Sports

Baseball

• Amy Irene Applegren, pitcher and infielder in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
• Charlie Bartson, pitcher for the Chicago Pirates
• Harry Bay, outfielder for the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Bronchos/Naps
• Lynn Brenton, pitcher for the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds
• Ben Caffyn, outfielder for the Cleveland Naps
• Mike Donlin, outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams
• Dan Dugdale, catcher for the Kansas City Cowboys and Washington Senators
• Norwood Gibson, pitcher for the Boston Americans
• Tom Gilles, pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
• Joe Girardi, catcher, manager of the New York Yankees; raised in East Peoria
• Chris Mabeus, pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Joe Maddon, manager for the Chicago Cubs, managed the Peoria Chiefs in 1985
• Zach Monroe, pitcher for the New York Yankees
• Darby O'Brien, outfielder for the New York Metropolitans and Brooklyn Bridegrooms Grooms; born in Peoria
• Ryne Sandberg, Hall of Fame infielder for the Chicago Cubs, managed the Peoria Chiefs in 2007 and 2008
• Leo Schrall, baseball head coach at Bradley University
• Allyn Stout, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, and Boston Braves; born in Peoria
• Lee Thomas, All-Star player for six MLB teams, general manager of Philadelphia Phillies; born in Peoria
• Jim Thome, first baseman for Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and other teams; born and raised in Peoria
• Walter Thornton, outfielder and pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
• Bill Tuttle, center fielder for three Major League teams; born and raised in Peoria County, in Cramer, 18 miles west of Peoria
• Pete Vonachen, owner of the Peoria Chiefs minor league club; born and raised in Peoria
• George Whiteman, outfielder for the Boston Americans, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox; World Series champion (1918); born in Peoria

Basketball

• Acie Earl, power forward and center drafted to by the Boston Celtics with the 19th overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft
• AJ Guyton, point guard drafted to the Chicago Bulls with the 32nd overall pick in the 2000 NBA draft
• Shaun Livingston, guard for the Golden State Warriors, and 4th overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft
• Sergio McClain, former NBA D-League forward for the Asheville Altitude and University of Illinois
• Carla McGhee, basketball forward; gold-medalist at 1996 Summer Olympics
• Howard Nathan, former NBA point guard for the Atlanta Hawks
• Brian Randle, power forward for the Euroleague team Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.
• Jamar Smith, guard for the Euroleague team Limoges CSP
• Dick Versace, head coach for the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers; NBA executive; head coach for Bradley University basketball in Peoria
• Frank Williams, NBA point guard and 25th overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft

Ice skating

• Matt Savoie, Olympic figure skater; bronze medalist (2006)

Football

• Darryl Ashmore, offensive tackle for the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins; cousin of Carla McGhee
• Earl Gant, running back for the Kansas City Chiefs (1979–1980)
• Dick Jauron, head coach for the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears
• Sherrick McManis, cornerback for the Chicago Bears
• Tim Simpson, offensive guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Mike Zimmer, head coach for the Minnesota Vikings

Sports media

• Jack Brickhouse, broadcaster; radio-TV announcer of the Chicago Cubs
• Ralph Lawler, broadcaster; radio-TV announcer of the Los Angeles Clippers
• Jack Quinlan, broadcaster, radio announcer of the Chicago Cubs
• Lyall Smith, sports columnist, editor and PR director of the Detroit Lions, alumnus of Bradley University
• Charley Steiner, broadcaster, radio-TV announcer of the Los Angeles Dodgers, alumnus of Bradley University
• Rick Telander, sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times; panelist on Sportswriters on TV

Tennis

• Jeff Salzenstein, tennis player