List of people from Peoria, Illinois

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Peoria, 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)
• Dorothy Cannell, mystery author

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
• Harry Frazee, owner of Boston Red Sox who traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees
• 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 performers (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
• Abbie Parker, member of the contemporary Christian music band I Am They
• 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
• Garrett D. Kinney, Illinois state treasurer
• Raja Krishnamoorthi, Democratic candidate for Illinois Comptroller (2010)
• Ray LaHood, US congressman representing Illinois's 18th congressional district; Secretary of Transportation under President Obama
• James B. McCoy, Wisconsin state legislator
• 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^[1]
• 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

Auto racing

• Irv Hoerr, IMSA sports car racing champion

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
• 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
• Charlotte Lewis, 1976 Olympic Silver Medal, ISU sports Hall of Fame
• 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
• 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

References