Famous People from Kansas

Kirstie Alley (1951 - ) Actress starring in Cheers and Veronica's Closet. Born in Wichita, KS (178)

Karrin Allyson (1963 - ) Born Karrin Allyson Schoonover is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for three Grammy Awards, and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including The New York Times, which has called her a "singer with a feline touch and impeccable intonation. Born in Great Bend, KS (1360)

Robert D. Ballard (1942 - ) He discovered the Titanic shipwreck. Born in Wichita, KS (179)

Gerry Bamman (1941 - ) Is an American actor perhaps best known for his roles as Uncle Frank in Home Alone and Home Alone 2 and Lawyer Stan Gillum in four episodes of Law & Order. Born in Independence, KS (1369)

Eugene Hugh Beaumont (1909 - 1982) Was an American actor and television director. Beaumont is best known for his portrayal of Ward Cleaver, on the television series, Leave It to Beaver (1957-1963). Born in Lawrence, KS (1370)

Annette Francine Bening (1958 - ) Is an American actress. Her break-through role in The Grifters was followed with critically acclaimed roles in films such as Bugsy and American Beauty. In 1992, she married American actor and director Warren Beatty, with whom she has four children. Born in Topeka, KS (1371)

Madge Blake (1899 - 1969) Was an American character actress most famous for her role as Aunt Harriet Cooper on ABC's Batman TV series of the 1960s. Born in Kinsley, KS (1372)

Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 - 2000) The first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Price; grew up in Chicago. Born in Topeka, KS (138)

Chris Burnett (1955 - ) Is an American saxophone player, composer, veteran of US military jazz bands and band leader. Born in Olathe, KS (1361)

Walter Chrysler (1875 - 1940) Founder of Chrysler Corporation in 1925. Born in Ellis, KS (181)

Jack Colvin (1934 - 2005) Was an American character actor of theater, film and TV, known for the role of the snoopy tabloid reporter Jack McGee on the TV series The Incredible Hulk from 1977 through 1982 (including a 1988 TV-movie sequel), and as Dr. Ardmore in Child's Play. Born in Lyndon, KS (1373)

Aneta Louise Corsaut (1933 - 1995) Was an American actress. She is best known for playing Helen Crump on The Andy Griffith Show (1960 - 1968). Born in Hutchinson, KS (1374)

Charles Curtis (1860 - 1936) The first Native American to serve as US vice president (1929-1933). Born in Topeka, KS (182)

Lucinda Dickey (1960 - ) Is an American dancer and actress who is best known for her role as Kelly in the 1984 cult film Breakin' and the 1984 sequel, Breakin' 2 Electric Boogaloo. Born in Hutchinson, KS (1375)

Bob Dole (1923 - ) United States senator for many years; he ran for President in 1996. Born in Russell, KS (184)

Amelia Earhart (1897 - 1939) The first woman granted a pilot's license by the National Aeronautics Associate, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean (1932), and the first person to fly solo across the Pacific. Born in Atchison, KS (183)

Melissa Etheridge (1961 - ) Popular singer and guitarist. Born in Leavenworth, KS (186)

William Farmer (1952 - ) Is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar. Born in Pratt, KS (1376)

Scott Kellerman Foley (1972 - ) Is an American actor. He is known for roles in television shows such as The Unit and Felicity, and in films such as Scream 3. He has also guest starred in the series Dawson's Creek and Scrubs. Born in Kansas City, KS (1377)

Dwight Iliff Fry (1899 - 1943) Was an American stage and screen actor, noted for his appearances in the classic horror films Dracula, Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. Born in Salina, KS (1378)

Alan Fudge (1944 - ) Is an American actor known for being part of the cast of four television programs: Man from Atlantis, Eischied, Paper Dolls, and Bodies of Evidence, along with a recurring role (eighteen appearances over eight years, as of 2005) on 7th Heaven. Born in Wichita, KS (1379)

Wendell Woods Hall (1896 - 1969) Was an American country singer, vaudeville artist, song writer, pioneer radio performer. Born in St. George, KS (1363)

Dennis Lee Hopper (1936 - 2010) Was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. Born in Dodge City, KS (1380)

Omar Knedlik (1916 - 1989) Invented the first frozen carbonated drink machine in 1961. Born in Barnes, KS (190)

Shirley Enola Knight (1936 - ) Is an American stage, screen, and television actress. She has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, in 1960 for The Dark at the Top of the Stairs and in 1962 for Sweet Bird of Youth. Born in Goessel, KS (1382)

Lila Leeds (1928 - 1999) Was an American film actress. Born in Iola, KS (1383)

Katrina Leskanich (1960 - ) Is an American singer and musician, best known for being the lead singer and namesake of the pop band Katrina and the Waves. Born in Topeka, KS (1364)

Kerry Allen Livgren (1949 - ) Is an American musician and songwriter, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the 1970s progressive rock band, Kansas. Born in Topeka, KS (1365)

Martina McBride (1966 - ) Born Martina Mariea Schiff, is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range. Born in Sharon, KS (1366)

Hattie McDaniel (1895 - 1952) The first black woman to win an Academy Award; won for her role in "Gone with the Wind"". Born in Wichita, KS (191)

George Murdock (1930 - ) Also known as Eric Rush, is an American actor. Born in Salina, KS (1384)

Charlie Parker (1920 - 1955) One of the most influential improvising soloists in jazz, and a central figure in the development of bop in the 1940s. Born in Kansas City, KS (192)

Cassandra Peterson (1951 - ) Is an American actress best known for her on-screen horror hostess character Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Born in Manhattan, KS (1385)

ZaSu Pitts (1894 - 1963) Was an American film actress who starred in many silent dramas, although later, her career digressed to comedy sound films. She overcame her looks and voice, which had served her in silent films to play dramatic roles, using them to craft her persona in talkie comedies. Born in Parsons, KS (1386)

Charles Edward "Buddy" Rogers (1904 - 1999) Was an American actor and jazz musician. Born in Olathe, KS (1387)

Max Showalter (1917 - 2000) Was an American film, television and stage actor, as well as a composer, pianist and singer. One of Showalter's most memorable roles was as Jean Peters' husband in the 1953 film, Niagara. Showalter is also credited as Casey Adams. Born in Caldwell, KS (1388)

Lois Smith (1930 - ) Is an American actress whose career in theater, film, and television has spanned five decades. Born in Topeka, KS (1389)

Milburn Stone (1904 - 1980) Was an American television actor, a nephew of Broadway comedian Fred Stone and the son of a shopkeeper, best known for his role as "Doc" on the CBS western series Gunsmoke. Born in Burrton, KS (1390)

Dee Wallace Stone (1948 - ) Is an American motion picture and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles in several popular films. These include the starring role as Elliot's separated mother in the Steven Spielberg film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), her widest seen role. She also played key roles in popular cult films The Hills Have Eyes (1977) and The Howling (1981) and appeared in The Stepford Wives in 1975 and 10 (1979). In total, she has appeared in more than 85 films. Born in Kansas City, KS (1392)

Vivian Vance (1909 - 1979) Was an American award winning television and theater actress and singer. Often referred to as "TV's most beloved second banana," she is best known for her role as Ethel Mertz, sidekick to Lucille Ball on the American television sitcom I Love Lucy. Born in Cherryvale, KS (1391)

Bobby Watson (1953 - ) Is an American post-bop jazz alto saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator. Watson now has 26 recordings as a leader. He appears on nearly 100 other recordings as either co-leader or in a supporting role. Watson has recorded more than 100 original compositions and his long-time publisher. Born in Lawrence, KS (1367)