41.8501° N, 87.6499° W

CHICAGO

Most Famous People Born in Chicago, USA

Notable people
7,467
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1940
Most distinctive
Baseball 5.2×

Big shoulders, broad bench. Chicago's notables are spread evenly across actors, politicians, four major-league sports, and a music economy that has produced everyone from house DJs to first-wave rappers — without any single category dominating the way film does in Los Angeles or Wall Street does in New York. The city's distinctive professions still carry a whiff of the old machine politics: aldermen, mobsters, gangsters, restaurateurs.

Standouts

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 850 notable births.

What Chicago Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is Chicago's biggest profession — 11% of all notables (813).

Chicago over-indexes on baseball 5.2× the global rate.

Chicago under-produces politician — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Actor 813 2.0×
  2. Politician 469 0.5×
  3. Football 462 0.6×
  4. Baseball 441 5.2×
  5. Basket 398 4.2×
  6. Music 312 2.9×
  7. Writer 220 0.9×
  8. Singer 207 1.3×
  1. Baseball 441 5.2×
  2. Basket 398 4.2×
  3. Screenwriter 128 3.9×
  4. Novelist 96 3.3×
  5. Music 312 2.9×
  6. Actor 813 2.0×
  7. Film 168 1.8×
  1. Politician 469 0.5×
  2. Football 462 0.6×
  3. Painter 116 0.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Chicago's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All7,467
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7,467 notable people

1501 WRITER

David Bodanis

Born 1950

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1502 PALAEONTOLOGIST

Norman D. Newell

1909 - 2005

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1503 SCENOGRAPHER

Joseph C. Wright

1892 - 1985

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1504 PHYSICIAN

Frances Glessner Lee

1878 - 1962

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1505 PLAYER

Laura Granville

Born 1981

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1506 FILM

Francis J. Grandon

1879 - 1929

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1507 POLITICIAN

Frank Annunzio

1915 - 2001

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1508 WRITER

Cynthia Kadohata

Born 1956

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1509 BASEBALL

Freddie Lindstrom

1905 - 1981

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1510 ACTOR

Eric Forsberg

Born 1959

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1511 ACTOR

Mick Cain

Born 1978

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1512 SPORT

Marion Clignet

Born 1964

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1513 PRODUCER

Fast Eddie (producer)

Born 1969

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1514 BOXER

Jimmy Barry

1870 - 1943

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1515 LAWYER

Jack Miller (politician)

1916 - 1994

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1516 SCREENWRITER

Eddie Doherty

1890 - 1975

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1517 PHILOSOPHER

Larry Siedentop

Born 1936

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1518 MATHEMATICIAN

Roger Evans Howe

Born 1945

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1519 ACTOR

Bobby Vernon

1897 - 1939

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1520 WRITER

Gordon D. Shirreffs

1914 - 1996

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1521 MODEL

Myrna Hansen

Born 1934

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1522 PAINTER

Irving Petlin

1934 - 2018

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1523 MUSIC

Israel Crosby

1919 - 1962

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1524 RESEARCH

Philip Altbach

Born 1941

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1525 BASEBALL

Fritz Peterson

Born 1942

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1526 LAWYER

Mark Filip

Born 1966

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1527 MUSIC

Towkio

Born 1993

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1528 BOXER

Harry Harris (boxer)

1880 - 1959

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1529 SWIMMER

Wally Ris

1924 - 1989

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1530 SINGER

Ina Ray Hutton

1916 - 1984

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1531 HOCKEY

Christian Fischer

Born 1997

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1532 SCIENCE

Emily Temple-Wood

Born 1994

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1533 ACTOR

Edna Marion

1906 - 1957

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1534 POLITICIAN

Bill Lipinski

Born 1937

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1535 ACTOR

Erica Mendez

-

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1536 FOOTBALL

Laquon Treadwell

Born 1995

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1537 JOURNALIST

Aphrodite Jones

Born 1959

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1538 BASKET

Lonnie Lynn

1943 - 2014

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1539 LAWYER

David Jacobson (diplomat)

Born 1951

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1540 WRITER

George Hunt Williamson

1926 - 1986

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1541 ENTREPRENEUR

Mark Pincus

Born 1966

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1542 PHILOSOPHER

Herrlee G. Creel

1905 - 1994

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1543 PIANIST

Daryl Davis

Born 1958

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1544 SCREENWRITER

Arthur A. Ross

1920 - 2008

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1545 PRODUCED

Ted Serios

1918 - 2006

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1546 MATHEMATICIAN

Sy Friedman

Born 1953

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1547 BASKET

LaRue Martin

Born 1950

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1548 BOXER

Jackie Fields

1908 - 1987

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1549 ESSAYIST

Laura Kipnis

Born 1956

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1550 POLITICIAN

Martin H. Kennelly

1887 - 1961

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1551 SINGER

Rhona Bennett

Born 1976

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1552 PRIEST

James Carney (American priest)

1924 - 1983

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1553 SINGER

Jerry Portnoy

Born 1943

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1554 PHILOSOPHES

Mary Jayne Gold

1909 - 1997

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1555 MUSIC

Fareed Haque

Born 1963

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1556 ACTOR

Paul McGrath (actor)

1904 - 1978

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1557 ACTOR

Izabela Vidovic

Born 2001

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1558 BASKET

Patrick Miller (basketball)

Born 1992

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1559 SPRINT

Ira Murchison

1933 - 1994

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1560 SPORT

Harry Stenqvist

1893 - 1968

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1561 ACTOR

Lucas Jade Zumann

Born 2000

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1562 COSTUME DESIGNER

Bill Thomas (costume designer)

1921 - 2000

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1563 SINGER

Jizzy Pearl

Born 1958

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1564 ACTOR

Beatrice Winde

1924 - 2004

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1565 TEACHER

Elliot Eisner

1933 - 2014

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1566 BASKET

Awvee Storey

Born 1977

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1567 ACTOR

Jason Ridge

Born 1974

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1568 ATHLETIC

Esther Jones (athlete)

Born 1969

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1569 ACTOR

Candy Manson

Born 1983

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1570 BASKET

D. J. Cooper

Born 1990

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1571 ACTOR

Dot Farley

1881 - 1971

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1572 SPRINT

Annette Rogers

1913 - 2006

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1573 ENGINEER

Albert H. Taylor

1879 - 1961

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1574 BASKET

Walter Bond

Born 1969

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1575 SINGER

Jewell (singer)

Born 1962

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1576 FILM

Matthew O'Callaghan

-

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1577 ACTOR

Renn Woods

Born 1958

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1578 PRODUCER

Chip E.

Born 1966

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1579 PRODUCER

Armando (producer)

1970 - 1996

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1580 BASKET

Michael Thompson (basketball)

Born 1989

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1581 SINGER

Tessa Violet

Born 1990

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1582 WRITER

Catherine Mavrikakis

Born 1961

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1583 JOURNALIST

John J. B. Wilson

Born 1954

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1584 ARCHITECT

Barry Byrne

1883 - 1967

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1585 ACTOR

Katie Chang

Born 1995

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1586 PAINTER

Grace Hall Hemingway

1872 - 1951

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1587 POLITICIAN

Greg Nickels

Born 1955

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1588 ACTOR

Zoe Rae

1910 - 2006

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1589 ARTIST

Ben Stahl (artist)

1910 - 1987

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1590 SCREENWRITER

Mike Kelley (writer)

Born 1967

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1591 MUSIC

Jeff Pezzati

Born 1960

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1592 ACTOR

Gretchen Hartman

1897 - 1979

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1593 BASKET

Wayne Blackshear

Born 1992

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1594 BASKET

Lee Shaffer

Born 1939

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1595 JOURNALIST

Robert Sheaffer

Born 1949

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1596 HISTORIAN

Norman Golb

Born 1928

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1597 POLITICIAN

Mark D. Siljander

Born 1951

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1598 BASKET

Dan Langhi

Born 1977

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1599 JUMPER

Kent Farrington

Born 1980

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1600 MUSIC

John Jenkins (jazz musician)

1931 - 1993

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1601 ACTOR

Chuck Huber

Born 1971

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1602 BASKET

Russell Cross

Born 1961

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1603 MUSIC

Russell Gunn

Born 1971

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1604 FOOTBALL

George Connor (American football)

1925 - 2003

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1605 MATHEMATICIAN

Bernard Galler

1928 - 2006

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1606 WRITER

David Satter

Born 1947

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1607 BOXER

Professor Mike Donovan

1847 - 1918

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1608 JOURNALIST

Garrick Utley

1939 - 2014

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1609 MUSIC

Philip Farkas

1914 - 1992

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1610 ACTOR

Robert Clark (actor)

Born 1987

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1611 LAW

Karen DeCrow

1937 - 2014

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1612 HISTORIAN

Josef W. Meri

Born 1969

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1613 ENTREPRENEUR

Richard Driehaus

Born 1942

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1614 MATHEMATICIAN

Raymond Redheffer

1921 - 2005

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1615 RIDER

Robert Dover (equestrian)

Born 1956

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1616 POLITICIAN

Kateryna Yushchenko

Born 1961

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1617 CINEMA

Merritt B. Gerstad

1900 - 1974

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1618 MAGIC

Eugene Burger

1939 - 2017

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1619 BASKET

Paul McPherson

Born 1978

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1620 MUSIC

Ralph Saenz

Born 1965

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1621 COMICS

Gary Gianni

Born 1954

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1622 BASKET

Rickey Green

Born 1954

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1623 ECONOMIST

Ardo Hansson

Born 1958

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1624 CHOREOGRAPHER

Pearl Lang

1921 - 2009

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1625 ARMY

Ulysses S. Grant III

1881 - 1968

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1626 ARCHITECT

David Rockwell

Born 1956

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1627 ACTOR

Pepi Lederer

1910 - 1935

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1628 PRODUCER

Eugene Record

1940 - 2005

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1629 HISTORIAN

Jack N. Rakove

Born 1947

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1630 HISTORIAN

Linda Gordon

Born 1940

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1631 BASKET

Myke Henry

Born 1992

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1632 ENGINEER

Eugene Polley

1915 - 2012

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1633 BASKET

Tony Dumas

Born 1972

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1634 MATHEMATICIAN

William Karush

1917 - 1997

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1635 SCREENWRITER

Alice Arlen

1940 - 2016

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1636 OFFICER

Charles E. Rosendahl

1892 - 1977

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1637 ACTOR

Constance McCashin

Born 1947

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1638 BIOLOGIST

Richard Klein (paleoanthropologist)

Born 1941

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1639 POET

Franklin Rosemont

1943 - 2009

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1640 HOCKEY

John Hayden (ice hockey)

Born 1995

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1641 ACTOR

Michael Stoyanov

Born 1970

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1642 MARTIAL ART

Julie Kedzie

Born 1981

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1643 GOLF

Chandler Egan

1884 - 1936

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1644 ACTOR

Rose Gregorio

Born 1934

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1645 ACTOR

Marsha Warfield

Born 1954

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1646 MUSIC

Ron Trent

Born 1973

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1647 ACTOR

Maxine Cooper

1924 - 2009

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1648 ACTOR

Louis Quinn

1915 - 1988

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1649 AUTHOR

Brian Augustyn

Born 1954

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1650 FILM

Virginia Van Upp

1902 - 1970

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1651 ASTRONOMER

Harold Alden

1890 - 1964

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1652 JOURNALIST

William Shawn

1907 - 1992

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1653 PAINTER

Margaret Brundage

1900 - 1976

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1654 FILM

Robert Shelton (critic)

1926 - 1995

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1655 CINEMA

Steven Poster

Born 1944

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1656 ALDERMAN

Edward M. Burke

Born 1943

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1657 ACTOR

Charles Parnell (actor)

-

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1658 JOURNALIST

Dorothea Brande

1893 - 1948

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1659 ACTOR

A. J. Trauth

Born 1986

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1660 BASKET

Sonny Parker (basketball)

Born 1955

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1661 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Joseph LaPalombara

Born 1925

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1662 AUTHOR

Nancy Atherton

Born 1955

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1663 SOCIOLOGIST

Charles Moskos

1934 - 2008

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1664 WRITER

John Ankerberg

Born 1945

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1665 ACTOR

Suzzanne Douglas

Born 1957

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1666 WRESTLER

Larry Sweeney

1981 - 2011

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1667 ACTOR

Colombe Jacobsen

Born 1977

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1668 ARCHAEOLOGIST

Richard Anthony Parker

1905 - 1993

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1669 PHOTOGRAPHER

Ezra Stoller

1915 - 2004

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1670 ACTOR

Lisa Guerrero

Born 1964

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1671 BASEBALL

Ernie Young

Born 1969

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1672 ACTOR

Morgan Lee

Born 1993

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1673 RAPPER

Cupcakke

Born 1997

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1674 POLITICIAN

Frank L. Smith

1867 - 1950

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1675 DIPLOMAT

Joseph J. Sisco

1919 - 2004

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1676 MUSIC

John Panozzo

1948 - 1996

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1677 WRITER

Larry Heinemann

1944 - 2019

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1678 FOOTBALL

Darryl Stingley

1951 - 2007

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1679 PRIEST

Jerome E. Listecki

Born 1949

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1680 SCREENWRITER

Tom Buckingham

1895 - 1934

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1681 LAWYER

Lisa Madigan

Born 1966

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1682 BASKET

Napoleon Harris

Born 1979

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1683 BASKET

Kenny George

Born 1987

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1684 BASKET

Renaldo Major

Born 1982

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1685 POLITICIAN

Gretchen Dutschke-Klotz

Born 1942

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1686 SKATER

Lana Gehring

Born 1990

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1687 PLAYER

Kathleen Horvath

Born 1965

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1688 MUSIC

Dodie Stevens

Born 1946

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1689 COMPOSER

Dick Marx

1924 - 1997

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1690 ACTOR

Matthew John Armstrong

Born 1973

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1691 ACTOR

Rebecca Brooke

1952 - 2012

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1692 BASEBALL

Pete Mackanin

Born 1951

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1693 NOVELIST

Stuart Dybek

Born 1942

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1694 BASKET

Mario Little

Born 1987

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1695 BASKET

Sam Thompson (basketball)

Born 1992

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1696 JOURNALIST

Ferdinand Lundberg

1905 - 1995

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1697 ACTOR

Warren Burton

1944 - 2017

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1698 ACADEMIC

Erwin Chemerinsky

Born 1953

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1699 COMPOSER

Larry Grossman (composer)

Born 1938

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1700 POLITICIAN

David Orr

Born 1944

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1701 FOOTBALL

Reggie Cannon

Born 1998

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1702 FILM

David Loughery

-

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1703 DIPLOMAT

Richard S. Williamson

1949 - 2013

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1704 LAWYER

Egil Krogh

1939 - 2020

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1705 MUSIC

Matthew Leone

Born 1981

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1706 ECONOMIST

Stephen Moore (writer)

Born 1960

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1707 PHOTOGRAPHER

George Grantham Bain

1865 - 1944

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1708 NOVELIST

George O. Smith

1911 - 1981

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1709 BANDLEADER

Charley Straight

1891 - 1940

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1710 DRIVER

Rich Vogler

1950 - 1990

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1711 FOOTBALL

Chris Hinton

Born 1961

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1712 BIOCHEMIST

Arthur Pardee

1921 - 2019

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1713 RABBI

Ben Ammi Ben-Israel

1939 - 2014

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1714 ACTOR

Richard Newman (actor)

Born 1949

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1715 ACTOR

Prince Yahshua

Born 1970

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1716 WIFE OF

Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford

Born 1947

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1717 POLITICIAN

Albert W. Hawkes

1878 - 1971

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1718 NOVELIST

Ray Russell

1924 - 1999

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1719 ARCHITECT

Paul Nelson (architect)

1895 - 1979

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1720 ATHLETIC

Earl Jones (athlete)

Born 1964

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1721 MATHEMATICIAN

Vera Pless

1931 - 2020

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1722 COMPOSER

Bruce Gaitsch

Born 1953

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1723 ENTREPRENEUR

Thomas Siebel

Born 1952

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1724 ACTOR

Harriet MacGibbon

1905 - 1987

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1725 FOOTBALL

George Trafton

1896 - 1971

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1726 POLITICIAN

Marty Russo

Born 1944

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1727 PRIEST

Daniel Kucera

1923 - 2017

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1728 BASKET

Marcus Liberty

Born 1968

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1729 ATHLETIC

Marc Wright

1890 - 1975

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1730 RAPPER

Rockie Fresh

Born 1991

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1731 COMPOSER

Jack Wilson (jazz pianist)

1936 - 2007

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1732 POLITICIAN

Michael Patrick Flanagan

Born 1962

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1733 FILM

Patrick Creadon

Born 1967

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1734 FIDDLER

Liz Carroll

Born 1956

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1735 ACTOR

Michael McCleery

Born 1959

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1736 GUITAR

Chuck Panozzo

Born 1948

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1737 ASTRONAUT

Joan Higginbotham

Born 1964

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1738 BANK

Marshall Field III

1893 - 1956

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1739 PAINTER

Charmion Von Wiegand

1896 - 1983

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1740 RADIOLOGIST

Henry Kaplan (doctor)

1918 - 1984

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1741 BASKET

Zeke Upshaw

1991 - 2018

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1742 WRITER

Kathy Kelly

Born 1952

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1743 PSYCHIATRIST

Vincent Dole

1913 - 2006

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1744 ACTOR

Anne Meacham

1925 - 2006

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1745 BASKET

Marque Perry

Born 1981

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1746 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Alexander L. George

1920 - 2006

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1747 BASKET

Ken Norman

Born 1964

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1748 PHOTOGRAPHER

Jack Dykinga

Born 1943

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1749 DJ

Secondcity

Born 1987

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1750 ACTOR

Daniel Clark (actor)

Born 1985

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1751 ACTOR

Robert Rockwell

1920 - 2003

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1752 MUSIC

Johnny Frigo

1916 - 2007

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1753 MUSIC

Paul Speckmann

Born 1963

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1754 MUSIC

Hayes Alvis

1907 - 1972

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1755 BASKET

Alfredrick Hughes

Born 1962

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1756 ARTIST

David Stone Martin

1913 - 1992

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1757 PAINTER

Matt Lamb

1932 - 2012

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1758 ACTOR

Syd Saylor

1895 - 1962

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1759 BOTANIST

Thomas Robert Soderstrom

1936 - 1987

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1760 POLITICIAN

George W. Collins

1925 - 1972

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1761 PHILOSOPHER

Sandra Bartky

1935 - 2016

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1762 POLITICIAN

Paul B. Henry

1942 - 1993

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1763 GENETICIST

Theodore Puck

1916 - 2005

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1764 WRITER

Jim Fergus

Born 1950

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1765 FILM

Mason Novick

Born 1974

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1766 COMEDIAN

Shecky Greene

Born 1926

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1767 HISTORIAN

Howard K. Beale

1899 - 1959

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1768 ASTRONAUT

Charles L. Veach

1944 - 1995

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1769 PLAYER

Thomas Hoff

Born 1973

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1770 PRODUCER

Jesse Saunders

Born 1962

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1771 COMPOSER

Mel Leven

1914 - 2007

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1772 SCREENWRITER

William P. McGivern

1922 - 1982

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1773 MATHEMATICIAN

J. Ernest Wilkins Jr.

1923 - 2011

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1774 BASKET

Donnie Boyce

Born 1973

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1775 BASKET

Ty Abbott

Born 1988

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1776 BASKET

Ben Wilson (basketball)

1967 - 1984

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1777 MUSIC

Eddie Blazonczyk

1941 - 2012

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1778 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Raphael Finkel

Born 1951

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1779 PIANIST

Hod O'Brien

1936 - 2016

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1780 FILM

Burt Balaban

1922 - 1965

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1781 LAWYER

Bobby Shriver

Born 1954

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1782 SCREENWRITER

William Anthony McGuire

1881 - 1940

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1783 ACTOR

Lee Moran

1888 - 1961

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1784 NAVY

Michael S. Rogers

Born 1959

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1785 ATHLETE

Chris Mosier

Born 1980

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1786 NOVELIST

Edwin Balmer

1883 - 1959

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1787 ACTOR

June Walker

1900 - 1966

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1788 PHYSICIST

John M. Grunsfeld

Born 1958

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1789 MUSIC

Bob Log III

Born 1969

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1790 LINGUIST

Yaron Matras

Born 1963

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1791 POLITICIAN

Jimmy Dore

Born 1965

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1792 COMPOSER

Margaret Bonds

1913 - 1972

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1793 WRITER

Nigel Cawthorne

Born 1951

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1794 BASEBALL

Jim Adduci (baseball, born 1959)

Born 1959

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1795 ACTOR

John J. York

Born 1958

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1796 FOOTBALL

Flozell Adams

Born 1975

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1797 BASKET

Bo Ellis

Born 1954

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1798 BASKET

Keifer Sykes

Born 1993

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1799 ACTOR

Peter Maloney (actor)

Born 1944

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1800 WRITER

Peter Sotos

Born 1960

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