41.2568° N, 81.8815° W

CLEVELAND

Most Famous People Born in Cleveland, United States

Notable people
2,168
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1942
Most distinctive
Baseball 6.3×

A Great Lakes industrial city whose distinctive professions are baseball at six times the global rate, novelists, screenwriters, music, and basketball — the shape of a postwar industrial city that built a deep entertainment-and-letters bench out of its working-class neighbourhoods. Halle Berry, Henry Mancini, Jerry Siegel (who invented Superman here with Joe Shuster), and Tracy Chapman all belong to this bench. The 19th-century tail is thin; the city was essentially built by the oil and steel booms of the 1890s.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Cleveland during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 303 notable births.

What Cleveland Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Football is Cleveland's biggest profession — 10% of all notables (226).

Cleveland over-indexes on baseball6.3× the global rate.

Cleveland under-produces politician — only 0.6× the global rate.

  1. Football226
  2. Actor171
  3. Politician163
  4. Baseball156
  5. Music81
  6. Basket66
  7. Lawyer61
  8. Singer57
  1. Baseball1566.3×
  2. Novelist293.4×
  3. Screenwriter293.1×
  4. Music812.6×
  5. Basket662.4×
  6. Business452.1×
  7. Artist381.7×
  8. Film451.7×
  1. Politician1630.6×
  2. Writer480.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

18251850187519001925195019752000
  • Sports
  • Film & TV
  • Politics & Law
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All2,168
Sort By

Showing 163 of 2,168 notable people

0018 ARTIST

Jerry Siegel

1914 - 1996

Preview
0034 WRITER

Andre Norton

1912 - 2005

Preview
0057 PHYSICIAN

William Masters

1915 - 2001

Preview
0066 CHEMIST

William Lipscomb

1919 - 2011

Preview
0077 ACTOR

Joe Seneca

1919 - 1996

Preview
0080 PIANIST

Tadd Dameron

1917 - 1965

Preview
0087 ACTOR

Mark Stevens (actor)

1916 - 1994

Preview
0095 ACTOR

John Howard (American actor)

1913 - 1995

Preview
0129 ACTOR

Janis Carter

1913 - 1994

Preview
0139 PRIEST

John Krol

1910 - 1996

Preview
0148 POLITICIAN

Howard Metzenbaum

1917 - 2008

Preview
0182 PRIVATDETEKTIV

David Ferrie

1918 - 1967

Preview
0191 NOVELIST

Robert L. Fish

1912 - 1981

Preview
0205 ACTOR

Lew Wasserman

1913 - 2002

Preview
0208 CHEMIST

John Gofman

1918 - 2007

Preview
0218 ACTOR

Ken Lynch

1910 - 1990

Preview
0225 CONDUCTOR

Frederick Fennell

1914 - 2004

Preview
0233 MUSIC

Bull Moose Jackson

1919 - 1989

Preview
0239 POLITICIAN

Milton Shapp

1912 - 1994

Preview
0248 SCREENWRITER

Eleanor Perry

1914 - 1981

Preview
0255 CONDUCTOR

Robert Ward (composer)

1917 - 2013

Preview
0276 MUSIC

Julius Baker

1915 - 2003

Preview
0277 ARTIST

Tony Strobl

1915 - 1991

Preview
0288 FILM

Lee Rich

1918 - 2012

Preview
0299 POLITICIAN

Charles Vanik

1913 - 2007

Preview
0302 BASEBALL

Elmer Gedeon

1917 - 1944

Preview
0309 CHEMIST

Harry George Drickamer

1918 - 2002

Preview
0356 ANIMATOR

Ed Benedict

1912 - 2006

Preview
0371 AUTHOR

Thomas P. Cullinan

1919 - 1995

Preview
0375 MUSIC

Freddie Webster

1916 - 1947

Preview
0381 ART DIRECTOR

Ted Haworth

1917 - 1993

Preview
0386 DESIGNER

Bill Mitchell (automobile designer)

1912 - 1988

Preview
0424 ASTRONOMER

Carl Keenan Seyfert

1911 - 1960

Preview
0428 INVENTOR

Samuel W. Alderson

1914 - 2005

Preview
0449 PLAYWRIGHT

Jerome Lawrence

1915 - 2004

Preview
0450 ARTIST

Carl Fallberg

1915 - 1996

Preview
0451 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Mary Kenneth Keller

1913 - 1985

Preview
0457 BOXER

Louis Laurie

1917 - 2002

Preview
0496 BOXER

Lew Jenkins

1916 - 1981

Preview
0508 COMPOSER

Clare Grundman

1913 - 1996

Preview
0528 BIOCHEMIST

Paul Zamecnik

1912 - 2009

Preview
0530 FILM

Oscar Rudolph

1911 - 1991

Preview
0543 SURGEON

John Charles Cutler

1915 - 2003

Preview
0552 ACTOR

S. John Launer

1919 - 2006

Preview
0574 PSYCHOLOGIST

Theodore R. Sarbin

1911 - 2005

Preview
0604 BOXER

Carmen Barth

1912 - 1985

Preview
0637 OFFICER

Charles McGee (pilot)

Born 1919

Preview
0640 MATHEMATICIAN

Leonard Gillman

1917 - 2009

Preview
0672 MUSIC

Morey Feld

1915 - 1971

Preview
0699 PHYSICIST

Harvey Brooks (physicist)

1915 - 2004

Preview
0707 ACADEMIC

Oreste Pucciani

1916 - 1999

Preview
0711 ACADEMIC

Mary Henle

1913 - 2007

Preview
0719 BASKET

Mel Riebe

1916 - 1977

Preview
0721 POLITICIAN

Oliver P. Bolton

1917 - 1972

Preview
0722 COMPOSER

Franklyn Marks

1911 - 1976

Preview
0726 ARCHITECT

Walker O. Cain

1915 - 1993

Preview
0727 MODEL

Joanne Siegel

1917 - 2011

Preview
0731 ARTIST

Bela Zaboly

1910 - 1985

Preview
0746 BANDLEADER

Blue Barron

1913 - 2005

Preview
0787 LAWYER

Paul W. Brown

1915 - 2000

Preview
0788 ACTOR

Billy Varga

1919 - 2013

Preview
0793 MUSIC

Sanford Gold

1911 - 1984

Preview
0826 MINISTER

George Houser

1916 - 2015

Preview
0830 SCHOLAR

Elizabeth Monroe Boggs

1913 - 1996

Preview
0864 COACH

Gomer Jones

1914 - 1971

Preview
0874 MUSIC

William S. Newman

1912 - 2000

Preview
0885 OFFICER

John D. Lavelle

1916 - 1979

Preview
0956 PHYSICIST

James A. Krumhansl

1919 - 2004

Preview
1034 JOURNALIST

Edith Iglauer

1917 - 2019

Preview
1037 GOLF

Jim Bagby Jr.

1916 - 1988

Preview
1043 LOGICIAN

Richard Milton Martin

1916 - 1985

Preview
1051 MOBSTER

John T. Scalish

1912 - 1976

Preview
1052 SONGWRITER

Doc Williams (singer)

1914 - 2011

Preview
1053 COMPOSER

Al Lerner (composer)

1919 - 2014

Preview
1083 PRIEST

Michael Joseph Murphy

1915 - 2007

Preview
1101 FOOTBALL

Chet Adams

1915 - 1990

Preview
1116 PHYSICIAN

Sanford Palay

1918 - 2002

Preview
1129 SCREENWRITER

Willie Gilbert

1916 - 1980

Preview
1141 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Gitel Steed

1914 - 1977

Preview
1146 SCIENTIST

Frank E. Marble

1918 - 2014

Preview
1152 ANIMATOR

Herbert Klynn

1917 - 1999

Preview
1172 CLERGY

Raymond Joseph Gallagher

1912 - 1991

Preview
1179 POTTER

Lanier Meaders

1917 - 1988

Preview
1188 BASEBALL

Joe Vosmik

1910 - 1962

Preview
1204 MUSIC

Eleanor Sokoloff

1914 - 2020

Preview
1218 ACTOR

Eleanore Whitney

1917 - 1983

Preview
1252 TALENT AGENT

Seymour Heller

1914 - 2001

Preview
1260 BUSINESS

Carl Cohen (businessman)

1913 - 1986

Preview
1266 SCIENTIST

William Silverman

1917 - 2004

Preview
1282 JOURNALIST

William A. Reuben

1915 - 2004

Preview
1285 CARTOONIST

Sid Couchey

1919 - 2012

Preview
1295 POLITICIAN

Ralph Perk

1914 - 1999

Preview
1302 BASEBALL

Chet Morgan

1910 - 1991

Preview
1311 WRITER

Francelia Butler

1913 - 1998

Preview
1313 FOOTBALL

Graham Armstrong

1918 - 1960

Preview
1328 BASKET

George Rung

1916 - 1996

Preview
1352 PAINTER

Bernard Pfriem

1916 - 1996

Preview
1354 OFFICER

William Francis Petrovic

1913 - 1991

Preview
1360 ANIMATOR

Bob Matz

1912 - 2003

Preview
1370 ROCK

Leo Mintz

1911 - 1976

Preview
1378 OFFICER

Isaac C. Kidd Jr.

1919 - 1999

Preview
1383 PIANIST

Sylvia Straus

1913 - 2007

Preview
1387 ANIMATOR

David Hilberman

1911 - 2007

Preview
1395 BASEBALL

Don Fisher

1916 - 1973

Preview
1404 BASEBALL

Ray Mack

1916 - 1969

Preview
1419 MILITAR

Paul B. Huff

1918 - 1994

Preview
1422 FOOTBALL

Butch Morse

1910 - 1995

Preview
1431 ACADEMIC

G. Armour Craig

1914 - 2002

Preview
1445 ACTOR

Lawson J. Deming

1913 - 2007

Preview
1459 ADMIRAL

Thomas D. Davies

1914 - 1991

Preview
1477 FOOTBALL

Bill Rieth

1916 - 1999

Preview
1498 FILM

Mort Greene

1912 - 1992

Preview
1512 CRIME

John Nardi

1916 - 1977

Preview
1521 BASKET

Bill Riebe

1917 - 2000

Preview
1552 PATHOLOGIST

Maurice M. Black

1918 - 1996

Preview
1558 ARTIST

Harry Sahle

1912 - 1950

Preview
1568 ARTIST

Frank Borth

1918 - 2009

Preview
1588 ARMY

Frank J. Petrarca

1918 - 1943

Preview
1594 BOXER

Theodore Kara

1916 - 1944

Preview
1605 BASEBALL

Jimmy Wasdell

1914 - 1983

Preview
1613 POLITICIAN

William R. Van Aken

1912 - 1993

Preview
1616 FOOTBALL

Sam Goldman

1916 - 1978

Preview
1618 DESIGNER

Joe Oros

1916 - 2012

Preview
1626 POLITICIAN

Frank Curran (politician)

1912 - 1992

Preview
1635 POLITICIAN

Isabel Burgess

1912 - 1999

Preview
1663 FOOTBALL

Ollie Savatsky

1911 - 1989

Preview
1685 BASEBALL

Bill Brubaker

1910 - 1978

Preview
1716 BASEBALL

Del Young (infielder)

1912 - 1979

Preview
1758 PHILATELIST

Susan Marshall McDonald

1918 - 1992

Preview
1772 BASEBALL

Al Milnar

1913 - 2005

Preview
1799 WRITER

William E. Huntsberry

1916 - 1999

Preview
1813 ENGINEER

Robert E. Cox

1917 - 1989

Preview
1821 GEOLOGIST

William Edward Davies

1917 - 1990

Preview
1826 PLAYER

Henry Prusoff

1912 - 1943

Preview
1831 ACADEMIC

Walter Poesse

1913 - 2001

Preview
1833 BASEBALL

Pep Rambert

1916 - 1974

Preview
1846 BASEBALL

Glenn Liebhardt (1930s pitcher)

1910 - 1992

Preview
1888 OFFICER

Cook Cleland

1916 - 2007

Preview
1898 BASEBALL

Glen Moulder

1917 - 1994

Preview
1914 MILITAR

Denver V. Truelove

1919 - 1943

Preview
1926 BANDLEADER

Evelyn Freeman Roberts

1919 - 2017

Preview
1965 BASEBALL

LeGrant Scott

1910 - 1993

Preview
1972 FOOTBALL

Edward L. Finnigan

1911 - 1968

Preview
1980 BASEBALL

George McKinnon

1918 - 2009

Preview
1996 BASEBALL

John Mihalic

1911 - 1987

Preview
1998 BASEBALL

Mike Dejan

1915 - 1953

Preview
2011 SCREENWRITER

Burton Benjamin

1917 - 1988

Preview
2046 POLITICIAN

Ben Skall

1919 - 1993

Preview
2057 POLITICIAN

Marguerite Bowman

1918 - 1997

Preview
2071 NEWS PRESENTER

Jay Miltner

1917 - 1991

Preview
2075 OFFICER

Severin Louis Rombach

1914 - 1942

Preview
2081 MILITAR

Samuel R. Shaw

1911 - 1989

Preview
2087 OFFICER

Harlan W. Newell

1916 - 2012

Preview
2100 FOOTBALL

Norm Greeney

1910 - 1985

Preview
2106 BUSINESS

Max M. Axelrod

1911 - 2004

Preview
2110 BASEBALL

Elmer Weingartner

1918 - 2009

Preview
2115 JOURNALIST

John P. Scripps

1913 - 1989

Preview
2119 BASEBALL

Len Perme

1917 - 2009

Preview
2131 BASEBALL

Bill Lobe

1912 - 1969

Preview
2144 PRIEST

Lloyd E. Gressle

1918 - 1999

Preview
2151 BASKET

Hal Cihlar

1914 - 1995

Preview
2154 ARCHIVIST

Ruth W. Helmuth

1918 - 1997

Preview
2162 BASKET

Bennie Schall

1917 - 1998

Preview