42.3301° N, 83.0462° W

DETROIT

Most Famous People Born in Detroit, United States

Notable people
3,099
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1949
Most distinctive
Basket 4.6×

Motown, and everything Motown taught the rest of American music. Detroit's distinctive shelves run to basketball, baseball, hockey, and a music industry — singers, producers, novelists — that reads like the statistical fingerprint of a postwar Black working-class city that built a national sound and kept rebuilding one. Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Jack White, and Eminem all grew up inside a few miles of each other.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 458 notable births.

What Detroit Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Football is Detroit's biggest profession — 9% of all notables (290).

Detroit over-indexes on basket4.6× the global rate.

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

  1. Football290
  2. Actor242
  3. Politician227
  4. Basket179
  5. Music158
  6. Baseball157
  7. Singer156
  8. Hockey117
  1. Basket1794.6×
  2. Baseball1574.5×
  3. Music1583.6×
  4. Producer313.5×
  5. Hockey1173.2×
  6. Novelist383.1×
  7. Boxer332.7×
  8. Singer1562.4×
  1. Politician2270.6×
  2. Writer660.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Music
  • Film & TV
  • Politics & Law
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All3,099
Sort By

3,099 notable people

1201 BASKET

Crystal Bradford

Born 1993

Preview
1202 POLITICIAN

George G. Sadowski

1903 - 1961

Preview
1203 ROWER

John McKinlay (rower)

1932 - 2013

Preview
1204 COXSWAIN

Kurt Seiffert

Born 1935

Preview
1205 RAPPER

Mastamind

-

Preview
1206 SINGER

Joyce Vincent Wilson

Born 1946

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1207 HOCKEY

Eddie Mio

Born 1954

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1208 SHOT PUTTER

Peter Shmock

Born 1950

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1209 ATHLETIC

Bradley Snyder (athlete)

Born 1976

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1210 DRIVER

Joe Boyer

1890 - 1924

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1211 MUSIC

Bill Stegmeyer

1916 - 1968

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1212 MUSIC

Dennis Rowland

Born 1948

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1213 PAINTER

Stanley Twardowicz

1917 - 2008

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1214 ACTIVIST

Lucien Greaves

Born 1976

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1215 BIOLOGIST

Colleen Cavanaugh

Born 1953

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1216 ACTOR

Cornelius Smith Jr.

Born 1982

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1217 COLUMNIST

Matthew Dowd

Born 1961

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1218 LAWYER

Stephen M. Ross

Born 1940

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1219 BASKET

Aiysha Smith

Born 1980

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1220 BASKET

Tillie Voss

1897 - 1975

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1221 SCIENTIST

Harry Garland

Born 1947

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1222 PHOTOGRAPHER

Barbara Blondeau

1938 - 1974

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1223 COACH

George Perles

1934 - 2020

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1224 POLITICIAN

Charles G. Oakman

1903 - 1973

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1225 BASKET

Giordan Watson

Born 1985

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1226 BASEBALL

Don Lund

1923 - 2013

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1227 RABBI

Joel Roth

Born 1940

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1228 COACH

Bump Elliott

1925 - 2019

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1229 PIANIST

Claude Black (musician)

1933 - 2013

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1230 HOCKEY

Keith Aldridge

Born 1973

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1231 LAWYER

Bill Randle

1923 - 2004

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1232 FOOTBALL

Derrick Alexander (wide receiver)

Born 1971

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1233 POLITICIAN

François Baby (politician)

1768 - 1852

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1234 HOCKEY

Michael DiPietro

Born 1999

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1235 COMPOSER

Sean Hickey

Born 1970

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1236 POLITICIAN

John C. Lodge

1862 - 1950

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1237 FOOTBALL

David M. Nelson

1920 - 1991

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1238 ACTOR

Nicole Alexander

Born 1983

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1239 PAINTER

Edna Reindel

1894 - 1990

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1240 SINGER

Belita Woods

1948 - 2012

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1241 RAPPER

Skillz

Born 1974

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1242 ACTOR

George Goodheart

1918 - 2008

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1243 PHOTOGRAPHER

Wendy Ewald

Born 1951

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1244 DESIGNER

Edward Fella

Born 1938

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1245 EDUCATOR

William Corby

1833 - 1897

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1246 SKATER

Kiri Baga

Born 1995

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1247 COMPOSER

Frank Fitzpatrick

Born 1961

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1248 PUBLISHER

Milton A. McRae

1858 - 1930

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1249 OPHTHALMOLOGIST

John Tanton

1934 - 2019

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1250 FILM

Preston A. Whitmore II

Born 1962

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1251 SINGER

Marvin Winans

Born 1958

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1252 HISTORIAN

Thomas Sugrue

Born 1962

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1253 SCREENWRITER

Collin Wilcox (writer)

1924 - 1996

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1254 ACTOR

Diona Reasonover

Born 1992

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1255 LAWYER

Carl M. Weideman

1898 - 1972

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1256 BUSINESS

Frederick Henderson

Born 1958

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1257 MUSIC

Gary Barone (musician)

1941 - 2019

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1258 SPORT

James Carney (cyclist)

Born 1968

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1259 SENATOR

Jane Briggs Hart

1921 - 2015

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1260 SINGER

Pop Winans

1934 - 2009

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1261 PSYCHOLOGIST

Sheldon Cohen

Born 1947

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1262 ACTOR

Genevieve Hamper

1888 - 1971

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1263 PAINTER

Tim Hildebrandt

1939 - 2006

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1264 DRAUGHTSWOMAN

Robert Lawrance Lobe

Born 1945

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1265 POLITICIAN

Harold F. Youngblood

1907 - 1983

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1266 COMPOSER

Joseph Pehrson

Born 1950

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1267 CHESS

William Martz

1945 - 1983

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1268 ANIMATOR

Mike Kazaleh

Born 1962

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1269 INSURANCE

Allen Dorfman

1923 - 1983

Preview
1270 EDUCATOR

John Patrick Crecine

1939 - 2008

Preview
1271 HOCKEY

John Tucker (ice hockey)

Born 1964

Preview
1272 PAINTER

Thomas Kovachevich

Born 1942

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1273 FOOTBALL

Vernon Gholston

Born 1986

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1274 HOCKEY

Charlie Burns

Born 1936

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1275 BASKET

Jerry Burns

Born 1927

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1276 FOOTBALL

Marcus Thigpen

Born 1986

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1277 MUSIC

Chuck Eddy

Born 1960

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1278 SINGER

James DeBarge

Born 1963

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1279 POLITICIAN

Nancy E. Dick

Born 1930

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1280 CINEMA

Scott Kevan

Born 1972

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1281 MILITAR

Archibald Cameron Macdonell

1864 - 1941

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1282 PHOTOGRAPHER

Amelia Van Buren

1856 - 1942

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1283 SPORT

Ken Wilson (sportscaster)

Born 1947

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1284 PRODUCER

Leonard Sillman

1908 - 1982

Preview
1285 BASKET

DeJuan Wright

Born 1988

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1286 FOOTBALL

Dion Sims

Born 1991

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1287 FOOTBALL

Ron Johnson (running back)

1947 - 2018

Preview
1288 HOCKEY

Brian Hills

Born 1959

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1289 FOOTBALL

Charlie Williams (American football)

Born 1972

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1290 CHEF

Sean Sasser

1968 - 2013

Preview
1291 POLITICIAN

Thomas F. Schweigert

1917 - 2001

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1292 FOOTBALL

Torell Troup

Born 1987

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1293 FOOTBALL

Mike Martin (defensive lineman)

Born 1990

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1294 ACTOR

Beverly Penberthy

Born 1932

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1295 HISTORIAN

Steven Mintz

Born 1953

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1296 WRITER

Candy Carson

Born 1953

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1297 FOOTBALL

Carl Davis (American football)

Born 1992

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1298 BASKET

Coniel Norman

Born 1953

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1299 ARMY

Charles H. Jacoby Jr.

Born 1958

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1300 SINGER

Muriel Costa-Greenspon

1937 - 2005

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1301 SINGER

Bunny DeBarge

Born 1955

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1302 ACTOR

Tanya Boyd

Born 1951

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1303 ACTOR

Beverly Grant (actress)

1936 - 1990

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1304 DRUMMER

Dennis Thompson (drummer)

Born 1948

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1305 BUSINESS

Jim Haslam

Born 1930

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1306 BASKET

Lindsay Hairston

Born 1951

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1307 PRODUCER

David Oppenheim (clarinetist)

1922 - 2007

Preview
1308 FOOTBALL

William Gholston

Born 1991

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1309 ACTOR

Barbara Meek

1934 - 2015

Preview
1310 HOCKEY

Mark Voakes

Born 1984

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1311 SINGER

Keith Washington

Born 1960

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1312 ASTRONOMER

Paula Szkody

Born 1948

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1313 SONGWRITER

William Matthews (musician)

Born 1983

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1314 PHYSICIAN

David Applebaum

1952 - 2003

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1315 ROWER

James McIntosh (rower)

1930 - 2018

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1316 ENTREPRENEUR

Mark Bertolini

Born 1956

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1317 POLITICIAN

Theresa Abed

-

Preview
1318 NOVELIST

Rita Gallagher

1922 - 2004

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1319 HOCKEY

Donald McSween

Born 1964

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1320 CHEMIST

Jerome Horwitz

1919 - 2012

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1321 WRITER

Donald Burgett

1925 - 2017

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1322 ARTIST

Ming Smith

Born 1950

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1323 JOURNALIST

Jill Carroll

Born 1977

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1324 PROFESSOR

B. Joseph White

Born 1947

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1325 MUSIC

Herman Wright

1930 - 1997

Preview
1326 WRITER

Rudolph G. Wilson

1935 - 2017

Preview
1327 BASEBALL

Joe Altobelli

Born 1932

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1328 BIBLE

David Rosenberg (poet)

Born 1943

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1329 SAXOPHONIST

Jerry Toth

1928 - 1999

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1330 ECONOMIST

Malcolm Knight

Born 1944

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1331 SINGER

Mozella

Born 1981

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1332 ACTOR

Janie Sell

Born 1939

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1333 SINGER

Uncle Sam (singer)

Born 1971

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1334 PHOTOGRAPHER

Suzy Lake

Born 1947

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1335 SONGWRITER

Tasha Page-Lockhart

Born 1983

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1336 DEVELOPER

Henry Bourne Joy

1864 - 1936

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1337 FOOTBALL

Dean Hamel

Born 1961

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1338 PAINTER

Judie Bamber

Born 1961

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1339 BASEBALL

Bill Freehan

Born 1941

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1340 FOOTBALL

Jason Jones (defensive end)

Born 1986

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1341 PAINTER

Alvin D. Loving

1935 - 2005

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1342 CIVIL RIGHTS

Hunter Pitts O'Dell

1923 - 2019

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1343 POET

Jessica Care Moore

Born 1971

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1344 FOOTBALL

Don Greenwood (American football)

1921 - 1983

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1345 SINGER

Christine Fellows

Born 1968

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1346 HOCKEY

Tim Cranston

Born 1962

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1347 PRIEST

Chad Zielinski

Born 1964

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1348 FOOTBALL

Grady Alderman

1938 - 2018

Preview
1349 PHOTOGRAPHER

Leo Antony Gleaton

1948 - 2015

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1350 HOCKEY

Mark Suzor

Born 1956

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1351 POLITICIAN

James Edmund Jeffries

1925 - 1997

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1352 BASKET

Bill Chmielewski

Born 1941

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1353 POLITICIAN

Brian Masse

Born 1968

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1354 AUTHOR

Todd Boyd

Born 1950

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1355 ACTOR

Nayo Wallace

Born 1970

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1356 POLITICIAN

John Lesinski Jr.

1914 - 2005

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1357 HISTORIAN

Howard Markel

Born 1960

Preview
1358 FOOTBALL

Delano Hill (American football)

Born 1995

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1359 MUSIC

Mike Barone

Born 1936

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1360 BODYBUILDER

Fouad Abiad

Born 1978

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1361 PIANIST

Key Wane

Born 1991

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1362 BASKET

Bud Eley

Born 1975

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1363 BOXER

Cedric Boswell

Born 1969

Preview
1364 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Clarence Lusane

Born 1953

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1365 BOXER

Anthony Hembrick

Born 1966

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1366 ACADEMIC

Mark Guzdial

Born 1962

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1367 COLUMNIST

LZ Granderson

Born 1972

Preview
1368 MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

Danielle LaPorte

1970 - 1998

Preview
1369 MUSIC

Allan Barnes

1949 - 2016

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1370 SCREENWRITER

Stephen Schiff

-

Preview
1371 BASKET

Tony Robertson

Born 1956

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1372 SCREENWRITER

Chris Thompson (TV producer)

1952 - 2015

Preview
1373 FOOTBALL

Fred Arbanas

Born 1939

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1374 ACTOR

Stephanie Bachelor

1912 - 1996

Preview
1375 POLITICIAN

Dwight Duncan

Born 1959

Preview
1376 COMPOSER

Randall Woolf

Born 1959

Preview
1377 BOXER

Domonique Dolton

Born 1989

Preview
1378 BASKET

Harry Wade

1928 - 2016

Preview
1379 BASEBALL

Lary Sorensen

Born 1955

Preview
1380 ACADEMIC

Chandler R. Post

1881 - 1959

Preview
1381 MUSIC

Randy Johnston (musician)

Born 1956

Preview
1382 MILITAR

Alexander Jefferson

Born 1921

Preview
1383 FOOTBALL

Zurlon Tipton

1990 - 2016

Preview
1384 FOOTBALL

Kevin Glenn

Born 1979

Preview
1385 HOCKEY

Ken Hodge Jr.

Born 1966

Preview
1386 ACTOR

Linda Doucett

Born 1956

Preview
1387 SKATER

Douglas Ramsay

1945 - 1961

Preview
1388 FOOTBALL

Avonte Maddox

Born 1996

Preview
1389 JOURNALIST

Ron Fournier

Born 1963

Preview
1390 PHYSICIST

John Robert Beyster

1924 - 2014

Preview
1391 WRITER

George K. Simon

Born 1948

Preview
1392 FOOTBALL

Robert Eddins

1988 - 2016

Preview
1393 NOVELIST

R. Barri Flowers

Born 1956

Preview
1394 ARTIST

Tyree Guyton

Born 1955

Preview
1395 POLITICIAN

John R. Williams

1782 - 1854

Preview
1396 LAWYER

Thomas E. Brennan

1929 - 2018

Preview
1397 BOXER

Jimmy Paul

Born 1959

Preview
1398 BASKET

Sam Hoskin

Born 1979

Preview
1399 BASKET

Cliff Williams (basketball)

Born 1945

Preview
1400 BASKET

Derrick Walton

Born 1995

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1401 ACTOR

Tye White

-

Preview
1402 JOURNALIST

Jeff Cohen (media critic)

Born 1951

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1403 ACTOR

Merwin Goldsmith

1937 - 2019

Preview
1404 ANTHROPOLOGIST

George J. Armelagos

1936 - 2014

Preview
1405 ORGANIST

Keith Pringle

Born 1952

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1406 EDITOR

Rob Wagner

1872 - 1942

Preview
1407 FOLKLORIST

Bill Ivey

Born 1944

Preview
1408 JOURNALIST

E. Jean Carroll

Born 1943

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1409 EDITOR

Jim Bellows

1922 - 2009

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1410 ACTOR

Buzz Kilman

Born 1944

Preview
1411 SINGER

Philippé Wynne

1941 - 1984

Preview
1412 BASEBALL

Cass Michaels

1926 - 1982

Preview
1413 FOOTBALL

Ron Bartell

Born 1982

Preview
1414 FOOTBALL

Mike Croel

Born 1969

Preview
1415 TEACHER

Edward Tipper

1921 - 2017

Preview
1416 BOXER

Duane Thomas (boxer)

1961 - 2000

Preview
1417 ARMY

Paul Wurtsmith

1906 - 1946

Preview
1418 CRIME

Anthony Giacalone

1919 - 2001

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1419 RAPPER

Boss (rapper)

Born 1969

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1420 SINGER

Kash Doll

Born 1992

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1421 CRITIC

dream hampton

Born 1971

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1422 ROWER

Jeff Pfaendtner

Born 1967

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1423 HOCKEY

Tom Williams (ice hockey, born 1951)

Born 1951

Preview
1424 BIOLOGIST

Mary Arlene Appelhof

1936 - 2005

Preview
1425 PROFESSOR

Richard L. Hauke

1930 - 2001

Preview
1426 ATHLETIC

Noelle Montcalm

Born 1988

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1427 ROWER

Art McKinlay

1932 - 2009

Preview
1428 BASKET

Bob Simpson (Canadian football)

1930 - 2007

Preview
1429 WRITER

Harry J. Cargas

1932 - 1998

Preview
1430 HOCKEY

D. J. Smith (ice hockey)

Born 1977

Preview
1431 FOOTBALL

Kim Herring

Born 1975

Preview
1432 JOURNALIST

Ed Gordon (journalist)

Born 1960

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1433 OPERA

Frank Porretta

1930 - 2015

Preview
1434 PRIEST

Michael Joseph Kaniecki

1935 - 2000

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1435 SPORT

Jonas Carney

Born 1971

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1436 JOURNALIST

Anna Maria Tremonti

Born 1957

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1437 POLITICIAN

Louis Miriani

1897 - 1987

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1438 ACTOR

Terry Dexter

Born 1978

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1439 SPORT

Jackie Kallen

Born 1952

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1440 HOCKEY

Joe Turner (ice hockey)

1919 - 1945

Preview
1441 SKATER

Brooke Castile

Born 1986

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1442 ACTIVIST

Scott Boman

Born 1962

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1443 SINGER

Ray Singleton

1937 - 2016

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1444 BASKET

Carl Brown (Basketballspieler)

Born 1968

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1445 PROFESSOR

James A. Anderson (cognitive scientist)

Born 1940

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1446 SINGER

Robin Wilson (musician)

Born 1965

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1447 SCREENWRITER

Rob Edwards (screenwriter)

Born 1963

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1448 PRODUCER

Nick Speed

Born 1980

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1449 ROWER

Pat Costello

1929 - 2014

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1450 WRITER

Tariq Nasheed

-

Preview
1451 COMPOSER

James Lentini

Born 1958

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1452 ROWER

Bill Maher (rower)

Born 1946

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1453 FOOTBALL

Dan Currie

1935 - 2017

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1454 LIBRARIAN

Ralph R. Shaw

1907 - 1972

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1455 HISTORIAN

Michael Adas

Born 1943

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1456 SCREENWRITER

Jeremy Doner

Born 1974

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1457 BASKET

Carlos English

Born 1984

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1458 NURSE

Kate Mason Rowland

1840 - 1916

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1459 FOOTBALL

Keith McKenzie (American football)

Born 1973

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1460 NOVELIST

Eric Hodgins

1899 - 1971

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1461 POLITICIAN

Simone Bell

-

Preview
1462 ACTOR

Dominique Morisseau

Born 1978

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1463 PRODUCER

Pete Anderson

Born 1948

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1464 NOVELIST

Beverly Jenkins

Born 1951

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1465 JOURNALIST

Michele Marsh (reporter)

1954 - 2017

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1466 SINGER

Timmie Rogers

1914 - 2006

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1467 DRUMMER

Ben Blackwell

Born 1982

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1468 HOCKEY

Barry Potomski

1972 - 2011

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1469 SCULPTOR

Jackie Ferrara

Born 1929

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1470 ARTIST

Carl Lundgren (illustrator)

Born 1947

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1471 FOOTBALL

Mel Owens

Born 1958

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1472 WRITER

Roger Dickinson-Brown

1944 - 2015

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1473 SPORT

Kelly-Ann Way

Born 1964

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1474 SINGER

Daniel Victor

Born 1979

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1475 JUDGE

Thomas Samuel Zilly

Born 1935

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1476 SOCIOLOGIST

Mayer Zald

1931 - 2012

Preview
1477 NOVELIST

Dennis Foon

Born 1951

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1478 HOCKEY

Mark Renaud

Born 1959

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1479 FIGHTER PILOT

Urban L. Drew

1924 - 2013

Preview
1480 HOCKEY

Trevor Murphy

Born 1995

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1481 MINISTRY

Dennis H. Holtschneider

Born 1962

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1482 COACH

Jim Wacker

1937 - 2003

Preview
1483 ACADEMIC

Paula T. Hammond

Born 1963

Preview
1484 HOCKEY

Dan Ceman

Born 1973

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1485 SPORT

Nancy Neiman

Born 1933

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1486 BASEBALL

Len Okrie

1923 - 2018

Preview
1487 SCREENWRITER

Adam Sztykiel

Born 1978

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1488 FENCER

Byron Krieger

1920 - 2015

Preview
1489 ACTOR

Mandalynn Carlson

Born 1999

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1490 ACTOR

Jennifer Gan

1938 - 2000

Preview
1491 CINEMA

William Fildew

1890 - 1943

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1492 ACTOR

Gia Paige

Born 1990

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1493 FOOTBALL

Tony Lippett

Born 1992

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1494 SINGER

Lois Reeves

Born 1948

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1495 BASEBALL

John Mayberry

Born 1949

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1496 HOCKEY

John Blum

Born 1959

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1497 ACTOR

Matt Murray (actor)

Born 1989

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1498 POLITICIAN

Kenneth Cockrel Jr.

Born 1965

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1499 PRELATE

Francis R. Reiss

Born 1940

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1500 ACTOR

Douglas Sills

Born 1960

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