Illinois Famous People

Famous Americans: History and Biographies

Links to histories and biographies of the famous people of Illinois. Many famous people of Illinois have made significant contributions to the history of our nation and the state of Illinois. These famous Americans, famous entertainers, famous players, famous scientist, famous singers, famous statesmen, famous women, heroes, great explorers, and others Illinois famous Americans have all made Illinois their home. This list includes Illinois historical figures, celebrities and those individuals of Illinois who have influenced the lives of others.

• Jane Addams (1860 - 1935) Earned a Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts in helping the inner city poor; born in Cedarville.
• Black Hawk (1767 - 1838) Sauk leader who led the Indians in the black Hawk War; born near Rock Island.
• Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 -  2000) The first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Price; grew up in Chicago.
• Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947 - ) Lawyer, politician, First Lady to President Bill Clinton, First Lady elected to the United States Senate; born in Chicago.
• Miles Davis (1926 - 1991) Trumpeter, Composer, Bandleader, and Artist; born in Alton.

• John Deere (1804 - 1886) Invented the first successful steel plow; born in Vermont lived in Grand Detour.

• Walt Disney (1901 - 1966) Creator of Mickey Mouse and founder of the Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® Theme Parks; born in Chicago.

• George Ferris (1859 - 1896) Inventor of the Ferris wheel; born in Galesburg.

• Marshall Field (1834-1906) Established the Marshall Field & Company store that became the largest retail business in the world at that time; lived in Chicago.

• Harrison Ford (1942 - ) Actor made famous in Star Wars and as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark and its sequels; born in Chicago. 

• Ernest Hemingway (1899 - 1961) Nobel Prize winning author; born in Oak Park.
• Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865) The 16^th President of the United States; moved from Kentucky to New Salem at the age of 21. 

• Marlee Matlin (1965 - ) The youngest recipient (21) to win an Oscar for an acting role; born in Morton Grove.

• Bill Murray (1950 - ) Actor made famous in Saturday Night Live and movies such as Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day; born in Evanston.

• Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911 - ) The 40^th President of the United States; born in Tampico.

• Carl Sandburg (1878 - 1967) Pulitzer Prize winning author of Abraham Lincoln; The War Years; born in Galesburg.

• Shel Silvertstein (1932 - 1999 ) Author of children's books such as Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Giving Tree; from Chicago.
• Robin Williams (1952 - ) Actor made famous in the television show Mork and Mindy and movies such as Patch Adams and Toys; born in Chicago.

More Famous People of Illinois

• Franklin Pierce Adams author, Chicago
• Gillian Anderson actress, Chicago
• Mary Astor actress, Quincy
• Arnold O. Beckman inventor, Cullom
• Jack Benny comedian, Chicago
• Harry A. Blackmun jurist, Nashville
• William E. Borah public official, Fairfield
• Ray Bradbury author, Waukegan
• William Jennings Bryan orator, politician, Salem
• Edgar Rice Burroughs author, Chicago
• Marvin Camras inventor, Chicago
• Jennie Garth actress, Urbana
• Gower Champion choreographer, Geneva
• John Chancellor TV commentator, Chicago
• Raymond Chandler writer, Chicago
• Jimmy Connors tennis champion, East St. Louis
• James Gould Cozzens author, Chicago
• Cindy Crawford model, DeKalb
• Richard J. Daley mayor, Chicago
• John Dos Passos author, Chicago
• James T. Farrell author, Chicago
• Betty Friedan feminist, Peoria
• Benny Goodman musician, Chicago
• John Gunther author, Chicago
• George E. Hale astronomer, Chicago
• Dorothy Hamill ice skater, Chicago
• John M. Harlan jurist, Chicago
• Charlton Heston actor, Evanston
• Wild Bill Hickok scout, Troy Grove
• William Holden actor, O'Fallon
• Rock Hudson actor, Winnetka
• Burl Ives singer, Hunt City
• James Jones author, Robinson
• Quincy Jones composer, Chicago
• Walter Kerr drama critic, Evanston
• Archibald MacLeish poet, Glencoe
• David Mamet playwright, Chicago
• Homer Z. Martin inventor, Chicago
• Stanley Mazor inventor, Chicago
• Robert A. Millikan physicist, Morrison
• Sherrill Milnes baritone, Downers Grove
• John G. Neihardt poet, Sharpsburg
• Bob Newhart actor, comedian, Chicago
• Frank Norris author, Chicago
• William S. Paley broadcasting executive, Chicago
• Drew Pearson columnist, Evanston
• Richard Pryor comedian, actor, Peoria
• Lewis Hastings Sarett inventor, Champaign
• Sam Shepard playwright, Fort Sheridan
• William L. Shirer author, historian, Chicago
• McLean Stevenson actor, Bloomington
• Preston Sturges director, Chicago
• Clyde W. Tombaugh astronomer, Streator
• Gloria Swanson actress, Chicago
• Carl Van Doren writer, educator, Hope
• Melvin Van Peebles playwright, Chicago
• Irving Wallace author, Chicago
• Alfred Wallenstein conductor, Chicago
• Raquel Welch actress, Chicago
• Florenz Ziegfield theatrical producer, Chicago