New York Famous People

Famous Americans: History and Biographies

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

• Susan B. Anthony (1820 - 1906) One of the leaders in the fight for women's right to vote; lived in Rochester.
• Bonnie Blair (1964 - ) The only American woman to Win a US-record five individual gold medals over three Olympic Games; born in Cornwall.
• Mariah Carey (1970 - ) Singer whose albums have sold  millions; from Huntington
• Shirley Chisholm (1924 - ) The first black woman to be elected to Congress and the first African American to run for President on the Democratic ticket; born in Brooklyn.
• Tom Cruise (1962 - ) Famous actor who has appeared in movies such as Top Gun, Rain Man and Mission Impossible; born in Syracuse.
• George Eastman (1854 - 1932) Founded the Eastman Kodak Company and invented the Kodak camera; born in Waterville.
• Julius (Dr. J) Erving (1950 - ) Famous basketball player who changed the way the game was played; born in Roosevelt.
• Millard Fillmore (1800 - 1874) Thirteenth President of the United States; born in Summer Hill.
• George Gershwin (1898 - 1937) Composer from New York City that blended different musical styles; famous for Rhapsody in Blue; born in Brooklyn.
• Mel Gibson (1956 - ) Famous actor that was born in Peekskill and moved to Australia as a boy; famous for Lethal Weapon, Braveheart, and many others.
• Michael Jordan (1963 - ) Basketball superstar who led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles; born in Brooklyn.
• Vince Lombardi (1913 - 1970) - Considered one of the greatest football coaches in history, leading the Green Bay Packers to five NFL Championships and the first two Super Bowl titles; born in Brooklyn.
• Herman Melville (1819 - 1891) Author of Moby Dick; born in New York City.
• Norman Rockwell (1894 - 1978) Famous painter and illustrator; born in New York City.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 - 1945) 32^nd President of the United States (1933-1945); born in Hyde Park.
• Dr. Jonas Salk (1914 - 1995) Developed the vaccine for polio; born in New York City.
• Elbridge G. Spaulding (1809 - 1897) A banker and former treasurer of New York State, Mr. Spaulding's financial expertise aided him in drafting the national currency bank bill and originating the legal tender act, which created national paper currency; born in Summer Hill.
• Denzel Washington (1954 - ) Actor that became well known on St. Elsewhere, and later in movies such as Cry Freedom and Remember the Titans; born in Mount Vernon.

More Famous People of New York

• George Abbott stage producer, Forestville
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar basketball player, NYC
• George Babcock inventor, Unadilla Forks
• Lucille Ball actress, Jamestown
• Humphrey Bogart actor, NYC
• James Cagney actor, NYC
• Maria Callas soprano, NYC
• Benjamin N. Cardozo jurist, NYC
• Willis Haviland Carrier inventor, Angola
• Paddy Chayefsky playwright, NYC
• Bruce Cooper Clark general, Adams
• Sean Combs Puff Daddy music, NYC
• Peter Cooper industrialist, philanthropist, NYC
• Aaron Copland composer, Brooklyn
• Tom Cruise actor, Syracuse
• Claire Danes actress, NYC
• Sammy Davis, Jr. actor, singer, NYC
• Agnes de Mille choreographer, NYC
• George Eastman inventor, Waterville
• Gertrude Belle Elion inventor, NYC
• Millard Fillmore US president, Locke
• Henry Louis Gehrig baseball player, NYC
• Sarah Gellar actress, NYC
• George Gershwin composer, Brooklyn
• Jackie Gleason comedian, actor, Brooklyn
• Bret Harte writer, Albany
• Learned Hand jurist, Albany
• Chamique Holdsclaw basketball player, Flushing
• Edward Hopper painter, Nyack
• Julia Ward Howe poet, social reformer, NYC
• Charles Evans Hughes jurist, Glens Falls
• Washington Irving author, NYC
• Henry James author, NYC
• John Jay jurist, NYC
• Billy Joel singer, composer, Hicksville
• Michael Jeffery Jordan basketball player, Brooklyn
• Jerome Kern composer, NYC
• Rockwell Kent painter, Terrytown
• Frank Langellaactor, Bayonne
• Victor Lasky author, Liberty
• Chico, Groucho, Harpo, Zeppo Marx comedians, NYC
• Ethel Merman singer, actress, Astoria
• Ogden Nash poet, Rye
• Rosie O'Donnel comedian, Commach
• Eugene O'Neill playwright, NYC
• George Pullman inventor, Brocton
• Red Jacket Seneca chief
• Christopher Reeve actor, spokesperson, Manhattan
• John D. Rockefeller industrialist, Richford
• Mickey Rooney actor, Brooklyn
• Anna Eleanor Roosevelt reformer, humanitarian, NYC
• Theodore Roosevelt US president, NYC
• Margaret Sanger birth control, Corning
• Alfred Emanuel Smith politician, NYC
• Leland Stanford railroad magnate, Watervliet
• Barbara Stanwyck actress, Brooklyn
• Rise Stevens mezzo-soprano, NYC
• Barbra Streisand singer, actress, NYC
• Tupac Shakur rapper, Bronx
• Louis Comfort Tiffany painter, craftsman, NYC
• Martin Van Buren US president, Kinderhook
• Mae West actress, Brooklyn
• George Westinghouse Jr. inventor, Central Bridge
• Edith Wharton author, NYC
• Walt Whitman poet, West Hills
• John N. Willys indrustrialist, Canandaiqua
• Frank Winfield Woolworth merchant, Rodman
• Linus Yale inventor, Salisbury