This is a list of notable people from Arkansas. Individuals on this list are either native-born Arkansans or migrants who moved to Arkansas as their permanent home.
Actors
Joey Lauren Adams (born 1968), actress Katherine Alexander (1898–1981), actress Bronco Billy Anderson (1880–1971), vaudeville actor Wes Bentley (born 1978), actor Rodger Bumpass (born 1951), actor, best known for voicing Squidward Tentacles from the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants Miriam Byrd-Nethery (1929–2003), actress Natalie Canerday (born 1962), actress, Sling Blade, October Sky John Carter (1927–2015), actor, originally from Conway County Daniel Davis (born 1945), actor, best known as "Niles the butler" on television series The Nanny Gail Davis (1925–1997), film actress, best known as Annie Oakley from 1950s television series Clark Duke (born 1985), actor, Greek, Hearts Afire Kimberly Foster (born 1961), actress, Dallas Gauge (born 1980), adult film actress Gil Gerard (born 1943), actor Norris Goff (1906–1978), actor, best known as Abner of Lum and Abner Elizabeth Gracen (born 1961), actress, Highlander: The Raven Tess Harper (born 1950), actress Georgia Holt (1926–2022), actress, singer; mother of Cher Arthur Hunnicutt (1910–1979), actor, known for his portrayal of wise, grizzled, old rural characters Brent Jennings (born 1969) Brandon Keener (born 1974), actor Donnie Keshawarz (born 1969), actor Alan Ladd (1913–1964), actor Chester Lauck (1902–1980), actor, best known as Lum of Lum and Abner Marjorie Lawrence (1907–1979), actress, Metropolitan Opera diva Jacob Lofland (born 1996), actor Josh Lucas (born 1971), actor Laurence Luckinbill (born 1934), actor Rudy Ray Moore (1927–2008), actor Ben Murphy (born 1942), actor, Alias Smith and Jones, Lottery! Corin Nemec (born 1971), actor George Newbern (born 1964), actor Dick Powell (1904–1963), actor and director; founder of Four Star Television William Ragsdale (born 1961), actor, Herman's Head, Grosse Pointe Leon Russom (born 1941), actor, Prison Break Wonderful Smith (1911–2008), actor and comedian Norman Snow (1950–2022), actor Mary Steenburgen (born 1953), Oscar-winning actress Kobe Tai (born 1972), adult film actress Billy Bob Thornton (born 1955), actor, Oscar-winning screenwriter Karri Turner (born 1966), actress Karmyn Tyler (born 1974), actress Sheryl Underwood (born 1963), actress, comedian, radio host Jerry Van Dyke (1931–2018), actor, comedian, brother of Dick Van Dyke; resided on his ranch near Malvern
Artists Larry D. Alexander (born 1953), artist and writer Danielle Bunten Berry (1949–1998), video game designer John Braden (1949–2004), writer, producer, director Roy Buchanan (1939–1988), guitarist, singer, songwriter Carl Ward Dudley (1910–1973), filmmaker and producer George Fisher (1923–2003), political cartoonist David Gordon Green (born 1975), filmmaker Kenneth Johnson (born 1942), screenwriter, director E. Fay Jones (1921–2004), architect and designer Oliver Lake (born 1942), jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist Amy Lee (born 1981), lead singer of Evanescence Evan Lindquist (1936–2023), artist, printmaker, Artist Laureate of Arkansas Nate Powell (born 1978), comic book artist Effie Anderson Smith (1869–1955), impressionist landscape painter, educator, feminist Symone (born 1995), model, actress, winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Harry Thomason (born 1940), television producer Jason Truby (born 1973), former lead guitarist for Living Sacrifice and former member of P.O.D. Edward Washburn (1831–1860), painter of The Arkansas Traveler Donald Roller Wilson (born 1938), painter
Authors
Margot Adler (1946–2014), journalist and correspondent Brian Biggs (born 1968), author, illustrator, graphic artist Dee Brown (1908–2002), author, historian, novelist Helen Gurley Brown (1922–2012), author, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine Nancy A. Collins (born 1959), author John Gould Fletcher (1886–1950), poet John Grisham (born 1955), novelist Dave Grossman (born 1956), author Laurell K. Hamilton (born 1963), horror/fantasy author Deborah Mathis (born 1953), journalist and author Peter McGehee (1955–1991), novelist Qui Nguyen, playwright and screenwriter Charles Portis (1933–2020), novelist Leora Bettison Robinson (1840–1914), writer John Robert Starr (1927–2000), journalist Gina Wilkins (born 1954), novelist Miller Williams (1930–2015), poet C. Vann Woodward (1908–1999), historian Carolyn D. Wright (1949–2016), poet
Businesspeople
William T. Dillard (1914–2002), head of Dillard's Department Stores Max Frauenthal (1836–1914), Confederate Civil War veteran, leading Conway merchant, and founding father of Heber Springs Johnelle Hunt (born 1932), co-founder of J. B. Hunt Transportation Services Johnnie Bryan Hunt (1927–2006), co-founder of J. B. Hunt Transportation Services Walter E. Hussman Jr. (born 1947), founder of WEHCO Media, Inc. John Harold Johnson (1918–2005), founder of Johnson Publishing Company Jerry Jones (born 1942), owner of the Dallas Cowboys since 1989 Stephen Jones (born 1964), executive vice president/COO of the Dallas Cowboys James Smith McDonnell (1899–1980), founder of McDonnell Aircraft Charles Phillips (born 1959), CEO of Infor Global Solutions Jackson T. Stephens (1923–2005), oilman and investment banker Warren Stephens (born 1957), president, chairman, and CEO of Stephens Inc. Don Tyson (1930–2011), Tyson Foods Poultry processing John H. Tyson (born 1953), former CEO of Tyson Foods Alice Walton (born 1949), daughter of Sam Walton, founded Llama Company Jim Walton (born 1948), son of Sam Walton, chairman of Arvest Bank John T. Walton (1946–2005), son of Sam Walton, former chairman of True North Venture Partners Rob Walton (born 1944), son of Sam Walton, former chairman of Walmart Sam Walton (1918–1992), founder of Wal-Mart Inc. Kemmons Wilson (1913–2003), Holiday Inn hotel founder Forrest L. Wood (1932–2020), founder of Ranger Boats
Military figures
John Hanks Alexander (1864–1894), pioneering African-American naval officer Nicky Daniel Bacon (1945–2010), first sergeant, U.S. Army, Medal of Honor recipient, Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts; director of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, United States delegate to normalize relations with Vietnam, president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, chair emeritus of the American Board for Certification in Homeland Security, Military Police Hall of Fame William N. R. Beall (1825–1883), Confederate brigadier general Raynal Bolling (1877–1918), first high-ranking U.S. Army casualty in WWI Solon Borland (1808–1864), Confederate brigadier general Maurice "Footsie" Britt (1919–1995), World War II soldier, Medal of Honor recipient, Distinguished Service Cross recipient, Silver Star recipient, first American soldier to receive the three highest medals for bravery; NFL player; lt. governor of Arkansas William L. Cabell (1827–1911), Confederate brigadier general Thomas J. Churchill (1824–1905), Confederate major general Wesley Clark (born 1944), U.S. Army general, NATO commander Patrick Cleburne (1828–1864), Confederate major general James Conway (born 1947), U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general William Orlando Darby (1911–1945), first commander of the U.S. Army Rangers Herman Davis (1888–1923), Distinguished Service Cross recipient and World War I sniper Thomas P. Dockery (1833–1898), Confederate brigadier general Edward Walter Eberle (1864–1929), U.S. Navy chief of Naval Operations James F. Fagan (1827–1893), Confederate major general Nathan G. Gordon (1916–2008), USN PBY pilot, received Medal of Honor for rescuing 15 downed aircrew members by landing his aircraft under enemy fire Daniel C. Govan (1829–1911), Confederate brigadier general Carlos Hathcock (1942–1999), Marine sniper Alexander T. Hawthorn (1825–1899), Confederate brigadier general Thomas Hindman (1828–1868), U.S. congressman and Confederate major general Lucius Roy Holbrook (1875–1952), U.S. major general George Izard (1776–1828), U.S. Army general, War of 1812 Field E. Kindley (1896–1920), World War I flying ace Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964), U.S. general of the Army, Medal of Honor recipient Ewell Ross McCright (1907–1990), U.S. Air Force captain, World War II, prisoner of war and Legion of Merit recipient Pierce McKennon (1919–1947), World War II fighter ace veteran of RAF Eagle Squadron, 335thFS/4thFG, 20 German aircraft destroyed Evander McNair (1820–1902), Confederate brigadier general Dandridge McRae (1829–1899), Confederate brigadier general Albert Pike (1809–1891), Confederate general, Freemason John S. Roane (1817–1867), brigadier general Albert Rust (1818–1870), Confederate brigadier general James C. Tappan (1825–1906), Confederate brigadier general John Thach (1905–1981), U.S. Navy admiral, World War II flying ace Frank Glasgow Tinker (1909–1939), Spanish Civil War volunteer fighter pilot Corydon M. Wassell (1884–1958), U.S. Navy physician and medical missionary Archibald Yell (1797–1847), brigadier general, killed at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican–American War
Musicians
Kris Allen (born 1985), singer-songwriter, winner of the 8th season of American Idol Black Oak Arkansas (formed 1963), Southern rock hillybilly psycho-boogie band Big Bill Broonzy (1903–1958), blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Shirley Brown (born 1947), soul singer Sonny Burgess (1929–2017), Sun recording artist Sarah Caldwell (1924–2006), opera conductor and director, violinist Shawn Camp (born 1966), singer/songwriter Glen Campbell (1936–2017), country singer-songwriter, and actor Johnny Cash (1932–2003), country singer-songwriter Floyd Cramer (1933–1997), musician, most known for his piano instrumental "Last Date" Roscoe Dash (born 1990), rapper Iris DeMent (born 1961), country/folk singer-songwriter Jim Dickinson (1941–2009), musician and producer Beth Ditto (born 1981), singer with The Gossip Bob Dorough (1923–2018), jazz musician and voice of Schoolhouse Rock! Jimmy Driftwood (1907–1998), folk musician/songwriter, wrote "The Battle of New Orleans" Barbara Fairchild (born 1950), country and gospel singer Tav Falco (born 1945), musical performer, performance artist, actor, filmmaker, and photographer Sandford C. Faulkner (1803–1874), wrote fiddle tune "Arkansas Traveler" Bankroll Freddie (born 1994), rapper Lefty Frizzell (1928–1975), country music singer-songwriter Al Green (born 1946), singer Charles Christian Hammer (1953–2004), classical guitarist Ronnie Hawkins (1935–2022), rock musician Levon Helm (1940–2012), rock musician Barbara Hendricks (born 1948), opera singer John S. Hilliard (1947–2019), composer Wayland Holyfield (born 1942), songwriter Buddy Jewell (born 1961), country musician Louis Jordan (1908–1975), jazz musician and bandleader Tracy Lawrence (born 1968), country musician Amy Lee (born 1981), rock musician Robert Lockwood Jr. (1915–2006), blues musician W. Francis McBeth (1933–2012), composer Ashley McBryde (born 1983), country singer Robert McFerrin (1921–2006), operatic baritone Patsy Montana (1914–1996), country musician Ben Moody (born 1980), rock musician Justin Moore (born 1984), country musician Charlotte Moorman (1933–1991), cellist, performance artist Conlon Nancarrow (1912–1997), composer Ne-Yo (born 1979), R&B musician, songwriter Joe Nichols (born 1976), country music artist Smokie Norful (born 1975), gospel singer (reared in Arkansas) Walter Norris (1931–2011), pianist and composer K.T. Oslin (1942–2020), country musician Twila Paris (born 1958), gospel musician Art Porter Jr. (1961–1996), jazz saxophonist Art Porter, Sr. (1934–1993), jazz pianist Florence Price (1887–1953), composer Collin Raye (born 1960), country musician Wilbur Stephen "Bill" Rice (1939–2023), country musician Charlie Rich (1932–1995), rockabilly, jazz, blues, country, and gospel musician and pianist Pharoah Sanders (1940–2022), jazz saxophonist