The following list contains persons of note who were born, raised, or spent portions of their lives in the American state of Kentucky.Most are covered in John E. Kleber, ed. The Kentucky encyclopedia (1992) online
Authors and journalists NameNotable forConnection to Kentucky James Lane Allen (1849–1925) Author, called the state's first important novelist Born near Lexington Harriette Simpson Arnow (1908–1986) Writer of novels, memoirs, and regional histories Born in Wayne County, raised in Pulaski County Wendell Berry (born 1934) Author and poet Born in New Castle Myram Borders (born 1936) 20-year manager of Las Vegas United Press International bureau Born in Kentucky Pamela Brown (born 1983) CNN reporter and newscaster Born in Louisville Harry M. Caudill (1922–1990) Author, historian, and attorney Born in Whitesburg Irvin S. Cobb (1876–1944) Author, humorist Born in Paducah Clive Cussler (1931–2020) Author and oceanic explorer Lived in Louisville Rachael Denhollander (born 1984) Author, advocate, lawyer Lives in Louisville Greg Downs (born 1971) Author Raised in ElizabethtownJohn Fetterman (1920–1975)Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for Louisville Courier-JournalBorn in Danville Larry Flynt (1942–2021) Hustler magazine publisher Born in Lakeville (Magoffin County) Joey Goebel (born 1980) Author Born in Hendersonbell hooks (Gloria Jean Watkins) (1952–2021)Author, feminist, and social activistBorn and raised in Hopkinsville Silas House (born 1971) Author Born in Corbin, raised in Lily (Laurel County) Lewis Craig Humphrey (1875–1927) Editor of the Louisville Evening Post and co-editor of the Louisville Herald-Post Born and reared in Louisville Robert Kirkman (born 1978) Comic book writer, co-creator of The Walking Dead Raised in Cynthiana Bobbie Ann Mason (born 1940) Author Born in Mayfield Robert K. Massie (1929) Pulitzer Prize-winning author Born in Lexington Ed McClanahan (1932–2021) Novelist, essayist, professor Born in Brooksville; lives in Lexington Tony Moore (born 1978) Comic book illustrator, co-creator of The Walking Dead Born and raised in Cynthiana Gurney Norman (born 1937) Novelist, documentarian, professor Raised in Allais; worked for Hazard Herald; professor at University of Kentucky Marsha Norman (born 1947) Author and lyricist Born in Louisville Andrew J. Offutt (1934–2013) Author Born near Taylorsville, lived in Haldeman Chris Offutt (born 1958) Author Raised in Haldeman (Rowan County) Bill Plaschke (born 1958) Columnist for Los Angeles Times; TV personality Born in Louisville, attended Ballard High School Steve Raible (born 1954) News anchor, sports announcer, former NFL player Born in Louisville, attended Trinity High School Elizabeth Madox Roberts (1881–1941) Poet and novelist Born in Perryville, spent most of her life in Springfield Charles P. Roland (1918–2022) Historian Spent academic career partly at University of Kentucky, retired to Lexington Adelaide Day Rollston (1854–1941) Poet, periodical literature contributor, wrote novelettes Born and died in Paducah Jesse Stuart (1907–1984) Novelist, poet, short-story writer Born in Greenup County, poet laureate of Kentucky 1954 Allen Tate (1899–1979) Poet, novelist, literary critic Born in Winchester Helen Thomas (1920–2013) News service reporter in White House press corps Born in Winchester Hunter S. Thompson (1937–2005) Journalist and author Born in Louisville Robert Penn Warren (1905–1989) First poet laureate of the United States Born in Guthrie Anne Elizabeth Wilson (1901–1946) Kentucky-born Canadian poet, writer, editor Born in Frankfort
Explorers, pioneers, and military personnel NameNotable forConnection to Kentucky Roy Bean (1825–1903) Eccentric Old West justice of the peace Born in Mason County Stephen Bishop (1780–1857) Cave explorer and guide, enslaved person Published the first map of Mammoth CaveDaniel Boone (1734–1820) Iconic explorer and trapper, first entered Kentucky on hunting expeditions in 1767, carved Wilderness Trail from Eastern Tennessee through Cumberland Gap into Central Kentucky to Kentucky River; established his fort, Boonesborough, in Madison County where he lived from 1775 to 1779; fought during Revolutionary War, primarily against pro-British Indian tribes in region Jim Bowie (1796–1836) Died at the Battle of the Alamo, made famous the Bowie knife Born in Logan County Creed Burlingame (1905–1985) U.S. Navy submarine commander in the Pacific Theater during World War II Born in Louisville Kit Carson (1809–1868) Indian agent, trapper scout Born in Madison County Floyd Collins (1887–1925) Cave explorer Trapped and killed in Sand Cave William J. Crowe Jr. (1925–2007) U.S. Navy admiral and chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Born in La Grange William R. Higgins (1945–1990) U.S. Marine colonel who was captured in 1988 and eventually murdered Born in Danville Joseph Holt (1807–1894) United States Postmaster General and judge advocate general Born in Breckinridge County Husband E. Kimmel (1882–1968) Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet during the attack on Pearl Harbor Born in Henderson Hal Moore (1922–2017) US Army lieutenant general and author Born in Bardstown Franklin Sousley (1925–1945) One of six in iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima Born in Hilltop, Fleming County
Film, radio, and television personalities NameNotable forConnection to Kentucky Ned Beatty (1937–2021) Actor Born in LouisvilleJames E. Cornette (Born 1961)Star Wrestling Manager, Author and Podcast HostBorn in Louisville James Best (1926–2015) Actor Born in Powderly Rodger Bingham (born 1947), nicknamed "Kentucky Joe" Fifth runner-up on Survivor: The Australian Outback Lives in Crittenden Olive Blakeney (1899–1959) Actress Born in Newport Foster Brooks (1912–2001) Comedian Born in Louisville W. Earl Brown (born 1963) Actor Born in Murray Tod Browning (1880–1962) Actor and director Born in Louisville Leo Burmester (1944–2007)Actor Born in Louisville Jennifer Carpenter (born 1979) Actress Born in Louisville John Carpenter (born 1948) Film director Reared in Bowling Green and attended Western Kentucky University Will Chase (born 1970) Actor Born in Frankfort George Clooney (born 1961) Oscar-winning actor and director Born in Lexington, reared in Augusta Nick Clooney (born 1934) Television personality and journalist Born in Maysville Rosemary Clooney (1928–2002) Actress and singer Born and reared in Maysville Joyce Compton (1907–1997) Actress Born in Lexington William Conrad (1920–1994) Actor, director, narrator in radio, film, TV Born and reared in Louisville Tom Cruise (born 1962) Actor and producer Raised in Louisville Kassie DePaiva (born 1961) Actress best known for role on One Life to Live Born and reared in Morganfield Johnny Depp (born 1963) Actor, producer, musician, singer, three-time oscar nominee, painter Born in Owensboro Irene Dunne (1898–1990) Actress, five-time Oscar nominee Born in Louisville Bob Edwards (born 1947) NPR radio host Born in Louisville Farah Fath (born 1984) Actress known for her roles on Days of Our Lives and One Life to Live Born in Lexington Don Galloway (1937–2009) Actor Born and reared in BrooksvilleRebecca Gayheart (born 1971)Actress Born in HazardBilly Gilbert (1894–1971)Actor and comedian Born in Louisville D. W. Griffith (1875–1948) Filmmaker Born in La Grange Chris Hardwick (born 1971) Host, comedian, and actorBorn in Louisville Florence Henderson (1934–2016) Actress best known for her role on The Brady Bunch Reared in Owensboro Boyd Holbrook (born c. 1981) Actor Born in PrestonsburgJosh Hopkins (born 1970) Actor Born in Lexington Elizabeth Ann Hulette, aka "Miss Elizabeth" (1960–2003) Professional wrestling manager and valet Born in Louisville, reared in Frankfort Josh Hutcherson (born 1992) Actor Born in Union Ashley Judd (born 1968) Actress reared in Ashland Patricia Kalember (born 1956) Actress Partly reared in Louisville Robert Karnes (1917–1979) Actor Born in Paducah Tommy Kirk (born 1941) Actor Born in Louisville Jennifer Lawrence (born 1990) Oscar-winning actress Born and reared in Louisville Maggie Lawson (born 1980) Actress Born in Louisville Matt Long (born 1980) Actor Born in Winchester Lee Majors (born 1939) Actor reared in Middlesboro Terrence Mann (born 1951) Actor Born in Ashland William Mapother (born 1965) Actor Born in Louisville Victor Mature (1915–1999) Actor Born in Louisville Melissa McBride (born 1965) Actress and casting director Born in Lexington Catherine McCord (born 1974) Actress and model Born in Louisville Marie McDonald (1923–1965) Actress and singer Born in Burgin Charles Middleton (1874–1949) Actor Born in Elizabethtown Charles Napier (1936–2011) Actor Born in Scottsville Patricia Neal (1926–2010) Oscar-winning actress Born in Packard (Whitley County) Grady Nutt (1937–1981) Religious humorist; television personality (Hee Haw) Lived in Louisville from 1960 until his death including the entire time of his rise to fame Warren Oates (1928–1982) Actor Born in Depoy (Muhlenberg County) Sean O'Bryan (born 1963) Actor Born in Louisville Annie Potts (born 1952) Actress Reared in Franklin Lawrence Pressman (born 1939) Actor Born in Cynthiana Wes Ramsey (born 1977) Actor Born in Louisville Marisha Ray (born 1989) Voice actress; co-founder and creative director of Critical Role Productions Born in Mount Washington Jeffrey Reddick (born 1969) Screenwriter, actor, and film producer reared in Jackson Jessica Rey (born 1982) Actress Born in Fort Campbell Rob Riggle (born 1970) Actor on The Daily Show, The Office and Saturday Night Live Born in Louisville Kelly Rutherford (born 1968) Actress on Melrose Place and Gossip Girl Born in Elizabethtown Jeri Ryan (born 1968) Actress on Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard Reared in Paducah Mitchell Ryan (1928–2022) Actor Born in Louisville Diane Sawyer (born 1945) TV journalist Born and reared in Glasgow; lived in Louisville Michael Shannon (born 1974) Actor Born in Lexington William Shatner (born 1931) Actor Seasonally resides in Woodford County Sam Shepard (1943–2017) Actor and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwrightLived in Midway Molly Sims (born 1973) Actress and model Born in Murray J. Smith-Cameron (born 1955) Actress Born in Louisville Hal Sparks (born 1969) Actor Reared in Peak's Mill Harry Dean Stanton (1926–2017) Actor Born in West Irvine (Estill County) Chrishell Stause (born 1981) Actress known for her role on All My Children and Selling Sunset Born in Draffenville (Marshall County) Martha Stewart (1922–2021) Actress Born in Bardwell Madame Sul-Te-Wan (1873–1959) Actress Born in Louisville Gus Van Sant (born 1952) Film director Born in Louisville Jim Varney (1949–2000) Actor and comedian Born in Lexington Jack Warden (1920–2006) Actor Reared in LouisvilleMuse Watson (born July 20, 1948)ActorAttended Berea College; lives in Berea Chuck Woolery (born 1940) Game show host Born in Ashland Sean Young (born 1959) Actress Born in Louisville Steve Zahn (born 1967) Actor Lives in Scott County
Government and political leaders