The following is a list of people from Dayton, Ohio.
Actors, entertainers, and models
Tom Aldredge (1928–2011), actor Ralph Byrd (1909–1952), actor Nancy Cartwright (born 1957), voice artist Damian Chapa (born 1963), actor Max Charles (born 2003), actor Mystro Clark (born 1966), actor, comedian, and TV host Bing Davis (born 1937), visual artist and teacher Charles Michael Davis (born 1984), actor Dr. Creep, aka Barry Hobart (1941–2011), actor Mel Epstein (1910–1994), film producer Dorothy Gish (1898–1968), silent actress Luke Grimes (born 1984), actor Dorian Harewood (born 1950), actor Drew Hastings (born 1954), comedian, actor, writer Allison Janney (born 1959), actress Ken Jenkins (born 1940), actor Toccara Jones (born 1981), fashion model and TV personality Gordon Jump (1932–2003), actor Chad Lowe (born 1968), actor Rob Lowe (born 1964), actor Steve Martino (born 1959), film director Aaron O'Connell (born 1986), actor Maulik Pancholy (born 1974), actor, voice actor, author Dan Patrick (born 1957), sports anchor Wendy Pepper (1964–2017), reality TV star and fashion designer Keith Prentice (1940–1992), actor Ted Ross (1934–2002), actor Gary Sandy (born 1945), actor Sherri Saum (born 1974), actress Martin Sheen (born 1940), actor Beth Stelling (born 1986), comedian Andrea Thompson (born 1960), actress Vincent M. Ward (born 1971), actor Katt Williams (born 1971), comedian and actor De'Angelo Wilson (1979–2008), actor Jonathan Winters (1925–2013), comedian and actor
Athletes
Deveon Everhart Aikens (born 1994), pro wrestler Will Allen (born 1982), NFL safety Michael Bennett (born 1993), NFL defensive tackle Pauline Betz (1919–2011), Hall of Fame tennis player, four-time U.S. Open champion Howie Brown (1922–1975), NFL guard Molly Bruggeman (born 1992), Olympic women's eights rower David Bruton (born 1987), NFL strong safety Tonja Buford-Bailey (born 1970), Olympic 400m hurdler Derek Bunch (born 1961), NFL linebacker Keith Byars (born 1963), NFL running back Roosevelt Chapman (born 1962), basketball hall of famer and all-time leading scorer at the University of Dayton Roger Clemens (born 1962), MLB pitcher Stefan Cleveland (born 1994), soccer player Norris Cole (born 1988), NBA player Kurt Coleman (born 1988), NFL safety Marco Coleman (born 1969), NFL defensive tackle Cris Collinsworth (born 1959), NFL wide receiver, sports commentator Daequan Cook (born 1987), NBA player Greg Cook (1946–2012), NFL quarterback Charles Daniels (1885–1973), Olympic freestyle swimmer Megan Duffy (born 1984), WNBA player Rob Dyrdek (born 1974), skateboarder, Alien Workshop Claire Falknor (born 1993), professional soccer player Doug France (1953–2016), NFL Player Nikki Fuller (born 1968), professional bodybuilder Na'Shan Goddard (born 1983), NFL offensive lineman Jeff Graham (born 1969), NFL receiver Joe Greene (born 1967), two-time Olympic bronze medalist long jumper Andy Harmon (born 1969), NFL player Ron Harper (born 1964), basketball player A. J. Hawk (born 1984), NFL linebacker Victor Heflin (born 1960), NFL defensive back Vince Heflin (born 1959), NFL wide receiver John Henderson (born 1943), NFL wide receiver Kirk Herbstreit (born 1969), Ohio State quarterback, football analyst Chris Hero (born 1979), pro wrestler Brady Hoke (born 1958), Ball State University linebacker Todd Hollandsworth (born 1973), baseball player Bill Hosket Jr. (born 1946), basketball player Bill Hosket Sr. (1911–1956), basketball player Darrell Jackson (born 1978), NFL wide receiver Will Johnson (born 1988), football player Kerry Kittles (born 1974), NBA player Dave Krynzel (born 1981), MLB player Frank Lockhart (1903–1928), race car driver, Indy 500 winner Ron Lyle (1941–2011), boxer Holley Mangold (born 1989), Olympic weightlifter Nick Mangold (1984–2025), NFL offensive lineman Justin Masterson (born 1985), baseball pitcher Don May (born 1946), NBA player Brandon McKinney (born 1983), NFL nose tackle Sean McVay (born 1986), NFL head coach Mike Mickens (born 1987), NFL defensive back Braxton Miller (born 1992), NFL wide receiver Mike Mohler (born 1968), baseball pitcher Edwin C. Moses (born 1955), Olympic gold medalist hurdler Sean Murphy (born 1994), MLB catcher Josh Myers (born 1998), NFL center Mike Nugent (born 1982), NFL kicker Ifeadi Odenigbo (born 1994), NFL defensive end Jim Paxson Jr. (born 1957), NBA player and executive John Paxson (born 1960), basketball player, coach, manager, broadcaster Peerless Price (born 1976), NFL wide receiver Scott Rettich (1984–2022), racing driver Javon Ringer (born 1987), NFL running back Chris Rolfe (born 1983), soccer player Brett Salisbury (born 1968), quarterback Joe Schilling (born 1984), kickboxer Mike Schmidt (born 1949), Hall of Fame baseball player Bryan Sellers (born 1982), race car driver Donald Smith (born 1951), NBA player Scott Stamper (born 1959), NFL running back Joe Thomasson (born 1993), basketball player Al Tucker, Jr (1943–2001), NBA basketball player T. J. Turner (1978–2014), NFL player Sam Underhill (born 1996), English rugby union player Jared Verse (born 2000), NFL defensive end Salt Walther (1947–2012), Indy car driver Taylor Ward (born 1993), baseball player Dan Wilkinson (born 1973), NFL defensive tackle Tamika Williams (born 1980), WNBA player Jerel Worthy (born 1990), NFL defensive end Chris Wright (born 1988), NBA forward Steve Yeager (born 1948), MLB player
Writers and cartoonists
Natalie Babbitt (1932–2016), author and illustrator Natalie Clifford Barney (1876–1972), playwright, poet and novelist Eva Best (1851–1925), story writer, poet, music composer, dramatist Erma Bombeck (1927–1996), columnist and author Richard H. Brodhead (born 1947), author and president of Duke University Si Burick (1909–1986), sports editor and columnist Milton Caniff (1907–1988), cartoonist Ritter Collett (1921–2001), sports editor and columnist Charlotte Reeve Conover (1855–1940), historian Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906), early African-American poet Mike Gallagher (born 1960), political commentators, radio talk show host, non-fiction writer Cathy Guisewite (born 1950), cartoonist Marj Heyduck (1913–1969), journalist, columnist, editor Hunter Lewis (born 1947), author Hal McCoy (born 1940), baseball writer Patrick Nagel (1945–1984), artist and illustrator Terry Oroszi (born 1966), terrorism researcher and author Clarence Page (born 1947), journalist and syndicated columnist Maulik Pancholy (born 1974), author Mike Peters (born 1943), opinion cartoonist Robert W. Russell, pen name Nas'Naga (1941–2021), poet and novelist Timothy Snyder (born 1969), historian Alexandria Constantinova Szeman (fka Sherri Szeman) (born 1956), author Tim Waggoner, horror and fantasy writer Roz Young (1912–2005), columnist
Entrepreneurs
Larry Augustin (born 1962), member of the OpenSource community Larry Connor (born 1950), founder of the Connor Group Edward A. Deeds (1874–1960), engineer, inventor, industrialist Philip Haas (1874–1927), inventor, plumbing specialties manufacturer George Huffman (1862–1897), founder of Huffy Corporation Paul Iams (1915–2004), Iams founder Charles Kettering (1876–1958), inventor of the automobile self-starter Carl Lindner, Jr. (1919–2011), businessman Nancy Lynn (c. 1956–2006), business owner, pilot, flight instructor, and public speaker John H. Patterson (1844–1922), founder of National Cash Register James Ritty (1836–1918), inventor of the cash register Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, inventors of the airplane Katharine Wright Haskell (1874–1929), suffragist, teacher, sister and assistant of the Wright brothers
Military
Charles G. Bickham (1867–1944), Medal of Honor recipient Llewellyn Morris Chilson (1920–1981), United States Army career soldier who served during World War II Richard E. Cole (1915–2019), Air Force pilot who took part in the Doolittle Raid in 1942 Sammy L. Davis (born 1946), Medal of Honor recipient Admiral Timothy J. Keating (born 1948), commander of the United States Pacific Command Joseph G. Lapointe Jr (1948–1969), Medal of Honor recipient Jack V. Mackmull (1927–2011), founded the United States Army Aviation Branch Joe C. Paul (1946–1965), Medal of Honor recipient Sidney Souers (1892–1973), first director of the CIA Tony Stein (1921–1945), Medal of Honor recipient
Musicians
Little Axe (born 1949), blues musician Leroy Bonner (1943–2013), musician/producer, The Ohio Players Stevie Brock (born 1990), pop singer Kelley Deal (born 1961), rock musician, member of The Breeders and The Kelley Deal 6000 Kim Deal (born 1961), rock musician, member of Pixies, The Amps, and The Breeders Rick Derringer (born 1947), rock musician Jim Ferguson (born 1948), classical/jazz guitarist, composer, author, educator, and music journalist Tommy James (born 1947), rock musician and singer of "Mony Mony" Walter "Junie" Morrison (1954–2017), musician and producer Vess Ossman (1868–1923), 5-string banjoist Dottie Peoples (born 1950), gospel singer M Ross Perkins (born 1987), songwriter Robert Pollard (born 1957), founder and singer of lo-fi rock band Guided By Voices Harry Reser (1896–1965), banjoist and leader of the Clicquot Club Eskimos Kim Richey (born 1956), singer/songwriter John Scofield (born 1951), jazz guitarist John Schmersal, guitarist/singer for Brainiac, who went on to form Enon Bud Shank (1926–2009), jazz saxophonist Margo Smith (1939–2024), country music singer, known for her yodeling Tyler Smith (born 1986), singer (The Word Alive) Billy Strayhorn (1915–1967), jazz composer, pianist, lyricist, and arranger Roger Troutman (1951–1999) and Zapp, musicians/producers Johnnie Wilder Jr. (1949–2006), founder and lead singer, and Keith Wilder, founder, Heatwave, R&B group Daniel Williams (1985–2025), drummer and co-founder of metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada Booty Wood (1919–1987), jazz trombonist Snooky Young (1919–2011), jazz trumpeter
Politicians
Dave Albritton (1913–1994), former Ohio state representative Dixie Allen (1935–2019), former Ohio state representative Joyce Beatty (born 1950), U.S. representative for Ohio Willis Blackshear Jr. (born 1993), Ohio state representative Frederick Bowers (1909–1973), former Ohio state representative James Middleton Cox (1870–1957), congressman, Ohio governor, 1920 Democratic presidential candidate, founder of Cox Enterprises Richard Clay Dixon (born 1941), former mayor of Dayton Dave Hall (1906–1977), former mayor of Dayton Tony P. Hall (born 1942), former US congressman William A. Halteman (1860–1945), member of the Washington House of Representatives 1895–1897 and 1907–1909 Paul Leonard (born 1943), former mayor of Dayton and lieutenant governor of Ohio Clayton Luckie (born 1963), former Ohio state representative James H. McGee (1918–2006), former mayor of Dayton C. J. McLin (1921–1988), former Ohio state representative Rhine McLin (born 1948), former mayor of Dayton, former Ohio state representative, former Ohio senator Jeffrey J. Mims Jr. (born 1947), former mayor of Dayton Vipal J. Patel (born 1967 or 1968), acting US attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Tom Roberts (born 1952), former Ohio state representative, former Ohio senator Mike Rohrkaste (born 1958), Wisconsin state assemblyman and businessman Fred Strahorn (born 1965), former Ohio state representative, former Ohio Senator Mike Turner (born 1960), US congressman, former mayor of Dayton Clement Vallandigham, lawyer and politician who served as the leader of the Copperheads (1820–1871)
Other
Jordan Anderson (1825–1907), former slave and author of "Letter from a Freedman to His Old Master" China P. Arnold (born 1980), convicted murderer Charles Bassett (1931–1966), astronaut Jayananda Dasa (1939–1977), pioneer of ISKCON in San Francisco Phil Donahue (1935–2024), talk-show host, began his eponymous show in Dayton, where he spent over a decade Derrick L. Foward (born 1968), NAACP Image Award Winning civil rights activist Ronnie and Donnie Galyon (1951–2020), oldest set of conjoined twins in the world