The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Oak Park, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Oak Park, Illinois.
Academics and sciences
Lee Archambault (b. 1960), astronaut A. O. L. Atkin (1925–2008), mathematician Dmitri Borgmann (1927–1985), logologist Wallace Broecker (1931–2019), geochemist Jeannette Howard Foster (1895–1981), librarian and professor, born in Oak Park Emil Frei (1924–2014), oncologist Percy Julian (1899–1975), chemist Joseph Kerwin (b. 1932), astronaut Edith Merritt McKee (1918–2006), geologist Vera Pless (1931–2020), mathematician Carl Rogers (1902–1987), psychologist, author and researcher Bruce Schneier (b. 1963), cryptographer John Robert Schrieffer (1931–2019), physicist John C. Slater (1900–1976), pioneer in quantum theory Susan Subak, environmental scientist and author Chad Trujillo (b. 1973), astronomer Edward Wagenknecht (1900–2004), educator and author
Arts and culture
Architecture
Thomas H. Beeby, architect Marion Mahony Griffin, architect Walter Burley Griffin, architect E.E. Roberts, architect Louis Sauer, architect John Van Bergen, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, architect and writer
Dance
Heléne Alexopoulos, ballet dancer Doris Humphrey, choreographer and dancer
Illustrating
Gene Ha, comic book artist Chris Ware, cartoonist Rick Yager, cartoonist
Painting and sculpture
Leslie Erganian, painter Mary Agnes Yerkes, Impressionist painter
Photography
Bruce Davidson, photographer Esther Henderson, photographer
Writing
Yashar Ali, journalist Jacob M. Appel, author of Einstein's Beach House (lived in Oak Park, 1997–2004)Phoning Home: Essays, University of South Carolina Press, 2014 Richard Bach, writer (Jonathan Livingston Seagull) Bruce Barton, author of best-selling book The Man Nobody Knows Edgar Rice Burroughs, author, creator of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars Kenneth Fearing, poet and author (The Big Clock) Jane Hamilton, author The Book of Ruth Ernest Hemingway, author (For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea) Leicester Hemingway, writer; younger brother of Ernest Hemingway Kara Jackson, poet, musician Tymoteusz Karpowicz, poet and playwright Agnes Newton Keith, writer E. E. Knight, writer John Frush Knox, memoirist Alex Kotlowitz, journalist and writer Steven Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics Claire Lombardo, author Charles MacArthur, journalist and film-writer Caroline Myss, author Edith Nash, writer Sandra Novack, author Jerry Saltz, art critic Carol Shields, author Charles Simic, fifteenth Poet Laureate of the United States Frances Hodges White, children's author William Wondriska, children's author and illustrator
Crime
Armando Fosco, alleged member of the Chicago Outfit Sam Giancana, mafia crime boss Tony Spilotro, alleged mafia enforcer
Business
Allan Cox, author and business leader James Dewar, baker; inventor of the Twinkie Donald F. Duncan, Sr., parking meter and Yo-yo manufacturer Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's Richard Sears, founder of Sears, catalogue innovator Robert Wahl, two-time All-American and former president of Valmont Industries
Media
Acting and comedy
William Bishop, actor Daws Butler, voice artist of animated characters including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound Dan Castellaneta, actor and voice of cartoon character Homer Simpson Anna Chlumsky, actress (My Girl, Veep) Johnny Galecki, actor (The Big Bang Theory, Roseanne, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation) Mason Gamble, actor (Dennis the Menace, Rushmore) Kathy Griffin, actress and comedian Julie Haydon, actress Thomas Lennon, actor and screenwriter Ted Levine, actor (The Silence of the Lambs, Monk) Deanna Lund, actress (Land of the Giants) John Mahoney, actor (Eight Men Out, Frasier, Atlantis: The Lost Empire) Sally Mansfield, actress (Rocky Jones, Space Ranger) Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, actress (Scarface, The Color of Money) Amy Morton, actress (Chicago P.D.) Lois Nettleton, actress Bob Newhart, comedian and actor (The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart) Kate Norby, actress (The Devil's Rejects) Busy Philipps, actress (Dawson's Creek) Cecily Strong, actress, comedian (Saturday Night Live) Judy Tenuta, comedian Betty White, actress (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls)
Directing and producing
John Avildsen, film director (Rocky, The Karate Kid) Steve James, documentary filmmaker David Loughery, film producer (Flashback, Lakeview Terrace) George Schaefer, television director (Hallmark Hall of Fame) John Sturges, filmmaker (The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape)
Journalism
Frederick S. Clarke, magazine publisher and editor Tavi Gevinson, fashion blogger Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! Gene Sherman, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Alfred Henry Spink, founder of The Sporting News, lived and died in Oak Park Hannah Storm, television personality and sportscaster Dorothy Thompson, journalist Marjorie Vincent, 1991 Miss America, journalist
Military
William J. Cullerton, flying ace during World War II, host of Great Outdoors on WGN Radio until 1999 Milo Smith Hascall, Union general in the Civil War
Music
Matt B, singer-songwriter Lane Brody, musician Jon Deak, bassist and composer with the New York Philharmonic Billy "The Kid" Emerson, R&B and rock 'n' roll singer Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger, of the indie rock band The Fiery Furnaces GAWNE, rapper, singer, and songwriter Bud Herseth, principal trumpet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; charter member Trumpet Hall of Fame Mia Joy, indie rock musician Ludacris, rapper; attended Emerson Junior High School in Oak Park Damián Antón Ojeda, multi-instrumentalist and metal musician Marc Okubo, guitarist of heavy metal band Veil of Maya Martin Pearlman, classical musician and composer Landon Pigg, singer-songwriter Felix Wurman, classical cellist and composer
Politics and law
Theresa Amato, Nader 2000 and Nader 2004 national presidential campaign manager Henry W. Austin, Illinois state legislator and businessman'Illinois Blue Book 1921-1922,' Biographical Sketch of Henry W. Austin, pg. 156-157 David Axelrod, political strategist and former White House official Ralph H. Barger, Illinois state legislator'Illinois Blue Book 1989-1990,' Biographical Sketch of Ralph H. Barger, pg. 82 Bruce Barton, author and advertising pioneer; congressman from New York (1937–1940) G. Robert Blakey, attorney and law professor. Thomas J. Dixon, Chicago alderman (1900–1910) and businessman Redd Griffin, Illinois state legislator (1980–1982) John Frush Knox, clerk to United States Supreme Court Justice James Clark McReynolds; memoirist Mary Miller, United States Representative of Illinois's 15th congressional district Eric D. Miller, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Dick Murphy, 33rd mayor of San Diego Pat Quinn, 41st governor of Illinois Phil Radford, environmental activist; executive director of Greenpeace USA; raised in Oak Park Leland Rayson, Illinois state legislator and lawyer'Illinois Blue Book 1975-1976,' Biographical Sketch of Leland Rayson, pg. 88 Walter J. Reum, Illinois state legislator and lawyer'Illinois Blue Book 1961-1962,' Biographical Sketch of Walter J. Reum, pg. 236-237 Gerald W. Shea, Illinois state legislator John D. Tomlinson, Minnesota state legislator and businessmanMinnesota Legislators: Past & Present-John D. Tomlinson Greg Zito, Illinois state legislator'Illinois Blue Book 1989-1990,' Biographical Sketch of Greg Zito, pg. 89
Religion
William Eugene Blackstone, 19th-century evangelical Christian and Zionist; lived in Oak Park Edward Egan, retired Roman Catholic cardinal archbishop of the Diocese of New York [City] Louis Francescon, missionary and pioneer of the Italian Pentecostal Movement; lived and died in Oak Park Andrew Greeley, Catholic priest and author; born in Oak Park (1928)
Sports
Baseball
Dick Bertell, catcher for Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants Art Bramhall, third baseman for Philadelphia Phillies Shirley Danz, outfielder with All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Jim Dorsey, pitcher for California Angels and Boston Red Sox Tony Fiore, pitcher for Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Minnesota Twins Justin Huisman, relief pitcher for Kansas City Royals Sean Lawrence, pitcher for Pittsburgh Pirates Lee Pfund, pitcher for Brooklyn Dodgers Johnny Rigney, pitcher and general manager for the Chicago White Sox Brian Schlitter, pitcher for Chicago Cubs John Sevcik, catcher for Minnesota Twins Ben Shelton, outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates Marv Staehle, second baseman for Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves Craig Stimac, catcher for San Diego Padres Bill Stoneman, pitcher for California Angels, Chicago Cubs and Montreal Expos, general manager of Angels Joe Tinker, Hall of Fame shortstop for Chicago Orphans/Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Chi-Feds/Whales Mike York, pitcher for Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians
Basketball
Ashraf Amaya, forward for the Washington Bullets, Vancouver Grizzlies, and several international teams Gabe Levin (born 1994), American-Israeli basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League Corey Maggette, small forward and shooting guard for five NBA teams Jimmy Rodgers, head coach, Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics Iman Shumpert, guard for the 2016 NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers Evan Turner, guard and small forward for the Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Portland Trail Blazers Norm Van Lier, point guard for the Chicago Bulls; sports radio personality
Football
Andy Frederick, offensive lineman, played for Super Bowl championship teams of Chicago Bears Eric Kumerow, linebacker for the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys Johnny Lattner, halfback for Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, 1953 Heisman Trophy winner Milt McColl, linebacker for San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Raiders Mike Shanahan, head coach for the Los Angeles Raiders, Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins; three-time Super Bowl winner Marques Sullivan, NFL offensive lineman with the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and New England Patriots George Trafton, Hall of Fame center for the Chicago Bears Bob Zuppke, head football coach, University of Illinois
Ice hockey
Joe Corvo, defenseman for several NHL teams
Ice skating
Emery Lehman (born 1996), Olympic speed skater
Rowing
Carol Feeney, Olympic rower; silver medalist
Wrestling
Ellis Coleman, Olympic wrestler; alumnus of Oak Park and River Forest High School Cathy Kelley, journalist, television host, model and actress currently signed to WWE, working as a backstage interviewer on the SmackDown brand
References