# List of people from Joliet, Illinois

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Joliet, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Joliet, Illinois.

## Acting

* John Barrowman (born 1967), actor (Doctor Who, Torchwood)
* Nora Bayes (1880–1928), actress, singer, and comedian
* John Beck (born 1943), actor (The Other Side of Midnight, Rollerball)
* Jodi Carlisle (born 1960), actress (The Wild Thornberrys)
* Tyler Christopher (born 1972), actor (General Hospital)
* JoAnn Dean Killingsworth (1923–2015), actress and dancer, first person to play Snow White at Disneyland
* Andy Dick (born 1965), comedian, actor, musician and producer (NewsRadio)
* Janina Gavankar (born 1980), actress, musician (True Blood)
* Kathryn Hays (1933–2022), actress (As the World Turns)
* Mercedes McCambridge (1916–2004), actress; 1949 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (All the King's Men, Giant)
* Melissa McCarthy (born 1970), actress and comedian (Mike & Molly, Bridesmaids)
* Nick Offerman (born 1970), actor, comedian, and carpenter (Parks and Recreation)
* Larry Parks (1914–1975), stage and film actor (The Jolson Story)
* Anthony Rapp (born 1971), stage and film actor and singer (Rent)
* Lynne Thigpen (1948–2003), Tony Award-winning stage, film and TV actress (Carmen Sandiego, The Paper, Godspell)
* Audrey Totter (1917–2013), actress (Lady in the Lake, Our Man Higgins)
* Vince Vieluf (born 1970), actor (Rat Race)

## Academics, arts, and writing

* Ann Bannon (born 1932), pulp fiction writer
* William Lincoln Bakewell (1888–1969), able seaman on Shackleton Antarctic expedition
* Thomas Bojeski (1946–1974), notable poet writing under the name of Thomas James
* Charles Bowden (1945–2014), educator and writer
* Robert Todd Carroll (1945–2016), publisher of The Skeptic's Dictionary and fellow of Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
* James Downey (born 1952), head writer for Saturday Night Live
* Wendy Anderson Halperin, children's book illustrator and writer
* John Houbolt (1919–2014), aerospace engineer
* Mort Kondracke (born 1939), political commentator and journalist
* Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (born 1933), children's and young adult fiction author
* Robert Novak (1931–2009), syndicated columnist, author, conservative political commentator
* Adam Rapp (born 1968), novelist, playwright, screenwriter, filmmaker and musician
* Johan Reinhard (born 1943), anthropologist, archaeologist
* James J. Stukel (born 1937), 15th President of the University of Illinois (born in Joliet)
* Edwin Way Teale (1899–1980), naturalist, photographer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
* Lester Frank Ward (1841–1913) botanist, paleontologist, and sociologist; born in Joliet.
* Adele Fay Williams (1859–1937), artist and newspaper writer, born in Joliet

## Business

* John D. Goeken (1930–2010), founder of MCI Inc. and Airfone
* John Fremont McCullough (1871–1963), co-founder of Dairy Queen; opened first store in Joliet in 1940
* William Cornelius Van Horne (1843–1915), pioneering Canadian railway executive
* Mike Wolfe (born 1964), owner of Antique Archaeology; cast member of American Pickers

## Crime

* Milton Johnson (born 1950), serial killer

## Military

* Joseph F. Ambrose (1896–1988), World War I veteran
* Earl N. Franklin (1917–2003), colonel of the United States Air Force and Tuskegee Airman
* Frank Perconte (1917–2003), D-Day veteran, member of Easy Company, 506th parachute infantry regiment, and portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by James Madio

## Modeling

* Adrianne Curry (born 1982), model, best known as the first winner of America's Next Top Model
* Lois Delander (1911–1985), Miss America 1927

## Music

* Charlie Adams (born 1954), drummer for Chameleon and Yanni, spokesman for Autism Society of America
* John Barrowman (born 1967), Scottish singer, actor, dancer, musical performer and media personality; 1985 graduate of Joliet West High School
* Jimmy Chamberlin (born 1964), drummer, songwriter and producer of The Smashing Pumpkins
* Mark Carman (born 1960), Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter, musician, singer
* Edward Joseph Collins (1886–1951), pianist and composer
* Da Brat (born 1974), born Shawntae Harris, Grammy-nominated rapper and actress; first female solo rap act to have platinum-selling album
* Five Pointe O, alternative rock music group, active 1999–2003
* Janina Gavankar (born 1980), actress and musician
* Buffalocomotive, rock band formed in 2004 that recorded the theme song for Inked
* Frank Marocco (1931–2012), accordionist
* Don Murray (1904–1929), jazz clarinet and saxophone player
* Kerry Muzzey (born 1970), film and television composer
* Ron Nelson (1929–2023), composer of classical and semi-classical music, retired music educator
* Ann Nesby (born 1950), R&B, gospel, and dance music singer/songwriter and actress, former lead singer of Sounds of Blackness
* Doug Pinnick (born 1950), bass guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for King's X
* Lionel Richie (born 1949), Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and record producer, composer of the Academy Award-winning song "Say You, Say Me"
* Steve Rodby (born 1954), bass guitarist for Pat Metheny Group
* Elisabeth Withers, neo-soul and R&B singer-songwriter

## Politics and law

* Edward C. Akin (1852–1936), Illinois Attorney General and Mayor of Joliet
* Meade Baltz (1912–1994), businessman and Illinois state legislator
* Richard J. Barr (1865–1951), Illinois State Senator and Mayor of Joliet
* William G. Barr (1920–1987), Illinois state representative and businessman
* Joel Aldrich Matteson (1808-1873), 10th Governor of Illinois
* George H. Munroe (1844–1912), Illinois State Senator and businessman
* Lewis E. Reed (born 1962), first African-American president of the Board of Aldermen in St. Louis, Missouri (2007–2022)
* Richard Terrin (1890–1958), lawyer, military theorist and Asia expert
* Lawrence M. Walsh Sr. (born 1948), Illinois State Senator and farmer

## Religion

* Lawrence Jenco (1934–1996), Roman Catholic priest and author; taken hostage in Beirut in January 1985 and held for 564 days
* Roger Kaffer (1927–2009), auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet (1985–2002)

## Sports
### Baseball

* Sweetbreads Bailey (1895–1939), pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Robins
* Rylan Bannon (born 1996), third baseman in the New York Mets organization
* Jesse Barfield (born 1959), outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Yomiuri Giants (Japan)
* Sean Bergman (born 1970), pitcher for five MLB teams and one team in the NPB league of Japan
* Bobby Burke (1907–1971), pitcher for the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Phillies
* Kevin Cameron (born 1979), pitcher for the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics
* Mark Carlson (born 1969), umpire in Major League Baseball
* Kelly Dransfeldt (born 1975), shortstop for the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox
* Brian DuBois (1967–2023), pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
* Gordie Gillespie (1926–2015), coach, member of College Baseball Hall of Fame
* Mike Grace (born 1970), pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
* Mark Andrew Grant (born 1963), pitcher for six MLB teams
* Bill Gullickson (born 1959), pitcher for six MLB teams; played baseball at Joliet Catholic Academy
* Larry Gura (born 1947), pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals
* Bill Haller (1935–2022), American League umpire and official 1961–1985
* Jack Hendricks (1875–1943), outfielder and manager for several MLB teams
* Ed Lagger (1912–1981), pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics
* Mark Leiter (born 1963), pitcher for eight MLB teams
* Bernice Metesch (born 1929), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
* Chris Michalak (born 1971), pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds
* Bill Moran (1869–1916), catcher and left fielder for the St. Louis Browns and Chicago Colts
* Margaret Murray, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
* Steve Parris (born 1967), pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Devil Rays
* Jack Perconte (born 1954), infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, and Chicago White Sox; sports writer
* Jeff Reed (born 1962), catcher with six MLB teams
* Ed Spiezio (born 1941), third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, and Chicago White Sox
* Scott Spiezio (born 1972), infielder for the Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals
* Bill Sudakis (1946–2021), third baseman for six MLB teams

### Basketball

* Cathy Boswell (born 1962), 1984 Gold Medal Olympian USA women's basketball
* Bulbs Ehlers (1923–2013), played basketball for Purdue and NBA's Boston Celtics
* Jeremy Fears Jr. (born 2005), point guard for Michigan State
* Terry Gannon (born 1963), player for North Carolina State 1983 NCAA champions, sportscaster for NBC Sports and the Golf Channel
* Bill Jones (born 1958), center for Northern Iowa Panthers and in Australia's National Basketball League; captained Adelaide 36ers to 1986 NBL Championship
* Ed Mikan (1925–1999), center for the Chicago Stags, Rochester Royals, Philadelphia Warriors, Indianapolis Olympians, and Boston Celtics
* George Mikan (1924–2005), Hall of Fame center and coach for DePaul and five-time NBA champion Minneapolis Lakers
* Roger Powell (born 1983), small forward for Illinois 2005 NCAA finalists and NBA's Utah Jazz
* Allie Quigley (born 1986), All-Star guard for WNBA's Chicago Sky
* Alando Tucker (born 1984), small forward and shooting guard for Wisconsin, 2007 Big Ten Player of the Year; NBA's Phoenix Suns

### Football

* Mike Alstott (born 1973), fullback, 6-time Pro Bowl selection for the Super Bowl XXXVII champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Pete Bercich (born 1971), player and assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings
* Gordie Gillespie (1926–2015), college football coach
* Mike Goolsby (born 1982), linebacker for the St. Louis Rams
* Harlan Gustafson (1917–1984), 1939 All-America end for University of Pennsylvania
* George Hartong (1896–1973), center for the Chicago Cardinals
* Elmer Madarik (1922–1974), running back for the Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins
* Eric Parker (born 1979), wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers
* Pug Rentner (1910–1978), halfback and quarterback for the Boston Redskins and Chicago Bears
* Daniel Ruettiger (born 1948), college football player, motivational speaker; inspiration for film Rudy
* Eric Steinbach (born 1980), guard for the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns
* Tom Thayer (born 1961), center and guard for the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins
* Jim Valek (1928-2005), player and head coach for University of Illinois

### Martial arts

* Randall Kleck, martial artist; World Karate Union Hall of Fame

### Motorsports

* Danny Kladis, Indianapolis 500 driver and inductee of the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame

### Wrestling

* Juice Robinson, professional wrestler in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling, 3rd IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion