# List of people from Pasadena, California

This is a list of notable people from Pasadena, California.

## Academia

* Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize physicist, Caltech professor, raconteur
* J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967), Caltech professor and later overseer of the Manhattan Project
* Murray Gell-Mann (1929-2019), Nobel Prize physicist, Caltech
* George Ellery Hale (1868-1938), astrophysicist, Caltech professor, founder Mount Wilson Observatory
* Edwin Hubble, astronomer, namesake for the Hubble Space Telescope, Caltech professor
* Todd M. Hutton, American medical academic and psychiatrist.
* F.O. Matthiessen (1902-1950), Rhodes Scholar, Harvard professor
* Robert A. Millikan (1868-1953), Nobel Prize physicist
* Brian Stoltz (b. 1970), Professor of organic chemistry at Caltech
* George Olah, Nobel Prize chemist, professor University of Southern California
* Linus Pauling, Nobel Prize-winning chemist, peace activist, Caltech
* Roger Revelle (1909-1991), founder of University of California, San Diego, father of concept of global warming
* William Shockley (1910-1989), Nobel Prize physicist, Caltech professor, inventor of the transistor
* Kip Thorne, Nobel Prize physicist for his contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves, professor, Feynman theoretical physicist, Caltech

## Artists and designers

* Benjamin Chambers Brown, artist
* Howell Chambers Brown, artist
* Sigrid Burton, artist and painter
* Edward Cucuel, impressionistic painter
* Rafa Esparza, performance artist
* Eva Scott Fényes, watercolor artist
* A.B. Frost (1851-1928), American illustrator and painter
* Elmer Grey, architect
* Tom Jancar, contemporary art dealer Jancar Kuhlenschmidt Gallery
* Hugo Markl, artist, curator and creative director based in New York
* Jane Mulfinger, conceptual artist and educator
* R. Kenton Nelson, painter.
* Stan Sakai, cartoonist best known as creator of Usagi Yojimbo series
* Adele Watson, painter and lithographer

## Film and television

This is a partial list of actors, actresses, comedians, film producers, filmmakers, and television personalities.
* Kelly Asbury, film director, writer, illustrator, voice actor
* Meredith Baxter, actress
* Walt Becker, film director
* Summer Bishil, actress
* Whitney Blake, actress, director and producer
* Betty Brosmer, bodybuilder, model
* Sophia Bush, actress, TV series One Tree Hill and Chicago P.D., 82nd Rose Queen for 111th Tournament of Roses Parade (2000)
* Stephen Cannell, author, television and film producer
* Lily Collins, hollywood film actress
* Christy Canyon, pornographic actress
* Cari Champion, former moderator, ESPN First Take
* Jimmy Dore, comedian
* Michael Dorn, actor
* Cullen Douglas, actor, director, playwright
* Arthur Duncan, tap dancer
* Mary Beth Evans, actress
* Sally Field, two-time Academy Award-winning actress.
* W.C. Fields, comedian, actor, juggler and writer; died in Pasadena.
* Stan Freberg, comedian, satirist, recording artist.
* Harry Hamlin, actor
* Michelle Horn, actress
* Bret Iwan, fourth voice of Mickey Mouse
* Tamala Jones, actress
* Matthew Lillard, actor
* Kate Linder, actress
* Joel McCrea, actor
* Richard Moll, actor
* George Nader, actor
* Drew Pinsky, doctor and radio/TV personality
* Chris Pontius, actor/TV personality
* Karen Price, actress
* Kathleen Quinlan, actress
* Robert Reed, actor, best known as Mike Brady in The Brady Bunch television series
* George Reeves, actor, best known as star of television series Adventures of Superman; attended Pasadena Junior College.
* Christian Serratos, actress
* Jamey Sheridan, actor
* John Singleton, film director
* Kathleen Sullivan, television personality
* Charles Walters, film director
* Wil Wheaton, actor, writer
* Jaleel White, actor, producer, writer

## Music

This is a partial list of musicians, song writers singers, and band members.
* Jon B., Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter.
* Hodgy Beats, rapper
* Phoebe Bridgers, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer
* Dâm-Funk, musician
* Pete Jolly, jazz pianist
* David Lee Roth, lead singer for Van Halen
* Ruwanga Samath, record producer, attended John Muir High School
* Alina Smith, musician
* Phil Spector, music producer
* Teena Marie, singer-songwriter, music producer
* Troop, R&B group
* Alex Van Halen, drummer for Van Halen
* Eddie Van Halen, lead guitarist for Van Halen
* Marc Yu, child music prodigy on piano and viola
* Steve Albini, producer and engineer

## Politicians

This is a partial list of politicians and judges.
* Lance Ito, judge, Los Angeles Superior Court
* Henry Markham (1840-1934), lawyer, politician, 18th governor of California. Resident of Pasadena.
* Bill Paparian, attorney, veterans' advocate and Mayor of Pasadena.
* Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico
* James Roosevelt, U.S. Congressman, son of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
* Mimi Walters, businesswoman and U.S. Congresswoman

## Sports

* Stacey Augmon, basketball player
* Myles Bryant, professional football player
* Susie Maxwell Berning, pro golfer
* May Sutton Bundy (1886–1975), first American to win Wimbledon tennis singles title
* Jeff Cirillo, MLB player for six teams
* Michael Cooper, NBA player for Los Angeles Lakers, coach
* Lillian Copeland (1904–1964), Olympic discus champion; set world records in discus, javelin, and shot put
* Tyler Dorsey (born 1996), Greek–American basketball player in the Greek Basketball League playing for Olympiacos
* Darrell Evans, MLB player
* Missy Franklin, swimmer, 5-time Olympic gold medalist
* Kristy Hawkins, IFBB professional bodybuilder
* Mary Ann Hawkins, surfer, swimmer and stunt double
* Charles Frederick Holder, inventor of big-game fishing and a founder of Pasadena's Tournament of Roses
* Chris McAlister, professional football player
* James McAlister, professional football player
* Mo Martin, LPGA golfer, 2014 British Open champion
* Inger Miller, track and field sprint athlete
* George Murdoch, WWE wrestler
* Tracy Murray, NBA Player
* Chris Pettit, MLB outfielder
* Durell Price, UCLA fullback
* Jackie Robinson, civil rights icon and Hall of Fame baseball player
* Mack Robinson, Olympic athlete, brother of Jackie Robinson
* Don Ross, Major League Baseball player
* Ashley Sanchez, soccer player for the United States
* Mark Smith, MLB player for five teams
* Stan Smith, professional tennis player, namesake of Stan Smith Tennis Shoe
* Brett Sterling, professional ice hockey player
* Brian Teacher, Australian Open tennis champion
* Lester Towns, professional football player
* Chase Utley, baseball player, Los Angeles Dodgers
* Peter Vagenas, soccer player
* Jacque Vaughn, professional basketball player and former head coach of the Brooklyn Nets
* Avery Williams, running back for the Atlanta Falcons
* Matt Young, MLB player for Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians.
* Jeff Yurak, MLB player for Milwaukee Brewers

## Writers and journalists

* Carlton Beals (1893–1979), journalist
* Julie Berry, children's author
* Octavia Butler, award-winning science-fiction writer
* Otis Chandler, publisher, Los Angeles Times
* Justin Chapman, journalist, author, actor
* Julia Child, celebrated author and television chef
* Andre Coleman, Award-winning journalist and screenwriter
* Nahshon Dion, Award-winning creative non-fiction writer
* Winifred Starr Dobyns, author of California Gardens (1931)
* Harriet Doerr, author, winner of the National Book Award
* David Ebershoff, writer
* Paul Fussell, critic and historian
* Mary Catherine Judd, educator, author, peace activist
* TJ Kirk, commentator and author
* Kathryn Le Veque, author
* Ottessa Moshfegh, author

## Others

* G. Vernon Bennett, Los Angeles City Council member, 1935–49
* Owen Brown (abolitionist) (1824–1889), son of John Brown, along with his brother Jason, his sister Ruth Brown Thompson, a teacher, and her husband
* Frederick Russell Burnham (1861–1947), celebrated scout and inspiration for the Boy Scouts
* Howard Burnham (1870–1917), mining engineer and spy
* Jeanne C. Smith Carr, educator, author
* Sheryl Cooper, dancer, dance instructor, and wife of the singer Alice Cooper
* Steve Crocker, internet engineer, member of the Internet Hall of Fame
* Gregory C. Horn, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral
* Myron Hunt, architect of Rose Bowl
* Howard W. Hunter, 14th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
* Joseph J. Jacobs, engineer and founder of Jacobs Engineering Group
* Lucy Jones, seismologist
* Florence E. Kollock (1848–1925), Universalist minister and lecturer
* Jack Parsons, rocket scientist and occultist
* George S. Patton (attorney) (1856–1927), city attorney (1877) for City of Pasadena
* George S. Patton, four-star general, led Allies during World War II
* George F. Regas, rector of All Saints Episcopal Church 1967–1995, noted critic of U.S. involvement in Vietnam war as well as many other policy issues
* Ellen Browning Scripps, heiress, publisher, philanthropist
* Alvin Simon, restaurateur who revitalized Old Pasadena
* Sirhan Sirhan, resident of Pasadena at the time of assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
* John Patten Story, U.S. Army major general
* Bertha L. Turner caterer, cookbook author, and community leader in Pasadena; active within the National Federation of Colored Women
* John Van De Kamp, attorney general of California
* Duong Van Minh, exiled president of South Vietnam
* Fawn Weaver is an American entrepreneur and author, and co-founder of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey.
* William Wrigley, Jr., founder of Wrigley Chewing Gum, former owner of Chicago Cubs