# List of people from Peoria, Illinois

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

## Authors and academics

* Caroline Brown Bourland, college professor
* Dorothy Cannell, mystery author
* William Lane Craig, Christian apologist
* Philip José Farmer, science fiction and fantasy author
* Betty Friedan, feminist author (The Feminine Mystique)
* Kendall Gott, author and historian
* Joseph C. Hafele, physicist
* John Grier Hibben
* Kent Hovind, Christian creationist; convicted of 58 federal counts involving money fraud
* Kate Klise, children's book author
* Dan Simmons, author (Hyperion Cantos series)
* Morris Kleiner, economist and professor

## Business and engineering

* Bruce Borland, golf course designer for Jack Nicklaus; died in a 1999 plane crash with Hall of Famer Payne Stewart
* John Coleman, meteorologist and weatherman; founder of The Weather Channel
* Harry Frazee, owner of Boston Red Sox who traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees
* Joseph B. Greenhut, merchant
* Susan G. Komen, namesake of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
* George D. Sax, entrepreneur; credited with the innovation of drive-through banking

## Media and arts

* Bill Ballance, radio host
* Mark Staff Brandl, artist
* Adam Tod Brown, comedian and podcaster
* Charles Correll, performer (Amos and Andy radio show)
* Mariclare Costello, actress
* Lee Garmes, cinematographer
* Harry Harrison, radio host, disc jockey
* Teck Holmes, actor, rapper, former Direct Effect host; The Real World: Hawaii cast member
* Tom Irwin, actor; founding member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company
* Jim and Marian Jordan, radio performers (Fibber McGee and Molly)
* Tami Lane, makeup artist; Academy Award winner for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
* Camryn Manheim, actress
* Kathryn McGuire, actress
* James Millhollin, character actor; born in Peoria
* David Ogden Stiers, actor (Major Charles Emerson Winchester III on M*A*S*H)
* Angie Ostaszewski, a Tiktoker who promotes relocating to Peoria.
* Richard Pryor, comedian and actor
* Cynthia Stone, actress
* Sander Vanocur, television news journalist
* Marty Wombacher, writer, photojournalist, blogger

### Music

* Jon Daker, singer and star of the early viral YouTube video "My Name is Jon Daker"
* Dan Fogelberg, musician
* Jerry Hadley, opera tenor
* Bruce Johnston, member of the Beach Boys; born in Peoria, then adopted and moved to Chicago and Los Angeles
* Julia H. Johnston, Christian songwriter who composed Grace Greater Than All Our Sin
* Tim Kelley, recipient of Key To The City of Peoria; Grammy Award-winning record producer; half of the production duo Tim & Bob
* Cristy Lane, singer
* Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane, lead singer for Spanky and Our Gang; replaced Cass Elliot in The Mamas & the Papas
* Craig Moore, lead singer and bassist of 1960s garage rock band Gonn; grew up in Peoria
* Abbie Parker, member of the contemporary Christian music band I Am They
* Gary Richrath, guitarist from REO Speedwagon; raised in East Peoria
* Bob Robinson, recipient of Key To The City of Peoria; Grammy Award-winning record producer; half of the production duo Tim & Bob
* Bart Shatto, featured vocalist with Trans-Siberian Orchestra
* Fred Stobaugh, 96-year-old widower; wrote a love letter that became the viral video "Oh Sweet Lorraine"
* Greg X. Volz, lead singer of Christian rock band Petra
* Richard A. Whiting, composer
* Mike Somerville, lead guitarist, songwriter for rock band Head East

### Bands

* The Forecast, indie rock band
* Minsk, metal band
* Mudvayne, metal band
* Planes Mistaken for Stars, punk and hardcore band

## Philanthropists and activists

* Lydia Moss Bradley
* Howard Brown, founder of the National Gay Task Force
* Janet Glavin, Make-A-Wish Illinois

## Medicine

* Thomas D. Duane, Ophthalmologist who first described valsalva retinopathy in 1972.

## Military

* General Wayne A. Downing, US Special Operations Commander and Joint Special Operations Commander; 75th Ranger Regiment
* General John M. Shalikashvili, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
* Edward W. Snedeker
* Frank Wead, US Navy aviator turned screenwriter; early promoter of US Naval aviation

## Politics and law

* Prescott E. Bloom, Illinois state senator
* Nancy Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure; Chief of Protocol of the United States; U.S. Ambassador to Hungary
* Jefferson R. Boulware, Illinois state representative and lawyer
* Robert L. Burhans, Illinois state legislator and lawyer
* John Edward Cassidy, Illinois Attorney General
* Mark Clark, Black Panther; killed in infamous Chicago police raid in 1969
* Joseph E. Daily, Chief Justice of Illinois Supreme Court
* William L. Eagleton, US diplomat
* Sherman W. Eckley, legislator and businessman
* Susan Fargo, Massachusetts state senator
* Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll, controversial orator; Illinois Attorney General
* Garrett D. Kinney, state treasurer
* Raja Krishnamoorthi, Representative of Illinois's 8th congressional district
* Ray LaHood, Representative of Illinois's 18th congressional district; Secretary of Transportation under President Obama
* James B. McCoy, Wisconsin state legislator
* Robert H. Michel, longest-serving Republican leader of US House of Representatives
* Robert Dale Morgan, US federal judge and mayor of Peoria
* Norman H. Purple, Illinois Supreme Court justice and lawyer
* Don Saltsman, state legislator
* Aaron Schock, former US Congressman
* Robert Scholes, state legislator and lawyer
* Fred J. Schraeder, Illinois state legislator and businessman
* Daniel R. Sheen, Illinois state legislator and lawyer
* David Sills, former mayor of Irvine, California and son-in-law to President Ronald Reagan
* LeRoy Smallenberger, lawyer, judge, state chairman of Louisiana Republican Party 1960-64
* Hudson R. Sours, Illinois state legislator
* Clyde E. Stone, Chief Justice of Illinois Supreme Court
* Fred J. Tuerk, Illinois state legislator
* Hubert W. Woodruff, Illinois state legislator and lawyer
* Nikki Budzinski, Representative of Illinois's 13th congressional district

## Religion

* Gerald Thomas Bergan, clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
* Rabbi David Hirsch, Rosh Yeshiva of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, an affiliate of Yeshiva University
* Julia H. Johnston, Christian songwriter who composed Grace Greater Than All Our Sin
* William Lane Craig, Christian apologist and philosopher
* Henry J. Messing, rabbi
* Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, bishop of Rochester and host of The Catholic Hour on radio and Life is Worth Living

## Sports
### Auto racing

* Irv Hoerr, IMSA sports car racing champion

### Baseball

* Amy Irene Applegren, pitcher and infielder in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
* Charlie Bartson, pitcher for Chicago Pirates
* Harry Bay, outfielder for Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Bronchos/Naps
* Lynn Brenton, pitcher for Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds
* Ben Caffyn, outfielder for Cleveland Naps
* Mike Donlin, outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams
* Dan Dugdale, catcher for Kansas City Cowboys and Washington Senators
* Elizabeth Farrow, pitcher in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
* Norwood Gibson, pitcher for Boston Americans
* Tom Gilles, pitcher for Toronto Blue Jays
* June Gilmore, outfielder in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
* Joe Girardi, MLB catcher and manager of New York Yankees, 3-time World Series champion, raised in East Peoria
* Irene Kerwin, catcher in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, born in Peoria, member of three Halls of Fame
* Esther Lyman, catcher in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, born in Peoria
* Chris Mabeus, pitcher for Milwaukee Brewers
* Zach McAllister, pitcher for Cleveland Indians, raised in Chillicothe, Illinois
* Zach Monroe, pitcher for New York Yankees
* Darby O'Brien, outfielder for New York Metropolitans and Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Grooms; born in Peoria
* Leo Schrall, baseball head coach at Bradley University
* Allyn Stout, pitcher for St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, and Boston Braves; born in Peoria
* Lee Thomas, All-Star player for six MLB teams, general manager of Philadelphia Phillies; born in Peoria
* Jim Thome, first baseman for Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians and other teams; born and raised in Peoria
* Walter Thornton, outfielder and pitcher for Chicago Cubs
* Bill Tuttle, center fielder for three MLB teams; born and raised in Cramer, 18 miles west of Peoria
* Pete Vonachen, owner of Peoria Chiefs minor league club; born and raised in Peoria
* George Whiteman, outfielder for Boston Americans, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox; World Series champion (1918); born in Peoria
* Ben Zobrist, 2nd baseman for Chicago Cubs, World Series Champion (2016), voted MVP; born in Peoria

### Basketball

* Acie Earl, power forward selected by Boston Celtics with 19th overall pick in 1993 NBA draft
* Ray Giacoletti, head coach, University of Utah, Drake, Eastern Washington, North Dakota State
* AJ Guyton, point guard selected by Chicago Bulls with 32nd overall pick in 2000 NBA draft
* Charlotte Lewis, 1976 Olympic silver medalist, ISU sports Hall of Fame
* Shaun Livingston, guard for NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 4th overall pick in 2004 NBA draft
* Sergio McClain, NBA D-League forward for Asheville Altitude and University of Illinois
* Carla McGhee, basketball forward, gold medalist at 1996 Summer Olympics
* Howard Nathan, point guard for Atlanta Hawks
* Brian Randle, power forward for University of Illinois and Euroleague team Maccabi Tel Aviv B.C.
* Jamar Smith, guard for Euroleague team Limoges CSP
* J. R. Koch, professional basketball player
* Dick Versace, head coach for Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers; NBA executive; head coach for Bradley University basketball in Peoria
* Frank Williams, point guard for University of Illinois, 25th overall pick in 2002 NBA draft

### Ice skating

* Matt Savoie, Olympic figure skater; bronze medalist (2006)

### Football

* Darryl Ashmore, offensive tackle for Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins; cousin of Carla McGhee
* Dick Jauron, NFL defensive back, head coach for Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears
* Sherrick McManis, cornerback for Chicago Bears
* Jeff Monken, football head coach for Army
* Tim Simpson, offensive guard for Pittsburgh Steelers; raised in East Peoria
* Mike Zimmer, head coach for Minnesota Vikings
Kendrick Green, offensive guard for Illinois and current center for the Pittsburgh Steelers
* Eddie Sutter, NFL Linebacker, played for Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Atlanta Falcons, Went to Richwoods Highschool.

### Pool

* Bobby McGrath, pool player

### Sports media

* Jack Brickhouse, broadcaster; radio-TV announcer of the Chicago Cubs
* Ralph Lawler, broadcaster; radio-TV announcer of the Los Angeles Clippers
* Jack Quinlan, broadcaster, radio announcer of the Chicago Cubs
* Lyall Smith, sports columnist, editor and PR director of the Detroit Lions, alumnus of Bradley University
* Charley Steiner, broadcaster, radio-TV announcer of the Los Angeles Dodgers, alumnus of Bradley University
* Rick Telander, sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times; panelist on Sportswriters on TV

### Tennis

* Jeff Salzenstein, tennis player

### Track

* Herbert Jamison, sprinter

### Swimming

* Amanda Adkins, swimmer who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics