# List of people from Fresno, California

This is a list of people from Fresno, California.

## A

* Ron Adams – former basketball coach at Fresno State, NBA assistant coach of Golden State Warriors
* Armen Alchian – economist
* Jenifer Alcorn – professional boxer
* Courtney Alexander – former NBA player, Dallas Mavericks
* Rafer Alston – former NBA player, Orlando Magic
* Charles Amirkhanian – composer
* Ron Anderson – former NBA player, Cleveland Cavs
* Maximilian Arfsten – soccer player
* Jeff Atmajian – Hollywood orchestrator
* Phil Austin – writer, actor, The Firesign Theatre
* Alan Autry – actor, former mayor of Fresno
* Brad Avakian – politician and senator

## B

* Baeza – rapper
* Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. – actor, singer, musician
* Stephen Baker – former NFL player, New York Giants
* Robert Beltran – actor, Star Trek: Voyager
* Bob Bennett – former head baseball coach at Fresno State
* Don Bennett – Alaska state politician
* Laura Berg – Olympic gold medalist softball player
* Villyan Bijev – soccer player
* Ewell Blackwell – six-time MLB All-Star pitcher
* Milton Blanco – soccer player
* Heidi Blickenstaff – actor
* Deborah Blum – writer for the Fresno Bee, Pulitzer Prize winner
* DeWitt Bodeen – screenwriter
* Tommy Bond – child actor in Our Gang (Little Rascals) series
* Bobby Bonds – former Fresno Giants player, 3-time MLB All-Star
* Frenchy Bordagaray – MLB baseball player
* Bruce Bowen – former NBA player, San Antonio Spurs
* Johnny Boyd – AAA and USAC Champ Car driver
* Gregory "Pappy" Boyington – World War II ace, retired in Fresno
* Ernest K. Bramblett – politician
* Lee Brand – mayor of Fresno
* John Brascia – actor and dancer
* Tyler Bray – NFL quarterback
* Robert B. Brewer – U.S. Army officer

## C

* Brian Cage – professional wrestler, TNA Impact, AEW
* Ernie C – musician, guitarist for the rock group Body Count
* David Carr – former NFL player, Houston Texans
* Derek Carr – NFL player,former Las Vegas Raiders
* Frank Chance – Baseball Hall of Famer
* Luke Chueh – artist
* Andrew Christian – underwear designer
* Chris Colfer – actor, Kurt Hummel on TV series Glee
* Lorraine Collett – Sun-Maid Raisin Girl
* Mike Connors (aka Krekor Ohanian) – actor, Mannix
* Victor Conte – BALCO founder
* Dick Contino – musician, accordionist
* Ryan Cook – MLB pitcher, Oakland A's
* Terry Cooney – former MLB umpire
* Joe Cooper – NFL player
* William John Cooper – served as U.S. Commissioner of Education, 1929–33
* Young Corbett III – professional boxer
* Pat Corrales – former MLB player and manager
* Jim Costa – U.S. House of Representatives
* Bobby Cox – former MLB player, retired Hall of Fame manager, Atlanta Braves
* Ron Cox – NFL player
* Phil Cristian – musician, Cheap Trick
* Dwayne Crump – former NFL player, St. Louis Cardinals
* Tyrone Culver – Miami Dolphins NFL player

## D

* Lucius Davis (born 1970) – basketball player
* Bison Dele (born Brian Williams) – former NBA player, Los Angeles Clippers
* Trent Dilfer – former NFL quarterback of Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, Monday Night Football commentator
* Maynard Dixon – 20th-century artist whose body of work focused on the American West

## E

* Jerry P. Eaton – geologist, born near Fresno
* Henry Ellard – former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, former NFL coach
* Dick Ellsworth – former MLB pitcher
* Melvin Ely – former NBA player, Los Angeles Clippers
* John Erickson – former professional golfer
* Johnny Estrada – MLB player
* William Everson – poet
* Dana Ewell – convicted triple murderer

## F

* Fashawn – rapper
* Kevin Federline – ex-husband of Britney Spears
* Freddy Fender – singer, songwriter
* Andy Finch – member of Olympic snowboarding team
* Tom Flores – former NFL quarterback, former Oakland Raiders head coach, NFL Hall of Fame member
* Mac Foster – professional boxer
* Farrah Franklin – singer, model, former member of Destiny's Child
* Jethro Franklin – former NFL player, Seattle Seahawks; assistant coach, Oakland Raiders
* Zoila Frausto Gurgel – MMA fighter, Bellator women's flyweight world champion
* Mike Freeman – former NFL player, Atlanta Falcons

## G

* Patrick K. Gamble – educator and United States Army officer
* Mark Gardner – former MLB pitcher, coach for San Francisco Giants
* Matt Garza – Milwaukee Brewers MLB pitcher
* Blackie Gejeian – race car driver and designer
* Paul George – NBA All-Star player, Los Angeles Clippers
* Matt Giordano – Indianapolis Colts NFL safety
* Bill Glasson – former PGA Tour golfer
* Bob Glazebrook – former NFL player, Atlanta Falcons
* Tom Goodwin – former MLB player
* Christopher Gorham – actor
* Keith Gooch – former CFL football player
* Jalen Green – NBA player, Houston Rockets
* Ed Gregory – former head basketball coach at Fresno State, Golden State Warriors
* Kenny Guinn – Governor of Nevada

## H

* Sid Haig – actor
* Alex Hakobian – teacher, filmmaker
* Millard Hampton – former Olympian
* Brandon Hancock – former USC fullback, fitness expert
* Victor Davis Hanson – scholar, historian, author
* David Harris – Vietnam War draft resistance leader
* Derek Henderson – pro rollerblader, Razors Skate Co
* Chris Herren – former NBA player
* Lee Herrick – California Poet Laureate
* Pat Hill – former head football coach at Fresno State
* Jaime Hipp – former Olympian
* John Hoover – former MLB pitcher
* Steve Hosey – MLB player
* Pat Howell – former NFL player, Atlanta Falcons
* Rex Hudler – former MLB player, broadcaster

## I

* Debora Iyall – singer of the 80s group Romeo Void

## J

* Vestee Jackson – former NFL player, Super Bowl champion Chicago Bears
* Chris Jefferies – former pro basketball player
* Adam Jennings – NFL player
* Keshon Johnson – NFL player
* Rafer Johnson – 1960 Olympic gold medalist, decathlon
* Bill Jones – California Secretary of State
* Bobby Jones – former MLB pitcher, NY Mets
* Gary Jules – singer-songwriter

## K

* Robert Kendrick – former professional tennis player, at one time was ranked #69 in the world
* Mychal Kendricks – NFL linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles
* Eric Kendricks – NFL linebacker, Dallas Cowboys
* Kirk Kerkorian – billionaire businessman; owned Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
* Joanna Kerns – actress, Growing Pains
* Richard Kiel – actor, James Bond films
* Josh Koscheck – UFC mixed martial artist
* Emily Kuroda – actress, Gilmore Girls

## L

* Daryle Lamonica – former NFL All-Pro quarterback, Oakland Raiders
* Jim Landis – former outfielder, Chicago White Sox
* Claude "Pop" Laval – photographer, historian
* Steven Anthony Lawrence – actor
* Sharon Leal – actor, Dreamgirls
* Philip Levine – poet
* Larry Levis – poet
* David Little – former NFL player, Philadelphia Eagles
* Héctor Lizárraga – professional boxer
* Brook Lopez – NBA player
* Robin Lopez – NBA player

## M

* Jim Maloney – former MLB pitcher, Cincinnati Reds
* Ricky Manning, Jr. – former NFL defensive back, Carolina Panthers
* J. P. Manoux – actor
* Richard Marshall – former NFL player, San Diego Chargers
* Ryan Mathews – NFL running back, Philadelphia Eagles
* Bob Mathias – Olympic gold medal decathlete, former congressman; retired in Fresno
* Miranda Rae Mayo – actress
* Chad McCarty – former Olympian
* Marcus McCauley – NFL player
* Kevin F. McCready – contributor to anti-psychiatry movement
* Aari McDonald – WNBA player for the Los Angeles Sparks
* Audra McDonald – Tony Award-winning Broadway actress, singer
* Tim McDonald – former NFL player, San Francisco 49ers, coach
* T.J. McDonald – former NFL player, Los Angeles Rams
* Barry McGuire – rock and folk singer-songwriter
* Chris McNealy – former NBA player, New York Knicks
* Jim Merlo – former NFL player, New Orleans Saints
* Rick Merlo – former Olympian
* Dale Messer – former NFL player, San Francisco 49ers
* Barbara Morgan – astronaut, educator
* Larry Mucker – former NFL player, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Barlow Der Mugrdechian – historian and lecturer on Armenian studies

## N

* Michael Najarian – relationship and communication expert
* Armen Nalbandian – musician, composer
* Lorenzo Neal – former NFL fullback, San Diego Chargers

## P

* Bob Padilla – former football head coach at Fresno State, and NFL Detroit Lions
* Stephone Paige – former NFL player, Kansas City Chiefs
* Carson Palmer – NFL quarterback, Arizona Cardinals
* Vang Pao – Laotian general
* Lou Pardini – Grammy-nominated keyboardist, songwriter and vocalist; member of the rock band Chicago
* Maxie Parks – Olympic gold medalist
* Chip Pashayan – lawyer and Republican Congressman
* Sam Peckinpah – film director and screenwriter, best known for The Wild Bunch
* Justin Peelle – former tight end who is currently the tight ends coach for the Atlanta Falcons
* Rod Perry – former NFL player, Los Angeles Rams; assistant coach, Oregon State
* David Phillips – entrepreneur; aka "The Pudding Guy"
* Slim Pickens – actor (born in Kingsburg, Fresno County)
* Planet Asia – rapper
* Cliff Pondexter – former NBA player, Chicago Bulls
* Quincy Pondexter – NBA player, New Orleans Pelicans
* Chuck Poochigian – California State Senator
* Keith Poole – former NFL player, New Orleans Saints
* Marquez Pope – former NFL player, San Francisco 49ers
* James Porteous – inventor of the Fresno Scraper
* Hal Haig Prieste – Armenian-American athlete and world's oldest former Olympic medalist

## R

* Radagun – musical group, began in Fresno
* Stewart Rhodes – founding member of the Oath Keepers
* Les Richter – former NFL player, Los Angeles Rams, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee; former senior vice president of NASCAR; former president of the Riverside International Raceway
* Darryl Rogers – former head coach of Fresno State, San Jose State, Detroit Lions
* Phil Roman – animator, founder of Film Roman
* Nicole Row – bassist, vocals, Panic! At The Disco
* Chester Harvey Rowell – journalist, Lincoln-Roosevelt League co-founder
* Aaron Ruell – actor, Napoleon Dynamite
* Johnny Russell – country western singer-songwriter

## S

* Todd Santos – former NFL player, San Francisco 49ers
* William Saroyan – Pulitzer Prize and Oscar-winning playwright, novelist
* John Scalzi – Hugo Award-winning science fiction author
* Gary Scelzi – NHRA champion
* Kate Scott – sportscaster
* Tom Seaver – MLB Hall of Fame pitcher, 3-time Cy Young Award winner; NY Mets, Cincinnati Reds
* Dick Selma – former MLB pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies
* Juan Serrano – flamenco guitarist
* David Seville, aka Ross Bagdasarian – songwriter, recording artist
* Frank Hamilton Short – lawyer, Conservation movement
* Kelly Skipper – NFL assistant coach for Buffalo Bills
* John Sontag – train robber, died in Fresno jail in 1893 and interred at Calvary Cemetery there
* Gary Soto – author, poet
* Dennis Springer – former MLB knuckleball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
* Sloane Stephens – tennis player, US Open champion
* Richard Martin Stern – author
* DeShawn Stevenson – NBA player, Atlanta Hawks
* Mike Stewart – former NFL safety, Los Angeles Rams
* Randy Stumpfhauser – BMX pro and four-time world champion
* William A. Sutherland – lawyer, author, politician
* Ashley Swearengin – former Mayor of Fresno
* Jim Sweeney – former head football coach at Fresno State
* Kevin Sweeney – former NFL player, Dallas Cowboys

## T

* Timmy T – singer of the multi-platinum hit song "One More Try"
* Tim Thackrey – former taekwondo athlete, US National Team, Pan Am Games Champion, Olympic Coach
* Jerry Tarkanian – former head basketball coach at Fresno State, UNLV, San Antonio Spurs NBA
* Bernard Thompson – former NBA player, Portland Blazers
* Brian Turner – poet

## V

* Billy Volek – former NFL quarterback, Tennessee Titans
* Jason Von Flue – Ultimate Fighter season 2 reality show, UFC veteran
* Bill Vukovich – two-time Indianapolis 500 Winner
* Lolly Vegas - founder of rock band Redbone
* Pat Vegas - founder of rock band Redbone

## W

* Marcus Walden – pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers
* Mykal Walker – linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons
* Anthony Washington – NFL defensive back, Washington Redskins
* Tim Washington – NFL defensive back, San Francisco 49ers
* Heidi Watney – Boston Red Sox reporter for NESN
* Nick Watney – PGA Tour golfer
* Gary Weaver – NFL player, Oakland Raiders
* Del Webb – real estate developer, former owner of New York Yankees
* Marcus Wesson – convicted murderer
* Frederick C. Weyand – former U.S. Army Chief of Staff (1974-1976) and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
* Flex Wheeler – bodybuilder
* Michael Willett – singer, Shane on MTV's Faking It
* J.D. Williams – NFL player, Buffalo Bills, assistant coach at Georgia State
* Lynn Williams – soccer player for NJ/NY Gotham FC and the United States national team
* Marquice Williams – special teams coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons
* Randy Williams – Olympic gold medalist in the long jump
* Susan Montgomery Williams – world record holder for the largest bubble gum bubble
* Mick Wingert - Voice Actor and Director, Voice of Tony Stark in "Marvels What If? and The Joker in Batwheels
* Tony Woodruff – NFL player, Philadelphia Eagles
* Ickey Woods – NFL player, Cincinnati Bengals running back
* Rick Worman - CFL quarterback and coach, Grey Cup champion, coach of the Fresno Frenzy af2 football team
* Cameron Worrell – NFL player, Chicago Bears
* Xavier Worthy - NFL Player, Kansas City Chiefs

## Y

* Conrad Yama – actor
* Steve Yarbrough – writer
* Charles Young – former NFL All-Pro tight end, San Francisco 49ers

## Z

* Steve Zaillian – Oscar-winning screenwriter
* Gus Zernial – former MLB player, Philadelphia Athletics
* Warren Zevon – singer-songwriter, "Werewolves of London"