# List of people from Waukegan, Illinois

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

## Artists and performers

* Harrison Bankhead, jazz double bassist
* Jack Benny, comedian, actor, iconic radio and television personality
* Landis Blair, artist (The Hunting Accident, From Here to Eternity.)
* David Clennon, actor (Thirtysomething)
* J. Campbell Cory, cartoonist
* Steve DiGiorgio, musician
* Greg Drasler, artist
* Lee England Jr., violinist, composer, producer, singer
* Neil Flynn, actor (Scrubs, The Middle)
* Jon Michael Hill, actor (Detroit 1-8-7, Superior Donuts)
* Jason Kao Hwang, violinist and composer
* Mickey Kuhn, film actor of 1930s-1950s
* Norm Magnusson, artist, actor
* Justin Mentell, actor
* Joshua Mallett, musician
* Lori Peters, musician and former drummer of Skillet (band)
* Jerry Orbach, actor (Law & Order, Dirty Dancing)
* Adam Pearce ("Scrap Iron"), professional wrestler for Ring of Honor and the National Wrestling Alliance and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment.
* Bryan W. Simon, film and stage director, Along for the Ride, I'm No Dummy, Jay Johnson: The Two & Only!, Stage Two Theatre Company
* Marvin Smith, drummer on The Tonight Show
* Greg and Colin Strause, directors and visual effects supervisors of Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Skyline.
* Brian Van Holt, actor

## Journalism and writing

* Diane Ackerman, author and naturalist
* Jim Bittermann, senior correspondent for CNN
* Eleanor Taylor Bland, crime fiction author
* Ray Bradbury, author, iconic science-fiction writer, wrote about 1920's Waukegan as "Green Town" in many of his novels and short stories
* James Grippando, New York Times best-selling novelist
* Isadore Gilbert Jeffery (1840-1919), poet, lyricist
* Ward Just, writer
* Kim Stanley Robinson, science-fiction writer; born in Waukegan in 1952

## Criminal justice

* Juan Rivera, wrongfully convicted of the 1992 murder of Holly Staker in Waukegan
* Alton Coleman, serial killer

## Politicians and law

* Jack E. Bairstow, Illinois legislator
* Reuben W. Coon, Illinois state senator
* Robert E. Coulson, Illinois legislator, lawyer, and mayor of Waukegan
* Elisha P. Ferry, first mayor of Waukegan, first governor of state of Washington
* Vic Kohring, Alaska legislator
* Thomas J. Moran, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
* Kim Olson, military officer and political candidate
* Charles E. Redman, United States ambassador to Sweden and Germany

## Sports
### Baseball

* Gary Bennett, catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
* Jarvis Brown, outfielder for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles
* Johnny Dickshot, outfielder for with Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants and Chicago White Sox
* Eric Eckenstahler, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
* Jay Hook, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets (winning pitcher in the first ever victory for the New York Mets)
* Bill Krueger, pitcher for eight MLB teams
* Ernie Krueger, was the catcher for the Brooklyn Robins in the "longest game in baseball history"–27 innings.
* Jerry Kutzler, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
* Doc Oberlander, pitcher for the Cleveland Blues
* Bob O'Farrell, catcher for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants, World Series champion, National League MVP and manager
* Ed Sedar, first base coach for the Milwaukee Brewers
* Scott Stahoviak, first baseman for the Minnesota Twins
* Jigger Statz, outfielder for the Chicago Cubs, New York Giants, Boston Red Sox and Brooklyn Robins
* Brian Traxler, first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers
* Renae Youngberg, third basewoman in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League

### Basketball

* Shawn Marion, small and power forward for the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Dallas Mavericks
* Billy McKinney, retired professional basketball player and former radio broadcaster
* Jerome Whitehead, center and power forward for several NBA teams

### Football

* Otto Graham, award-winning quarterback for the Cleveland Browns
* Brian Schwenke current offensive lineman for the New England Patriots, born in Waukegan
* Michael Turner, running back for the Atlanta Falcons
* Mike Wagner, safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers; four time Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)

### Motorsports

* John Morton, Champion Trans Am Series driver
* Ted Musgrave, American former stock car racing driver

### Other

* Rick Bay, served as head wrestling coach for Michigan (1970–74), and was later a college athletic director and professional sports executive

## Other

* Richard E. Bush (1924–2004), Master Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and awardee of the Medal of Honor as a corporal for heroism on Okinawa during World War II. He resided in Waukegan in 1999.
* Althea Warren, president of the American Library Association, 1943–44
* Nick Erickson, Vice President Integrated Specialty Contractors. Born in Waukegan, IL.