# List of people from Lake Charles, Louisiana

Among the notable people from Lake Charles, Louisiana are:

## Art

* Lynda Benglis, sculptor, born in Lake Charles

## Business

* G. Lawrence Blankinship Sr. (1913–2005), civic leader and African-American businessman
* Caroline Boudreaux, businesswoman and social entrepreneur
* Christopher Catrambone (b. 1981), Businessman and Humanitarian, founder of Migrant Offshore Aid Station
* William Dore, businessman
* David Filo, billionaire; born in Wisconsin but raised partly in Moss Bluff; co-creator of the Internet portal Yahoo!

## Entertainment

* Chris Ardoin, zydeco accordionist and singer
* Sean Patrick Flanery, actor; starred in The Boondock Saints and The Dead Zone television series; born in Lake Charles
* Paul Groves, opera singer
* Ha*Ash, American pop country duo composed of sisters Hanna Nicole (b. 1985) and Ashley Grace (b. 1987)
* Bob Hilton, host of game shows including Truth or Consequences; briefly the announcer for The Price is Right; began his career at KPLC TV
* Zachary Levi, actor, title character in the NBC series Chuck; born in Lake Charles
* Nellie Lutcher, jazz singer, gained some national popularity in the late 1940s and 50s; recorded for Capitol Records
* Mike Murdock, singer-songwriter, televangelist and pastor
* Van Dyke Parks, Mississippi-born composer, singer, musician, and actor; grew up in Lake Charles
* Nic Pizzolatto, writer and producer best known for creating the crime drama True Detective
* Eddie Shuler, founder of Goldband Records; recorded swamp pop, Cajun, and other genres of southern music
* Lucinda Williams, singer-songwriter born in Lake Charles

## Law

* Donald Ellsworth Walter, U.S. District Judge for the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana; U.S. attorney for the Western District 1969–1977, based in Shreveport; attorney formerly in private practice in Lake Charles

## Literature and journalism

* Andre Dubus, author and essayist; born in Lake Charles; educated at McNeese State University
* Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright

## Politics

* Mark Abraham, state representative for Calcasieu Parish, effective 2016
* Edward M. Carmouche (1921–1990), chairman of the Louisiana Democratic Party, 1966–1968; ally of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
* A. C. Clemons (1921–1992), trucking executive in Jefferson Davis Parish; first Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate since Reconstruction
* Mike Danahay, Democratic state representative for Calcasieu Parish since 2008; sales representative in Lake Charles; graduate of McNeese State University
* Lether Frazar, president of McNeese State University; Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana under Earl Kemp Long, 1956–1960; namesake of the McNeese library
* Harry Hollins, state representative for Calcasieu Parish, 1964–1980
* Sam Houston Jones (b. 1897), 46th Governor of Louisiana born in Merryville, Louisiana; died in 1978 in Lake Charles, where he is interred at Prien Pines Cemetery
* Jesse Knowles, businessman, civic leader, state legislator representing Calcasieu Parish; survivor of the World War II Bataan Death March
* Willie Mount, mayor of Lake Charles (1993–1999)
* Rupert Richardson (1930-2008), African-American civil rights activist and civil rights leader who served as president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1992 to 1995
* Victor T. "Vic" Stelly (1941-2020), former state representative; author of the Stelly Plan
* George H. Wells (1833–1905), Northern-born Confederate States of America officer; practiced law in Lake Charles; served in the Louisiana State Senate, 1878–1880

## Science and medicine

* Michael E. DeBakey, heart surgeon; first person to successfully implant an artificial heart (1963); member of the Health Care Hall of Fame; recipient of the United Nations Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, and the National Medal of Science; originator of the M.A.S.H. unit concept; born in Lake Charles; graduate of Lake Charles High School
* Dominic Gorie, astronaut from Lake Charles

## Sports

* Terry Burrows, Major League Baseball pitcher; played for the Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres
* Casey Daigle, baseball pitcher in the Houston Astros organization; husband of softball star Jennie Finch; graduated from Sulphur High School
* Alvin Dark, World Series champion baseball shortstop and manager
* Joe Dumars, former player and current general manager for the Detroit Pistons; played for McNeese State University before going on to have a successful NBA career; named MVP of the 1989 NBA finals; elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006
* Ray Fontenot, Major League Baseball pitcher, 1983–1986, for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and Minnesota Twins
* Terry Fontenot, general manager of the Atlanta Falcons
* Matt Forte, starting running back and 2nd round-pick of the Chicago Bears; MVP of the 2008 Senior Bowl
* Garrett Nussmeier, quarterback for the LSU Tigers
* Johnnie Gray, retired NFL safety, played for the Green Bay Packers
* Nickie Hall, former professional athlete in the Canadian Football League
* Mike Heinen, professional golfer; has played on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour; former winner of the PGA Shell Houston Open
* Brian Johnson, champion track-and-field athlete; college coach
* Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones (b. 1905), president and baseball coach at Grambling State University, 1936–1977; born in Lake Charles
* Eddie Kennison, retired NFL player, active 1996–2008; graduated from Washington-Marion High School
* Ted Lyons, baseball Hall of Famer who pitched for the Chicago White Sox; born in Lake Charles
* Tommy Mason, former professional football player, first overall pick of 1961 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings
* Chad Ogea (b. 1970), pitcher, Major League Baseball (1994–1999), for the Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies, best known for his performance in the 1997 World Series
* Trey Quinn, professional athlete with the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL
* Herbert H. Ramsay (1887-1939) golf administrator and president of the United States Golf Association
* Justin Vincent, former professional football player in the NFL
* Ken Winey (born 1962), former professional athlete in the Canadian Football League