List of people from San Francisco

The people listed below were all born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with San Francisco, California.
People by field
Artists
Ansel Adams (1902-1984), photographer
Arthur Adams (b. 1963), comic book artist known for his work on Longshot and Monkeyman and O'Brien.
Ruth Asawa (1926-2013), sculptor
Warren Eugene Brandon (1916-1977), painter
Beniamino Benvenuto Bufano (1890-1970), sculptor
Lenore Chinn (b. 1949), painter
Larry Gonick (b. 1946), cartoonist
Jo Hanson (1918-2007), environmental artist and activist
Ester Hernandez (b. 1944), Chicana artist
Charles Dorman Robinson (1847-1933), painter
Richard Serra (b. 1939), minimalist sculptor and video artist
William Ware Theiss (1930-1992), costume designer
Beatrice Wood (1893-1998), ceramicist
Entertainers
Dance
Isadora Duncan (1877-1927), "mother" of modern dance
Directors/filmmakers
David Butler (1894-1979), film director, actor, writer and producer
Francis Coppola, film director, writer, producer, winery owner, San Francisco restaurateur
Sofia Coppola (b. 1971), director
Delmer Daves (1904-1977), director
Clint Eastwood (b. 1930), director, actor, producer
David Fincher (b. 1962), director
Mervyn LeRoy (1900-1987), director, producer, actor
George Lucas (b. 1944), director and producer
Andy Luckey (b. 1965), TV writer, producer, director
Walter Shenson (1919-2000), film producer
Jay Ward (1920-1989), creator and producer of animated TV series
Actors
Dianna Agron (b. 1986), actress
Gracie Allen (1895-1964), comedian
Bill Bixby (1934-1993), actor
Joan Blackman (b. 1938), actress
Mel Blanc (1908-1989), voiceover actor
Lisa Bonet (b. 1967), actress
Benjamin Bratt (b. 1963), actor
Todd Bridges (b. 1965), actor
Kari Byron (b. 1974), television personality
Carol Channing (1921-2019), actress
Kevin Cheng (b. 1969), actor
Mandy Cho (b. 1982), actress
Margaret Cho (b. 1968), comedian
Jamie Chung (b. 1983), actress
Darren Criss (b. 1987), actor
Eric Dane (b. 1972), actor
Dimitri Diatchenko (b. 1968), actor and musician
Minnie Dupree (1875-1947), actress
Barbara Eden (b. 1934), actress
Kathy Gori (b. 1951), actress
Danny Glover (b. 1946), actor
Tom Hanks (b. 1956), actor
China Kantner (b. 1971), actress
Bruce Lee (1940-1973)
Marjorie Lord (1918-2015), actress
Leslie Mann (b. 1972), actress
Edna McClure (1888-1973), Broadway actress
Bridgit Mendler, (b. 1992), actress and singer
Vera Michelena (1885-1961), actress, dancer and singer
Melissa Ng (b. 1972), actress
Larisa Oleynik (b. 1981), actress
Rob Schneider (b. 1963), actor
Liev Schreiber (b. 1967), actor
Harry Shum, Jr. (b. 1982), actor
Alicia Silverstone (b. 1976), actress
David Strathairn (b. 1949), actor
Isis Taylor (b. 1989), pornographic actress
Phillip Terry (1909-1993), actor
Aisha Tyler (b. 1970), actress and TV personality
Stuart Whitman (1928-2020), actor
B.D. Wong (b. 1960), actor
Natalie Wood (1938-1981), actress
Musicians
Tony Bennett (b. 1926), singer, signature song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"
Mike Bordin (b. 1962), drummer for Faith No More and Ozzy Osbourne
Paul Bostaph (b. 1964), heavy metal drummer
Cliff Burton (1962-1986), bass guitarist for thrash metal band Metallica
Craig Chaquico (b. 1954), rock, jazz and new age guitarist
Todd Tamanend Clark (b. 1952), poet and composer
Greg Errico (b. 1946), drummer for many bands, most notably Sly & the Family Stone
Maude Fay (1878-1964), operatic dramatic soprano
Lars Frederiksen, member of band Rancid
Jerry Garcia (1942-1995), psychedelic and folk-rock guitarist and singer
Vince Guaraldi (1928-1976), jazz musician and pianist
Kirk Hammett (b. 1962), lead guitarist for thrash metal band Metallica
Cindy Herron (b. 1961), R&B singer
Gary Holt (b. 1964), thrash metal guitarist for Exodus
Tiffany Hwang (b. 1989), member of pop group Girls' Generation
Chris Isaak (b. 1956), singer and musician
Jessica Jung (b. 1989), former member of pop group Girls' Generation
Krystal Jung (b. 1994), member of pop group f(x)
Paul Kantner (b. 1941), rock musician and co-founder of the band Jefferson Airplane
Huey Lewis (b. 1950), rock singer, raised in Marin County.
Courtney Love (b. 1964), singer and actress
Dmitri Matheny (b. 1965), jazz flugelhornist
Johnny Mathis (b. 1935), pop singer
Chante Moore (b. 1967), R&B and jazz singer
Kristina Olsen (b. 1957), folk singer-songwriter
Tim Pagnotta (b. 1977), guitarist
Rappin' 4-Tay (Anthony Forte) (b. 1968), rapper
Carlos Santana (b. 1947), rock, blues, and salsa guitarist and singer
Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), rapping legend, lived in Bay Area
Deke Sharon (b. 1967), a cappella singer The House Jacks
Ross Valory (b. 1949), bass player for many bands, most notably Journey
Martha Wash (b. 1953), R&B, Soul, and pop singer
Kevin Woo (b. 1991), member of Korean boygroup U-Kiss
Writers
David Belasco (1853-1931), playwright
Greg Downs (b. 1971), short-story writer
Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021), poet, co-founder of City Lights Bookstore
Robert Frost (1874-1963), iconic poet
Adam Gidwitz (born 1982), children's book author
Clay Meredith Greene (1850-1933), playwright, theatre director, actor
Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961), author of hard-boiled detective novels
Daniel Handler (b. 1970), better known as Lemony Snicket
Shirley Jackson (1916-1965)
Alan Kaufman (b. 1952), author, poet, editor
Gus Lee (b. 1946), Asian-American author
Fritz Reuter Leiber, Jr. (1910-1992), author of science fiction novels
Daniel Levitin (b. 1957), writer, scientist, musician
Jack London (1876-1916), writer
Armistead Maupin (b. 1944), writer
Carol Anne O'Marie (1933-2009), Roman Catholic nun, mystery writer
Peter Plate, author
Gary Snyder (b. 1930), poet
Joseph Staten, writer (Halo: Contact Harvest)
Michelle Tea, author, poet, editor
Walter Tevis (1928-1994), author, The Hustler
Robert Alfred Theobald (1884-1957), US Navy Rear Admiral, author of The Final Secret of Pearl Harbor
Naomi Wolf (b. 1962), writer
Laurence Yep (b. 1948), Asian-American writer
Helen Zia (b. 1952), writer, journalist, and activist
Athletes
Baseball
The following Major League Baseball players were born in San Francisco:
Jim Baxes (1928-1996), third baseman
Ping Bodie (1887-1961), outfielder
Fred Breining (b. 1955), pitcher for San Francisco Giants (1980-1984)
Dolph Camilli (1907-1997), first baseman
Ike Caveney (1894-1949), shortstop
Gino Cimoli (b. 1929), outfielder
Joe Corbett (1875-1945), pitcher
Joe Cronin (1906-1984), infielder, Baseball Hall of Fame
Frankie Crosetti (1910-2002), shortstop and coach
Tim Cullen (b. 1942), infielder
Babe Dahlgren (1912-1996), first baseman
Joe DeMaestri (b. 1928), shortstop
Dom DiMaggio (1917-2009), outfielder
Bob Elliott (1916-1966), player and manager
Jim Fregosi (1942-2014), player and manager
Jonny Gomes (b. 1980), outfielder for Boston Red Sox
Herb Gorman (1924-1953), player in one MLB game
Harry Heilmann (1894-1951), outfielder, Baseball Hall of Fame
Keith Hernandez (b. 1953), first baseman
Jackie Jensen (1927-1982), also in the College Football Hall of Fame
Eddie Joost (1916-2011), player and manager
Willie Kamm (1900-1988), third baseman
George Kelly (1895-1984), first baseman, Baseball Hall of Fame
Mark Koenig (1904-1993), infielder for 1927 New York Yankees
Tony Lazzeri (1903-1946), infielder, Baseball Hall of Fame
Nyjer Morgan (b. 1980), outfielder for Milwaukee Brewers
Charlie Sweeney (1863-1902), pitcher
Mike Vail (b. 1951), outfielder
Tyler Walker (b. 1976), relief pitcher for Washington Nationals
See San Francisco Giants#Baseball Hall of Famers for San Francisco Giants players in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Basketball
Jason Kidd (b. 1973)
Tom Meschery (b. 1938)
Pete Newell (1915-2008), Olympic and USF coach
Bill Russell (1934-2022), led USF to two NCAA championships
Phil Smith (1952-2002)
Phil Woolpert (1915-1987), San Francisco high school and college coach
Boxing
Abe Attell (1884-1970), world featherweight champion
James J. Corbett (1866-1933), World Heavyweight Champion
Andre Ward (b. 1984), 2004 Olympics light heavyweight gold medal winner
Football
Ed Berry (b. 1963), NFL defensive back for Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers
Tom Brady (b. 1977), NFL quarterback for New England Patriots and two-time NFL most valuable player
Tedy Bruschi (b. 1973), NFL linebacker for New England Patriots
Al Cowlings (b. 1947), USC and NFL defensive lineman
Chris Darkins (b. 1974), NFL running back for Green Bay Packers
Eddie Forrest (1921-2001), NFL offensive lineman for San Francisco 49ers
Jason Hill (b. 1985), NFL wide receiver for Jacksonville Jaguars
Mike Holmgren (b. 1948), NFL head coach for Green Bay Packers and president of Cleveland Browns
James Hundon (b. 1971), NFL player
Joe Montana (b. 1956), NFL quarterback for San Francisco 49ers, inductee into Pro Football Hall of Fame
John Nisby (b. 1936), NFL guard with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins; one of the first African American players to play for the Washington Redskins
Igor Olshansky (b. 1982), NFL defensive end for Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Rice (b. 1962), NFL wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers, inductee into Pro Football Hall of Fame
O. J. Simpson (b. 1947), NFL running back with Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers (1985); inductee into Pro Football Hall of Fame; previously, City College of San Francisco and USC running back
Donald Strickland (b. 1980), current NFL cornerback for the New York Jets
Eric Wright (b. 1985), NFL cornerback for Detroit Lions
Steve Young (b. 1961), NFL quarterback for San Francisco 49ers, inductee into Pro Football Hall of Fame
Golf
Johnny Miller (b. 1947), professional golfer, TV commentator
Ken Venturi (1931-2013), professional golfer, TV commentator
Other sports
Vicki Draves (1924-2010), two-time Olympic gold medalist
Laird Hamilton (b. 1964), surfer
Jeremy McGrath (b. 1971), MX rider
Jonny Moseley (b. 1975), freestyle skiing
Brooks Orpik (b. 1980), NHL player for the Washington Capitals
Bill Schaadt (1924-1995), fly fisherman
Emerson Spencer (1906-1985), Olympic track and field gold medalist
Al Young (b. 1946), drag racing world champion
Business people
Albert Abrams (1863-1924), inventor of medical equipment in the field of Electricity therapy
Melvin Belli (1907-1996), lawyer known as "The King of Torts", died in San Francisco
Donald Fisher (1928-2009), co-founder of the Gap clothing company
Gordon Getty (b. 1934), oil philanthropist and composer
Jess Jackson (1930-2011), wine entrepreneur and founder of Kendall-Jackson wine company
Pete McDonough (1872--1947), Bail Bonds Broker, called "the Fountainhead of Corruption" in 1937 police graft investigation
Morris Meyerfeld Jr. (1855-1935), German-born entrepreneur and theater owner (Orpheum Vaudeville Circuit)
Gordon E. Moore (b. 1929), co-founder of Intel Corporation, author of Moore's law
Michael Moritz (b. 1954), venture capitalist at Sequoia Capital
Craig Newmark (b. 1951), founder of Craigslist
Charles R. Schwab (b. 1937), businessman, founder of Schwab investment firm
Theresa Sparks (b. 1949), CEO of multimillion-dollar sex toy company Good Vibrations
Richard M. Tobin, (1866-1952), president of Hibernia Bank and Minister to the Netherlands
News/commentary
Ambrose Bierce (1842-1913), journalist
Ben Blank (c.1921-2009), television graphics innovator
Herb Caen (1916-1997), newspaper columnist
Tucker Carlson (b. 1969), television political commentator
C.H. Garrigues, jazz reviewer
William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951), newspaper magnate and publisher
Lewis Lapham, editor of Harper's
Kent Ninomiya, journalist
Lincoln Steffens (1866-1936), journalist
Political figures
See also List of mayors of San Francisco, California
Jewett W. Adams, fourth Governor of Nevada; resident of San Francisco.
Luis Antonio Arguello (1784-1830), first governor of Alta California
Earle D. Baker (1888-1987), Los Angeles City Council member, 1951-59
George W.C. Baker, Los Angeles City Council member, 1931-35
Stephen Breyer (b. 1938), United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
Jerry Brown (b. 1938), current Governor of California, former Governor of California, former Mayor of Oakland, former California Attorney General
Pat Brown (1905-1996), former Governor of California
Willie Brown (b. 1934), Mayor of San Francisco, 1996-2004, Speaker of the California State Assembly, 1980-1995
Christopher Augustine Buckley ("Blind Boss" Buckley, 1845-1922), Democratic Party boss
Dianne Feinstein (b. 1933), San Francisco's first female mayor (1978-1988) and U.S. Senator since 1992
Joseph Flores, Governor of Guam
C.J. Goodell, Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal (1945-1953)
Peter D. Hannaford (born 1932), former aide to Ronald W. Reagan; author, public relations consultant
Robert McNamara (1916-2009), former Secretary of Defense
Gavin Newsom (b. 1967), Lieutenant Governor of California
Jose de Jesus Noe (1805-1862), was the last alcalde of Yerba Buena, which became San Francisco after the Mexican-American War.
Nancy Pelosi (b. 1940), Congresswoman, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Caspar Weinberger (1917-2006), former Secretary of Defense
Other
James Millikin Bevans (1899-1977), US Air Force Major General
Melrose Bickerstaff, runner-up of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7
Robert L. Fair (1923-1983), US Army Lieutenant General, Silver Star winner
Abigail Folger (1943-1969), Folgers coffee heiress
Richard Gage, architect, 9/11 activist
Clifford Geertz (1926-2006), anthropologist
Stephen Herrero, biologist, bear expert
William Harrington Leahy (1904-1986), US Navy Rear Admiral
Jim Jones (1931-1978), cult leader
Julia Morgan (1872-1957), architect
G. S. Patrick, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, Navy Cross winner
Tye Leung Schulze, interpreter and first Chinese-American woman to vote in a US primary election
William T. Shorey (1859-1919), first black San Francisco sea captain
Jacob Weisman (b. 1965), publisher of Tachyon Publications
John W. Young (1930-2018), astronaut
John C. Young (1912-1987), US Army Colonel, Chinatown leader
The Zodiac Killer, unidentified serial killer active in the 1960s
Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. (1920-2000), US Navy Admiral
Non-native residents
Maya Angelou, poet
William Bayer, crime fiction writer
Ambrose Bierce, journalist and author
Clark Blaise, Canadian author
Marian and Vivian Brown (1927-2013/2014), socialites
Willie Brown, former San Francisco mayor
Victor Burgin, artist
Herb Caen, newspaper columnist
Vanessa Carlton, singer
Carol Channing, actress and comedian
Cheerleader Melissa, pro wrestler
Chris Columbus, film director
Francis Ford Coppola, film director
Eleanor Dumont (Madame Moustache), professional card dealer and gambler
Andrew Smith Hallidie, promoter of the first cable car line
George Hearst, politician
Phoebe Hearst, first woman Regent of the University of California
James Hetfield (b. 1963), singer and rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Metallica
Sargent Johnson, African-American sculptor
Philip Kaufman, film director
Jason Kidd, NBA player
Dorothea Lange, photographer
CoCo Lee, CantoPop singer and actress
James Lick, real estate investor
Charlotte Mailliard Shultz, CVO (b. 1933), philanthropist, socialite
Cheech Marin, film actor
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, activists, first same-sex couple to get a marriage license in San Francisco
Kirke Mechem, composer
Midori, author and (kinky) sex educator
Harvey Milk, former city supervisor of San Francisco
The Mitchell brothers, Jim and Artie, adult industry pioneers
Matt Nathanson, singer/musician
Emperor Norton, Gold Rush entrepreneur, eccentric, egalitarian and original visionary of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
Gary Payton, NBA player (native of Oakland)
Linda Perry, lead singer of 4 Non Blondes
William Chapman Ralston, founder of the Bank of California
The Residents, Avant-Garde music and visual arts group
Anne Rice, author
Tina Root, ex-vocalist of the now defunct darkwave band Switchblade Symphony
Kevin Rose, founder of digg.com
Michael Savage, conservative radio personality
Tabe Slioor, socialite, reporter, photographer
Danielle Steel, author
Dale J. Stephens, author
Robert Louis Stevenson (from 1879-1880)
Sharon Stone, actress
Amy Tan (b. 1952), author
Mark Twain, author
Lars Ulrich, (b. 1963), drummer for thrash metal band Metallica
Wayne Wang, film director
Robert Wartenberg, neurologist
Oscar Wilde, author and playwright, spent 1882 there
Cecil Williams, pastor
Robin Williams, actor
David Woodard, conductor
Martin Yan, television chef
Arthur Wolcott Yates, U.S. Army general
Alphabetical index
Abrams, Albert (1863-1924), inventor
Allen, Gracie (1895-1964), comedian
Arguello, Luis Antonio (1784-1830)
Attell, Abe (1884-1970), boxer
Belasco, David (1853-1931), playwright
Bixby, Bill (1934-1993), actor
Blanc, Mel (1908-1989), voiceover actor
Bodie, Ping (1887-1961), baseball center fielder
Bonds, Barry (b. 1964), baseball player
Bonds, Bobby (1946-2003), baseball player
Bonet, Lisa (b. 1967), actress
Bratt, Benjamin (b. 1963), actor
Breyer, Stephen (b. 1938), jurist
Brown, Jerry (b. 1938), politician
Brown, Pat (1905-1996), politician
Camilli, Dolph (1907-1997), baseball first baseman
Carlson, Tucker (b. 1969), political commentator
Chaquico, Craig (b. 1954), guitarist
Cho, Margaret (b. 1968), comedian, actress
Cimoli, Gino (1929-2011), baseball athlete
Corbett, Joe (1875-1945), baseball player
Criss, Darren (b. 1987), singer
Cronin, Joe (1906-1984), baseball player
Crosetti, Frankie (1910-2002), baseball player
Cullen, Tim (b. 1942), politician
Dahlgren, Babe (1912-1996), baseball player
DeMaestri, Joe (1928-2016), baseball player
DiMaggio, Dom (1917-2009), baseball player and the brother of Joe DiMaggio
Downs, Greg (b. 1971), writer
Dumont, Eleanor (1834-1879), also known as Madame Moustache, professional card dealer and gambler
Duncan, Isadora (1877-1927), dancer
Elliott, Bob (1916-1966), baseball third baseman
Fee, Ben, (????-????), activist
Folger, Abigail (1943-1969), heiress
Forte, Anthony (b. 1988), rapper
Fregosi, Jim (1942-2014), baseball manager
Garcia, Jerry (1942-1995), musician
Getty, Gordon (b. 1934), philanthropist and composer
Guaraldi, Vince (1928-1976), American football manager & the namesake of the Lombardi Trophy
Heilmann, Harry (1894-1951), baseball player
Hernandez, Keith (b. 1953), baseball first baseman
Herron, Cindy (b. 1961), singer
Holt, Gary (b. 1964), musician
Jensen, Jackie (1927-1992), baseball player
Joost, Eddie (1916-2011), professional basketball player
Kamm, Willie (b. 1950), religiious leader
Kantner, Paul (b. 1941), musician
Kelly, George (1905-1967), psychologist
LaVey, Anton Szandor (1930-1997), founder of the Church of Satan
Lee, Gus (b. 1946), author
Levitin, Daniel (b. 1957), psychologist
Lewis, Huey (b. 1950), American musician and the lead singer of Huey Lewis & The News
Mann, Leslie (b. 1972), actress
Prior, Mark (b. 1975), baseball coach
Mathis, Johnny (b. 1935), singer
Ng, Melissa (b. 1972), television actress
Perry, Linda (b. 1965), singer-songwriter
Santana, Carlos (b. 1947), guitarist
Shakur, Tupac (1971-1996), rapper
Sparks, Theresa (b. 1949), engineer
Sweeney, Charlie (1919-2004), baseball player
Tan, Amy (b. 1952), author
Toklas, Alice B. (1877-1967) writer
Williams, Robin (1951-2014) comedian, actor
References
San Francisco
people