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 ) ^[1]
• 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^{[ citation needed ]}
• 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 ^[2]
• Jarvis Brown, outfielder for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles ^[3]
• Johnny Dickshot, outfielder for with Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants and Chicago White Sox ^[4]
• Eric Eckenstahler, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers ^[5]
• Jay Hook, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets ^[6] (winning pitcher in the first ever victory for the New York Mets)
• Bill Krueger, pitcher for eight MLB teams ^[7]
• 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 ^[8]
• Doc Oberlander, pitcher for the Cleveland Blues ^[9]
• 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 ^[10]
• Billy McKinney, retired professional basketball player and former radio broadcaster ^[11]
• Jerome Whitehead, center and power forward for several NBA teams ^[12]

Football

• Otto Graham, award-winning quarterback for the Cleveland Browns ^[13]
• Brian Schwenke current offensive lineman for the New England Patriots, born in Waukegan
• Michael Turner, running back for the Atlanta Falcons ^{[ citation needed ]}
• Mike Wagner, safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers; four time Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV) ^[14]

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. ^[15]
• Althea Warren, president of the American Library Association, 1943–44
• Nick Erickson, Vice President Integrated Specialty Contractors. Born in Waukegan, IL.

References

1. Rosenberger, Tim (April 3, 2017). "TV Star Returns to Bradley to Receive Alumni Award". Peoria Journal Star . Peoria, Illinois . Retrieved August 28, 2017.
2. "Gary Bennett Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
3. "Jarvis Brown Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
4. "Johnny Dickshot Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
5. "Eric Eckenstahler Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
6. "Jay Hook Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
7. "Bill Krueger Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
8. "Jerry Kutzler Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
9. "Doc Oberlander Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
10. "Shawn Marion". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
11. "Billy McKinney". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
12. "Jerome Clay Whitehead". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
13. "Otto Graham". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
14. "Mike Wagner". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
15. Jones, Emil; Philip, Pate (May 7, 1995). "Senate Resolution 116, 91st General Assembly". Illinois General Assembly . Retrieved November 29, 2020.