List of people from Peoria, Illinois

This is a stand-alone list that meets list notability criteria. Please only add items that meet the selection criteria established in the lead.

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Peoria, Illinois.

Peoria has the three largest hospitals in its metropolitan area; many people said to be "from Peoria" in biographies may have actually been born in a Peoria hospital but grown up in Peoria County, Tazewell County, or Woodford County, Illinois.

Contents 1 Authors and academics 2 Business and engineering 3 Media and arts 3.1 Bands 4 Military 5 Politics 6 Religion 7 Sports 8 References

Authors and academics

• William Lane Craig — Christian apologist.
• Philip José Farmer — science fiction and fantasy author.
• Betty Friedan — feminist author, The Feminine Mystique.
• Kent Hovind — Christian creationist, convicted of 58 federal counts involving money fraud.
• Kate Klise — children's book author.
• Dan Simmons — author of the Hyperion Cantos series and other novels.
• Frank Wead — U.S. Navy aviator turned screenwriter.

Business and engineering

• Bruce Borland — golf course designer for Jack Nicklaus, died in 1999 plane crash with Hall of Famer Payne Stewart.
• John Coleman — meteorologist and weatherman, founder of The Weather Channel.
• Susan G. Komen — namesake of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
• George D. Sax — entrepreneur, credited with the innovation of drive-through banking.

Media and arts

• Bill Ballance — radio host.
• Mark Staff Brandl — artist.
• Jack Brickhouse — announcer, voice of the Chicago Cubs.
• Charles Correll — performer, star of Amos and Andy on radio.
• Dan Fogelberg — musician.
• Jerry Hadley — opera tenor.
• Harry Harrison — radio host: "Morning Mayor of Peoria" on WPEO; disc jockey on several New York City radio stations
• Tecumseh "Teck" Holmes III — actor, rapper, former Direct Effect host, The Real World: Hawaii cast member
• Tom Irwin — actor, founding member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
• Bruce Johnston — member of the Beach Boys; born in Peoria, then adopted and moved to Chicago and Los Angeles.
• Jim and Marian Jordan — radio stars of Fibber McGee and Molly.
• Tim Kelley — Key To The City Recipient, Grammy Award winning record producer: half of the production duo Tim & Bob.
• Sam Kinison — comedian.
• Tami Lane — Academy Award for Makeup winner for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
• Ralph Lawler — legendary voice of the Los Angeles Clippers.
• Camryn Manheim — actress.
• Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane — lead singer for Spanky and Our Gang; replaced Cass Elliott in The Mamas & the Papas.
• James Millhollin — character actor, born in Peoria
• Craig Moore — lead singer and bassist of 1960s garage rock band Gonn; grew up in Peoria
• Richard Pryor — comedian and actor
• Gary Richrath — guitarist from REO Speedwagon
• Bob Robinson — Key To The City Recipient, Grammy Award winning record producer, half of the famous duo Tim & Bob.
• Bart Shatto — featured vocalist with Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
• David Ogden Stiers — actor, Major Charles Emerson Winchester III on M*A*S*H.
• Cynthia Stone — actress.
• Rick Telander — sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, panelist on Sportswriters on TV.
• Greg X. Volz — lead singer of Christian rock band Petra.
• Richard A. Whiting — composer.

Bands

• The Forecast — indie rock band.
• Minsk — metal band.
• Mudvayne — metal band.
• Planes Mistaken for Stars — punk and hardcore band.

Military

• General Wayne A. Downing — U.S. Special Operations Commander, U.S. Army Special Operations Commander Joint Special Operations Commander, 75th Ranger Regiment.
• General John M. Shalikashvili — former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Frank Wead — a U.S. Navy aviator turned screenwriter who helped promote United States Naval aviation from its inception through World War II.[

Politics

• Nancy Brinker — former Chief of Protocol of the United States, former United States Ambassador to Hungary, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
• Mark Clark — Black Panther, killed in an infamous Chicago police raid (12/4/1969).
• William L. Eagleton — United States diplomat
• Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll — popular and controversial orator and former Illinois Attorney General.
• Raja Krishnamoorthi — Democratic candidate for Illinois Comptroller (2010).
• Ray LaHood — former congressman from Illinois's 18th congressional district, current Secretary of Transportation under President Obama.
• Robert H. Michel — longest serving Republican leader of the House of Representatives.
• Robert Dale Morgan a United States federal judge and mayor of Peoria.
• Aaron Schock — current congressman for Illinois's 18th congressional district.

Religion

• Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen — Bishop of Rochester and host of The Catholic Hour on radio and Life is Worth Living on television, cause for canonization opened in 2002.

Sports

• Amy Irene Applegren — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player (1944-1953)
• Darryl Ashmore — retired football player; cousin of Carla McGhee.
• Charlie Bartson — Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago Pirates
• Harry Bay — Major League Baseball player (1901-1908).
• Lynn Brenton — Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds
• Ben Caffyn — Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Naps
• Mike Donlin — Major League Baseball outfielder (1899-1914).
• Dan Dugdale — Major League Baseball catcher for the Kansas City Cowboys and Washington Senators.
• Acie Earl — NBA player for the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and the Milwaukee Bucks.
• Norwood Gibson — Major League Baseball pitcher for the Boston Americans.
• Tom Gilles — Major League Baseball pitcher for the Toronto Bluejays.
• Joe Girardi — catcher, manager of the New York Yankees, raised in East Peoria.
• Earl Grant — Running Back with the Kansas City Chiefs (1979-1980).
• Dick Jauron — former head coach for the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears.
• Shaun Livingston — current NBA player for the Milwaukee Bucks.
• Chris Mabeus — former MLB player for the Milwaukee Brewers.
• Carla McGhee — basketball forward, gold-medalist at 1996 Summer Olympics.
• Zach Monroe — Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees.
• D. A. Points — PGA tour golfer.
• Jeff Salzenstein — tennis player.
• Matt Savoie — U.S. bronze medalist figure skater (2006).
• Leo Schrall — baseball head coach at Bradley University during 24 seasons.
• Jim Thome — baseball player for the Cleveland Indians.
• Dick Versace — former Bradley University basketball coach, first NBA coach of Puerto Rican descent.
• Sherrick McManis — NFL player for the Houston Texans

References