List of people from Staten Island

This is a list of people who were either born or have lived in Staten Island, a borough of New York City, New York, at some time in their lives.

This is an incomplete list that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Actors/Actresses/Film/TV

Past

• Maurice Barrymore – Vaudeville actor had a farm on Staten Island in the late 19th century. Maurice appeared in local plays in Stapleton. His children John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore's amateur stage appearance was in Ft Wadsworth where they lived with their grandmother Louisa Lane Drew
• Florina Kaja – Socialite TV Personality. Known for being a castmember of Season 4 on the hit reality television series Bad Girls Club
• Paul Newman – Actor, married to Joanne Woodward, lived in St. George, Staten Island.^[1]
• Mabel Normand (1892–1930), silent film actress, director,writer and owned an early movie company. She grew up in New Brighton. She directed Chaplin in his 1st movies. She appeared with Charlie Chaplin in Tillies Punctured Romance.
• Edward Platt – Actor who played the famous character "The Chief" on the 1960s TV show Get Smart, was born on Staten Island.
• Joanne Woodward – Actress, married to Paul Newman, lived in St. George, Staten Island.
• David Froman Actor, played "Gunther" on Edge of Night, and was a regular on Matlock, once lived in Livingston.

Present

• Leslie Barrett – Actress- best known as Harvey's friend George in The Honeymooners episode "The Bensonhurst Bomber"
• Eddie Kaye Thomas - actor, best known as Paul Finch in the American Pie movies. Born and raised in New Dorp.
• Sheena Colette-Actress on Gossip Girl, White Collar; model in W magazine, Elle. Graduated from St. Joseph by the Sea
• Roy Clark (1933–) Country music performer
• Eric Close – Actor who plays "Martin Fitzgerald" on the CBS drama Without a Trace.
• Pete Davidson – Comedian from Saturday Night Live
• John Dehner – Television and movie actor born on Staten Island.
• David Dukes – Actor, lived in Brighton Heights briefly.
• Jennifer Esposito – Actress Spin City, Summer of Sam attended Moore Catholic High School.
• Bobby Flay – Chef who works for Food Network.
• Carmine Giovinazzo – Actor who plays Detective Danny Messer on the CBS drama CSI: NY.
• Dan Grimaldi – The Sopranos twins Philly and Patsy Parisi, former resident.
• Vinny Guadagnino – MTV's Jersey Shore was born and raised on Staten Island
• Patti Hansen – Famous model and wife to The Rolling Stones' Keith Richards graduated from Tottenville High School.
• Larry Harmon- Bozo the Clown lived on Staten Island.
• Allen Jenkins – Hollywood character actor, voice of cartoon Top Cat's Officer Dibble was born on Staten Island.
• Hassan Johnson – Actor, featured in The Wire, Belly, etc.
• Tim Kelleher- Film, TV and Stage actor, writer, director. Attended PS 35, OLGC and Msgr. Farrell.
• Yunjin Kim – Actress on Lost (TV series).
• Sukanya Krishnan – host and news anchor for WB11, grew up on Staten Island and graduated from New Dorp High School
• Paul Land- actor Spring Break, The Idolmaker.
• Bob Levy – comic, Rev. Bob Levy was raised on Great Kills.
• Robert Loggia – Actor (Scarface, The Sopranos, Big, etc.) New Dorp High School graduate.
• Alyssa Milano – Actress, she was raised on Staten Island.
• Jonathan M. Parisen – Filmmaker, was born and raised on Staten Island.
• Eddie Pepitone, Actor and standup comedian
• Angelina Pivarnick, former cast member of MTV's Jersey Shore seasons 1–2, was born and raised on Staten Island.
• Brian Quinn, Star of The Impractical Jokers on TruTV.
• Robin Quivers – Radio personality from the Howard Stern show lives on Staten Island
• Tony Reali – Stat Boy on Pardon the Interruption; Host of Around the Horn.
• Pat Robertson – TV personality and Evangelist, lived in Great Kills in the 1960s. Found his interest in religion while living on S.I.
• Larry Romano – Actor The King of Queens, NYPD Blue.
• Kevin Rooney – Former manager of Mike Tyson lived on Staten Island
• Theo Rossi – Actor Sons of Anarchy.
• Gianni Russo – Actor was raised on Staten Island. Gianni played Carlo Rizzi in The Godfather.
• Glenn Scarpelli – Child actor from One Day at a Time, born and raised in Staten Island.
• Steven R. Schirripa – Bobby Bacala from The Sopranos.
• Rick Schroder – TV Actor, Silver Spoons, NYPD Blue, 24, Strong Medicine.
• Steven Seagal – Actor, lived on Staten Island.^[1]
• Raymond Serra – Actor, was in Gotti and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
• Martin Sheen – Actor, lived on Staten Island in St. George.
• Michael "The Situation" Sorrentino – MTV'S Jersey Shore was born on Staten Island.
• Lenny Venito – Actor, War of the Worlds.
• Tristan Wilds – Actor, The Wire, 90210

Artists

• Alice Austen – photographer, lifelong Staten Island resident.^[2] The MV Alice Austen is named after her.
• John Carrère – architect who designed NY Public Library lived in Clifton
• John Celardo – illustrator of the Tarzan comic strip
• Fred Cozzens – marine artist, 19th century
• Jasper Francis Cropsey – landscape artist of the Hudson River School who was born on his family's farm in Rossville.^[3]
• Evan Dorkin – cartoonist and creator of Milk & Cheese; a longtime resident of Staten Island
• Ernest Flagg – commercial architect who has an estate on Todt Hill
• Alice Sargent Johnson – illustrator; lifelong Staten Islander, illustrated early 20th century magazines and books.
• John Martinez (artist) – painter, known for his work No Greater Love, of the September 11 attacks and rescue effort.^[4]
• John A. Noble – Lithographer and artist. The Staten Island Ferry, John A. Noble was named after him.^[5][6]
• Frederick Law Olmsted – 19th century architect; had a country house on Staten Island
• Edward Sargent – architect, artist; lived Tomkinsville; designed an armory, many Staten Island schools and homes.
• Francesco Scavullo – photographer born on Staten Island.
• Cynthia von Buhler – artist and children's book author. Currently resides in Staten Island.
• George Woodbridge – illustrator for Mad magazine and history books. Lived on Staten Island.

Business

• William Henry Aspinwall (1807–1875) – shipping magnate; helped found the ASPCA and Metropolitan Museum of Art. He died on Staten Island at his large country estate on Aspinwall Street in Tottenville.
• Denis M. Hughes – President, NYS AFL-CIO, born and raised on Staten Island
• Samuel I. Newhouse (1927–) – Media tycoon
• Anson Phelps Stokes (February 22, 1838 – June 28, 1913) – merchant, banker, philanthropist. Owned Phelps-Dodge. His 10-acre mansion was next to Curtis High School.
• Cornelius Vanderbilt – 19th century shipping and railroad magnate, born and lived on Staten Island, buried in the Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp on Staten Island.
• William Henry Vanderbilt (1821–1885)

Inventors

• Thomas Adams (chewing gum maker) (1818–1905) – Founder of the chewing gum industry, later teamed up with William Wrigley Jr. Lived on SI in the 1860s–1870s. Invented chewing gum and produced on SI.
• Charles Goodyear- inventor -lived on SI for several years. Experimented with rubber 1836–39 on SI . The SI business failed and he moved to Boston. In 1840s he patented the vulcanization of rubber.
• Gustave Mayer - inventor of the Nilla wafer, later popularized by Nabisco.
• Antonio Meucci – Inventor of the telephone, immigrated to Staten Island, settling in the Clifton area in 1850, where he would live for the remainder of his life.

Historical notables and early settlers

• Dorothy Day – social activist and anarchist. Lived on Staten Island, and is buried in Resurrection Cemetery on Staten Island..
• Cornelis Melyn – early settler, political figure, and Patroon
• Daniel Perrin – early settler known as "The Huguenot"
• Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana (1794–1896) – five-time Mexican President, exiled on Staten Island
• Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton (1744–1821) – the first American born Roman Catholic saint
• William Greenough Thayer (1863–1934) – educator, born in New Brighton, Staten Island
• Julia Gardiner Tyler – second wife of President John Tyler; resided in Staten Island during the Civil War

Law

• Marcia Clark – famed prosecutor in the famous O.J. Simpson trial; graduated from Susan E. Wagner High School. Lived on Queen Street in Manor Heights, near the Todt Hill area.
• Joe Pistone – FBI agent (aka Donnie Brasco); lived in Staten Island for a brief period

Military and government

• Michael R. Boera – Major General, USAF; F-16 pilot Desert Storm, Bosnian War; holder of Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star; born and elementary education on Staten Island.
• Father Vincent Capodanno – Chaplain, Lieutenant, United States Navy. Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.
• Ichabod Crane – a Colonel in the US Army during the War of 1812 and the nominal inspiration for the fictional protagonist in Washington Irving's Legend of Sleepy Hollow, who is buried in Staten Island, New York
• Thomas D Doubleday- Wall Street Merchant, Colonel in Civil War. He lived in Port Richmond. Brother of Abner Doubleday.
• Fred Espenak – NASA scientist, born and educated on Staten Island
• Louis V. Iasiello – Chief of Navy Chaplains from 2003 to 2006
• Robert Gould Shaw (1837–1863) – Colonel who headed the Union Army's first African American regiment
• Edward Stettinius Jr. – Chairman of US Steel, left to become Secretary of State to FDR Administration; former home is now Staten Island Academy, Todt Hill

Musicians

• Chuck Wayne – Jazz guitarist with Woody Herman, George Shearing quintet, and Tony Bennett.
• Christina Aguilera – Pop singer. Born on Staten Island.^[1]
• Steve Augeri – Former Lead Singer of the rock band Journey
• Joan Baez – Folk singer, born on Staten Island. Resided on Maine Avenue in Westerleigh. Her father, Dr. Albert Baez, was a professor at Wagner College.
• Vito Bratta – Guitarist for White Lion lives on Staten Island
• Cappadonna – Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan member born and raised on Staten Island.
• Christopher Coletti – Trumpet player with Canadian Brass, raised in Staten Island
• Mark Delpriora-Classical guitarist and composer, born and raised on Staten Island.
• Ron Dante – Lead singer for The Archies, big hit was the number 1 song "Sugar Sugar".
• Bobby Darin – Singer, his family had a summer home as a child in South Beach, Staten Island.
• The Elegants- #1 hit record in 1959 "Little Star", song was actually recorded in a South Beach Staten Island studio.
• Eamon Doyle – Rapper, born and raised on Staten Island
• Anthony Esposito- Born on Staten Island, bassist for the Rock Bands Lynch Mob and Ace Frehley
• David Johansen – (aka Buster Poindexter) of the New York Dolls
• Kenny Jones – Lead vocals, keyboards with The Strangeloves born and raised on Staten Island
• Steven Duren – Better known as Blackie Lawless, lead singer of the 1980s heavy metal band W.A.S.P.
• Force MD's – Some members were born and raised on Staten Island
• Sandy Gennaro – Drummer, raised in South Beach. played with Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, The Monkees and Pat Travers.
• George Harrison – Of the Beatles briefly lived in Staten Island near Staten Island University Hospital while being treated for cancer there.
• Ghostface Killah – Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan member born and raised on Staten Island.
• Inspectah Deck, Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan member born and raised on Staten Island.
• Lil' Suzy – freestyle singer
• Roland Trogan- Composer, lives on Staten Island.
• Galt MacDermot – Music and Lyricist for musicals such as Hair and The Two Gentlemen of Verona.
• Method Man – Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan member born and raised on Staten Island.
• Ingrid Michaelson – Indie-pop singer/songwriter; a Staten Island Technical High School graduate.
• A.J. Pero – Drummer for Twisted Sister
• Vito Picone – Picone and the band he started, The Elegants, recorded their #1 hit of 1959 – "Little Star" – on South Beach, Staten Island
• Raekwon – Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan member, although born in Brooklyn he was raised on Staten Island.
• RZA – Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan founding member, Grammy Award winning producer
• Redman (rapper)- lived on Staten Island. His Staten Island home was featured on MTV Cribs
• Vernon Reid – Guitar player for Living Colour
• Keith Richards – Rolling Stones guitarist. His wife was from SI and in the 1980s he owned a home on the South Shore.
• The rapper Shyheim, rapper
• Gene Simmons – Kiss bass player, went to Richmond College St. George
• Earl Slick – Guitarist, Phantom, Rocker and Slick, played with John Lennon
• Peter Steele – Lead singer and bassist for the gothic-doom band Type O Negative
• Kasim Sulton – Bass player for Utopia, with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; now a member of The New Cars
• Ron Thal- aka Bumblefoot, was raised in Bay Terrace. Guitar player for Guns N' Roses.
• U-God – Rapper/Wu-Tang Clan member; born in Brooklyn, but moved to Staten Island as a youth.
• UMC's – Hip-hop duo consists of Hass G and Kool Kim
• White Lion – hard rock band
• Wu Tang Clan – Hip-hop group; 5 of 9 members are from Staten Island. Credited with giving Staten Island the nickname "Shaolin"
• Frankie LaRocka – Drummer and producer, played for Bryan Adams and Jon Bon Jovi. Born and raised in South Beach.
• Anthony Spencer – Singer songwriter, lives in St-George.
• JoJo Pellegrino – Hip Hop Artist
• PS22 Chorus – world renowned elementary school chorus located in Graniteville that is a viral YouTube sensation and performed at the 83rd Academy Awards
• Dom Pachino – rapper/killarmy member, born in Manhattan moved to Staten island as a youth.

Notorious

• Paul Castellano – Gambino Crime Boss, lived in the Todt Hill, Staten Island Buried in Moravian Cemetery in unmarked grave.
• Sammy "The Bull" Gravano – mob turncoat lived on Staten Island
• Jeb Stuart Magruder (1934–) A Staten Island native. Watergate figure in Nixon White House.

Politicians

Past

• Aaron Burr The third Vice President of the United States Burr died on Staten Island at a hotel in the village of Port Richmond. Famous for duel with Alexander Hamilton.
• Giuseppe Garibaldi – 19th century Italian revolutionary and statesman, lived for a time on Staten Island, and worked as a candle-maker.^[1]
• Daniel D. Tompkins – The sixth Vice President of the United States, an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, Governor of New York, and established Tompkinsville in Staten Island and the Staten Island Ferry.

Recent

• Vinny Browne – Born in Staten Island, currently candidate for the United States House of Representatives for Hawaii's 1st congressional district.^[7]
• Vito Fossella – Republican member of the New York City Council and United States House of Representatives.
• Caleb Lyon – designed the Seal of the State of California; served in the New York State Assembly, the New York State Senate, the U. S. House of Representatives, and as Governor of the Territory of Idaho.^[8]
• Michael E. McMahon – Democratic member of the New York City Council and the United States House of Representatives
• Michael Grimm – Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and former FBI agent.
• Guy Molinari – former member of the New York State Assembly and the United States House of Representatives, and Borough President of Staten Island from 1989–2001.
• Susan Molinari - Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1990-1997.
• James Oddo – Republican member of the New York City Council.
• Debi Rose – Democratic city councilwoman for the North Shore of Staten Island.
• Robert Straniere – Republican member of the New York State Assembly; ran for the United States House of Representatives in 2008.

Sports

Historical

• Gloria Cordes (Elliott) – former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League pitcher
• Kevin Coyle – Football lifer who was named defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins
• John Franco – former pitcher for the New York Mets Major League Baseball team
• Frank Menechino – former Major League Baseball utility infielder
• Rose Montalbano – former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League infielder
• Mary Ewing Outerbridge (1852–1886) "The Mother of Tennis" set up the first tennis court in the United States. Buried in Silver Mount Cemetery in Silver Lake, Staten Island.
• Duane Singleton – former Major League Baseball outfielder
• Mookie Wilson – New York Mets outfielder lived on Staten Island^[9]
• Paul Mormando Martial Arts Star and Actor.
• Bobby Thomson "shot heard round the world " 1951 played for NY Giants 1946–1953,1957 grew up on Staten Island and attended Curtis High School

Recent

• Joe Andruzzi – Cleveland Browns Offensive Lineman. Has 3 Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots.
• Nicky Anosike – Former NCAA basketball player for the University of Tennessee and current member of the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks
• Marcus Browne – 3 Time Golden Gloves Champion, National PAL Champion and a 2012 United States Olympian
• Angelina Pivarnick – Known for being a castmember on Jersey Shore.
• Teddy Atlas – Boxing trainer and commentator; trained Michael Moorer and Mike Tyson. Winner of the Sam Taub Award.
• Rich Aurilia – All Star Shortstop, San Francisco Giants grew up on Staten Island.
• Renaldo Balkman – New York Knicks 2006 First Round Draft Pick, Born on Staten Island
• George Bamberger – baseball player and manager.
• Larry Bearnarth – St. Peters baseball & basketball star. College All-American baseball. Pro with Mets; pitching Coach with Brewers.
• Bill Britton – Pro golfer was born and raised on Staten Island. Graduate of Monsignor Farrell High School.
• Terry Crowley – baseball player, member of the 1970 World Champion Baltimore Orioles. Curtis High School graduate. A Sunnyside native.
• Jennifer Derevjanik- Plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA, former St. Peters player
• Billy Donovan – coach of the Florida Gators played AAU basketball on Staten island. The team was the Staten Island Stallions.
• Rich Eisen – former ESPN host and current host of the NFL Network
• John Engels – HS All American Basketball Player at St Peters. Continued playing at Penn in the Ivy League before playing in Europe
• Frank Fernández – Catcher/Outfielder for the Yankees; nicknamed the "Staten Island Strongboy". A Curtis High School graduate.
• Frank Ferrara – New Dorp H.S., Played for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. Now with arena team New York Dragons
• Silvia Fontana – Italian figure skater in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games, was born in Staten Island on December 3, 1976.
• Nick Fotiu was the first player ever from New York City (Borough of Staten Island) to play hockey for the hometown New York Rangers.^[10]
• John Franco – former New York Mets pitcher. Lived on Todt Hill.
• Matt Galante – former bench coach for the Houston Astros and New York Mets. Lives in Annadale
• Tony Garea – former WWE wrestler, lived in Staten Island for years.
• Jim Lee Howell – former head coach of the New York Giants. Also head coach of Wagner College football.
• Rich Kotite – former Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets head coach, lives in West Brighton, Staten Island. Played for the New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Wagner College.
• Vito LoGrasso – WWE wrestler hails from Staten Island
• Hank Majeski – MLB infielder. Born and raised in Staten Island

• Jason Marquis – All Star pitcher for the Washington Nationals, went to Tottenville High School, which he pitched to two city championships.
• Oleg Maskaev – Heavyweight Boxing Champion
• Dennis McKnight – Graduated from Susan Wagner H.S. played 9 seasons in the NFL; now coach at the University of Hawaii
• Frank Menechino – Susan Wagner H.S., Alabama, 10 seasons MLB most notably for the Oakland Athletics
• Pete Mikkelsen- former Yankees, Dodgers,Pirates and Cardinals relief pitcher
• Sudsy Monchik – 5-Time Pro World Champion racquetball player, went to Tottenville High School.
• Adewale Ogunleye – Chicago Bears Defensive End, formerly played for Indiana University and Tottenville High School
• Nick Pace- Current UFC fighter
• Johnny Petraglia, pro bowler.
• Joe Pignatano – former catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1957) and New York Mets (1962). Long time coach for the New York Mets from 1968–1981. Lived in New Dorp for many years.
• Bill Richmond – British pugilist, born a slave on colonial Staten Island, lived in the 18th and 19th centuries.
• Randy Savage – former professional wrestler known as "Macho Man".
• William Shakespeare (football) – Halfback at Notre Dame and member of College Football Hall of Fame
• Mike Siani – wide receiver for Villanova and number 1 draft choice for the Oakland Raiders; born and raised on Staten Island.
• John Wolyniec – forward for MLS side Red Bull New York
• Anthony Varvaro – Pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. Graduated from Curtis High School in June 2002, and St. Johns University, with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice.

Writers

Historical

• George William Curtis (1824–1892) Author, orator, reformer. Curtis High School is named for him.
• William T. Davis – naturalist, entomologist, and historian.
• Langston Hughes – Poet, lived and worked for a season on a Staten Island farm growing vegetables.
• William James, the philosopher, and his younger brother Henry James, the novelist – Spent a few summers on Staten Island when they were growing up in Manhattan.
• Edwin Markham – poet, lived on Staten Island.
• Henry David Thoreau – Spent his longest time away from Concord, Massachusetts on Staten Island in the 1840s.
• Frank McCourt – Writer, taught at McKee High School

Recent

• Melissa Anelli – Webmistress of The Leaky Cauldron and author of Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon.
• Richard Adams Locke – Editor of the New York Sun and presumed author of the Moon Hoax, lived on Staten Island.
• Colin Jost – television writer Saturday Night Live, comedian
• Tim Kelleher – Poet, Journalist, Documentarian. Former Media Editor, First Things Magazine. Attended PS 35, OLGC and Ms
• Ki Longfellow – novelist, born on Staten Island. Author of The Secret Magdalene.
• Andy Milligan – Playwright and film director, resided in Staten Island
• Kafū Nagai – Japanese author; wrote about his brief residence in American Stories
• Keith Smith – Silver Lake resident, author of Men in My Town.
• Theodore Sturgeon – Science fiction author, born on Staten Island
• John Taddeo – writer, director born and raised in Staten Island
• William J. Taverner – Sex educator, author of texts in human sexuality, American Journal of Sexuality Education, grew up on Staten Island
• Lara Vapnyar – Russian Jewish emigre writer known for her short stories
• Paul Zindel – Novelist and playwright, whose books usually took place on Staten Island

See also

• List of people from New York City
  • List of people from the Bronx
  • List of people from Brooklyn
  • List of people from Queens

References