List of people from Missouri
The following are people who were either born/raised or have lived for a significant period of time in Missouri.
- This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Art and literature
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- Helen Andelin (born 1920), author of Fascinating Womanhood
- Maya Angelou (1928–2014), author and poet
- Thomas P. Barnett (1870–1929), architect and impressionist painter
- Thomas Hart Benton (1889–1975), painter
- George Caleb Bingham (1811–1879), artist (born in Virginia but moved to central Missouri)
- Edward McKendree Bounds (1835–1913), author and theologian
- Mark Bowden (born 1951), author, journalist
- William S. Burroughs (1914–1997), author
- Kate Chopin (1851–1904), author (The Awakening) and early feminist
- Guy Anthony De Marco (born 1963), author of speculative fiction
- Lester Dent (1904–1959), author of Doc Savage novels
- Michele Dunaway (born 1965), author of romantic novels
- Suzette Haden Elgin (1936–2015), science-fiction author and linguist
- T. S. Eliot (1888–1965), poet, dramatist and literary critic
- Mary Engelbreit (born 1952), graphic artist, children's book illustrator
- Michael Evans (1944–2005), photographer
- Eugene Field (1850–1895), writer and poet
- Gillian Flynn (born 1971), novelist, television critic
- Martha Gellhorn (1908–1998), novelist, travel writer and journalist
- Steve Gerber (1947-2008), comic book writer and co-creator of Howard the Duck
- William Least Heat-Moon (born 1939), author
- Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988), science fiction author
- Frederick Hibbard (1881–1950), sculptor known for his works of famous 19th-century figures
- Langston Hughes (1902–1967), African-American poet, novelist and playwright
- William W. Johnstone (1938–2004), author of western, horror and survivalist novels
- Donald Judd (1928–1994), artist
- Jim Lee (born 1964), comic book artist and writer
- David Limbaugh (born 1952), columnist, author, political commentator
- Bernarr Macfadden (1868–1955), founder of Macfadden Publications, bodybuilding advocate
- Dennis L. McKiernan (born 1932), author
- Marianne Moore (1887–1972), poet and writer
- Archie Musick (1902–1978), painter and illustrator, associated with the Regionalist movement
- John R. Musick (1849–1901), author and poet, known for the Columbian Historical novels
- Ruth Ann Musick (1897–1974), author and folklorist
- H. Richard Niebuhr (1894–1962), author, theologian
- Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971), author, theologian, political commentator
- John Ross (born 1957), author
- Charles Marion Russell (1864–1926), artist
- Clay Shirky (born 1964), writer, consultant, lecturer, author of Here Comes Everybody
- Kimora Lee Simmons, fashion model, author, actress
- Sara Teasdale (1884–1933), poet
- Kay Thompson (1909–1998), creator of Eloise children's books
- Ernest Trova (1927-2009), sculptor, surrealist and pop art painter best known for The Falling Man
- Mark Twain (1835–1910), born Samuel Clemens, humorist, writer and lecturer
- Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957), writer and author of the Little House series
- Tennessee Williams (1911–1983), playwright (born in Mississippi, grew up in St. Louis)
- Daniel Woodrell (born 1953), author of crime fiction
Athletics
Auto racing
NASCAR driver Rusty Wallace
- Paul Dana (1975–2006), IndyCar Series driver
- Lloyd Dane (1925–2015), NASCAR driver
- Russ Dugger (born 1975), NASCAR driver, Camping World Truck Series
- Carl Edwards (born 1979), NASCAR driver, 2007 NASCAR Busch Series champion
- James Ince (born c. 1969), NASCAR crew chief
- Justin Jennings (born 1992), NASCAR driver
- Cody Lane (born 1996), NASCAR driver, Camping World Truck Series
- Justin Marks (born 1981), NASCAR driver
- Jamie McMurray (born 1976), NASCAR driver, Daytona 500 winner
- Larry Phillips (1942–2004), NASCAR driver
- Tony Roper (1964–2000), NASCAR driver
- Ken Schrader (born 1955), NASCAR driver
- Dorsey Schroeder (born 1953), retired NASCAR driver, Speed Channel color analyst
- Ramo Stott (born 1934), retired NASCAR driver
- Chrissy Wallace (born 1988), NASCAR driver
- Kenny Wallace (born 1963), NASCAR driver, broadcaster
- Mike Wallace (born 1959), NASCAR driver
- Rusty Wallace (born 1956), NASCAR driver, 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup champion
Baseball
- A–M
- Jake Arrieta (born 1986), starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- George Baker (1857–1915), MLB catcher
- Jake Beckley (1867–1919), Baseball Hall of Fame member from game's early years
- James "Cool Papa" Bell (1903–1991), Baseball Hall of Fame center fielder
- Yogi Berra (1925-2015), Hall of Fame catcher, manager, aphorist
- Brian Boehringer (born 1969), MLB pitcher
- Clete Boyer (1937–2007), MLB third baseman
- Ken Boyer (1931–1982), MLB third baseman, coach and manager
- Jack Brennan (1862–1914), MLB catcher
- Mark Buehrle (born 1979), starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Scott Carroll (born 1984), relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
- David Cone (born 1963), Cy Young-winning MLB pitcher
- Joe Crede (born 1978), third baseman for the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins
- Ross Detwiler (born 1986), relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
- Blake DeWitt (born 1985), former MLB infielder
- John Donaldson (1891–1970), Negro League baseball pitcher, known for throwing no-hitters
- Scott Elbert (born 1985), relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres
- A. J. Ellis (born 1981), catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- David Freese (born 1983), third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels, 2011 World Series MVP with St. Louis Cardinals
- Gabe Gabler (1930–2014), MLB player
- Joe Garagiola, Sr. (born 1926), MLB catcher, broadcaster, television personality
- Jeff Gray (born 1981), former MLB pitcher
- Lucas Harrell (born 1985), starting pitcher for the LG Twins
- Tom Henke (born 1957), two-time All-Star pitcher
- Ken Holtzman (born 1945), two-time All-Star pitcher
- Tommy Hottovy (born 1981), relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Elston Howard (1929–1980), Negro League and MLB catcher, left fielder and coach
- Ryan Howard (born 1979), first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Eric Hurley (born 1985), former pitcher for the Texas Rangers
- Vern Kennedy (1907–1993), MLB pitcher with the Chicago White Sox and others
- Bob Keppel (born 1982), pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Charlie Kerfeld (born 1963), MLB relief pitcher, primarily with the Houston Astros
- Darold Knowles (born 1941), MLB pitcher, first pitcher to appear in all seven games of a World Series
- Ron Kulpa (born 1968), Major League Baseball umpire
- Tommy Layne (born 1984), relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Sam LeCure (born 1984), MLB pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
- Shaun Marcum (born 1981), starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians
- Jay Marshall (born 1983), former MLB pitcher for the Oakland A's
- Bob Miller (1939–1993), MLB pitcher
- Zach Miner (born 1982), relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
- Logan Morrison (born 1987), outfielder and first baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Stan Musial (1920–2013), MLB Hall of Famer, played entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals
- N–Z
MLB Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel
- Al Nipper (born 1959), MLB scout and former pitcher
- Darren Oliver (born 1970), relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Josh Outman (born 1984), starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
- Barney Pelty (1880–1939), Major League Baseball pitcher
- David Phelps (born 1986), starting pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Albert Pujols (born 1980), MLB first baseman with the Los Angeles Angels
- Steve Rogers (born 1949), most successful pitcher in Montreal Expos history
- Trevor Rosenthal (born 1990), pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Max Scherzer (born 1984), starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals
- Art Shamsky (born 1941), Major League Baseball outfielder
- Mike Shannon (born 1939), MLB player and sportscaster for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Dave Silvestri (born 1967), MLB infielder
- Shae Simmons (born 1990), pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
- Paul Splittorff (1946–2011), starting pitcher Kansas City Royals, later a Royals broadcaster
- Casey Stengel (c. 1890–1975), Baseball Hall of Fame manager
- Mel Stottlemyre (born 1941), MLB pitcher and pitching coach
- Rick Sutcliffe (born 1956), MLB pitcher and ESPN color commentator
- Nick Tepesch (born 1988), pitcher for the Texas Rangers
- Jacob Turner (born 1991), starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Scott Van Slyke (born 1986), outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers; son of former St. Louis Cardinal Andy Van Slyke
- Earl Weaver (1930–2013), Hall of Fame manager for the Baltimore Orioles
- Mack Wheat (1893–1979), MLB catcher with the Brooklyn Robins and Philadelphia Phillies
- Zack Wheat (1888–1972), MLB Hall of Fame left fielder for Brooklyn, Philadelphia Athletics; brother of Mack Wheat
Basketball
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"Stormin' Norman" Stewart in 1969
- Forrest Clare "Phog" Allen (1885–1974), Hall of Fame college basketball coach
- Bill Bradley (born 1943), Basketball Hall of Famer, U.S. Senator
- Alec Burks (born 1991), shooting guard for the Utah Jazz
- Tyler Hansbrough (born 1985), power forward for the Indiana Pacers
- Josh Harrellson (born 1989), center for the New York Knicks
- Larry Hughes (born 1979), shooting guard for the Orlando Magic
- David Lee (born 1983), power forward and center for the Golden State Warriors
- Tyronn Lue (born 1977), former NBA player (Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers)
- Brandon Rush (born 1985), shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors
- Kareem Rush (born 1980), shooting guard for the L.A. Clippers
- Scott Sims (born 1955), guard for the San Antonio Spurs
- Norm Stewart (born 1935), pro basketball player and longtime Mizzou coach
- Anthony Tolliver (born 1985), power forward for the Minnesota Timberwolves
Football
- Maurice Alexander (born 1991), defensive back for the St. Louis Rams
- Steve Atwater (born 1966), strong safety for the Denver Broncos
- Allen Barbre (born 1984), offensive guard for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Tim Barnes (born 1988), center for the St. Louis Rams
- David Bass (born 1990), defensive end for the Chicago Bears
- Justin Britt (born 1991), offensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks
- Jason Brookins (born 1976), running back, Baltimore Ravens
- Colin Brown (born 1985), offensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills
- Jairus Byrd (born 1986), free safety for the New Orleans Saints
- Paul Christman (1918–1970), College Football Hall of Fame quarterback
- Adrian Clayborn (born 1988), defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons
- Chase Coffman (born 1986), tight end for the Atlanta Falcons
- Dan Connolly (born 1982), offensive lineman for the New England Patriots
- Dan Dierdorf (born 1949), offensive tackle and Pro Football Hall of Fame, sportscaster
- Herb Donaldson (born 1985), running back for the Dallas Cowboys
- Robert Douglas (born 1982), former NFL fullback
- Kony Ealy (born 1991), defensive end for the Carolina Panthers
- Lenvil Elliott (1951–2008), NFL running back for the Bengals and 49ers
- Don Faurot (1902–1995), College Football Hall of Fame coach, inventor of the Split-T formation
- Brian Folkerts (born 1990), center for the Carolina Panthers
- Josh Freeman (born 1988), quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Blaine Gabbert (born 1989), quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers
- Justin Gage (born 1981), wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans
- E. J. Gaines (born 1992), cornerback for the St. Louis Rams
- Tony Galbreath (born 1954), running back for the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Giants
- Conrad Goode (born 1962), offensive lineman
- Mark Herzlich (born 1987), linebacker for the New York Giants
- Cal Hubbard (1900–1977), only person in both the Baseball Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Brandon Joyce (1984–2010), offensive lineman in the CFL and NFL
- Terry Joyce (1954–2011), college football All-American and NFL punter
- Howard Kindig (born 1941), defensive end, 10-year NFL career with the Chargers, Bills, Dolphins, and Jets
- Ryan Lilja (born 1981), guard for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Brandon Lloyd (born 1981), wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers
- Jeremy Maclin (born 1988), wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Marvin McNutt (born 1989), wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Eric Moore (born 1965), guard with the Giants, Bengals, Browns and Dolphins
- William Moore (born 1985), safety for the Atlanta Falcons
- C. J. Mosley (born 1983), defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins
- Eddie Moss (special teams), for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Jim Musick (1910–1992), running back, Boston Redskins
- Neil Rackers (born 1976), placekicker for the Houston Texans
- Shane Ray (born 1993), outside linebacker for the Denver Broncos
- Gijon Robinson (born 1984), tight end for the Indianapolis Colts
- Martin Rucker (born 1985), tight end for the Dallas Cowboys
- Mike Rucker (born 1975), defensive end for the Carolina Panthers
- Aldon Smith (born 1989), linebacker for the Oakland Raiders
- Justin Smith (born 1979), defensive end for the San Francisco 49ers
- Donald Stephenson (born 1988), offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Roger Wehrli (born 1947), Hall of Fame cornerback with the St. Louis Cardinals
- James Wilder (born 1958), 10-year NFL career with the Buccaneers, Redskins, and the Lions
- Brandon Williams (born 1989), nose tackle for the Baltimore Ravens
- Gregg Williams (born 1958), NFL coach, defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams
- Sylvester Williams (born 1988), nose tackle for the Denver Broncos
- Kellen Winslow (born 1957), Hall of Fame tight end with the San Diego Chargers
Golf
- Amy Alcott (born 1956), professional golfer, member of World Golf Hall of Fame
- Brandel Chamblee (born 1962), golfer
- Hale Irwin (born 1945), in 1990, at age 45, he became the oldest person to win a US Open
- Tom Pernice, Jr. (born 1959), PGA Tour member
- Judy Rankin (born 1945), professional golfer, member of World Golf Hall of Fame
- Payne Stewart (1957–1999), golfer
- Tom Watson (born 1949), Hall of Fame golfer, 8-time PGA Tour major champion
Ice hockey
- Ben Bishop (born 1986), NHL Ottawa Senators
- Chris Butler (born 1986), NHL Calgary Flames
- Michael Davies (born 1986), AHL Chicago Wolves
- Cam Janssen (born 1984), NHL New Jersey Devils
- Pat LaFontaine (born 1965), NHL Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, New York Rangers
- Mike McKenna (born 1983), AHL Peoria Rivermen
- Paul Stastny (born 1985), NHL Colorado Avalanche
- Yan Stastny (born 1982), DEL Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers
- Travis Turnbull (born 1986), DEL Dusseldorfer EG
- Joe Vitale (born 1985), NHL Pittsburgh Penguins
- Landon Wilson (born 1975), AHL Texas Stars
Professional wrestling
- Freddie Blassie (1918–2003), wrestler and manager
- "Bulldog" Bob Brown (1938–1997), wrestler and booker
- Bob Geigel (born 1924), retired wrestler, promoter, and former NWA President
- Glenn Jacobs (born 1967), ring name "Kane"; also an actor
- Rufus R. Jones (1933–1993), NWA wrestler and businessman
- Matthew Korklan (born 1983), ring names "Matt Sydal" and "Evan Bourne"
- Sam Muchnick (1905–1998), founder of St. Louis Wrestling Club and co-founder of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA)
- Trevor Murdoch (born 1978), WWE tag team champion
- Matt Murphy (born 1979), wrestler and author
- Barry Orton, wrestler
- "Cowboy" Bob Orton (born 1950), wrestler and member of WWE Hall of Fame; father of Randy Orton
- Randy Orton (born 1980), third-generation pro wrestler
- Harley Race (born 1943), 8-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion; member of the WWE Hall of Fameand Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Butch Reed (born 1954), NWA and WCW Tag Team Champion
- Lou Thesz (1916–2002), superstar of professional wrestling's "Golden Age"
Miscellaneous sports
- Virgil Akins (1928–2011), welterweight boxing champion
- Devon Alexander (born 1987), boxer, WBC and IBF Light Welterweight champion
- Henry Armstrong (1912–1988), boxer (born in Mississippi but grew up in St. Louis)
- Butch Buchholz (born 1940), Hall of Fame tennis player
- Christian Cantwell (born 1980), Olympian, world champion shot putter
- Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls (born 1968), IFBB pro bodybuilder
- Dwight F. Davis (1879–1945), tennis player, founder of the Davis Cup
- Doris Hart (born 1925), Hall of Fame tennis player, winner of six Grand Slam singles titles
- Bud Houser (1901–1994), three-time Olympic gold medalist in shotput and discus
- Jack Jewsbury (born 1981), Major League Soccer player (Portland Timbers)
- Ben A. Jones (1882–1961), Thoroughbred horse trainer
- Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones (1906–2001), Thoroughbred horse trainer
- Lesa Lewis (born 1967), IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Conn McCreary (1921–1979), Hall of Fame jockey, winner of 1944 and 1951 Kentucky Derby
- Chuck McKinley (1941–1986), Hall of Fame tennis player, 1963 Wimbledon champion
- Becky Sauerbrunn (1985-), National Women's Soccer League and USWNT player (FC Kansas City); Defender of the Year 2013, 2014; 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup winner
- Helen Stephens (1918–1994), two-time gold medalist in track and field at 1936 Summer Olympics
- Alex White (born 1988), mixed martial artist
Aviation and aerospace
- Thomas Akers (born 1953), scientist and NASA astronaut on three Space Shuttle missions
- Bill Lear (1902–1978), founder of Lear Jet
- Charles Lindbergh (1902–1974), aviator, first solo non-stop trans-Atlantic flight in 1927 (born in Detroit, Michigan but lived in St. Louis)
- James Smith McDonnell (1899–1980), founder of McDonnell Aircraft Corporation (later McDonnell Douglas)
Business
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- Roger E. Billings (born 1948), businessman and scientist; known for his pioneering work on hydrogen energy technologies
- William Henry Ashley (1778–1838), founder of Rocky Mountain Fur Company, politician
- Henry W. Bloch (born 1922), co-founder of H&R Block tax services
- Richard Bloch (1926–2004), co-founder of H&R Block tax services
- Adolphus Busch (1839–1913), founder of Anheuser-Busch (the world's largest brewer)
- Jim Crane, businessman, owner of the Houston Astros
- William H. Danforth (1870–1955), founder of Ralston Purina Company
- John Doerr (born 1951), venture capitalist at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
- James Buchanan Eads (1820–1887), civil engineer and inventor
- Charles Eames (1907–1978), designer and architect
- David Glass (born 1935), former President and CEO of Wal-Mart, owner of Kansas City Royals baseball team
- Joyce Hall (1891–1982), founder of Hallmark Cards
- William Preston Hall (1864–1932), circus empresario and animal broker
- Howard R. Hughes, Sr. (1869–1924), oil drill bit and tool inventor; father of Howard Hughes, reclusive billionaire
- George M. Keller (1923–2008), chairman of Standard Oil Company of California in the 1980s
- R. Crosby Kemper Jr. (born 1927), chairman emeritus UMB Financial Corporation, philanthropist
- William Thornton Kemper, Sr. (1866–1938), patriarch of Kemper family railroad and banking empire which included Commerce Bancshares and United Missouri Bank
- Ewing Kauffman (1916–1993), pharmaceutical magnate, philanthropist and founder of the Kansas City Royals baseball team
- Stan Kroenke (born 1947), owner of Kroenke Sports Enterprises
- Rebecca Mark-Jusbasche (born 1954), former head of Enron International
- N. O. Nelson (1844–1922), founder of the N. O. Nelson Manufacturing Company
- Thomas F. O'Neil, chairman of RKO General studios, brought movies to television
- J. C. Penney (1875–1971), businessman and entrepreneur
- Rex Sinquefield (born 1944), financial executive who created Standard & Poor's first index fund, supporter of conservative political causes
- John Sperling (1921–2014), businessman and founder of the University of Phoenix
- Gerard Swope (1872–1957), president of General Electric
- Jack C. Taylor (born 1923), founder of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, billionaire philanthropist
- Sam Walton (1918–1992), founder of Wal-Mart
- Robert E. Wood (1879–1969), vice-president of Sears Roebuck
- Peter Youree (1843–1914), businessman in Shreveport, Louisiana; built first skyscraper there
Criminals and outlaws
- Anthony Brancato (1913–1951), freelance mafia gunman, half of "The Two Tonys" portrayed in the movie LA Confidential
- Ray and Faye Copeland (1914–1993, 1921–2003), serial killers, oldest couple ever sentenced to death in the United States
- Egan's Rats, early crime family in St. Louis
- Leo Vincent Brothers (1899–1950), low-level member; later moved to Chicago and became part of Al Capone's organization
- Fred Burke (1893–1940), gunman for Egan's Rats; suspected of participating in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre
- William "Dint" Colbeck (1890–1943), assumed leadership of Egan's Rats after the assassination of Willie Egan
- Walter Costello (1889–1917), bodyguard to Willie Egan, killer of Harry Dunn
- Harry "Cherries" Dunn (1892–1916)
- Thomas Egan (1874–1919), organizer of Egan's Rats
- Willie Egan (1884–1921), brother and right-hand man of gang founder Tom Egan; led the gang after Tom's death
- Max Greenberg (1883–1933), one of the few Jewish members of the mostly Irish Egan gang; associate/friend of Meyer Lansky
- Frank Hackethal (1891–1954), robber and resort owner/money launderer for Egan's Rats
- Thomas "Snake" Kinney (1868–1912), Missouri State Senator and co-founder of Egan's Rats
- David "Chippy" Robinson (1897–1967), bank robber and enforcer for Egan's Rats
- William "Skippy" Rohan (1871–1916)
- Roy Gardner (1884–1940), arms smuggler and notorious 1920s bank robber
- Tom Horn (1860–1903), Old West lawman, army scout, outlaw and assassin
- Kansas City crime family
- Charles Binaggio (1909–1950), killed along with Charles Gargotta at the First Ward Democratic Club in downtown Kansas City
- Anthony Brancato (1913–1951)
- William "Willie Rat" Cammisano (1914–1995), enforcer for the K.C. mob
- Charles Carrollo (1902–1979), led the Kansas City mob after Johnny Lazia's assassination
- Anthony Civella (1930–2006), led the K.C. crime family in the 1980s and 1990s; son of Carl Civella and nephew of Nicholas Civella
- Carl "Cork" Civella (1910–1994), brother of Nicholas Civella and a top lieutenant in the crime family; father of Anthony Civella
- Nicholas Civella (1912–1983), led the Kansas City crime family from the 1950s through the 1970s
- Carl "Tuffy" DeLuna (1927–2008), underboss of the Kansas City crime family; brother-in-law of Anthony Civella
- Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd (1904–1934), took part in the Union Station Massacre
- Charles "Mad Dog" Gargotta (1900–1950), top enforcer of the KC crime family
- Anthony Gizzo (1902–1953), led Kansas City crime family in the early 1950s
- John Lazia (1896–1934), leader of the Kansas City crime family in the 1920s and early 1930s
- Kenneth Lay (1942–2006), chairman and CEO of Enron, convicted of securities fraud
- Little Britches (1879 – year of death unknown), female bandit associated with Cattle Annie and the Doolin gang
- James Earl Ray (1928–1998), assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King; escapee from the Missouri State Penitentiary
- James-Younger Gang:
- Frank James (1843–1915), outlaw
- Jesse James (1847–1882), outlaw
- Cole Younger (1844–1916), outlaw
- John Younger, outlaw
- Bob Younger, outlaw
- Jim Younger, outlaw
- Bob Ford, outlaw who gunned down Jesse James
- Tom Pendergast (1873–1945), long-time political boss of Kansas City and western Missouri; responsible for the political rise of Harry S. Truman Imprisoned for tax evasion
- St. Louis crime family
- Anthony Giordano (1914–1980), leader of the St. Louis crime family in the 1960s and 1970s
- Matthew Trupiano (1938–1997), nephew of Anthony Giordano, crime family boss in the 1980s
- John Vitale (1909–1982), crime family boss in the early 1980s
- Belle Starr (1848–1889), female outlaw of the Old West
Entertainment
Film, television and theater
Emmy Award-winner Ed Asner
- A–C
- Goodman Ace (1899–1982), television writer, radio host and comedian
- Jane Ace (1897–1974), radio actress and host
- Zoë Akins (1886–1958), Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, poet
- Robert Altman (1925–2006), film director, M*A*S*H, Nashville, Gosford Park
- Ed Asner (born 1929), Emmy Award-winning actor, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant
- Scott Bakula (born 1954), actor, Quantum Leap and Star Trek: Enterprise
- Josephine Baker (1906–1975), dancer, singer, actress
- Tisha Terrasini Banker (born 1973), actress
- Ryan Michelle Bathe (born 1976), actress, Boston Legal, Army Wives, Retired at 35
- John Beal (1909–1997), actor Les Miserables, Amityville 3-D
- Gerry Becker (born 1951), actor
- Noah Beery (1882–1946), actor, The Mark of Zorro
- Wallace Beery (1885–1949), Oscar-winning actor, The Champ, Min and Bill
- Rob Benedict (born 1970), actor, Felicity, Head Case, Threshold
- Fred Berry (1951–2003), actor, What's Happening!!
- Linda Blair (born 1959), actress, The Exorcist, Airport 1975
- Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, screenwriter, Designing Women, Evening Shade
- Andrea Bogart (born 1977), actress, General Hospital
- Johnny Yong Bosch (born 1976), singer, Eyeshine; actor, Trigun, Power Rangers
- Jeff Branson (born 1977), actor
- Brent Briscoe (born 1961), actor, Yes Man, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Spider-Man 2
- Kent Broadhurst (born 1940), actor
- Norbert Leo Butz (born 1967), Tony Award-winning stage actor
- Morris Carnovsky (1897–1992), actor, Edge of Darkness, Dead Reckoning
- Conlan Carter (born 1934), actor, Combat!, The Law and Mr. Jones
- Don Cheadle (born 1964), actor, Hotel Rwanda, Traffic, Boogie Nights, The Rat Pack
- Anthony Cistaro (born 1963), actor, Charmed, Witchblade
- Sarah Clarke (born 1972), actress, Nina Myers on 24
- Lynn Cohen, actress, Law & Order, Sex and the City
- Frank Converse (born 1938), actor, Movin' On, N.Y.P.D.
- Chris Cooper (born 1951), Oscar-winning actor, Lonesome Dove, The Bourne Identity, American Beauty, The Muppets
- Joan Crawford (1905–1977), Oscar-winning actress, Mildred Pierce
- Greg Cromer (born 1971), actor
- Robert Cummings (1908–1990), actor, Kings Row, Saboteur, Dial M for Murder
- D–G
- Erin Daniels (born 1973), actress, The L Word
- Don S. Davis (1942–2008), actor, Stargate SG-1, Twin Peaks
- Kurt Deutsch, actor, Models Inc.
- Walt Disney (1901–1966), iconic film and television producer, studio mogul, director, screenwriter, voice actor and animator
- Dale Dye (born 1944), actor, Saving Private Ryan, Mission: Impossible, Band of Brothers
- Cliff Edwards (1895–1971), actor, musician; the voice of Jiminy Cricket
- Jenna Fischer (born 1974), actress, The Office, Hall Pass, Blades of Glory (born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, grew up in St. Louis)
- Henderson Forsythe (1917–2006), actor, As the World Turns
- James Franciscus (1934–1991), actor, Mr. Novak, Naked City, Longstreet
- Phyllis Fraser (1915–2006), actress, journalist, children's book publisher, wife of Bennett Cerf and Robert F. Wagner, Jr.
- Friz Freleng (1905–1995), film producer, director, screenwriter, and animator, Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies
- Bob Gale (born 1951), screenwriter, the Back to the Future trilogy
- Betty Garrett (1919–2011), actress, On the Town, Laverne & Shirley
- Heather Goldenhersh (born 1973), actress, The Class, School of Rock
- John Goodman (born 1952), actor, Roseanne, The Babe, Barton Fink, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Monuments Men
- Lucas Grabeel (born 1984), actor, High School Musical, Milk
- Betty Grable (1916–1973), actress, singer and World War II pin-up girl
- Bryan Greenberg (born 1978), actor, musician, One Tree Hill, October Road, How to Make It in America
- Dabbs Greer (1917–2007), actor, Little House on the Prairie, Gunsmoke, Picket Fences
- Eddie Griffin (born 1968), actor, comedian, Undercover Brother, Norbit
- Davis Guggenheim (born 1963), director, producer
- Robert Guillaume (born 1927), actor, Benson, The Lion King, Sports Night
- James Gunn (born 1970), film director and screenwriter
- Moses Gunn (1929–1993), actor, Father Murphy, The Cowboys, A Man Called Hawk
- Sean Gunn (born 1974), actor, Gilmore Girls, October Road
- H–M
- Jon Hamm (born 1971), actor, Mad Men, The Town, Million Dollar Arm
- Jean Harlow (1911–1937), actress and sex symbol
- George Hearn (born 1934), actor, primarily Broadway and musical theatre
- George Hickenlooper (1965–2010), documentary filmmaker, Hearts of Darkness, Dogtown
- Dennis Hopper (1936–2010), actor, filmmaker, artist, Easy Rider, Apocalypse Now, Hoosiers
- Arliss Howard (born 1954), actor, writer and director, Full Metal Jacket, Wilder Napalm, Moneyball
- Rupert Hughes (1872–1956), film director, composer; uncle of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes
- John Huston (1906–1987), actor and Oscar-winning film director, The Maltese Falcon, Key Largo, The African Queen
- Don Johnson (born 1949), actor, Miami Vice, Nash Bridges, Django Unchained
- Jay Johnson (born 1977), actor The Young and the Restless, Scrubs
- Janet Jones (born 1961), actress, dancer, wife of hockey's Wayne Gretzky
- Neal Jones (born 1960), actor, Dirty Dancing, G.I. Jane
- Brenda Joyce (1917–2009), actress, Little Tokyo, U.S.A., Tarzan movies in the 1940s
- Andreas Katsulas (1946–2006), actor, Babylon 5, Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Ellie Kemper (born 1980), actress The Office
- Edward Kerr (born 1966), actor, seaQuest DSV, What I Like About You
- Lincoln Kilpatrick (1932–2004), actor
- Kevin Kline (born 1947), Oscar-winning actor, Sophie's Choice, The Big Chill, A Fish Called Wanda, Last Vegas
- Evalyn Knapp (1906–1981), actress, Perils of Pauline
- David Koechner (born 1962), actor and comedian, Saturday Night Live, Anchorman
- Kasi Lemmons (born 1961), actress and director, Eve's Bayou, Talk to Me
- Angela Lindvall (born 1979), actress
- Mark Linn-Baker (born 1954), actor, My Favorite Year, Larry Appleton on Perfect Strangers
- Marsha Mason (born 1942), actress, Sibs, The Goodbye Girl, Only When I Laugh, Frasier
- Michael Massee (born 1955), actor, 24, Seven, The Crow,
- Wendell Mayes (1919–1992), screenwriter, The Spirit of St. Louis, North to Alaska, Von Ryan's Express
- Virginia Mayo (1920–2005), actress, The Best Years of Our Lives, White Heat
- Edie McClurg (born 1951), actress, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, 7th Heaven
- Frank McGrath (1903–1967), actor, Wagon Train
- Steve McQueen (1930–1980), actor, The Sand Pebbles, The Great Escape, The Towering Inferno, Bullitt
- John Milius (born 1944), screenwriter, director, producer, Red Dawn, The Hunt for Red October, Conan the Barbarian
- Mircea Monroe, actress, model, Cellular, Episodes
- N–Z
- Dustin Nguyen (born 1962), actor, 21 Jump Street, V.I.P.
- Eva Novak (1898–1988), actress of the silent film era, The King of the Kitchen
- Jane Novak (1896–1990), actress of the silent film era, Treat'Em Rough, Redskin
- Dan O'Bannon (born 1946), film director and screenwriter, Heavy Metal, Total Recall
- Denis O'Hare (born 1962), actor, Brothers & Sisters, Sweet Charity, True Blood
- Kevin O'Morrison (born 1916), actor and playwright
- Timothy Omundson (born 1969), actor, Psych, Judging Amy
- Holmes Osborne (born 1947), actor
- Diana Ossana, screenwriter, Brokeback Mountain, Pretty Boy Floyd
- Geraldine Page (1924–1987), Oscar-winning actress, Summer and Smoke, Sweet Bird of Youth, The Trip to Bountiful
- Carlos Pena, Jr. (born 1989), actor, singer, and dancer, Big Time Rush
- Evan Peters (born 1987), actor, American Horror Story, Invasion, Kick-Ass
- Julie Piekarski (born 1963), actress, The Facts of Life
- Brad Pitt (born 1963), actor and producer, Thelma & Louise, 12 Monkeys, Seven, Moneyball, World War Z
- William Powell (1892–1984), actor, The Thin Man, Life with Father, My Man Godfrey
- Vincent Price (1911–1993), actor, Laura, House of Wax, The Ten Commandments, The Fly
- Sally Rand (1904–1979), burlesque dancer, actress
- Leonard Roberts (born 1972), actor, Heroes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Ginger Rogers (1911–1995), Oscar-winning actress, dance partner of Fred Astaire
- Sol Smith Russell (1848–1902), 19th-century stage actor
- Phyllis Smith (born 1951), actress, The Office
- Kelly Stables (born 1978), actress, The Exes, W.I.T.C.H., Two and a Half Men
- Craig Stevens (1918–2000), actor, State Trooper, Peter Gunn
- Christian Stolte (born 1962), actor, Prison Break
- Skyler Stone (born 1979), actor, Raising Hope, The Island
- Betty Thomas (born 1948), actress and director, Hill Street Blues, The Brady Bunch Movie, Dr. Dolittle, Private Parts
- Kay Thompson (1909–1998), actress, Funny Face
- William Traylor (1930–1989), actor Fletch, and founder of The Loft Studio/acting school
- Kathleen Turner (born 1954), actress, Body Heat, Romancing the Stone, Prizzi's Honor
- Stephen Barker Turner (born 1968), actor
- Dick Van Dyke (born 1925), actor, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Poppins, Diagnosis: Murder
- Jerry Van Dyke (born 1931), actor, Coach, McLintock!, The Courtship of Eddie's Father
- Jack Wagner (born 1959), actor/singer Melrose Place, General Hospital
- Dennis Weaver (1924–2006), actor, Gunsmoke, McCloud
- Jason Wiles (born 1970), actor, Third Watch, Persons Unknown
- Mykelti Williamson (born 1960), actor, Forrest Gump, Con Air, 24, Midnight Caller
- Jane Wyman (1914–2007), Oscar-winning actress; former wife of Ronald Reagan
Comedians
- Cedric The Entertainer (born 1964), actor, comedian
- Redd Foxx (1922–1991), comedian, starred in Sanford and Son
- Dick Gregory (born 1932), comedian, social activist
- Craig Kilborn (born 1962), comedian, actor, former talk show host
- Kathleen Madigan (born 1965), comedienne
- Kevin Nealon (born 1953), actor, comedian
- Randy and Jason Sklar (born 1972), identical twin comedians, hosts of ESPN Classic's Cheap Seats
- Guy Torry (born 1969), actor, comedian
- Joe Torry (born 1965), actor, comedian
Cartoonists
- Ralph Barton (1891–1931), cartoonist
- George Booth (born 1926), cartoonist for the The New Yorker
- Teresa Burritt (born 1916), cartoonist, Frog Applause, Shoecabbage
- Lee Falk (1911–1999), cartoonist, The Phantom, Mandrake the Magician
- Al Hirschfeld (1903–2003), caricaturist and cartoonist known for drawing celebrities
- Fred Lasswell (1916–2001), cartoonist, Barney Google and Snuffy Smith
- Glenn McCoy (born 1965), cartoonist, The Duplex, The Flying McCoys
- George McManus (1884–1954), cartoonist, Maggie and Jiggs
- Mike Peters (born 1943), cartoonist, Mother Goose & Grimm
- Dan Piraro (born 1958), cartoonist, Bizarro
- Mort Walker (born 1923), cartoonist, Beetle Bailey
Magicians and mentalists
- Morgan Strebler (born 1976), magician and mentalist; Las Vegas award-winning performer
Music
Bluegrass and country
- Lennie Aleshire (1890–1987), country-bluegrass pioneer and vaudeville act
- Helen Cornelius (born 1941), country singer best known for duets with Jim Ed Brown
- Rusty Draper (1923–2003), country and rockabilly singer/guitarist
- Sara Evans (born 1971), country music star
- Tyler Farr, country music singer and songwriter
- Bob Ferguson (1927–2001), country music songwriter and producer
- John Hartford (1937–2001), country and bluegrass music composer and performer
- Ferlin Husky (1925–2011), singer and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame
- Brett James, country music singer-songwriter and record producer
- The Kendalls, Grammy-winning country duo from the 1970s and 1980s
- Tom Shapiro, country music songwriter and record producer
- Tate Stevens, country music singer and 2012 winner of The X Factor
- Wynn Stewart (1934–1985), country music singer, progenitor of the Bakersfield sound
- Jamie Teachenor (born 1980), country and rock singer-songwriter, musician and record producer
- Trent Tomlinson (born 1975), country singer-songwriter
- Leroy Van Dyke (born 1929), country singer best known for "The Auctioneer" and "Walk on By"
- Darrin Vincent (born 1970), half of the Grammy-nominated bluegrass group Dailey & Vincent; record producer
- Rhonda Vincent (born 1962), bluegrass singer and musician, seven-time IMBA Female Vocalist of the Year
- Porter Wagoner (1927–2007), Grand Ole Opry member and Country Music Hall of Famer
Jazz
- Oleta Adams (born 1953), soul, jazz and gospel singer
- Ahmad Alaadeen (born 1934), jazz saxophonist and composer
- Norman Brown (born 1970), smooth jazz musician
- Jimmy Forrest (1920–1980), jazz tenor saxophonist
- Coleman Hawkins (1904–1969), jazz tenor saxophonist
- Bob James (born 1939), smooth jazz musician
- Scott Joplin (1867–1917), ragtime musician and composer
- Pat Metheny (born 1954), jazz guitarist and musician
- Lennie Niehaus (born 1929), alto saxophonist, arranger, and composer
- Charlie "Bird" Parker (1920–1955), jazz saxophonist and composer
- David Sanborn (born 1945), smooth jazz musician
- Wilbur Sweatman (1882–1961), Dixieland jazz and ragtime composer and bandleader
- Clark Terry (1920–2015), swing and bebop trumpet and flugelhorn player
Rhythm & blues, pop, rap and hip-hop
- Akon (born 1977), rhythm and blues musician, music producer
- Fontella Bass (1940–2012), singer best known for 1965 hit Rescue Me
- Basement Beats, multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning production team
- Chingy (born 1980), rapper, actor
- Eminem (born 1972), rap musician (grew up partly in St. Joseph)
- Nelly (born 1974), rap musician (born in Texas and raised in St. Louis)
- David Peaston (1957–2012), R&B and Gospel singer
- St. Lunatics, hip hop, best known for collaborations with Nelly
- Tech N9ne (born 1971), rapper
- Kimberly Wyatt, singer and dancer, Pussycat Dolls
Rock & roll
- Chuck Berry (born 1926), musician in Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
- The Bottle Rockets (formed 1992), rock, alt-country, roots rock
- T Bone Burnett (born 1948), musician, songwriter, and soundtrack and record producer
- Cavo, hard rock band (formed in St. Louis)
- David Cook (born 1982), 2008 American Idol winner from Blue Springs
- Sheryl Crow (born 1962), Grammy-winning singer-songwriter
- Gravity Kills, industrial rock band, formed in Jefferson City
- Johnnie Johnson (1924–2005), early rock & roll and blues piano player; member of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
- King's X, hard rock, progressive metal band, formed in Springfield
- Michael McDonald (born 1952), singer, former Doobie Brothers frontman
- Missouri, band known for classic rock song "Movin' On", formed in Kansas City
- Ozark Mountain Daredevils, rock band known for the hits "Jackie Blue" and "If You Wanna Get To Heaven", formed in Springfield
- Louise Post, founder, lead singer and guitarist of alternative rock band Veruca Salt
- Puddle of Mudd, rock band, formed in Kansas City
- The Rainmakers, rock band, formed in Kansas City
- Jay Reatard (1980–2010), garage punk musician, born in Lilbourn
- Wes Scantlin (born 1972), lead singer and guitarist of post-grunge band Puddle of Mudd
- Shooting Star, 1970s and 1980s rock band, from Kansas City
- Story of the Year, emo rock band, formed in St. Louis
- The Urge, rock band, formed in St. Louis
- Bob Walkenhorst, founder and lead singer of alternative rock band The Rainmakers
- Steve Walsh (born 1951), lead vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist for the progressive rock group Kansas and Streets
Other music
- Doris Akers (1923–1995), gospel music singer and composer
- Martha Bass (1921–1998), gospel singer with the Clara Ward Singers and solo career
- Burt Bacharach (born 1928), pianist, composer
- Neal E. Boyd (born 1975), opera vocalist, winner of 2008 America's Got Talent competition
- Grace Bumbry (born 1937), opera soprano
- Sarah Caldwell (1924–2006), opera conductor
- Sara Groves (born 1972), Contemporary Christian singer, record producer, and author
- Dan Landrum (born 1961), hammer dulcimer player, featured instrumentalist with Yanni
- Basil Poledouris (1945–2006), film soundtrack composer
- H. Owen Reed (born 1910), composer and conductor
- Willie Mae Ford Smith (1904–1994), Gospel singer
- Virgil Thomson (1896–1989), composer and critic
Radio and television
- Bob Barker (born 1923), television game show host
- Jim Bohannon (born 1944), radio talk show host
- Rush Limbaugh (born 1951), political commentator
- Dana Loesch (born 1978), radio talk show host and television host at TheBlaze
- Melanie Morgan (born 1956), radio personality with KSFO in San Francisco
- "Mancow" Muller (born 1966), radio and TV personality, Mancow's Morning Madhouse
- Marlin Perkins (1905–1986), zoologist and host of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
- April Scott (born 1979), model, Deal or No Deal and SOAPnet's Soap Talk
- Chris Stigall (born 1977), talk radio personality for Philadelphia's WPHT
Beauty pageant titleholders
- Debbye Turner (born 1965), Miss America 1990
- Shandi Finnessey (born 1978), Miss USA 2004
Journalism
- Jabari Asim (born 1962), author, journalist
- Joe Buck (born 1969), sportscaster for Fox Sports
- Harry Caray (1914–1998), Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster
- Walter Cronkite (1916–2009), television journalist
- Walker Evans (1903–1975), photojournalist best known for photos taken during the Great Depression
- Clay Felker (1925–2008), editor, journalist, founder of New York magazine
- Joe Garagiola, Sr. (born 1926), MLB catcher, baseball broadcaster, and television host (The Today Show)
- Dave Garroway (1913–1982), first host of NBC's Today show
- Jane Grant (1892–1972), journalist, co-founder of The New Yorker
- Michael Kim (born 1964), sports broadcaster for ESPN
- Carol Platt Liebau, attorney, political analyst and social conservative commentator
- Mary Margaret McBride (1899–1976), female radio pioneer
- Dan McLaughlin (born 1974), sportscaster for Fox Sports Midwest
- Russ Mitchell (born 1960), TV journalist, CBS Evening News
- Lisa Myers (born 1951), TV journalist, NBC Nightly News
- Stone Phillips (born 1954), TV journalist, Dateline NBC
- Joseph Pulitzer (1847–1911), Hungarian journalist, creator of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Pulitzer Prize
- Howard Rushmore (1913–1958), journalist for The Daily Worker, New York Journal-American and Confidential magazine
Military
- William T. Anderson (1838–1864), a.k.a. "Bloody Bill" Anderson; Confederate guerrilla leader in the Civil War
- Charles D. Barger (1892–1936), earned the Medal of Honor in World War I
- John L. Barkley (1895–1966), earned the Medal of Honor in World War I
- Frederick Benteen (1834–1898), best known for role under George Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn
- Omar Bradley (1893–1981), World War II general, from Clark, Missouri
- Robert Coontz (1864–1935), US Navy Admiral, former Chief of Naval Operations
- John V. Cox (born 1930), United States Marine Corps Major General; flew over 200 combat missions during the Vietnam War
- Enoch Crowder (1859–1932), US Army General and reformer of military justice system
- Randall "Duke" Cunningham, only U.S. Navy Ace in the Vietnam War; later a U.S. Congressman from California
- James Phillip Fleming (born 1943), USAF pilot; awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Vietnam War
- John C. Fremont (1813–1890), Western explorer; Union Civil War general; first Republican candidate for U.S. President
- Frederick Dent Grant (1850–1912), U.S. Army Major General and diplomat; son of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant
- Martin E. Green (1815–1863), Confederate Army Brigadier General; killed at Siege of Vicksburg
- John McNeil (1813–1891), Union Army brigadier general during the American Civil War; known as "The Butcher of Palmyra"
- Wayne E. Meyer (1926–2009), U.S. Navy Rear Admiral; "father of the Aegis weapons system"
- David Moore (1817–1893), Mexican–American War officer and Union Civil War Brigadier General
- John Henry Parker (1866–1942), "Gatling Gun Parker"; hero in the Spanish–American War; only U.S. soldier to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross four times in World War I
- Floyd B. Parks (1911–1942), U.S. Marine aviator who earned the Navy Cross posthumously for his actions leading Marine fighter squadron VMF-221 during the Battle of Midway
- John J. Pershing (1860–1948), soldier, General of the Armies; born in Laclede, Missouri
- Sterling Price, Confederate States Army, General of the Missouri State Guard during the Civil War
- William Quantrill (1837–1865), Confederate guerrilla leader (Quantrill's Raiders) in the Civil War
- John H. Quick (1870–1922), U.S. Marine awarded the Medal of Honor in the Spanish–American War, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross in World War I
- James E. Rieger (1874–1951), Colonel Mo. National Guard; awarded Distinguished Service Cross and Croix de guerre in World War I
- Roscoe Robinson, U.S. Army General
- Maxwell D. Taylor (1901–1987), U.S. Army General, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Stephen W. Thompson (1894–1977), first U.S. military pilot to ever shoot down an enemy in aerial combat (1918)
- George Allison Whiteman (1919–1941), the first United States Army Air Corps pilot killed in World War II; awarded the Silver Star posthumously for after being shot down in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
- Arthur L. Willard (1870–1935), United States Navy Vice Admiral, winner of Navy Cross, French Legion of Honor, and Belgian Order of Leopold; first man to plant American flag on Cuban soil in the Spanish–American War
Public office
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See also: List of Governors of Missouri, List of judges of the Supreme Court of Missouri, List of lieutenant governors of Missouri, List of mayors of Kansas City, Missouri, List of mayors of St. Joseph, Missouri, List of United States Representatives from Missouri and List of United States Senators from Missouri
- A–K
- Orland K. Armstrong (1893–1987), U.S. Representative, journalist and social activist
- John Ashcroft (born 1942), governor of Missouri (1985–1993), U.S. Senator from Missouri (1995–2001), United States Attorney General (2001–2005)
- Thomas Hart Benton (1782–1858), U.S. Senator
- Richard P. Bland (1835–1899), U.S. Representative for 23 years, Democratic candidate for U.S. President in 1896
- Roy Blunt (born 1950), seven-term U.S. Representative for Missouri's 7th congressional district; House Minority Whip, U.S. Senator
- Christopher S. "Kit" Bond (born 1939), Governor, U.S. Senator of Missouri
- Leonard Boswell (born 1934), U.S. Representative for Iowa's 3rd congressional district
- Bill Bradley (born 1943), U.S. Senator for New Jersey, NBA Hall of Famer; born and reared in Missouri
- Karilyn Brown (born c. 1947), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for Pulaski County; born in Cape Girardeau
- Clarence Cannon (1879–1964), U.S. Representative 1923–1964, House Appropriations Committee chairman
- Albert Sidney Johnson Carnahan (1897–1968), US Representative, US Ambassador to Sierra Leone; father of Governor Mel Carnahan
- Jean Carnahan (born 1933), first Missouri woman to become a U.S. Senator, matriarch of Carnahan political family
- Mel Carnahan (1924–2000), governor, posthumous US Senator (died in plane crash three weeks before he was elected), patriarch of Carnahan political family
- Robin Carnahan (born 1961), Missouri Secretary of State
- Russ Carnahan (born 1958), US House of Representatives
- Steven Chu (born 1948), U.S. Secretary of Energy
- John Danforth (born 1936), U.S. Senator and United States Ambassador to the United Nations
- Thomas Eagleton (1929–2007), U.S. Senator from Missouri (1968–1987); 1972 Democratic Vice Presidential nominee
- Josh Earnest (born 1977), White House Press Secretary to President Barack Obama
- David R. Francis (1850–1927), U.S. Secretary of the Interior (1896–1897), U.S. Ambassador to Russia (1916–1917)
- J. William Fulbright (1905–1995), U.S. Senator, established the Fulbright Fellowships
- Dick Gephardt (born 1941), U.S. Representative from Missouri's 3rd congressional district (1977–2005); Democratic House Majority Leader (1989–1995); candidate for the Democratic nomination for president in the 2004 election
- Michael Gerson (born 1964), chief speechwriter for George W. Bush (2001–2006)
- Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States (1869–1877)
- Michael Harrington (1928–1989), founder Democratic Socialists of America
- George Hearst (1820–1891), U.S. Senator for California (1887–1891)
- Alphonso Jackson (born 1945), 13th U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
- James Jones (born 1943), U.S. National Security Advisor under Barack Obama and retired USMC four-star general
- L–Z
- Jerry Litton (1937–1976), two-term U.S. Representative; Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 1976; killed in plane crash before general election
- Breckinridge Long (1881–1958), U.S. Ambassador to Italy and Assistant United States Secretary of State under President Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Claire McCaskill, State Auditor of Missouri (1999–2007); U.S. Senator (2007–); first woman elected U.S. senator from Missouri
- James Benton Parsons (1911–1993), federal judge
- Clarke Reed (born 1928), Mississippi Republican state chairman, 1966 to 1976; instrumental in the nomination of Gerald R. Ford, Jr. at the 1976 Republican National Convention; reared in Caruthersville, Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri[1]
- Nellie Tayloe Ross (1876–1977), governor of Wyoming (1925–1927); director of the United States Mint (1933–1953); first woman to serve as a state governor
- Mel Sembler (born 1930), U.S. Ambassador to Italy (2001–2005) and Australia (1989–1993)
- Jeanne Shaheen (born 1947), U.S. Senator for New Hampshire
- Ike Skelton (born 1931), U.S. Congressman for the Missouri 4th District (1977–2011), chairman U.S. House Armed Services Committee
- Stuart Symington, first Air Force Secretary and U.S. Senator from Missouri
- Larry Thompson (born 1945), United States Deputy Attorney General under George W. Bush
- Harry S. Truman (1884–1972), President of the United States
- George Turner (1850–1932), U.S. Senator and international arbitrator
- David King Udall (1851–1938), served in Arizona Legislature, progenitor of the Udall political family
- Harold Volkmer (1931–2011), 20-year member of U.S. House of Representatives for northeast Missouri
- Jim Webb (born 1946), U.S. Senator for Virginia and United States Secretary of the Navy
- Pete Wilson (born 1933), mayor of San Diego, 36th Governor of California, U.S. Senator (1983–1991)
- Robert Coldwell Wood (1923–2005), Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Lyndon B. Johnson
Science and medicine
- Augie Auer (1940–2007), atmospheric scientist and meteorologist
- William F. Baker (born 1953), structural engineer
- Jean Bartik (1924–2011), early computer programmer and designer
- Gordon Bell (born 1934), computer engineer and microcomputer pioneer
- Herbert Blumer (1900–1987), sociologist, developer of symbolic interactionism
- Martin Stanislaus Brennan (1845–1927), scientist and priest
- George Washington Carver (c. 1864–1943), botanist
- Charles Stark Draper (1901–1987), inventor
- David F. Duncan (born 1947), psychologist and epidemiologist
- Meta Given (1888–1981), home economist scientist, dietician, author
- Edward T. Hall (1914–2009), anthropologist and cross-cultural researcher
- Edwin Hubble (1889–1953), astronomer
- Harry Laughlin (1880–1943), eugenicist
- Mark Johnson (born 1949), philosopher
- Virginia Eshelman Johnson (born 1925), psychology researcher
- Jack Kilby (1923–2005), inventor of the integrated circuit
- Pauline Gracia Beery Mack (1891–1974), chemist
- Ernest Manheim (1900–2002), sociologist
- William Howell Masters (1915–2001), gynecologist
- Orval Hobart Mowrer (1907–1982), psychologist
- Richard Smalley (1943–2005), Nobel Prize-winning chemist, discovered buckminsterfullerene
- Harlow Shapley (1885–1972), astronomer
- William Jasper Spillman (1863–1931), plant geneticist, a founder of agricultural economics
- Lewis Stadler (1896–1954), aka L.J. Stadler, maize geneticist
- Andrew Taylor Still (1828–1917), physician and founder of osteopathic medicine
- Norbert Wiener (1894–1964), mathematician
Miscellaneous famous Missourians
- William Becknell (1787–1856), soldier, businessman, founder of the Santa Fe Trail
- Johnny Behan (1844–1912), sheriff of Tombstone, Arizona, during the gunfight at the O.K. Corral
- Susan Blow (1843–1916), educator, "the mother of kindergarten"
- Sylvia Browne (1936–2013), author who claimed to be a medium and to have psychic abilities
- Calamity Jane (c. 1852–1903), Indian fighter and frontierswoman
- Dale Carnegie (1888–1955), public and motivational speaker
- Matt Dillahunty (born 1969), public speaker, internet personality, atheist activist
- Timothy M. Dolan (born 1950), Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Archbishop of New York
- Ella Ewing (1872–1913), "The Missouri Giantess", world's tallest woman (of her era)
- Bobby Greenlease (1947–1953), kidnap-murder victim in case that drew national attention
- Phoebe Hearst (1842–1919), philanthropist, feminist and suffragist
- Raelynn Hillhouse, national security and intelligence community analyst, Cold War smuggler, spy novelist
- Mary Ranken Jordan (1869–1962), philanthropist and community advocate
- Emmett Kelly (1898–1979), circus clown
- Karlie Kloss (born 1992), model and ballet dancer
- Carrie Nation (1846–1911), advocate for the temperance movement
- Rose O'Neill (1874–1944), author, illustrator and creator of the Kewpie doll
- Walter J. Ong (1912–2003), Jesuit priest, cultural and religious historian and philosopher
- Phyllis Schlafly (born 1924), conservative political activist and author
- Dred Scott, slave and litigant in U.S. Supreme Court Dred Scott Decision
- George Thampy (born 1987), Scripps National Spelling Bee champion 2000, staff member 2006
- Faye Wattleton (born 1943), feminist activist
- Brian Wesbury (born 1958), economist
- Halbert White (1950–2012), economics professor at UC San Diego
- Roy Wilkins (1901–1981), civil rights activist
See also
- List of Hall of Famous Missourians inductees
- List of people from Columbia, Missouri
- List of people from Kansas City, Missouri
- List of people from Sedalia, Missouri
- List of people from Springfield, Missouri
- List of people from St. Joseph, Missouri
- List of people from St. Louis
- Lists of Americans
- Missouri Wall of Fame
References
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, January 26, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.