List of people from Nebraska

The following are people who were either born/raised or have lived for a significant period of time in Nebraska.

Native Americans

• Crazy Horse (1838–1877), great warrior of the Oglala Sioux
• Red Cloud (1822–1909), chief of the Oglala Sioux
• Standing Bear (1829?-1908), chief of the Ponca Indian tribe

Public office

• Herbert Brownell, Jr. (1904–1996), United States Attorney General in President Eisenhower's cabinet from 1952 to 1957
• William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925), U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Representative, Democratic Party nominee for president 1896, 1900, and 1908, and prosecuting attorney in Scopes Trial.
• Hugh A. Butler (1878–1954), U.S. Senator
• Dick Cheney (1941-), 46^th U.S. Vice-president
• Glenn Cunningham (1912-2003), U.S. Representative; Mayor of Omaha
• Carl Curtis (1905-2000), U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator
• Robert Vernon Denney (1916-1981), U.S. Representative and U.S. District Court Judge
• J. James Exon (1921-2005), Nebraska Governor and U.S. Senator
• Gerald Ford (1913–2006), 38^th U.S. President (born in Omaha, but raised in Michigan)
• Dwight Griswold (1893-1954), Nebraska Governor and U.S. Senator
• Robert Dinsmore Harrison (1897–1977), U.S. Representative
• Edgar Howard (1858–1951), served as private secretary to William Jennings Bryan; Nebraska Lt. Governor and U.S. Representative
• Joseph Robert "Bob" Kerrey (1943-), Nebraska Governor and US Senator
• Kay A. Orr (1939-), first Republican woman governor (Nebraska) in U.S. history (1987–1991)
• Leo Ryan (1925–1978), U.S. Representative (Democrat-California) to Congress; born in Lincoln.
• Charles Thone (1924- ), Nebraska Governor and U.S. Congressman
• Kenneth S. Wherry (1892–1951), U.S. Senator

Military/war

• Douglas A. Block (c. 1950-), United States Navy Captain, commanded USS Simpson (FFG-56).
• Alfred Gruenther (1899–1983), youngest four-star general in U.S. history, Commander of North Atlantic Treaty Organization
• Galen B. Jackman (1951-), US Army Major General, Nancy Reagan's escort throughout the death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan, first commanding general of the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region
• Joseph Robert "Bob" Kerrey (1943-), US Navy, LT(JG), Commanded a Navy SEAL team in Vietnam, Medal of Honor recipient
• Francis P. Matthews (1887–1952), served as 49^th U.S. Secretary of the Navy, during the administration of President Harry Truman
• Jarvis Offutt (1894–1918), World War I aviator, namesake of Offutt Air Force Base
• Forrest S. Petersen (1922–1990), Navy and NASA test pilot, head of Naval Air Systems Command
• James G. Roudebush (c. 1949-), U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General and doctor of medicine, current Surgeon General of the United States Air Force
• Karl Timmerman, United States Army. Helped capture the Bridge at Remagen during World War II. First officer of an attacking army to cross the Rhine River since Napoleon.
• Albert Coady Wedemeyer (1897–1989), noted military planner and strategist

Entertainment

Film/theater

• Adele Astaire (1897–1981), dancer and entertainer
• Fred Astaire (1899–1987), dancer and actor
• John Beasley (1943-), actor
• Ward Bond (1903–1960), actor
• Marlon Brando (1924–2004), Academy Award-winning actor
• Don Cheadle (1964-), Academy Award-winning actor
• Montgomery Clift (1920–1966), actor
• James Coburn (1928–2002), actor
• Sandy Dennis (1937–1992), actress
• David Doyle (1929–1997), actor
• Henry Fonda (1905–1982), Academy Award-winning actor
• Hoot Gibson (1892–1962), actor, rodeo cowboy
• Leland Hayward (1902–1971), Hollywood and Broadway agent and producer
• Marg Helgenberger (1958-), actress
• Virginia Huston (1925-1981), actress
• David Janssen (1931–1980), actor
• Swoosie Kurtz (1944-), actress
• Harold Lloyd (1893–1971), actor, comedian
• Pierce Lyden (1908- ), actor
• Gordon MacRae (1921–1986), actor, singer
• Dorothy McGuire (1916–2001), actress
• Fred Niblo (1874–1948), actor, director, producer
• Nick Nolte (1941-), actor, producer
• Alexander Payne (1961-), director, screenwriter
• Thurl Ravenscroft (1914–2005), voice actor and singer
• Hilary Swank (1974-), 2-time Academy Award-winning actress
• Inga Swenson (1932-), actress
• Robert Taylor (1911–1969), actor
• Janine Turner (1962-), actress
• Gabrielle Union (1973-), actress
• Charles Weidman (1901–1975), dancer, choreographer
• Darryl F. Zanuck (1902–1979), producer, writer, actor and director

Comedians/humorists

• Johnny Carson (1925–2005), comedian
• Larry the Cable Guy (1963-), comedian

Television/radio

• Dick Cavett (1936-), TV talk show host
• Floyd Kalber (1924–2004), TV journalist and anchorman
• Lindsey Shaw (1989-), child actor for Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, born in Lincoln
• Paula Zahn (1956-), News anchor for CNN

Music

• 311, Rock band
• Roni Benise, Flamenco guitarist
• Ruth Etting (1896–1976), singer and actress
• Chip Davis (1947-), singer-songwriter; founder of Mannheim Steamroller, president and ceo of American Gramaphone Records
• Howard Hanson (1896–1981), composer and conductor
• Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris (1915–1969), rhythm and blues singer
• Neal Hefti (1922-), jazz trumpeter and composer
• Tim Kasher (1976-), singer
• Conor Oberst (1980-), singer
• Ann Ronell (1906 or 1908–1993), jazz composer and lyricist
• Elliott Smith (1969–2003), singer-songwriter
• Ryland Steen (1980-) Reel Big Fish drummer
• Matthew Sweet (1964-), rock musician
• James Valentine (1978-), Maroon 5 guitarist
• Paul Williams (1940-), singer-songwriter
• Roger Williams (1925-), pianist

Art/literature/journalism

• Bess Streeter Aldrich (1881-1954), author of 200 short stories and 13 novels including Miss Bishop
• Hartley Burr Alexander (1873-1939), writer, educator, scholar, philosopher, poet and iconographer
• Kurt Andersen (1954-), co-founder of Spy Magazine
• John Gutzon Borglum (1867–1941), painter, sculptor, designer and engineer of the presidential busts on Mount Rushmore
• Solon Borglum (1869–1922), sculptor, younger brother of John Gutzon Borglum
• Willa Cather (1873–1947), author
• Ana Marie Cox (1972-), founder and editor of the political blog, Wonkette
• Loren Eiseley (1907-1977), anthropologist, science writer, ecologist, and poet; born in Lincoln, Nebraska
• John Philip Falter (1910-1982), renowned Nebraska artist famous for his many Saturday Evening Post covers
• Terry Goodkind (1948-), bestselling fantasy author
• Robert Henri (1865–1929), painter
• Clifton Hillegass (1918–2001), publisher and founder of CliffsNotes
• Weldon Kees (1914–1955), poet, novelist, short story writer
• Ted Kooser (1939-), Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer Prize winner
• Stephen R. Lawhead (1950-), bestselling author of fantasy and historical fiction
• DeBarra Mayo (1953-) writer, author
• Wright Morris (1910-1998), novelist, photographer, and essayist
• John Neihardt (1881–1973), poet, dubbed the "Poet Laureate of Nebraska and the Plains" by the Nebraska State Legislature in 1921
• Rose O'Neill (1874–1944), Illustrator, writer and creator of the Kewpie doll
• Mari Sandoz (1896-1966), novelist, biographer, lecturer and teacher; author of Old Jules, Cheyenne Autumn, Slogum House, and others

Business

• Arjay R. Miller (1916 - ,) Business and college executive, served as president of Ford Motor Company from 1963 to 1968, was dean of Graduate School of Business at Stanford University for ten years.
• Howard F. Ahmanson, Sr. (1906–1968), financier, philanthropist
• Walter Behlen (1905-1994), founder of the Behlen Manufacturing Company in Columbus, Nebraska
• Warren Buffett (1930-), "Oracle of Omaha", investor; third wealthiest person in the world (this has changed since donating much of his money to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
• Richard N. Cabela (1936-), entrepreneur, founder of Cabela's sporting store
• Joyce Hall (1891–1982), founder of Hallmark Cards
• Andrew Higgins (1886–1952), Industrialist and shipbuilder, owner and founder of Higgins Industries, manufacturer of "Higgins boats"
• Peter Kiewit (1900–1979), contractor, investor and philanthropist
• William Norris (1911-), pioneering CEO of Control Data Corporation
• Edwin Perkins (1889–1961), inventor of Kool-Aid, philanthropist
• Walter Scott, Jr. (1931-), civil engineer, philanthropist
• Evan Williams, creator of Blogger
• James Ousley, chairman of the Board, SAVVIS
• Dale M. Jensen, ITI founder, then Phoenix Sun and diamondbacks baseball sold ITI in 1996 for $383 million
• Don Dillion, Founder of ITI, former Chairman of the Board FIServ, largest singe stock holder.
• Tony Raimondo - Behlen mfg, Chairman of the Board
• William (bill) martin kubly, CEO landscapes unlimited
• Donald O. Clifton - Chairman of the Board Gallup Corp. founder of SRI
• Edward McVaney - founder J.D. EDWARDS (purchased by PeopleSoft)
• Tom Peed - President and CEO Sandhills Publishing
• Paul Endacott, college basketball Hall of Fame (University of Kansas), president of Phillips 66
• Paul Henson, UN-L grad. - Chairman of the Board, United Telecom (became Sprint)
• Clarence L. Werner - Founder and Chairman Werner Enterprises - billion dollar Trucking company
• Duane Acklie founder of Crete Carrier Corporation, as well as a chairman of Shaffer Trucking, Inc., Sunflower Carriers, Inc., largest privately held trucking company in the US.

Science/medicine

• Clayton Anderson (1959-) NASA Astronaut assigned to ISS Expedition 15
• Henry Beachell (1906-), developer of hybrid-rice, which has saved millions around the world from starvation
• George Wells Beadle (1903–1989), scientist in the study of genetics
• Charles Edwin Bessey (1845-1915), botanist, responsible for planting of the Nebraska National Forest
• John R. Dunning (1907–1975), physicist; played an instrumental role in the development of the atomic bomb
• Harold Eugene "Doc" Edgerton (1903–1990), professor at MIT, pioneer in stroboscopic photography
• Rollins A. Emerson (1873–1947), geneticist, considered a pioneer in researching the genetics of maize
• Jay Wright Forrester (1918-), pioneer of computer engineering
• Daniel Freeman (1826–1908), a homesteader, physician and American Civil War veteran. First person to file for a claim under Homestead Act of 1862.
• Susan La Flesche Picotte (1865–1915), first person to receive federal aid for education and the first American Indian woman to become a physician in the United States
• Ivan Sutherland (1938-), inventor of the Sketchpad

Athletics

• Ted "The Million Dollar Man" DiBiase (1954-), professional wrestler
• Grover Cleveland Alexander (1887–1950), Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
• Max Baer (1909–1959), boxer
• Robert S. "Bob" Devaney (1915-1997), football coach for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers
• Bob Gibson (1935-), Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher for St. Louis Cardinals
• Ahman Green (1977-), football player
• Jeremy Horn (1975-), mixed martial arts fighter in the UFC
• Gregg Olson (1966-), professional baseball pitcher
• Tom Osborne (1937-), former football coach for the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers
• James Raschke (1940-), professional wrestler
• Andy Roddick (1982-), tennis star
• Gale Sayers (1943-), Football Hall of Fame running back for the Chicago Bears
• "Gorgeous George" Wagner (1915–1963), professional wrestler
• Joba Chamberlain (1985-) Professional baseball player for the New York Yankees
• Jed Ortmeyer (1978-) Professional hockey player for the Nashville Predators
• Curtis Tomasevicz (1980-), 2006 U.S. Olympic Bobsledder, former Nebraska Cornhusker football player

Other

• Grace Abbott (1878–1939), social worker, child welfare reformer
• Frank W. Cyr (1900–1995), educator, author, "Father of the Yellow School Bus"
• Carmelita Hinton (1890–1983), progressive educator
• Julius Sterling Morton (1832–1902), founder of Arbor Day
• Roscoe Pound (1870–1964), botanist, lawyer law professor, theorist
• Malcolm X (1925–1965), civil rights leader
• Charles Starkweather (1938-1959), spree killer who murdered 11 victims and inspired numerous books and movies including The Sadist, Badlands, and Natural Born Killers
• Brandon Teena (1972–1993), a female-to-male transsexual whose murder was the basis of the movie Boys Don't Cry

External links

• "700 Famous Nebraskans"