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Famous People From Kansas City

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Updated April 24, 2020 20.8k views 793 items

List of famous people from Kansas City, including photos when available. The people below are listed by their popularity, so the most recognizable names are at the top of the list. Some of the people below are celebrities born in Kansas City, while others are simply notable locals. If you're from Kansas City you might already know that these prominent figures are also from your hometown, but some of the names below may really surprise you. This list includes people who were born and raised in Kansas City, as well as those who were born there but moved away at a young age.

People here include everything from Evan S. Connell to Frank S. Land.

If you want to answer the questions, "Which famous people are from Kansas City?" or "Which celebrities were born in Kansas City?" then this list is a great resource for you.
Earl Cole is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 47

Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America

Earl Cole (born April 9, 1971 in Kansas City, Kansas) was the $1 million winner on the reality television series Survivor: Fiji. He is an entrepreneur, producer, philanthropist and former ...more

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Ed Asner is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 89

Birthplace: Kansas City, USA, Missouri

Yitzhak Edward Asner (; born November 15, 1929) is an American actor, voice actor and a former president of the Screen Actors Guild. He is primarily known for his role as Lou Grant during the ...more

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Jean Harlow is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Dec. at 26 (1911-1937)

Birthplace: Kansas City, USA, Missouri

Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter; March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937) was an American film actress and sex symbol of the 1930's.She was one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Often ...more

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Don Cheadle is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 54

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (; born November 29, 1964) is an American actor, author, director, producer and writer. Following early roles in Hamburger Hill (1987), and as the gangster ...more

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Robert Altman is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Dec. at 81 (1925-2006)

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

Robert Bernard Altman (; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. A five-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director and an ...more

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Chely Wright is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 48

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

Richell Rene "Chely" Wright (; born October 25, 1970) is an American country music singer and activist. On the strength of her debut album in 1994, the Academy of Country Music (ACM) ...more

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Eric Stonestreet is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 47

Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas, United States of America

Eric Allen Stonestreet (born September 9, 1971) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for portraying Cameron Tucker in the ABC mockumentary sitcom Modern Family, for which he ...more

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Chris Cooper is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 67

Birthplace: Kansas City, USA, Missouri

Christopher Walton Cooper (born July 9, 1951) is an American film actor. He has appeared in supporting performances in several major Hollywood films, including the drama American Beauty (1999), ...more

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David Catania is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 51

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

David A. Catania (born January 16, 1968) is an American independent politician and lawyer from Washington, D.C. He was formerly an at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia, ...more
Dan Piraro is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 61

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri

Daniel Charles Piraro (born 1958) is a painter, illustrator, and cartoonist best known for his syndicated cartoon panel Bizarro. Piraro's cartoons have been reprinted in 16 book collections (as ...more
Casey Stengel is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Dec. at 85 (1890-1975)

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri

Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (; July 30, 1890 – September 29, 1975) was an American Major League Baseball right fielder, and manager, best known as the manager of both the ...more

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Ub Iwerks is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Dec. at 70 (1901-1971)

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

Ub Iwerks (; March 24, 1901 – July 7, 1971) was an American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, and special effects technician, who designed Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey ...more
Mancow Muller is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 52

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Matthew Erich "Mancow" Muller (born June 21, 1966) is an American radio and television personality, actor, and former child model. Considered a shock jock, his career has been well ...more
Tom Watson is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 69

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri

Thomas Sturges Watson (born September 4, 1949) is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour Champions, formerly on the PGA Tour. In the 1970s and 1980s, Watson was one of the leading ...more

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Charlie Parker is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Dec. at 35 (1920-1955)

Birthplace: USA, Kansas City, Kansas

Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), also known as Yardbird and Bird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Parker was a highly influential jazz soloist and a leading ...more

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Kate Spade is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 56

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

Kate Brosnahan Spade was the co-founder and namesake of the designer brand, Kate Spade New York.

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Harry Harris is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Dec. at 87 (1922-2009)

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

Harry Harris (September 8, 1922 – March 19, 2009) was an American television and film director.Harris moved to Los Angeles in 1937 and got a mailroom job at Columbia Studios. After attending ...more
Dianne Wiest is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 70

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States of America

Dianne Evelyn Wiest (; born March 28, 1946) is an American actress. She has twice won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for the Woody Allen films Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and ...more

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Bill Gulick is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Bill Gulick Age: 103

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri

Grover C. "Bill" Gulick (February 22, 1916 – October 25, 2013 ) was an American author and historian from Walla Walla, Washington.
Matt Wertz is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 40

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri

Matthew Stewart Wertz (born February 17, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter. Originally from Liberty, Missouri, he now lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Theresa Sparks is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 69

Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas

Theresa Sparks is the Executive Director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and was a candidate for San Francisco Supervisor for District 6 in the November 2010 election. She is a ...more
T.J. Perkins is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 34

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA

Theodore James Perkins (born September 3, 1984) better known by the ring name T.J. Perkins or TJP, is an American professional wrestler, currently working primarily on the independent circuit. ...more
Hal Boyle is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Hal Boyle Dec. at 63 (1911-1974)

Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri

Harold Vincent Boyle (1911-1974) was an American journalist who was a correspondent and columnist for the Associated Press.
Lyle Waggoner is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 83

Birthplace: Kansas City, Kansas, USA

Lyle Wesley Waggoner (; born April 13, 1935) is an American actor and former model, known for his work on The Carol Burnett Show from 1967 to 1974, and for playing the role of Steve Trevor and ...more
Michael Massee is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list Famous People From Kansas City
Age: 63

Birthplace: Kansas City, USA, Missouri

Michael Groo Massee (September 1, 1952 – October 20, 2016) was an American actor. He starred as Funboy in 1994 film The Crow, Ira Gaines in 24, and The Gentleman in the 2012 film The Amazing ...more