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Famous People From South Dakota

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List of famous people from South Dakota, 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 South Dakota, while others are simply notable locals. If you're from South Dakota 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 South Dakota, as well as those who were born there but moved away at a young age.

These people, like Myron Floren and Shawn Colvin include images when available.

If you want to answer the questions, "Which famous people are from South Dakota?" or "Which celebrities were born in South Dakota?" then this list is a great resource for you.
Brock Lesnar is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 41
Brock Edward Lesnar is an American professional wrestler and former professional mixed martial artist, currently signed to WWE. Lesnar is a four-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a former UFC ...more
George McGovern is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 90 (1922-2012)
George Stanley McGovern was an American historian, author, U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator, and the Democratic Party presidential nominee in the 1972 presidential election. McGovern grew up in ...more
Sparky Anderson is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 76 (1934-2010)
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was a Major League Baseball player and manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third ...more
Becky Hammon is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 41
Rebecca Lynn "Becky" Hammon is an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association and a retired professional basketball player. Hammon played for the ...more
Russell Means is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 73 (1939-2012)
Russell Charles Means was an American Oglala Lakota activist for the rights of Native American people and libertarian political activist. He became a prominent member of the American Indian ...more
Lawrence Lessig is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 57
Lawrence "Larry" Lessig is an American academic and political activist. He is a proponent of reduced legal restrictions on copyright, trademark, and radio frequency spectrum, ...more
Joseph Hansen is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 81 (1923-2004)
Joseph Hansen was an American crime writer and poet, best known for a series of novels featuring private eye Dave Brandstetter.
Hubert Humphrey is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 67 (1911-1978)
Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. was an American politician who served as the 38th Vice President of the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson, from 1965 to 1969. Humphrey twice served in ...more
Crazy Horse is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Crazy Horse, literally "His-Horse-Is-Crazy"; c. 1840 – September 5, 1877 was a Native American war leader of the Oglala Lakota. He took up arms against the U.S. Federal government to ...more
Dorothy Provine is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 75 (1935-2010)
Dorothy Michelle Provine was an American singer, dancer, actress, and comedienne.
Joseph H. Bottum is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 81 (1903-1984)
Joseph Henry Bottum was an American politician. He served as the 27th Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota and as a member of the United States Senate from South Dakota.
Ernest Lundeen is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 62 (1878-1940)
Ernest Lundeen was an American lawyer and politician. Lundeen was born and raised on his father's homestead in Brooklyn Township of Lincoln County near Beresford, South Dakota. His father, C. H. ...more
Billy Robinson is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 32 (1884-1916)
William C. "Billy" Robinson was an early American aviator. Robinson moved to Grinnell in 1896 at age 12. He was a handyman, tinkerer, and bicycle repairman who designed and built his ...more
Cindy Preszler is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Cindy Preszler is a television weathercaster who is the chief meteorologist at KSDK-TV 5, the NBC affiliate in St. Louis, Missouri. She is one of five female chief meteorologists that are on ...more
Charles D. Gemar is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 63
Charles Donald "Sam" Gemar is an American former astronaut with NASA and a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army. Gemar has flown on three Space Shuttle missions. Gemar has ...more
Allen Benson is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Allen Benson Dec. at 94 (1905-1999)
Allen Wilbert Benson, nicknamed "Bullet", was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues in 1933. He would play for the Washington Senators.
Cash Asmussen is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Cash Asmussen age 56
Cash Asmussen is an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. Born Brian Keith Asmussen, in 1977 he legally changed his name to "Cash". From a Texas horse racing family, his parents, ...more
Earl Caddock is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 62 (1888-1950)
Earl Caddock was an American professional wrestler and World Heavyweight Champion who was active in the early portion of the twentieth century. As the first man to bill himself as "The Man ...more
Gene Amdahl is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 96
Gene Myron Amdahl is an American computer architect and high-tech entrepreneur, chiefly known for his work on mainframe computers at IBM and later his own companies, especially Amdahl ...more
Kris Krug is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 42
Kris Krug is a 2009 Shorty Awards nominee for the Photography.
J. A. Jance is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 74
Judith Ann Jance is an American author of mystery and horror novels. She writes at least three series of novels, centering on retired Seattle Police Department officer J. P. Beaumont, Arizona ...more
Cris Williamson is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 72
Cris Williamson is an American feminist singer-songwriter, who achieved fame as a recording artist, and who was a pioneer as a visible lesbian political activist, during a time when few who were ...more
Gary Owens is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 84
Gary Owens was an American disc jockey and voice actor. His polished baritone speaking voice generally offered deadpan recitations of total nonsense, which he frequently demonstrated as the ...more
Mary GrandPré is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
age 65
Mary GrandPré is an American illustrator best known for her cover and chapter illustrations of the Harry Potter books in their U.S. editions published by Scholastic. She received a ...more
Alvin Hansen is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list Famous People From South Dakota
Dec. at 88 (1887-1975)
Alvin Harvey Hansen, often referred to as "the American Keynes", was a professor of economics at Harvard, a widely read author on current economic issues, and an influential advisor to ...more