READ

Famous People From Wisconsin

Reference
Updated January 9, 2019 8.9k views 1,019 items

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

Examples of people on this list include Alvin O'Konski and Lawrence Wilets.

If you want to answer the questions, "Which famous people are from Wisconsin?" or "Which celebrities were born in Wisconsin?" then this list is a great resource for you.
Mark Ruffalo is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 51

Birthplace: Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States of America

Mark Ruffalo (; born November 22, 1967) is an American actor and producer. He began acting in the early 1990s and first gained recognition for his work in Kenneth Lonergan's play This Is Our ...more

More Mark Ruffalo ❯

The Best Mark Ruffalo Movies #20 of 289 The Best (Male) Actors Working Today #92 of 256 The Hottest Men Of 2020, Ranked

Marissa Mayer is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 43

Birthplace: Wausau, Wisconsin

Marissa Ann Mayer (; born May 30, 1975) is an American information technology executive, and co-founder of Lumi Labs. Mayer formerly served as the president and chief executive officer of ...more

More Marissa Mayer ❯

#145 of 316 The Most Inspiring (Non-Hollywood) Female Role Models #85 of 267 The Most Powerful Women Of All Time #24 of 30 The Top 10 CEOs who Tweet

Skylar Grey is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 32

Birthplace: Mazomanie, Wisconsin

Holly Brook Hafermann (born February 23, 1986), known professionally as Skylar Grey, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and model from Mazomanie, Wisconsin. In 2004, at the age ...more
Spencer Tracy is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 67 (1900-1967)

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor, noted for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy ...more

More Spencer Tracy ❯

The Best Spencer Tracy Movies #623 of 2,835 The Most Influential People of All Time #58 of 1,139 The Best Actors in Film History

Georgia O'Keeffe is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 99 (1887-1986)

Birthplace: Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, United States of America

Georgia Totto O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887 – March 6, 1986) was an American artist. She was best known for her paintings of enlarged flowers, New York skyscrapers, and New Mexico landscapes. ...more

More Georgia O'Keeffe ❯

#408 of 452 Famous Role Models We'd Like to Meet In Person #23 of 31 The Greatest Painters Of All Time #8 of 22 Weird Personal Quirks of Historical Artists

Frankie Rayder is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 44

Birthplace: USA, Wisconsin, River Falls

Francesca "Frankie" Rayder (born Heidi A. Rayder; January 26, 1975) is an American model who appeared in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show four times and in the Sports ...more
Ed Gein is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 78 (1906-1984)

Birthplace: Wisconsin, United States of America

Edward Theodore Gein (; August 27, 1906 – July 26, 1984), also known as the Butcher of Plainfield or the Plainfield Ghoul, was an American murderer and body snatcher. His crimes, committed ...more

More Ed Gein ❯

#1 of 20 20 Real People Behind Classic Characters #9 of 14 14 Serial Killers Who Practiced Necrophilia

Bob Uecker is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Bob Uecker Age: 85

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

Robert George Uecker ( YOO-kər; born January 26, 1934) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and current sportscaster, comedian, and actor. Facetiously dubbed "Mr. ...more

More Bob Uecker ❯

#129 of 157 Ranking The Greatest WWE Hall of Fame Inductees #2 of 80 The Best Baseball Announcers of All Time #27 of 117 The Funniest Professional Athletes

David Zucker is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 71

Birthplace: Milwaukee, United States of America, Wisconsin, United States, with Territories, + more

David Zucker may refer to: David Zucker (director) (born 1947), American film director, producer and screenwriter David Zucker (ice hockey) (born 1987), Czech ice hockey player David Zucker ...more

More David Zucker ❯

#191 of 226 The Greatest Living Directors, Ranked #262 of 778 The Greatest Directors In Movie History #17 of 122 The Best Comedy Directors in Film History

Alan Kulwicki is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 39 (1954-1993)

Birthplace: Greenfield, Wisconsin

Alan Dennis Kulwicki (December 14, 1954 – April 1, 1993), nicknamed "Special K" and the "Polish Prince", was an American auto racing driver and team owner. He started racing ...more

More Alan Kulwicki ❯

#780 of 925 People We Wish Were Still Alive #26 of 40 Every Driver Inducted Into The NASCAR Hall Of Fame, Ranked #20 of 76 The All Time Greatest NASCAR Drivers

Allen Ludden is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 64 (1917-1981)

Birthplace: Mineral Point, Wisconsin, United States of America

Allen Ludden (born Allen Packard Ellsworth, October 5, 1917 – June 9, 1981) was an American television personality, actor, emcee and game show host, perhaps best known for having hosted various ...more
Greg Graffin is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 54

Birthplace: Racine, Wisconsin, United States of America

Gregory Walter Graffin, Ph.D (born November 6, 1964) is an American punk rock singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, college lecturer, and author. He is most recognized as the lead vocalist, ...more

More Greg Graffin ❯

#544 of 696 The Best Rock Vocalists #1,345 of 2,040 The Greatest Musical Artists of All Time #288 of 398 The Best Frontmen in Rock

Tank is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 43

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

Durrell Babbs (born January 1, 1976), better known by his stage name Tank, is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for the singles "Maybe I ...more
Don Ameche is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 85 (1908-1993)

Birthplace: Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States of America

Don Ameche (; born Dominic Felix Amici; May 31, 1908 – December 6, 1993) was an American actor, voice artist and comedian. After playing in college shows, stock, and vaudeville, he became a ...more

More Don Ameche ❯

#286 of 1,139 The Best Actors in Film History #260 of 330 The Coolest Actors Ever #56 of 122 The Worst Oscar-Winning Actors Ever

Thornton Wilder is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 78 (1897-1975)

Birthplace: Madison, Wisconsin

Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes—for the novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey, and for the plays Our ...more

More Thornton Wilder ❯

#388 of 1,176 The Best Writers of All Time #85 of 341 The Greatest American Writers of All Time #102 of 256 The Best Gay Authors

Charlotte Rae is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 92

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

Charlotte Rae Lubotsky (April 22, 1926 – August 5, 2018), known professionally as Charlotte Rae, was an American character actress, comedian, and singer whose career spanned six decades. Rae was ...more

More Charlotte Rae ❯

#1,440 of 2,004 The Greatest Actors & Actresses in Entertainment History #35 of 144 Celebrities Who Died In 2018 #9 of 15 15 Straight Celebrities Who Had Gay Spouses

John P. Morgridge is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 85

Birthplace: Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

John P. Morgridge (born 1933) is an American businessman who was the CEO and chairman of the board of Cisco Systems.
Phil Katz is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 38 (1962-2000)

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Phillip Walter Katz (November 3, 1962 – April 14, 2000) was a computer programmer best known as the co-creator of the Zip file format for data compression, and the author of PKZIP, a program for ...more

More Phil Katz ❯

#26 of 53 The Most Influential Software Programmers of All Time #167 of 211 200+ Celebrities Who Went to Rehab

Robert Peters is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 90 (1924-2014)

Birthplace: Eagle River, Wisconsin

Robert Louis Peters (October 20, 1924 – June 13, 2014) was an American poet, critic, scholar, playwright, editor, and actor born in an impoverished rural area of northern Wisconsin in 1924. He ...more

More Robert Peters ❯

#92 of 111 The Best American Poets #105 of 256 The Best Gay Authors

Bradley Whitford is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Age: 59

Birthplace: Madison, USA, Wisconsin

Bradley Whitford (born October 10, 1959) is an American actor and political activist. He portrayed White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman in the NBC television drama The West Wing, for ...more

More Bradley Whitford ❯

#28 of 34 All The Celebrities Supporting Cory Booker #21 of 44 Celebrities Who Got Married In 2019 #22 of 33 All The Celebrities Supporting Elizabeth Warren

John G. Schmitz is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 71 (1930-2001)

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

John George Schmitz (August 12, 1930 – January 10, 2001) was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives and California State Senate from Orange County, California. He was ...more
William Nordeen is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 52 (1936-1988)

Birthplace: Wisconsin

William Edward Nordeen (October 9, 1936—June 28, 1988) was an American diplomat. Born in Amery, Wisconsin and raised in nearby Centuria, he was the United States defense and naval attaché ...more
Nicholas Ray is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 68 (1911-1979)

Birthplace: Galesville, Wisconsin, United States of America

Nicholas Ray (born Raymond Nicholas Kienzle Jr., August 7, 1911 – June 16, 1979) was an American film director best known for the movie Rebel Without a Cause. Ray is also appreciated for a large ...more
Mary Lasker is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 94 (1900-1994)

Birthplace: Watertown, Wisconsin

Mary Woodard Lasker (November 30, 1900 – February 21, 1994) was an American health activist and philanthropist. She worked to raise funds for medical research, and founded the Lasker
Jerry Dunphy is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list Famous People From Wisconsin
Dec. at 81 (1921-2002)

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

Jerry Dunphy (June 9, 1921 – May 20, 2002) was an American television news anchor in the Los Angeles/Southern California media market. He was best known for his intro "From the desert to ...more