List of people from Waukegan, Illinois

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The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Waukegan, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Waukegan, Illinois.

Artists and performers

Harrison Bankhead, jazz double bassist
Jack Benny, comedian, actor, iconic radio and television personality
Landis Blair, artist (The Hunting Accident, From Here to Eternity.)
David Clennon, actor (Thirtysomething)
J. Campbell Cory, cartoonist
Steve DiGiorgio, musician
Greg Drasler, artist
Lee England Jr., violinist, composer, producer, singer
Neil Flynn, actor (Scrubs, The Middle)
Jon Michael Hill, actor (Detroit 1-8-7, Superior Donuts)
Jason Kao Hwang, violinist and composer
Mickey Kuhn, film actor of 1930s-1950s
Norm Magnusson, artist, actor
Justin Mentell, actor
Joshua Mallett, musician
Lori Peters, musician and former drummer of Skillet (band)
Jerry Orbach, actor (Law & Order, Dirty Dancing)
Adam Pearce ("Scrap Iron"), professional wrestler for Ring of Honor and the National Wrestling Alliance and producer for World Wrestling Entertainment.
Bryan W. Simon, film and stage director, Along for the Ride, I'm No Dummy, Jay Johnson: The Two & Only!, Stage Two Theatre Company
Marvin Smith, drummer on The Tonight Show
Greg and Colin Strause, directors and visual effects supervisors of Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Skyline.
Brian Van Holt, actor

Journalism and writing

Diane Ackerman, author and naturalist
Jim Bittermann, senior correspondent for CNN
Eleanor Taylor Bland, crime fiction author
Ray Bradbury, author, iconic science-fiction writer, wrote about 1920's Waukegan as "Green Town" in many of his novels and short stories
James Grippando, New York Times best-selling novelist
Isadore Gilbert Jeffery (1840-1919), poet, lyricist
Ward Just, writer
Kim Stanley Robinson, science-fiction writer; born in Waukegan in 1952

Criminal justice

Juan Rivera, wrongfully convicted of the 1992 murder of Holly Staker in Waukegan
Alton Coleman, serial killer

Politicians and law

Jack E. Bairstow, Illinois legislator
Reuben W. Coon, Illinois state senator
Robert E. Coulson, Illinois legislator, lawyer, and mayor of Waukegan
Elisha P. Ferry, first mayor of Waukegan, first governor of state of Washington
Vic Kohring, Alaska legislator
Thomas J. Moran, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
Kim Olson, military officer and political candidate
Charles E. Redman, United States ambassador to Sweden and Germany

Sports

Baseball

Gary Bennett, catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Jarvis Brown, outfielder for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles
Johnny Dickshot, outfielder for with Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants and Chicago White Sox
Eric Eckenstahler, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
Jay Hook, pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets (winning pitcher in the first ever victory for the New York Mets)
Bill Krueger, pitcher for eight MLB teams
Ernie Krueger, was the catcher for the Brooklyn Robins in the "longest game in baseball history"–27 innings.
Jerry Kutzler, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
Doc Oberlander, pitcher for the Cleveland Blues
Bob O'Farrell, catcher for the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants, World Series champion, National League MVP and manager
Ed Sedar, first base coach for the Milwaukee Brewers
Scott Stahoviak, first baseman for the Minnesota Twins
Jigger Statz, outfielder for the Chicago Cubs, New York Giants, Boston Red Sox and Brooklyn Robins
Brian Traxler, first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Renae Youngberg, third basewoman in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League

Basketball

Shawn Marion, small and power forward for the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and Dallas Mavericks
Billy McKinney, retired professional basketball player and former radio broadcaster
Jerome Whitehead, center and power forward for several NBA teams

Football

Otto Graham, award-winning quarterback for the Cleveland Browns
Brian Schwenke current offensive lineman for the New England Patriots, born in Waukegan
Michael Turner, running back for the Atlanta Falcons
Mike Wagner, safety with the Pittsburgh Steelers; four time Super Bowl champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)

Motorsports

John Morton, Champion Trans Am Series driver
Ted Musgrave, American former stock car racing driver

Other

Rick Bay, served as head wrestling coach for Michigan (1970–74), and was later a college athletic director and professional sports executive

Other

Richard E. Bush (1924–2004), Master Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and awardee of the Medal of Honor as a corporal for heroism on Okinawa during World War II. He resided in Waukegan in 1999.
Althea Warren, president of the American Library Association, 1943–44

References

Rosenberger, Tim (April 3, 2017). "TV Star Returns to Bradley to Receive Alumni Award". Peoria Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
"Gary Bennett Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Jarvis Brown Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Johnny Dickshot Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Eric Eckenstahler Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Jay Hook Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Bill Krueger Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Jerry Kutzler Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Doc Oberlander Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Shawn Marion". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Billy McKinney". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Jerome Clay Whitehead". Basketball-Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Otto Graham". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
"Mike Wagner". databaseFootball.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
Jones, Emil; Philip, Pate (May 7, 1995). "Senate Resolution 116, 91st General Assembly". Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved November 29, 2020.