Famous Minnesotans
These are just a few of the famous people who were either born in Minnesota or spent some important time in Minnesota.
Rick Aguilera, baseball player
Grady Alderman, football player
Paul Allen, sports announcer
Bob Allison, baseball player
Morten Andersen, football player
C. Elmer Anderson, Minnesota governor
Dennis Anderson, sports writer
Elmer Anderson, Minnesota governor
Gary Anderson, football player
Loni Anderson, actress
Louie Anderson, comedian
Richard Dean Anderson, actor
Wendell Anderson, Minnesota governor
LaVerne, Maxene, and Patti Andrews, singers
Kofi Annan, UN secretary general
James Arness, actor
Jeanne Arth, tennis player
Earl Bakken, founder, Medtronic
Tammy Faye Bakker, religious singer
Balsom, Fond du Lacs tribal leader
Ann Bancroft, polar explorer, first female to reach both the North Pole (1986) and South Pole (1993)
Margaret Banning, author
Marion Barber III, football player
Chuck Barta, football trainer
Earl Battey, baseball player
Todd Bauman, football player
John Beasley, football player
Charles Albert Bender, baseball player
Michael Bennett, football player
Elmer A. Benson, Minnesota governor
Juan Berenguar, baseball player
Patty Berg, golfer
Mitch Berger, football player
Berry Hunter, Mississippi River band tribal leader
Jessica Biel, actress
Big Thunder, Dakota tribal leader
Brian Billick, football coach
Matt Birk, football player
Henry Blackman, U.S. Supreme Court judge
Matt Blair, football player
Carol Bly, short story writer
Robert Bly, poet
Bert Blyleven, baseball player
Eduard Boeckmann, doctor, develops better method for preparing catgut for surgery
Norman Borlaug, humanitarian and Nobel Peace Prize winner
Lyman Bostock, baseball player
Henry Charles Boucha, hockey player
Réné Boucher, the Sieur de La Perrière, founder of first Christian mission in Minnesota
Edward G. Bremer, kidnap victim
Jack Brewer, football player
Edward A. Bromley, first regular newspaper staff photographer
Herb Brooks, hockey coach
Neal Broten, hockey player
Aaron Brown, TV news anchor
Bill “Boom-Boom” Brown, football player
Joey Browner, football player
Browns Valley Man, 10,000-year-old skeleton discovered in Brown County
Bob Bruer, football player and coach
Tom Brunansky, baseball player
Bobby Bryant, football player
Warren Burger, U.S. Supreme Court chief justice
Nate Burleson, football player
Jerry Burns, football coach
Pierce Butler, U.S. Supreme Court judge
Kelly Campbell, football player
Rod Carew, baseball player
Arne Carlson, Minnesota governor
Herb Carneal, baseball announcer
Anthony Carter, football player
Chris Carter, football player
Amelia Hyde Center, designer of Minnesota state flag
Byron Chamberlain, football player
Corey Chavous, football player
Brad Childress, football coach
Theodore Christianson, Minnesota governor and historian
Jeff Christy, football player
Joel and Ethan Coen, movie producers, directors, and screenwriters
Norm Coleman, U.S. senator
Marty Cordova, baseball player
Ted Cottrell, football coach
Sam Cowart, football player
Fred Cox, football player
Betty Crocker, food brand character
Crooked Arm, Ojibwe tribal leader
Irv Cross, football player and coach
Michael Cuddyer, baseball player
Daunte Culpepper, football player
Randall Cunningham, football player
Gary Cuozzo, football player
H. David and Dotty Dalquist, founders of Nordic Ware and inventors of the Bundt cake pan
Edward W. Davis, developed and perfected taconite process
Jack Del Rio, football player
William Demarest, actor
John Dillinger, criminal
Dave Dixon, football player
Chris Doleman, football player
William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court judge
Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Luth, explorer
Tony Dungy, football player and coach
Bob Dylan (Zimmerman), singer and songwriter
Paul Edinger, football player
Grete Eliassen, superpipe X-games star
Kimberly Elise, actress
Carl Eller, football player
Louise Erdrich, novelist
Scott Erickson, baseball player
Jim Fahnhorst, football coach
Alexander Faribault, fur trader
Mike Farrell, actor
Ciatrick Fason, football player
George Featherstonhaugh, explorer, author of A Canoe Voyage up the Minnay Sotor
Jay Fiedler, football player
Jim Finks, football manager
Francis Scott Fitzgerald, novelist
Dan Ford, baseball player
Chuck Foreman, football player
Al Franken, political humorist, author, radio commentator
Don Fraser, UN delegate
James Earle Fraser, sculptor
Orvil Freeman, Minnesota governor and U.S. secretary of agriculture
Thomas Friedman, columnist and political commentator
Gary Gaetti, baseball player
Wanda Gag, children's book author and illustrator
Greg Gagne, baseball player
Neil Gaiman, novelist and comic book author
Rich Gannon, football player
Augie Garcia, singer
Ron Gardenhire, baseball coach
Judy Garland, singer and actress
Jean Paul Getty, philanthropist, founder of Getty Oil Company
Cass Gilbert, architect
John Gilliam, football player
Terry Gilliam, actor, writer, director
Dan Gladden, baseball player
Tony Glover, musician
Adam Goldberg, football player
Horace Goodhue Jr., founder of Carleton College
James Madison Goodhue, publisher of first newspaper in Minnesota, the Minnesota Pioneer
Genevieve Gorder, designer
Michele Gran, co-founder of Global Volunteers
Mary GrandPre, illustrator
Harry Peter “Bud” Grant, football coach
Jim “Mudcat” Grant, baseball player
Peter Aurness Graves, actor
Denny Green, football coach
Steven Greenberg, disco music writer and producer
Grey Iron, Dakota tribal leader
Robert Griffith, football player
Joan Growe, Minnesota secretary of state
Cristian Guzman, baseball player
Theodore Hamm, founder of Hamms Brewery
Duane Hanson, sculptor
Brian Harper, baseball player
Napoleon Harris, football player
Sid Hartman, sports writer
Josh Hartnett, actor
John Hassler, novelist
Joe Hauser, baseball player
Steve Heiden, football player
E. J. Henderson, football player
Father Louis Hennepin, explorer, wrote the first book about Minnesota, Description de la Louisane
Wally Hilgenberg, football player
James J. Hill, railroad tycoon, founder of Great Northern Railway
Larry Hisle, baseball player
Leroy Hoard, football player
Tami Hoag, novelist
Hole-in-theDay, Mississippi River band tribal leader
Bill Holm, poet
George Hormel, founder of Hormel Foods
Aaron Hosack, football player
Phil Housley, hockey player
Kent Hrbek, baseball player
Don Hultz, football player
Hubert Humphrey, U.S. senator, vice president, and presidential candidate
Muriel Humphrey, U.S. senator
Skip Humphrey, Minnesota attorney general
Torii Hunter, baseball player
John Ireland, archbishop
Ken Irvin, football player
Tim Irwin, football player
Jimmy Jam (James Harris III), songwriter, co-founder of Flyte Tyme Productions
Erasmus James, football player
Whoopee John, polka king
Brad Johnson, football player
John A. Johnson, Minnesota governor
Marcus Johnson, football player
Spencer Johnson, football player
Lance Johnstone, football player
Father Joliet, explorer
Jolly Green Giant, food brand character
Jacques Jones, baseball player
Steve Jordan, football player
Jim Kaat, baseball player
Joe Kapp, football player
Rich Karlis, football player
Karl Kasulke, football player
Garrison Keillor, radio humorist and author
Frank Kellogg, U.S. senator, U.S. secretary of state, Kellogg-Briand Pact
Tom Kelly, baseball coach
Sister Elizabeth Kenny, nurse, discovered a revolutionary treatment for polio
Linda Kelsey, actress
Walt Kiesling, football player
Craig Kilbourn, TV host and comedian
Harmon Killebrew, baseball player
Jim Kleinsasser, football player
Amy Klobuchar, U.S. senator
Jim Klobuchar, newspaper columnist
Chris Kluwe, football player
T. R. Knight, actor
Chuck Knoblauch, baseball player
Coya Knutson, U.S. representative
John Koerner, musician
Charlie Korsmo, actor
Corey Koskie, baseball player
Tommy Kramer, football player
Paul Krause, football player
Peter Krause, actor
John Kremer, author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, Celebrate Today, and The Biology of Business;
founder and member of the Self-Publishing Hall of Fame; maintainer of this web site; self-promoter
Lorna Landvik, author
Jessica Lange, actress
Gary Larsen, football player
Matt Lawton, baseball player
Carl Lee, football player
Tom Lehman, golfer
Brock Lesnar, wrestler
Pierre Charles Le Sueur, explorer
Harold LeVander, Minnesota governor
Sinclair Lewis, Nobel Prize-winning novelist
Terry Lewis, songwriter, co-founder of Flyte Tyme Productions
Like a Reindeer, Grand Portage tribal leader
C. Walton Lillehei, doctor who performed first open heart surgery
Charles Lindbergh Jr., aviator, first non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean
Scott Linehan, football coach
Lipps, Inc., rock group
Little Crow, Dakota tribal leader
Little Englishman, Grand Portage tribal leader
Little Rock, Ojibwe tribal leader
Little Shell, Ojibwe tribal leader
Chris Liwienski, football player
Loon's Foot, Fond du Lacs tribal leader
Maud Hart Lovelace, author
Kirk Lowdermilk, football player
Edward Lowe, inventor
Bob Lurtsema, football player
Mike Lynn, football executive
Charles Macalester, business executive (Macalester College named after him)
Shane Mack, baseball player
Cornell MacNeil, singer
John Madden, football coach and sportscaster
Roger Maris, baseball player
Father Marquette, explorer
Frank Mars, founder of Mars, Inc., creator of Milky Way candy bar
Forrest Mars, CEO, Mars, Inc., creator of M&Ms
E. G. Marshall, actor
Jim Marshall, football player
Billy Martin, baseball coach
Doug Martin, football player
Glen Mason, football coach
Tommy Mason, football player
Gene Mauch, baseball manager
Joe Mauer, baseball player
Charles Mayo, doctor, founder of Mayo Clinic
William J. Mayo, doctor, founder of Mayo Clinic
William W. Mayo, doctor, head of St. Mary's Hospital
Joe Mays, baseball player
Eugene McCarthy, U.S. senator and presidential candidate
Ed McDaniel, football player
Randall McDaniel, football player
Hugh McElhenny, football player
Bobby McFerrin, reggae singer
Max McGee, football player
Kevin McHale, basketball player
Audray McMillian, football player
Bryant McKinney, football player
Johnny McNally, football player
Doug Mientkiewicz, baseball player
Keith Millard, football player
Kate Millett, feminist
Don Mincher, baseball player
Minnesota Man, 20,000-year-old skeleton discovered in Otter Tail County
Theodore Mitau, professor
Mother Alfred Moes, founder of St. Mary's Hospital
Paul Molitar, baseball player
Walter Mondale, U.S. senator, vice president, and presidential candidate
Warren Moon, football player
Mary Tylor Moore, TV character
Mewelde Moore, football player
Moose Dung, Ojibwe tribal leader
Justin Morneau, baseball player
Jack Morris, baseball player
Randy Moss, football player
Mark Mullaney, football player
Bronco Nagurski, football player, wrestler
Joe Nathan, baseball player
LeRoy Neiman, sports artist
Cindy Nelson, downhill skier
Darrin Nelson, football player
George “Pinky” Nelson, astronaut
Prince Rogers Nelson, singer and songwriter
Pat Neshek, baseball player
Graig Nettles, baseball player
Ernie Nevers, football player
Next, rock group
Chris Niskanen, sports writer
Lauris Norstad, general, commander of NATO forces
Tim O'Brien, novelist
Willie Offord, football player
Justus Ohage, doctor, performs first successful gall bladder surgery in the U.S.
Olof Ohman, discover of Kensington Ruins
Tony Oliva, baseball player
Floyd Olson, Minnesota governor
Scott and Brennan Olson, inventors of rollerblades
Norman Ornstein, the King of Quotes
Dave Osborn, football player
Ozawindib, co-discover of the source of the Mississippi River
Alan Page, football player and Minnesota Supreme Court judge
David Palmer, football player
Anthony Parker, football player
Gordon Parks, photographer and director
Camilo Pascual, baseball player
William S. Pattee, law school professor and dean
Gary Paulson, author
Jeno Paulucci, founder of Jeno's Frozen Pizza, Chun King Corporation, and Luigino's
Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota governor
Rudy Perpich, Minnesota governor
Jim Perry, baseball player
Bud Philbrook, co-founder of Global Volunteers
Zebulon Montgomery Pike, explorer, led first U.S. expedition through Minnesota
John Pillsbury, founder of Pillsbury, Minnesota governor
Pillsbury Doughboy, food brand character
Vic Power, baseball player
Tom Powers, sports columnist
Kirby Puckett, baseball player
Al Quie, Minnesota governor and U.S. representative
Frank Quilici, baseball player
Brad Radke, baseball player
Pedro Ramos, baseball player
Alexander Ramsey, territorial governor, Minnesota governor, and U.S. senator
John Randle, football player
Ahmad Rashad, football player
Dave Ray, musician
Jeff Reardon, baseball player
Mike Redmond, baseball player
Jake Reed, football player
Oscar Reed, football player
Rich Reese, baseball player
Patrick Reusse, sports writer
Faud Reviez, football player
Korel Robinson, football player
Marcus Robinson, football player
Joe Rolette, legislator who saved St. Paul as the capital of the state
Rich Rollins, baseball player
Karl Rolvaag, Minnesota governor
Ole Rolvaag, novelist
Mike Rosenthal, football player
Marion Ross, actress
Dwayne Rudd, football player
Jane Russell, actress
Winona Ryder, actress
Harrison Salisbury, journalist
Ralph Samuelson, inventor of water skiing, first water ski jumper and speed skier
Bob Sansevere, sports columnist
Johan Santana, baseball player
Charles Schulz, Peanuts cartoonist
August Schell, founder of August Schell Brewing Company
Henry Schoolcraft, co-discover of the source of the Mississippi River
Dred Scott, slave (Dred Scott Decision)
Seann William Scott, actor
Todd Scott, football player
Briana Scurry, soccer player
John Henry Seadlund, criminal
Richard Sears, co-founder of Sears
Don Seeholzer, sports writer
Jeff Seiman, football player
Semisonic, rock group
Joe Senser, football player
Eric Sevareid, broadcaster
Darren Sharper, football player
Henry Sibley, first Minnesota governor
Roy Smalley, baseball player
Onterrio Smith, football player
Raonall Smith, football player
Robert Smith, football player
Fred Smoot, football player
Josiah Snelling, founder of Fort Snelling (originally Fort St. Anthony)
Jesse Solomon, football player
Kevin Sorbo, actor
Jon Souhan, sports writer
Soul Asylum, rock group
Sounds of Blackness, Gospel choir
LaVyrle Spencer, romance novelist
Maurice Stans, U.S. secretary of commerce
Harold Stassen, Minnesota governor and presidential candidate
Will Steger, Arctic explorer
Korey Stringer, football player
Todd Steussie, football player
Scott Studwell, football player
Faith Sullivan, author
Milt Sunde, football player
Tahtapesaah, Dakota tribal leader
Lawrence Taliaferro, first U.S. Indian agent at Fort Snelling
Kevin Tapani, baseball player
Tapes 'N Tapes, rock group
Fran Tarkenton, football player
Travis Taylor, football player
Dontarrious Thomas, football player
Henry Thomas, football player
David Thompson, first mapper of Minnesota
Leah Thompson, actress, dancer
Mike Tice, football coach
Cheryl Tiegs, actress
Mick Tinglehoff, football player
Michael Todd, movie producer
Susan Allen Toth, novelist
Rose Totino, founder of Totino's frozen pizza, first female inducted into the Frozen Food Hall of Fame
Cesar Tovar, baseball player
The Trashmen, rock group
Anne Tyler, novelist
Kenechi Udeze, football player
Brenda Ueland, journalist and author
Norm Van Brocklin, football coach
Thorstein Veblen, economist, sociologist, author
Jesse Ventura, wrestler and Minnesota governor
Zoilo Versalles, baseball player
Frank Viola, baseball player
Rosalie Wahl, first woman judge on Minnesota Supreme Court
DeWitt Wallace, publisher, founder of Reader's Digest, philanthropist
Charley Walters, sports columnist
Lonnie Warwick, football player
Gene Washington, football player
Ed White, football player
Sammy White, football player
Jermaine Wiggins, football player
Laura Ingalls Wilder, novelist
Zygi Wilf, football team owner
Roy Wilkins, civil rights leader
Brian Williams, football player
Kevin Williams, football player
Moe Williams, football player
Pat Williams, football player
Troy Williamson, football player
August Wilson, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
Wade Wilson, football player
Antoine Winfield, football player
Dave Winfield, baseball player
Roy Winston, football player
Max Winter, football team owner
Cory Withrow, football player
Kathleen Woodiwiss, romance novelist
Al Worthington, baseball player
Yanni, new age musician
Ron Yary, football player
Rickey Young, football player
Luther Youngdahl, Minnesota governor
Steve Zahn, actor
Fred Zamberletti, football trainer
Gary Zimmerman, football player
