List of people from Kansas City, Missouri
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The list of people from Kansas City, Missouri is for native-born and past residents. Kansas City, Missouri is the central city of the Kansas City metropolitan area. People from Kansas City, Kansas are at List of people from Kansas City, Kansas.
A
- Bud Abell – linebacker in the American Football League; born in Kansas City[1]
- Oleta Adams – singer
- Amy Alcott (born 1956) – Hall of Fame professional golfer; born in Kansas City[2]
- M.A. Alford – multimedia artist
- Henry Wilson Allen – Western author and screenwriter
- Kirsten Bloom Allen – ballet dancer and actress; raised in Kansas City[3]
- Robert Altman – film director[4]
- Raleigh DeGeer Amyx – collector of Olympic and presidential memorabilia[5]
- Ernest Appy – composer and cellist
- Sagir Arce – soccer player[6]
- Stewart Ashby Jr. – rapper
- Edward Asner – actor, born in Kansas City[7][8]
- Ashley Aull – 2006 Miss Kansas USA
B
- Burt Bacharach – pianist and composer
- Joy Bang – actress, born in Kansas City[9]
- Kay Barnes – mayor of Kansas City 1999–2007
- Hector Barreto Sr. – activist and entrepreneur
- H. Roe Bartle – mayor of Kansas City and namesake of Kansas City Chiefs
- Lucas Bartlett – soccer player[10]
- Count Basie – jazz musician and bandleader
- Noah Beery – actor
- Wallace Beery – Oscar-winning actor
- Thomas Hart Benton – artist
- Richard L. Berkley – politician, former mayor
- Ken Berry – baseball player
- Terry Blair – serial killer
- Danni Boatwright – Survivor: Guatemala winner; Miss Kansas
- Johnny Yong Bosch – actor, martial artist, voice actor, and musician
- Connee Boswell – singer
- George Brett – baseball player, third baseman
- Diane Brewster – actress
- Beau Brinkley – long snapper for the Atlanta Falcons
- Bob Brookmeyer – jazz musician, composer, and bandleader
- Elizabeth Broun – art historian and director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Walter Brown – blues musician
- Sylvia Browne – psychic and medium
- Trevor Burns – soccer player[11]
C
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- Melvin Calhoun – rapper
- Danny Carey – drummer for rock band Tool
- John D. Carmack – game programmer
- Joe Carter – baseball player with Cleveland Indians and Toronto Blue Jays; lives in the city
- Vincent O. Carter – writer[12]
- Don Cheadle – actor, Hotel Rwanda, Ocean's Eleven, Crash
- Anthony Civella – mobster
- Emanuel Cleaver – politician, U.S. representative for Fifth District in Missouri[13]
- Gene Clark – singer-songwriter with The Byrds
- Jonathan Coachman – ESPN sportscaster, wrestling commentator, college basketball player[14]
- Jennifer Jo Cobb – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver
- Robert Coldsnow – Kansas legislator and lawyer
- Vinson Cole – operatic tenor
- David Cone – Major League Baseball pitcher
- Evan S. Connell – author[15]
- Chris Cooper – Oscar-winning actor[16]
- John Coughlin – figure skater, 2011 U.S. pairs champion
- Joan Crawford – Oscar-winning actor[17]
- Walter Cronkite – CBS television journalist, news anchor
D
- Marcus Denmon – NBA player
- Bob Dernier – MLB outfielder
- DeLos F. DeTar – scientist
- Walt Disney – film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, and animator[18]
- Sophia Dominguez-Heithoff – model and Miss Teen USA 2017
- James T. Draper Jr. – president of the Southern Baptist Convention 1982–1984; pastor of Red Bridge Baptist Church in Kansas City 1965–1970
- Carol Duboc – singer, composer, arranger, and actress[19]
E
- James E. Edmondson – Oklahoma Supreme Court justice
- Robert Ellis – physicist
- Mireille Enos – actress
F
- Harris Faulkner – newscaster
- Samantha Fish – musician
- Scott Foley – actor
- Lisa Forbes – Miss Kansas and Miss Earth USA 2007
- William P. Foster – band director
- Thomas Frank – writer, editor
- Josh Freeman – NFL quarterback
- Matt Freije – NBA player
- Friz Freleng – film producer, director, animator, and cartoonist
G
- Heidi Gardner – comedian, writer, and actress
- Lorenzo Gilyard – serial killer nicknamed the "Kansas City Strangler"
- Nicholas Gioacchini – soccer player who represented the United States national team[20]
- Caroline Glaser – The Voice contestant
- Renée Good – writer and poet; was infamously shot by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in 2026[21]
- Thelma Thurston Gorham – journalist, organization leader, and activist
- Maurice Greene – sprinter, gold-medalist Olympian in track and field
- Masten Gregory – auto racing
- Allen Griffin – California newspaper publisher
- Eddie Griffin – comedian and actor, Deuce Bigalow, Undercover Brother
- Karolyn Grimes – actress, Zu-Zu in the Frank Capra classic It's a Wonderful Life, lived in town for many years
H
- Donald J. Hall, Sr. – businessman
- Joyce Hall – businessman, founder of Hallmark Cards
- Jennie Hanna – missionary worker and co-founder of the Woman's Auxiliary of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.
- Leon Harden – football player for Green Bay Packers
- Jean Harlow – actress[22]
- Jessica Harp – country music singer-songwriter, former member of The Wreckers with Michelle Branch[23]
- Rhonda Harper – surfer and surf coach
- Thomas Hayward – leading tenor of Metropolitan Opera
- Caleb Hearon – comedian, writer, actor, and director
- Robert A. Heinlein – science fiction author; his stories are frequently set in or reference Kansas City
- Ernest Hemingway – iconic novelist and short story author
- Shauntay Henderson – FBI Ten Most Wanted fugitive, convicted criminal
- Paul Henning – writer, producer of The Beverly Hillbillies TV series
- Opal Hill – golfer and LPGA co-founder
- Jerry Hines – Emmy Award-winning photographer, voted cutest baby of Kansas City 1975
- Ralph F. Hirschmann (1922–2009) – biochemist who led synthesis of first enzyme[24]
- Mabel Hite – vaudeville and musical comedy performer, father worked at Owl Drug Store
- Clara Cleghorn Hoffman (1831–1908) – temperance activist
- Bob Holden – 53rd governor of Missouri[25]
- Dorothy B. Hughes – novelist
- Jane Dee Hull – 20th governor of Arizona
- Earl Hurd - animated film director, inventor of the animation cel
I
- Rudolf Ising - animator, co-creator of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies
- Sean Ingram – musician and entrepreneur[26]
- Ub Iwerks – animator and cartoonist[27]
J
- Bo Jackson – football and baseball player
- Pete Johnson – blues and jazz pianist
- Elaine Joyce – actress
K
- Tim Kaine – former governor and current U.S. senator from Virginia; 2016 Democratic nominee for vice president under Hillary Clinton
- Krizz Kaliko (born Samuel Watson Jr.) – rapper
- Jason Kander – former Missouri secretary of state
- John Kander – composer
- Sybil Kaplan – journalist and author
- Ewing Kauffman – pharmaceutical magnate, philanthropist, and Major League Baseball owner
- Ellie Kemper – actress, The Office, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
- Vern Kennedy – baseball pitcher
- Bill Kenney – politician, ex-Chiefs player
- Edward Kerr – actor, Above Suspicion, Confessions of a Sexist Pig, The Astronaut's Wife
- Craig Kilborn – actor, sportscaster, talk show host
- John Klein – soccer player for MLS club St. Louis City
- Philip Klutznick – U.S. secretary of commerce to President Jimmy Carter
- Evalyn Knapp – actress
L
- Sarah Lancaster – actress
- Frank Sherman Land – Freemason and founder of Order of DeMolay, international organization for young men
- Barbara Lawrence – actress
- William Least Heat-Moon – author
- Muna Lee – three-time track and field Olympic finalist
- Jeff Leiding – football player
- Lesa Lewis – IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Ryan Lilja – NFL player for Indianapolis Colts and Kansas City Chiefs, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School graduate
- Tyronn Lue – NBA player and current head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Raytown Senior High School
- Betty Lynn – actress best known for playing Thelma Lou on The Andy Griffith Show
M
- Bill Maas – NFL player
- Arthur Mag – lawyer, legal counsel to Harry S. Truman
- Sean Malto – professional skateboarder
- Amanda Marsh – first winner of The Bachelor
- Oliver T. Marsh – cinematographer
- Denny Matthews – sportscaster, author
- John Mayberry Jr. – baseball outfielder with Philadelphia Phillies
- Claire McCaskill – politician and senator
- Edie McClurg – actress
- Courtney McCool – athlete and Olympian
- Charles McCormick – singer and bass player, member of the Kansas City R&B band Bloodstone
- Glenn McGee – bioethicist and philosopher
- Katherine McNamara – actress, Shadowhunters
- Jay McShann – blues musician
- Pat Metheny – jazz guitarist
- Frederick H. Michaelis – U.S. Navy admiral
- Sue Miller – breast cancer activist
- Janelle Monáe – singer
- Wendy Moniz – actress
- Julia Montgomery – actress in Revenge of the Nerds and One Life to Live
- Dennis Moore – congressman, politician
- Logan Morrison – baseball player
- Paul Morrison – politician
- Tommy Morrison – heavyweight boxer
- Bennie Moten – pianist, bandleader
- Mancow Muller – radio personality
- Richard B. Myers – U.S. Air Force general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
N
- Rob Neyer – sportswriter
- Danielle Nicole – blues and soul musician
- Jesse Clyde Nichols – developer of commercial and residential real estate
- William F. Nolan – author
O
- Buck O'Neil – baseball player, scout, and coach; first African-American coach in the MLB; helped establish the Negro League Hall of Fame
P
- Satchel Paige – baseball pitcher
- Charlie Parker – jazz saxophonist and composer
- Gordon Parks – screenwriter, director, actor, photographer
- Mark Patton – actor
- Jamie Paulin-Ramirez – American Muslim convert arrested in Jihad Jane plot to kill a Danish artist
- Rodney Peete – NFL quarterback, Fox Sports TV host
- Tom Pendergast – political boss
- Tom Pernice Jr. – professional golfer[28]
- Suzan Pitt - animated film director, painter
- Darrell Porter – professional baseball player, author
- Joe Posnanski – sports writer, author
- William Powell – actor
- The Pruitt Twins – identical twin brothers, Millus David Pruett [sic] and Myles Pennington Pruett, blues musicians
- Matthew Pryor – lead singer of The Get Up Kids
R
- Joe Randa – baseball player
- Rudy Reyes – actor and former U.S. Marine sergeant
- Bullet Rogan – baseball player
- Ginger Rogers – dancer, Academy Award-winning actress, Broadway performer
- Michael Rosbash – geneticist at Brandeis University, Nobel laureate
- Karl L. Rundberg (1899–1969) – Los Angeles City Council member
- Brandon Rush – NBA player
- Kareem Rush – NBA player
- Pierre Russell – basketball player
S
- Ray Sadecki – Major League Baseball pitcher
- Lori Saunders – actress, Petticoat Junction
- Rachel Saunders – 2005 Miss Kansas USA
- Melana Scantlin – Miss Missouri USA and Average Joe star, co-host of World Series of Blackjack
- Wes Scantlin – lead singer and rhythm guitarist of rock band Puddle of Mudd, cousin of Melana Scantlin[29]
- Nick Schnebelen – blues rock musician[30]
- Josh Shapiro – former attorney general and current governor of Pennsylvania
- Ted Shawn – modern dance pioneer
- Columbus Short – choreographer, actor, singer
- Sam Simmons – former NFL and Arena Football League player
- Crystal Smith – model
- Jack Sock – professional tennis player
- Alberto Sordi – Italian actor (honorary citizen)
- Kate Spade – fashion designer
- Nancy Speir – children's book illustrator
- Alexis Spight – gospel musician
- Casey Stengel – baseball player and Hall of Fame manager
- Michael Stevens – YouTuber, educator, public speaker, creator and host of Mind Field
- Eric Stonestreet – actor
- George Strohmeyer – football player
- Justin Swift – football player with NFL's Detroit Lions
T
- DePrice Taylor – executive director of community relations for the Kansas City Current and member of the Kansas City Parks Board[31]
- Myra Taylor – blues singer, solo career and member of the Wild Women of Kansas
- Tech N9ne – rapper
- Bobb'e J. Thompson – child actor
- Virgil Thomson – Pulitzer Prize-winning composer
- Calvin Trillin – food writer, journalist, humorist
- Marion A. Trozzolo – businessman, River Quay
- Harry S. Truman – 33rd president of the United States (from Independence, Missouri)
- Lisa Tucker – writer
- Big Joe Turner – blues singer
V
- Henry Clay Van Noy – owner of Van Noy Railway News and Hotel Company (today known as HMSHost)
- Grace VanderWaal – singer-songwriter, ukuleleist, and season 11 winner of NBC's America's Got Talent
- Dorothy Vaughan – mathematician and human computer at NASA
W
- Mabel Wagnalls – pianist, writer, philanthropist
- Janie Wagstaff – 1992 Olympic swimmer
- Dee Wallace – actress, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
- Ish Wainright (born 1994) – American-Ugandan basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Earl Watson – basketball player
- Orla Watson – inventor[32]
- Tom Watson – professional golfer, twice Masters champion, five-time British Open winner, World Golf Hall of Fame
- Ben Webster – jazz saxophonist
- Charles Wheeler – Kansas City Mayor
- Frank White – professional baseball player
- Jason Whitlock – sports journalist
- Dianne Wiest – two-time Oscar-winning actress
- Suzanne Wikle – politician
- Chuck Wild – recording artist, songwriter and composer[33]
- Jason Wiles – actor, played Maurice 'Bosco' Boscorelli in TV series Third Watch[34]
- Barry Winchell – private first class, murdered by a fellow soldier for his sexual orientation
- Smoky Joe Wood – a.k.a. the Kansas Cyclone; professional baseball player for Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians[35]
- Doug Worgul – journalist and author of the novel Thin Blue Smoke
- Chely Wright – country music singer[36]
- Katie Wright – actress;[37] married to Hank Azaria
Y
- Josephine Silone Yates – professor and writer, first Black woman to hold a full professorship or head a science department in the U.S.