List of people from Rockford, Illinois
The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Rockford, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Rockford, Illinois.
Academics, science, and engineering
[edit]- James Henry Breasted, scholar, first American teacher of Egyptology
- Griffith Buck, rose breeder
- Richard Bulliet, scholar of the Middle East
- Robert Clodius, educator, acting President of the University of Wisconsin–Madison
- James A. Davis, chair of sociology department, Harvard University, and professor, University of Chicago
- Arnold Krammer, historian, resided in Rockford from 1970 to 1974 while on the faculty of Rockford College; at Texas A&M University from 1974 to retirement in 2015
- James Lindgren, law professor and sociologist, Northwestern University
- John Henry Manny, inventor, founder of Manny Reaper Works
- Fred Merkel, broadcast engineer for Premiere Networks and iHeartMedia
- Anna Peck Sill (1816-1889), educator
- Adaline Emerson Thompson, benefactor and educational leader
- Gordon Tullock, economist and one of the founders of public choice
- Janice E. Voss, astronaut and engineer; lived in Rockford[1]
- Daniel Hale Williams, surgeon, first doctor to successfully complete open heart surgery;[2] founder of the first integrated American hospital, Provident Hospital of Cook County[3]
Business
[edit]- Virgil Abloh (1980–2021), fashion designer and businessman
- Robert Greenblatt, Fox, Showtime and NBC producer and executive,[4] and former Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment.
- Albert Henry Loeb (1868–1924), attorney and business executive, Sears
- Pehr August Peterson (1846–1927), business executive, Sundstrand Corporation[5]
- John Sall, co-founder of SAS Institute
- Albert Spalding (1850–1915), co-founder of Spalding; pitcher with Rockford Forest Citys; manager of Chicago White Stockings; executive of National League of Baseball Clubs; inductee in National Baseball Hall of Fame[6]
Entertainment and media
[edit]Acting
[edit]- Ginger Lynn Allen, porn actress
- Jodi Benson, voice actress, Ariel in The Little Mermaid
- Barbara Hale, actress, Perry Mason
- Kathryn Layng, actress, Doogie Howser, M.D.
- Natasha Leggero, comedian, actress
- Joseph Mantello, actor, director, Wicked, Take Me Out, Assassins
- Andra Martin, actress, Up Periscope, The Thing That Couldn't Die
- Marin Mazzie, Tony Award nominated actress and singer known for, Kiss Me, Kate (1999-2001), and her other work in musical theater.
- Aidan Quinn, actor, Desperately Seeking Susan, Elementary, Legends of the Fall
- Anthony Tyler Quinn, actor, Boy Meets World[7]
- Betty Jane Rhodes, actress, singer, Sweater Girl, The Fleet's In
- Susan Saint James, actress, Kate & Allie, McMillan & Wife
- Linda Wallem, actress, writer, producer, Nurse Jackie
- Stephen Wallem, singer, actor, Nurse Jackie
Animation
[edit]- Bill Kopp, animator
Cinematography
[edit]- Declan Quinn, cinematographer, Leaving Las Vegas, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
- Jay Bauman, founding member of Red Letter Media[8]
Directing
[edit]- Bing Liu, director, Minding the Gap[9]
Music
[edit]- Emily Bear, pianist, composer
- Bun E. Carlos, drummer, Cheap Trick
- Chuckey Charles, film composer and music producer
- Kurt Elling, jazz vocalist, composer, lyricist
- Katherine Tanner Fisk, contralto concert singer
- Swan Hennessy, classical composer
- Joie De Vivre (band), emo band
- Sarah Kelly, singer, songwriter
- Matthew McDonough, drummer for Mudvayne
- Lou Musa, guitarist, The Verve Pipe[10][verification needed]
- Ann Nesby, singer, producer, part of the urban Gospel group Sounds Of Blackness
- Rick Nielsen, lead guitarist for Cheap Trick
- Tom Petersson, bass guitarist for Cheap Trick[11]
- Marty Ross, musician, songwriter and performer
- Jake Runestad, composer and conductor
- Nellie Strong Stevenson, pianist, music educator, clubwoman
- Shawn Wade, bass guitarist for 12 Stones[citation needed]
- Ryley Walker, guitarist
- Michelle Williams, singer and member of the R&B group Destiny's Child
- Robin Zander, vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Cheap Trick
Photography
[edit]- Alvin C. Jacobs Jr., documentary photographer and image activist
Special effects
[edit]- Shaun Smith, visual effects
Television
[edit]- Paris Bennett, contestant on Season 5 of American Idol
- Kelly Killoren Bensimon model, former cast member of Real Housewives of New York City
- Heather Nauert, news anchor on Fox News; born in Rockford
Writing
[edit]- Robert Lee Maupin Beck, writer, producer, Pimp: The Story of My Life[12]
- Stewart Brand, writer, editor, publisher and environmentalist: The Whole Earth Catalog, The WELL, Long Now Foundation, and, Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto.
- Thomas Fleming, writer, editor, Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture
- John Ortberg, author, pastor
- Will Pfeifer, comic book writer
- Shawn Ryan, television producer, screenwriter (The Shield)
- Barbara Santucci, artist, poet, author[13]
- Erica Spindler, author
- Leopold Tyrmand, novelist, editor, dissident; originally from Poland
- Kimberla Lawson Roby, New York Times bestselling author
- Cora Stuart Wheeler (1852–1897), poet, author
Politics and law
[edit]
- John B. Anderson, US Representative, US presidential candidate
- John Baumgarten, Illinois House of Representatives
- Debra Bowen, Secretary of State of California, 2007–2015
- William Brown, Illinois House of Representatives
- John T. Buckbee, US Representative
- Robert R. Canfield, Illinois state legislator and lawyer
- James E. Cartwright, US Marine Corps general; Vice Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Ho Chung, Patent attorney
- Mary Lou Cowlishaw, Illinois House of Representatives
- Barbara Giolitto, Illinois House of Representatives
- Edolo J. Giorgi, Illinois House of Representatives
- Rodney Grams, Republican United States Senator, news anchor, WIFR 23 Rockford[14]
- Joyce Holmberg, educator and Illinois state senator
- Alta M. Hulett, attorney, first woman admitted to the state of Illinois Bar[15]
- Betty Ann Keegan, Illinois State Senator
- Julia Lathrop, social and political activist, subject of biography My Friend, Julia Lathrop (1935) by Jane Addams[16]
- Emma Octavia Lundberg, Swedish-American child welfare advocate.
- Donald A. Manzullo, United States Representative
- Lynn Morley Martin, United States Representative, United States Secretary of Labor
- Stanley Mosk, Justice, Supreme Court of California
- David Campbell Mulford, United States Ambassador to India; Vice-Chairman International, Credit Suisse
- Paula J. Raschke-Lind, Illinois state politician
- Bertil T. Rosander, Illinois state legislator and businessman
- Benjamin R. Sheldon, Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
- Eric Sorensen, meteorologist and politician
- Steve Stadelman, Illinois state senator
- Fred E. Sterling, Illinois politician
- Thomas E. Ticen, Minnesota state legislator and lawyer
Sports
[edit]Baseball
[edit]
- Ross Barnes (1850–1915), second baseman, shortstop, Boston Red Stockings[17]
- Aldine Calacurcio, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Rockford
- Hal Carlson, pitcher for Chicago Cubs
- Jean Cione, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Rockford
- Orville Jorgens, pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies
- Margaret Jurgensmeier, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Rockford
- Gene Lamont, catcher, coach, manager, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox
- Berith Melin, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Rockford
- Rodney Myers, pitcher, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers
- Hattie Peterson, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, Rockford Peaches, born in Winnebago, Illinois
- Ken Rudolph, catcher, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles
- Jake Smolinski, outfielder, Texas Rangers; born in Rockford
- Harry Sullivan, pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals
- Ed Swartwood, player, umpire, Pittsburgh Pirates
- Charles Swindells, catcher, St. Louis Cardinals
- Daniel E. Tipple, pitcher, New York Yankees; born in Rockford
Basketball
[edit]_by_Sandro_Halank%E2%80%93063.jpg)
- Lorenzo Brown (born 1990), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, formerly in the NBA
- Bill Erickson, player for Illinois in 1949 Final Four
- John E. Erickson, coach, University of Wisconsin, and GM of Milwaukee Bucks
- Ernie Kent, coach, Washington State University and University of Oregon
- JP Tokoto (born 1993), basketball player for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Fred VanVleet, point guard with Houston Rockets, NBA Champion (2019), and 2017-2018 Sixth Man of the Year finalist, NBA All-Star (2021–22)
Billiards
[edit]- Dallas West, pool player; inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame (1996)
Boxing
[edit]- Kenneth Gould, boxer, 1988 United States Olympics welterweight bronze medalist
- Sammy Mandell, boxer, World Boxing Association lightweight champion
Diving
[edit]- Ronald Merriott, Olympic diver; 1984 bronze medalist
Football
[edit]- John Blake, nose guard, coach, University of Oklahoma, Dallas Cowboys
- Merwin Hodel, fullback, New York Giants
- Jerry Latin, halfback, St Louis Cardinals
- Dean Lowry, defensive end, Green Bay Packers
- Ira Matthews, halfback, Oakland Raiders
- Walt McGaw, guard, Green Bay Packers
- Carlos Polk, linebacker, Dallas Cowboys
- Ken Roskie, fullback, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions
- Brock Spack, head coach, Illinois State University
- Jerry Stalcup, linebacker, Los Angeles Rams
- James Robinson, halfback, Jacksonville Jaguars
Golf
[edit]- Dave Barclay, golfer, 1947 national collegiate champion
- Jeff Mitchell, pro golfer
Ice skating
[edit]- Alexe Gilles, champion figure skater
- Janet Lynn Nowicki, ice skater, 5-time national champion, 1972 Olympic bronze medalist
- Piper Gilles, Olympic figure skater
Mixed martial arts
[edit]- Corey Anderson, mixed martial artist (Bellator Fighting Championship)
- Daniel Roberts, mixed martial artist
Motor racing
[edit]- Chad Knaus, crew chief, Jimmie Johnson, seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion
Mountaineering
[edit]- Ed Viesturs, high-altitude mountaineer
Soccer
[edit]- Steve Cherundolo, defender who represented the United States national team and coach[18]
- Peri Marosevic, forward for the Toronto FC
- Bryan Namoff, defender and midfielder for D.C. United
- Brad Ring, midfielder for the San Jose Earthquakes (2008-2013), midfielder for the Indy Eleven (2013-2018)
- R. T. Moore, defender for the Tampa Bay Mutiny (1998-1999)
- Tim Trilk, goalkeeper for the Indy Eleven (2022–present)
Wrestling
[edit]- Stephanie Bellars, wrestling manager; married to Paul Caiafa of the Misfits
References
[edit]- ^ "Our View: 'Job well done' in space ends after 30 eventful years". Rockford Register Star. Rockford, Illinois. July 11, 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013.
- ^ "Daniel Hale Williams". The Black Inventor Online Museum. Adscape International, LLC. Archived from the original on August 18, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
- ^ "African American Medical Pioneers: Daniel Hale Williams (1856–1931)". American Experience: Partners of the Heart. PBS Online. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
- ^ Baum, Geraldine (April 30, 2009). "TV Exec Turns Back the Clock to Stage '9 to 5'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
- ^ "P.A. Peterson: Immigrant Industrialist". Northern Illinois University Libraries. December 1996. Archived from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
- ^ McMahon, William E. "Al Spalding". RootsWeb. Ancestry.com Inc. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
- ^ "Anthony Tyler Quinn". Metacritic. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
- ^ Turnbaugh, Kristi (August 2013). "Shooting Stars". Columbia College Chicago. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
- ^ Phillips, Michael (December 2018). "Chicagoan of the Year: Bing Liu, Rockford filmmaker could make a splash at the Oscars". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 31, 2019.
- ^ Chiarelli, Vince (August 14, 2013). "Vince's Notes: Following the Great Talent of Rockford Native Lou Musa". Rock River Times. The Rock River Times. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
- ^ Rowe, Mark; Snyder, Philip (February 1, 2005). "The 12-String Bass". The 12-String Bass. www.12StringBass.net. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
- ^ Skillz, Mark (February 5, 2010). "The Hustle-The Story of Robert Beck aka Iceberg Slim". Hip Hop and Politics. Metro Theme. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
- ^ "Artist: Barbara Santucci lives in Rockford, where she works from her". Courier-News. August 29, 1999. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ^ Salisbury, Bill (October 9, 2013). "Rod Grams Dies; Minnesota Congressman, Senator, TV Anchor Was 65". Twin Cities. St. Paul Pioneer Press. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
- ^ "United Our Shared Histories". Rockford College. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
- ^ Lundin, Jon W. "Rockford An Illustrated History", Windsor Publications 1989 p. 84
- ^ Appell, Howard W. (January 27, 2013). "Campaign Renewed to Get Livingston Native into Baseball Hall of Fame". The LCN. The Livingston County News. Retrieved October 13, 2013.
- ^ Simms, Kelley (June 23, 2010). "Rockford native Cherundolo 'living a dream' on Team USA". Rockford Register Star. Retrieved April 2, 2025.