List of people from San Jose, California

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of notable people from San Jose, California. It includes people who were born/raised in, lived in, or spent portions of their lives in San Jose, or for whom San Jose is a significant part of their identity, as well as music groups founded in San Jose. This list is in alphabetical order by surname.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.

Actors and entertainment industry[]

  • Elisa Marina Alvarado, Chicana director, actress, educator, born in San Jose
  • Frank Bacon, actor, playwright and father of Lloyd Bacon, raised in San Jose and lived there for 17 years[1]
  • Lloyd Bacon, Hollywood director, son of actor Frank Bacon, born in San Jose[2]
  • Adrienne Barbeau, actress, attended Del Mar High School class of 1963[3]
  • Calum Best, British television personality, son of footballer George Best, born in San Jose
  • Brett Dalton, actor, born in San Jose[4]
  • Vernon Dent, comedy actor in numerous Three Stooges shorts, born in San Jose
  • Rosanna DeSoto, actress, born in San Jose
  • Dustin Diamond, child actor, known as Screech from Saved By The Bell, born in San Jose[5]
  • Ricco Fajardo, voice actor in Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School and various anime, TV actor, born in San Jose
  • Renée Elise Goldsberry, actress, known for originating the role of Angelica Schuyler in the Broadway musical Hamilton, born in San Jose
  • Michael Gough, voice actor, born in San Jose
  • Farley Granger, actor, best known for Strangers on a Train, born in San Jose
  • Nick Groff, paranormal investigator and television personality, born in San Jose
  • Krazy George Henderson, cheerleader, inventor of "The Wave", sports entertainment
  • Josh Holloway, actor, Lost, born in San Jose
  • Fran Jeffries, singer and actress, born in San Jose
  • Anjelah Johnson, comedian, born in San Jose
  • Neil Kaplan, voice actor, attended elementary school, jr. high, and high school in San Jose
  • Jeannie Mai, TV personality, talk show host, fashion expert, makeup artist, born in San Jose
  • Peverell Marley, Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe-winning cinematographer, born in San Jose
  • Charles Martinet, actor and voice actor, best known for providing the voice of Nintendo's Mario, born in San Jose
  • Candi Milo, voice actress, born in San Jose
  • Linda Park, actress, originally from Seoul, South Korea and raised in San Jose
  • Miguel Perez, actor, born in San Jose
  • Kurtwood Smith, actor, That '70s Show
  • Smothers Brothers, musical comedy duo and actors
  • Ernie Reyes Jr., actor and martial artist, born in San Jose
  • Diane Rodriguez, theatre director, actor, writer, born in San Jose
  • Dave Tatsuno, Japanese-American internment camp resident who made amateur film Topaz, about camp life
  • Kathy Uyen, actress and producer for Vietnamese cinema, born in San Jose
  • Kate Walsh, actress, born in San Jose
  • Luis Valdez, playwright and director
  • Kung Fu Vampire, musician, also on the Discovery Channel's "Oddities", born in San Jose[6]
  • Akhil Akkineni, an Indian-American actor who predominantly works in Telugu film Industry of India.[7]

Artists[]

Comics and zines[]

Mixed media[]

Painters[]

Photographers[]

Sculptors[]

  • Ruthadell Anderson, sculptor, fiber artist, textile artist; born in San Jose and attended San Jose State University.[18]
  • Therese May, fine art quilting, lived in San Jose

Athletes[]

Peggy Fleming
Shawn Green
Patrick Tillman
  • Yorgo Alexandrou, Olympic bobsledder for Armenia (two-man bobsleigh, 2002 Salt Lake City), born and raised in San Jose[19]
  • Scott Baker, Major League Baseball player, born in San Jose[20]
  • Isaac Brizuela, footballer, born in San Jose
  • Brent Burns, pro hockey player San Jose Sharks, lives in San Jose
  • Steve Caballero, professional skateboarder, born in San Jose
  • Mark Canha, baseball player, born in San Jose
  • Ken Caminiti, pro baseball player (San Jose State), 1996 NL MVP
  • John Carlos, Olympic silver medalist, 200m (1968 Mexico City); track and field athlete; pro football player
  • Andre Carter, pro football player
  • Henry Cejudo, 2012 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, MMA fighter, born in San Jose
  • Brandi Chastain, soccer player, World Cup champion, born in San Jose
  • Amy Chow, Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics (1996), born in San Jose
  • Kay Cockerill, professional golfer, born in San Jose
  • Jerry Coleman, decorated combat pilot, MLB player and manager, Ford Frick Award-winning sportscaster, born in San Jose
  • Angelo Caloiaro (born 1989), American-Italian basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
  • Michelle Do, Olympic table tennis player
  • Polina Edmunds, Olympic figure skater
  • Herman Edwards, NFL player, coach, TV commentator
  • Jon Fitch, UFC fighter
  • Peggy Fleming, 1968 Winter Olympics figure skating gold medalist, born in San Jose
  • Rudy Galindo, national champion figure skater, born in San Jose
  • Jeff Garcia, pro football quarterback (San Jose State)
  • Jeremy Giambi, baseball player, born in San Jose
  • Dan Gladden, baseball player, two-time World Series champion (1987, 1991 with Minnesota Twins), born in San Jose
  • Aaron Gordon, player for the Denver Nuggets and brother of Drew Gordon, born in San Jose
  • Drew Gordon, player for the Philadelphia 76ers and brother of Aaron Gordon, born in San Jose
  • Shawn Green, MLB 2-time All-Star outfielder
  • Dany Heatley, pro hockey player, San Jose Sharks
  • Mike Holmgren, NFL coach and executive
  • Cass Jackson, former college football head coach, one of the first African-American head football coaches at a predominantly white college (Oberlin College).
  • John Johnson, NBA basketball, First Team All American at the University of Iowa, lived and died in San Jose[citation needed]
  • Brent Jones, football player, Santa Clara University, San Francisco 49ers, three-time Super Bowl champion, born in San Jose
  • James Jones, pro football player (San Jose State), Green Bay Packers, Oakland Raiders, born in San Jose
  • Carney Lansford, pro baseball player, Oakland A's, 1989 World Series champion, 1981 A.L. batting champion, born in San Jose
  • Joe Leonard, automobile and motorcycle champion
  • Cung Le, Vietnamese mixed martial arts fighter, three-time Sanshou bronze medalist
  • Roger Maltbie, professional PGA golfer and NBC Sports On Air golf analyst
  • Patrick Marleau, pro hockey player, San Jose Sharks
  • Kyle McLaren, pro hockey player San Jose Sharks
  • Tommy Medica, baseball player, born in San Jose
  • Marty Mornhinweg, NFL player and coach
  • Evgeni Nabokov, pro hockey player, San Jose Sharks
  • James Nunnally, professional basketball player, born in San Jose
  • Brian Oldfield, athlete, world and American record holder in shot put
  • Jesús Padilla, soccer player for Chivas de Guadalajara, born in San Jose
  • Jim Plunkett, quarterback, Stanford University, 1970 Heisman Trophy winner, Oakland Raiders, two-time Super Bowl champion (SB XV MVP), born in San Jose
  • John Powell, two-time Olympic bronze medalist (1976 Munich, 1984 L.A.), discus throw
  • Dave Righetti, baseball player; 1981 A.L. Rookie of the Year (N.Y. Yankees); pitched no-hitter on July 4, 1983; San Francisco Giants pitching coach, born in San Jose
  • Ricco Rodriguez, mixed martial artist, UFC and ADCC champion, born in San Jose
  • Frank Shamrock, MMA fighter
  • Tommie Smith, Olympic gold medalist - 200m, (1968 Mexico City), track and field athlete (San Jose State), pro football player
  • Dave Stieb, pro baseball pitcher
  • Carl Sullivan, football player, born in San Jose
  • Mike Swain, Olympic gold medalist, four-time Olympian, San Jose State judo coach
  • Mike Swick, UFC fighter
  • Josh Thomson, mixed martial artist and model, born in San Jose
  • Joe Thornton, pro hockey player, San Jose Sharks
  • Pat Tillman, pro football player and decorated Army Ranger, born in San Jose
  • Loren Toews, pro football player
  • Yosh Uchida, businessman, educator, contributor to San Jose State judo team, born in San Jose
  • Cain Velasquez, MMA fighter
  • Dick Vermeil, college and pro football head coach, Super Bowl champion (St. Louis Rams, 1999)
  • Bill Walsh, college and pro football head coach, three-time Super Bowl champion (San Francisco 49ers)

Business leaders and entrepreneurs[]

  • Gurbaksh Chahal, entrepreneur
  • Andy Dinh, entrepreneur and professional gamer, born in San Jose
  • Amadeo Peter Giannini, founder of Bank of America, born in San Jose
  • Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc., lived in San Jose
  • Donald Snyder, investment banker, born in San Jose
  • Ken Williams, MLB executive, general manager for 2005 World Series champion Chicago White Sox
  • Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc., born in San Jose
  • Jerry Yang, co-founder of Yahoo!

Chefs[]

Dancers[]

  • Mythili Kumar, South Indian traditional dancer of Bharatanatyam, resides in San Jose, founder of Abhinaya Dance School of San Jose[22]
  • Yuriko, worked with the Martha Graham Dance Company, born in San Jose

Designers[]

Musicians and bands[]

  • Antwon, rapper, lives in San Jose[24]
  • Bassnectar, DJ and electronic music producer
  • Louie Bellson, professional drummer
  • Austin Carlile, singer, Attack Attack! and Of Mice & Men
  • Tommy Castro, blues, rock
  • Charizma, rapper, born in San Jose
  • Count five, garage rock band, formed in San Jose
  • Irene Dalis, opera singer, founder of Opera San Jose, born in San Jose
  • Jimmy DeGrasso, drummer
  • DJ Shadow, born Joshua Davis, instrumental hip-hop DJ, born in San Jose
  • The Doobie Brothers, rock band
    • Tom Johnston, lived in San Jose with the Doobie Brothers
  • Fleetwood Mac, rock band
    • Lindsey Buckingham, musician with Fleetwood Mac
    • Stevie Nicks, singer and musician with Fleetwood Mac
  • Jeff Foskett, guitarist and singer, best known for work with The Beach Boys
  • Getter, DJ, electronic music producer and rapper[25]
  • Heavy Heavy Low Low, metal band formed in San Jose
  • Antony Hegarty, frontwoman of Antony and the Johnsons
  • The Holdup, reggae and hip hop band formed in San Jose
  • Greg Kihn, rock musician and radio DJ
  • Kung Fu Vampire, rapper from San Jose
  • Los Tigres del Norte, Mexican band formed in San Jose
  • Bryan Mantia, drummer for Primus and Guns N' Roses, born in San Jose
  • Kamtin Mohager, lead musician for The Chain Gang of 1974[26]
  • No Use for a Name, band
    • Matt Riddle, bassist of No Use for a Name, born in San Jose
    • Tony Sly, lead singer and guitarist of No Use for a Name, born in San Jose
  • Peanut Butter Wolf, disc jockey and producer from San Jose
  • Plavka, international singing star, born in San Jose
  • Nikki Sixx, bassist for Mötley Crüe, born in San Jose
  • Sleep, doom metal band formed in San Jose
  • Smash Mouth, pop-rock band formed in San Jose
  • Snow Tha Product, rapper, born in San Jose
  • Stone Temple Pilots, band
    • Eric Kretz, drummer for Stone Temple Pilots, Talk Show, and Spiralarms, born in San Jose
    • Scott Weiland, vocalist for Stone Temple Pilots, Velvet Revolver, Camp Freddy, The Wondergirls, Art of Anarchy, and The Magnificent Bastards, born in San Jose
  • Randy Stonehill, singer/songwriter, born in San Jose
  • Syndicate of Sound, garage rock band formed in San Jose
  • Traxamillion, rapper
  • Xiu Xiu (band), avant-garde band formed in San Jose
  • Yvette Young, singer/songwriter, guitarist/front-woman of Covet
  • Kim Yubin, member of South Korean girl group Wonder Girls
  • Quinn Godfrey, member of grunge rock band Heatmiser

Politicians, civil servants and activists[]

Scientists[]

  • Edgar F. Codd, computer scientist
  • Dian Fossey, primatologist, SJSU graduate
  • Dudley R. Herschbach, winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, born in San Jose
  • Michio Kaku, physicist, born in San Jose

Writers[]

  • Reza Aslan, Iranian-American author, religious studies scholar, producer, and television host; attended Del Mar High School (class of 1990)
  • Raymond Carver, American short story writer and poet
  • Carolyn Cassady, author of the Beat Generation, lived in San Jose[30]
  • Neal Cassady, author of the Beat Generation, Merry Pranksters member, inspiration for character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's novel On The Road, lived in San Jose[30]
  • Howard Dully, author, My Lobotomy
  • Kate Elliott, novelist
  • Khaled Hosseini, best-selling novelist, author of The Kite Runner, lived in San Jose
  • William Lewis Manly, pioneer, hero, banker, and author of Death Valley in '49
  • Viet Thanh Nguyen, author of The Sympathizer, winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction; attended Bellarmine College Preparatory[31]
  • James Wesley, Rawles, novelist
  • Al Ruffo, Mayor of San Jose
  • Kay Ryan, poet, former Poet Laureate of the United States, born in San Jose
  • Amy Tan, best-selling novelist, author of The Joy Luck Club
  • Louis Theroux, English documentary filmmaker, journalist and broadcaster
  • Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, author of the memoirs Farewell to Manzanar, attended high school and college in San Jose

Other[]

  • Isai Alvarado, professional video game player, Super Smash Bros. player[32]
  • Susan Atkins, convicted murderer, Manson Family member
  • Joey Chestnut, competitive eater
  • Jason Dahl, captain of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11, 2001, born in San Jose
  • Henry Morris Naglee, U.S. Civil War general and served in the Mexican–American War
  • Matt Stonie, competitive eater, born in San Jose
  • Henry Suzzallo, educator
  • Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Rifle Company, occultist, architect to the Winchester Mystery House, lived in San Jose

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Frank Bacon". SamuelFrench.com. Samuel French, Inc. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  2. ^ Lloyd Bacon Dies; Film Director, 65. The New York Times, November 16, 1955, P. 35
  3. ^ Singh, Gary (2008-03-20). "San Jose's Favorite Daughter". San Jose Inside. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  4. ^ "Brett Dalton". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  5. ^ "Dustin Diamond back in jail". The Mercury News. 2016-05-26. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  6. ^ Wheeler, Garrett (2008-10-29). "Creature of The Night, San Jose's Kung Fu Vampire steps into the light with 'Dead Sexy'". MetroActive. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  7. ^ "Akhil Akkineni". Times of India. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  8. ^ "It's a life with superheroes for comic book artist Brent Anderson - News | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  9. ^ "Transgender artist creates amazing online comic strip about her transition". Gay Star News. 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  10. ^ "Jhonen Vasquez". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  11. ^ "Susan Bruce O'Malley, 1976 to 2015 | Potrero View". Potrero View. 2015-04-05. Retrieved 2018-03-09.
  12. ^ San Jose City Directory Including Santa Clara County ... F.M. Husted. 1902.
  13. ^ "James Caprell Biography". artnet.com. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  14. ^ "de Saisset Family History". The de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  15. ^ "Chris Johanson". SFMOMA. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  16. ^ "Herman Volz". FAMSF Explore the Art. 2015-05-08. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  17. ^ "Bill Owens Biography". artnet. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  18. ^ Haar, Francis (1977). "Ruthadell Anderson". Artists of Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press. p. 3. doi:10.1515/9780824887346-005. ISBN 978-0-8248-8734-6.
  19. ^ "Armenian bobsledders are from ... California?". ESPN.com. 2002-01-16. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
  20. ^ "Scott Baker Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  21. ^ "Angela Dimayuga, Young Guns 2015". Eater.com. 2015. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  22. ^ "San Jose South Indian Dancer and Teacher Honored for Lifetime Service". KQED Arts. Retrieved 2017-09-07.
  23. ^ "Mai K. Arbegast." Contra Costa Times. 15 Apr. 2012: n. pag. Legacy.com. Accessed 27 Feb 2015.[1]
  24. ^ "Antwon: In Dark Denim Album Review". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. 2013-03-06. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  25. ^ "Getter". Dub On Arrival. 2012-01-03. Retrieved 2017-07-19.
  26. ^ "SXSW Music Picks: Chain Gang of 1974 buzzes into Texas". The Mercury News. 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  27. ^ Terrazas, Alexis; Morris, Atticus (2016-12-15). "Alternate Reality: Growing acceptance of white nationalism in Trump's America". El Tecolote News. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
  28. ^ "Iola Williams, first African-American councilwoman in San Jose, dies". . 2019-04-07. Archived from the original on 2020-01-19. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  29. ^ Prodis Sulek, Julia (2019-04-07). "Iola Williams, San Jose's first black City Council member, remembered as trailblazer". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  30. ^ Jump up to: a b "Muse Carolyn Cassady beckoned the Beats to S.F." SFGate. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  31. ^ Arreola, Cristina. "Who Is Viet Thanh Nguyen? The Pulitzer Prize Winner Is An Author & Professor". Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  32. ^ "Isai Alvarado". LinkedIn. Retrieved September 16, 2015.
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