List of people from Spokane, Washington

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of people from Spokane, Washington. The list includes individuals who were born in or lived in the city. A person who lives in or comes from Spokane, Washington, is known as a Spokanite.

Authors[]

  • Sherman Alexie, author
  • David Eddings, author of The Belgariad and many other books
  • Wilbur Crane Eveland, served in various functions as secret agent for the USA in the Arab East
  • Michael Gurian, New York Times bestselling author of thirty-two books published in twenty-two languages
  • Quail Hawkins, bookseller and children's author
  • Bruce Holbert, author, Washington State Book Award winner
  • Kenn Nesbitt, Children's Poet Laureate (2013–2015)
  • Jack Nisbet, author of several books on explorer David Thompson
  • Shann Ray, author, American Book Award winner
  • Rick Rydell, outdoor writer, worked at local radio stations as a radio talk show host
  • David Shannon, author of No, David! and many other children's books
  • Wayne Spitzer, author and low-budget horror filmmaker
  • Terry Trueman, Printz Award winning author of Stuck in Neutral and numerous other young adult novels
  • Shawn Vestal, author, Washington State Book Award winner and recipient of the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize
  • Jess Walter, author, recipient of the 2006 Edgar Allan Poe Award

Comedians[]

Convicted criminals[]

Film, stage and television industry[]

  • Sophia Anne Caruso, Broadway actress best known for playing Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice: The Musical
  • Jordan Fry, actor most known for his role as Mike Teevee in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
  • Russell Hodgkinson, actor
  • Jim Ignatowski, The Reverend Jim "Iggy" Ignatowski, played by Christopher Lloyd, is a fictional character in the 1970s television series Taxi.
  • Cheyenne Jackson, singer and actor, known for United 93
  • Paul Johansson, actor, appeared in One Tree Hill
  • Eric Johnston, former head of the United States Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America
  • Chuck Jones, director of animated films, three-time Academy Award winner
  • Neil LaBute, film director/playwright
  • David Lynch, film director, known for Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks
  • Darren McGavin, actor, known for starring in Kolchak: the Night Stalker and A Christmas Story
  • John McIntire, actor on Wagon Train and The Virginian
  • Michele Morrow, actress, appeared in Basement Jack, The Young and the Restless, and Alias
  • Craig T. Nelson, actor, star of television series Coach and Parenthood, as well as the films The Incredibles and Poltergeist
  • Seena Owen, silent-film actress
  • Gale Page, actress, starred in Knute Rockne, All American with Ronald Reagan
  • Patrick Page, Tony-nominated actor best known as Hades in Hadestown
  • Susan Peters, actress
  • Matt Piedmont, film director and writer
  • Trevor St. John, actor; known for his role on One Life to Live (graduated from Whitworth University)
  • Wayne Spitzer, low-budget horror filmmaker
  • Hilary Swank, two-time Oscar-winning actress (father was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base)
  • Sydney Sweeney, actress best known for playing Cassie Howard in Euphoria
  • Tongolele, film and television actor
  • Sarah Truax, stage and film actress, Spokane resident from 1912 to 1927
  • Mary Ann Wilson, American Nurse and TV Fitness Instructor
  • Michael Winslow, actor and comedian, known for Police Academy
  • Deanna Oliver, actress and writer, known for her role in The Brave Little Toaster and work with Animaniacs and Casper movie

Artists[]

  • Harold Balazs, sculptor
  • Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli, photographer/traveller
  • Kenneth Callahan, painter from the Northwest School
  • Brian Crane, cartoonist
  • Jerry Holkins, writer for Penny Arcade
  • Mike Krahulik, artist for Penny Arcade
  • Tom Kundig, principal at Olson Kundig Architects
  • George Nakashima, furniture maker, entrepreneur
  • Clyfford Still, abstract-expressionist painter

Journalists[]

  • Timothy Egan, journalist, winner of the National Book Award and the Washington State Book Award
  • Neil Everett, journalist, ESPN SportsCenter anchor
  • Julian Guthrie, journalist and author based in San Francisco
  • Sue Herera, journalist, CNBC anchor
  • Eric Johnson, journalist, former sports director for KREM 2; weeknight news anchor for KOMO 4
  • John Richards, journalist, radio personality, producer of The Morning Show and Audioasis on 90.3 FM KEXP Seattle
  • Rick Rydell, journalist, worked at local radio stations KJRB, KZZU, and KKZX as a radio talk show host

Musicians[]

  • Jim Boyd, musician
  • Cami Bradley, America's Got Talent finalist and member of The Sweeplings
  • Keeley Brineman, musician and lead singer with Lord Mouse and the Kalypso Katz
  • Mike Clarke, member of the band The Byrds
  • Bing Crosby, singer/actor
  • Bob Crosby, bandleader and vocalist
  • Andra Day, singer-songwriter
  • Paul D'Amour, former member of the band Tool
  • Andy Gibson, singer-songwriter
  • Theo Hakola
  • Dan Hamilton, member of Surf band The Ventures, Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, and The T-Bones.
  • Thomas Hampson, baritone
  • Dan Hoerner, lead guitarist and backup vocalist for the band Sunny Day Real Estate
  • Myles Kennedy, lead singer of the band Alter Bridge
  • Keyboard Cat and his handler Charlie Schmidt, performer on a viral internet meme
  • Ryan Lewis, music producer; primarily with Macklemore
  • George Lynch, former member of the rock band Dokken; member of Lynch Mob
  • Chad Mitchell, member of the Chad Mitchell Trio
  • Craig Montoya, former member of the band Everclear
  • Matty Mullins, lead singer of the band Memphis May Fire
  • Patrice Munsel, former Metropolitan Opera star
  • Danny O'Keefe, singer-songwriter
  • Eckart Preu, conductor of the Spokane Symphony Orchestra
  • Jimmy Rowles, jazz pianist
  • Scott Thompson, former member of the Canadian band Lillix
  • Billy Tipton, jazz musician
  • Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, boogie-woogie and blues-rock pianist
  • Tyrone Wells, singer-songwriter
  • Merrill Womach, undertaker, organist and gospel singer, founder of National Music Service
  • Charlie Butts - saxophone player, frontman of Charlie Butts and The Filter Tips
  • GrandMixer GMS - DJ/remixer for Tairrie B[1][2][3] [4]

Politicians[]

Civic
Federal
  • Ryan Crocker, U.S. diplomat, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq
  • Tom Foley, U.S. Congressman, former Democratic Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
  • Eric Johnston, former head of the United States Chamber of Commerce, former president of the Motion Picture Association of America
  • Mike McKevitt, U.S. Congressman for Colorado's 1st District in the United States House of Representatives (1971–73)
  • George Nethercutt, former Republican U.S. Congressman, judge and attorney
  • Ron Sims, former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
State

Science and technology[]

  • Michael P. Anderson, astronaut killed in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
  • Walter Houser Brattain, awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics
  • Robert Dirks, computational chemist killed in a 2015 train wreck in New York
  • Dorothy M. Horstmann, virologist, made important discoveries about polio
  • Anne McClain, NASA Astronaut, Flight Engineer for Expedition 58/59 to the International Space Station
  • Wilder Graves Penfield, American-born Canadian neurosurgeon who mapped out the functional areas of the cerebral cortex and pioneered groundbreaking research into epilepsy treatment
  • Irwin Rose, biologist awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Sports[]

Auto racing
Baseball
Basketball
Billiards
Boxing
Hockey
Extreme sports
Football
Mixed martial arts
  • Michael Chiesa, Ultimate Fighter winner and current UFC lightweight
  • Julianna Peña, Ultimate Fighter winner and current UFC women's bantamweight champion[5]
  • Sam Sicilia, Ultimate Fighter alumnus and former UFC featherweight
  • Brady Hiestand, Ultimate Fighter finalist and current UFC bantamweight[6]
Rowing
  • Joe Rantz, 1936 Summer Olympics gold medal winner in the eights competition
Soccer
  • Amy LePeilbet, professional player for Boston Breakers; vice world champion
Tennis
Track and field
  • Madonna Buder, 75-year-old Catholic nun and oldest Hawaii Ironman Triathlete competitor
  • Helga Estby, walked across the United States in 1896
  • Fortune Gordien, Olympic silver and bronze medalist in discus throw
  • Gerry Lindgren, runner, won 11 NCAA championships at Washington State University (attended John R. Rogers High School)
  • Brad Walker, American record holder and two-time world champion in the pole vault (University High School graduate)

Early Spokane notable residents[]

  • Joe Albi, attorney and civic leader
  • Kirtland Cutter, architect, known for his work in Spokane, including the Davenport Hotel
  • Sonora Smart Dodd, successfully campaigned for the establishment of Father's Day
  • Helga Estby, Norwegian-American resident of the Spokane area; in 1896 walked across America from Spokane to New York City
  • James Geraghty, Spokane City Corporate Counsel
  • Henry John Kaiser, American industrialist
Native Americans
  • Chief Garry, one of the Spokane tribes' most prominent and influential leaders during the shift from indigenous to European-American control of their land
Military
  • John Babcock, last Canadian veteran of World War I
  • Col. David P. Jenkins, Civil War Colonel, Spokane homesteader, and philanthropist

Crime[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Album Review: Tairrie B – Feminenergy". Kerrang!. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  2. ^ Tairrie B. – Nasty Woman (Grandmixer GMS Remix) (2021, 320 kbps, File), retrieved 2022-01-13
  3. ^ Magazine, Pump It Up (2021-01-01). "Interview With GrandMixer GMS". Reach For The Stars While Standing On Earth!. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  4. ^ BraveWords. "MY RUIN Vocalist TAIRRIE B. MURPHY Releases New Solo Hip Hop Album For Free / Pay What You Want Download". bravewords.com. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  5. ^ "Current and all-time UFC champions". ESPN.com. 2021-08-08. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
  6. ^ "Brady Hiestand | UFC". www.ufc.com. 2021-08-13. Retrieved 2022-01-13.
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