The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

, in alphabetical order by last name.

Actors

* Chet Allen (1939–1984), television, ''

Amahl and the Night Visitors ''Amahl and the Night Visitors'' is an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer.Menotti, Gian-Carlo: ''Amahl and the Night Visitors (piano-vocal score)'', G. Schirmer, Inc., 1997. It was commission ...

'' on ''

Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...

''; '' Bonino''; member of the Columbus Boychoir *

Lexi Allen Alexis Marie Nucklos-Allen (born October 2, 1967), better known by her stage name Lexi Allen, is an American gospel singer, producer, actress, comedian, television personality, and screenwriter. Early life Alexis Marie Nucklos was born in Columb ...

(1967– ), gospel singer and television personality; born in Columbus and a prominent figure in ''

The Word Network The Word Network, also known as The Word, is a religious broadcasting network. The Word is the largest African-American religious network in the world. It was founded in February 2000 by Kevin Adell who also owns WFDF, a local urban-talk radio st ...

'' * Majel Barrett (1932–2008), television (''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'', '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''); born in Columbus * Warner Baxter (1889–1951), film (''

In Old Arizona ''In Old Arizona'' is a 1928 American pre-Code Western film directed by Raoul Walsh and Irving Cummings, nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The film, which was based on the character of the Cisco Kid in the 1907 story " ...

''); born in Columbus and lived there until age nine *

Richard Biggs Richard James Biggs II (March 18, 1960 – May 22, 2004) was an American television and stage actor, known for his roles on the television series ''Days of Our Lives'' and ''Babylon 5''. Early life Born in Columbus, Ohio, Biggs attended the Un ...

(1960–2004), actor; born in Columbus * Andrea Bowen (1990– ), actress; born in Columbus * Grace Cunard (1893–1967), actress, screenwriter, and film director; born in Columbus *

Beverly D'Angelo Beverly Heather D'Angelo (born November 15, 1951) is an American actress who starred as Ellen Griswold in the ''National Lampoon's Vacation'' films (1983–2015). She has appeared in over 60 films and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for h ...

(1951– ), film ('' National Lampoon's Vacation'' series); born and raised in Columbus *

Alana de la Garza Alana de la Garza (born June 18, 1976) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Connie Rubirosa on the NBC television series ''Law & Order'' in its last four seasons through 2010, ''Law & Order: LA'' until the show's conclusion in 2 ...

(1976– ), television (''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...

''); born in Columbus * Dody Goodman (1915–2008), television (''

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman ''Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman'' is an American satirical soap opera that aired in daily weeknight syndication from January 1976 to July 1977. The series follows the titular Mary Hartman, an Ohio housewife attempting to cope with various bizarre ...

''); born in Columbus * Eileen Heckart (1919-2001), actress; born in Columbus *

Elsie Janis Elsie Janis (born Elsie Bierbower, March 16, 1889 – February 26, 1956) was an American actress of stage and screen, singer, songwriter, screenwriter and radio announcer. Entertaining the troops during World War I immortalized her as "Forces ...

(1889–1956), vaudeville performer, screenwriter, actress and composer; born in Columbus and maintained a home there * A.J. Langer (1974– ), television ('' My So-Called Life''); born in Columbus and lived there until age five * Andrew Levitt (1979– ), actor; also known as Nina West- born in Greentown, resident of Columbus, Rupaul's Drag race season 11 star *

Lorissa McComas Lorissa McComas (November 26, 1970 – November 3, 2009) was an American actress and Glamour photography, glamour model. Early life McComas graduated from Princeton High School (Sharonville, Ohio), Princeton High School in Sharonville, Ohio in ...

(1970-2009), actress and glamour model; born in Columbus * Marnie McPhail (1966- ), actress and musician; born in Columbus *

Tom Poston Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

(1921–2007), television ('' Newhart''); husband of

Suzanne Pleshette Suzanne Pleshette (January 31, 1937 – January 19, 2008) was an American theatre, film, television, and voice actress. Pleshette started her career in the theatre and began appearing in films in the late 1950s and later appeared in prominent ...

; born in Columbus * Josh Radnor (1974– ), television (''

How I Met Your Mother ''How I Met Your Mother'' (often abbreviated as ''HIMYM'') is an American sitcom, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays for CBS. The series, which aired from September 19, 2005 to March 31, 2014, follows the main character, Ted Mosby, and his ...

''); born in Columbus *

Gigi Rice Georgeanne Marie Rice is an American actress. Biography Rice graduated from The Ohio State University, with a bachelor of fine arts in musical theatre. Following her graduation, Rice served as an apprentice at Burt Reynolds's Maltz Jupiter The ...

(1965– ), television (''

The John Larroquette Show ''The John Larroquette Show'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC from September 2, 1993, until October 30, 1996. Created by Don Reo, the show was a star vehicle for John Larroquette following his run as Dan Fielding on ''N ...

''); born in Columbus *

Gene Sheldon Gene Sheldon (born Eugene Hume; February 1, 1908 – May 1, 1982) was an American actor, mime artist, and musician. He is remembered as the mute servant Bernardo in Walt Disney's live-action Spanish Western series ''Zorro'' (1957-1959). Biograph ...

(1908–1982), television (Disney's '' Zorro''); born in Columbus * Cory Michael Smith, actor, best known for his role as Edward Nigma (Riddler) in the

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

television drama series '' Gotham'' * Julia Swayne Gordon (1878–1933), actress; born in Columbus *

Philip Michael Thomas Philip Michael Thomas (born May 26, 1949) is an American actor and musician, best known for his role as detective Ricardo Tubbs on the hit 1980s TV series ''Miami Vice''. His first notable roles were in '' Coonskin'' (1975) and opposite Irene C ...

(1949– ), actor; born in Columbus * Hal Williams (1938– ), actor; born in Columbus

Artists

* Benny Alba (1949– ), artist; born in Columbus *

George Bellows George Wesley Bellows (August 12 or August 19, 1882 – January 8, 1925) was an American realism, American realist painting, painter, known for his bold depictions of urban life in New York City. He became, according to the Columbus Museum of Art ...

(1882–1925), realist painter, known for bold depictions of urban life in New York City, becoming, according to Columbus Museum of Art, "the most acclaimed American artist of his generation" *

Charles Csuri Charles Csuri (July 4, 1922 – February 27, 2022), better known as Chuck Csuri, was an American artist and computer art pioneer, described by the '' Smithsonian'' magazine as the "father of digital art and computer animation." Biography Digital ...

(1922–2022), father of digital art and computer animation *

Ray Evans Raymond Bernard Evans (February 4, 1915 – February 15, 2007) was an American songwriter. He was a partner in a composing and song-writing duo with Jay Livingston, known for the songs they composed for films. Evans wrote the lyrics and Living ...

(1887–1954), political cartoonist *

Natalia Fedner Natalia Fedner is an American fashion designer, inventor and actress, best known for inventing a six-way stretch metal textile. Early life and education Fedner was born in Chernivtsi, in the Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine), and immigrated to Colu ...

(1983– ), fashion designer, raised in Columbus, Ohio *

Shawn Foster Shawn M. Foster is an American music video, film, and television director. Biography Career Shawn Foster is a 2018 Grammy award winner as the Producer of the Lisa Loeb children's video record release of Feel What U Feel. Early in his career, h ...

(1973– ), music video, film and television director *

Alex Grey Alex Grey (born November 29, 1953) is an American visual artist, author, teacher, and Vajrayana practitioner known for creating spiritual and psychedelic paintings. He works in multiple forms including performance art, process art, installation ...

(1953– ), psychedelic artist; born in Columbus and attended Columbus College of Art and Design *

Janet Cook Lewis Janet Cook Lewis (June 17, 1855 – January 18, 1947) was an American portrait painter, librarian, and bookbinder who specialized in book conservation and restoration. She was known as the "Doctor of Books". Not only was she an experienced librari ...

(1855-1947), painter, librarian and bookbinder *

Jammes Luckett Jammes Luckett, also formerly credited as Jaye Barnes Luckett is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and voice actor. She became known as the force behind the rock / electronic band Poperratic – as singer, songwriter, multi-instrumen ...

(1974- ), musician, writer, visual artist, and voice actor; born in Columbus *

Todd Douglas Miller Todd Douglas Miller is an American filmmaker known for directing the award-winning films ''Apollo 11 (2019 film), Apollo 11 and'' ''Dinosaur 13''. Early life and career Miller grew up in Columbus, Ohio. In the 1990s, Miller attended the Motion ...

, filmmaker * Christopher Ries (1952– ), sculptor; born in Columbus and attended the Ohio State University * Aminah Robinson (1940–2015), artist; born in Columbus *

Alice Schille Alice Schille (1869–1955) was an American watercolorist and painter from Columbus, Ohio. She was renowned for her Impressionist and Post Impressionist paintings, which usually depicted scenes featuring markets, women, children, and landscapes ...

(1869–1955), watercolorist and painter *

Chris Sprouse Chris Sprouse (born July 30, 1966) is an Americans, American comics artist. Sprouse has worked for multiple publishers and has won two Eisner Awards for his work on ''Tom Strong'', a series he created with writer Alan Moore. Early life Chris Spro ...

(1966– ), comic book artist *

T. S. Sullivant Thomas Starling Sullivant (November 4, 1854 – August 7, 1926) was an American cartoonist who signed his work T. S. Sullivant. His work appeared most frequently in the pages of the humorous ''Life'' magazine. Best known for his animal and eth ...

(1854–1926), cartoonist and illustrator *

Ted Williams Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 1939 ...

(1958– ), voiceover artist who became an overnight celebrity when his YouTube video went

viral Viral means "relating to viruses" (small infectious agents). Viral may also refer to: Viral behavior, or virality Memetic behavior likened that of a virus, for example: * Viral marketing, the use of existing social networks to spread a marke ...

in January 2011

Architects

Nathan Kelley Nathan B. Kelley (February 26, 1808 – November 20, 1871) was an American architect and builder. He was a prolific architect whose designs dominated the cityscape of Columbus, Ohio at the middle of the 19th century. Life and work Little person ...

(1808–1871) *

Frank Packard Frank L. Packard (June 11, 1866 October 26, 1923) was a prominent architect in Ohio. Many of his works were under the firm Yost & Packard, a company co-owned by Joseph W. Yost. Life and career Frank Lucius Packard was born June 11, 1866 in ...

(1866–1923)

Athletes

* Miller Anderson (1922-1965), diver; born in Columbus * Simone Biles (1997– ), gymnast, three-time

world In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...

all-around champion, 2016 Olympian, won four gold medals; born in Columbus * Jake Blankenship (1994– ), professional pole vaulter; raised in Columbus; attended Gahanna Lincoln High School * Alexa Bliss (1991– ), professional wrestler; born and raised in Columbus *

Lisa Bonder Lisa Bonder (born October 16, 1965), also known as Lisa Bonder-Kreiss or Lisa Bonder-Kerkorian, is an American former professional tennis player. During her career, she won four singles titles on the WTA circuit and reached a highest ranking of N ...

(1965- ), tennis player; born in Columbus *

Malaki Branham Malaki Lamar Branham (born May 12, 2003) is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Early life and high school ca ...

(2003- ), basketball player; born in Columbus * Mike Brown (1970- ), basketball coach; born in Columbus *

Trey Burke Alfonso Clark "Trey" Burke III (born November 12, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Michigan Wolverines where in the 2012–13 season, he earn ...

(1992– ),

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

guard, plays for the

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...

; born in Columbus *

Russ Campbell Russell Lee Campbell (born April 2, 1969) is a former American football tight end who played one season with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 19 ...

(1969– ),

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

tight end for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

; born in Columbus * Howard Cassady (1934–2019), NFL running back and

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...

winner; born in Columbus; played football and baseball for Ohio State *

Austin Cindric Austin Louis Cindric (born September 2, 1998) is an American professional auto racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 2 Ford Mustang for Team Penske. Prior to competing in stock cars, Cindric raced with a v ...

(1998– ),

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...

driver *

Casey Close Casey Richard Close (born October 21, 1963) is a former American baseball player and sports agent. University of Michigan Close was born in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Worthington High School before attending the University of Michigan on ...

(1963– ), baseball player *

Mark Coleman Mark Daniel Coleman (born December 20, 1964) is an American retired mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and amateur wrestler. Coleman was the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournament champion, the first UFC Heavyweight Champion, and the Pride Fig ...

(1964– ), professional fighter from the

UFC The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...

and

Pride Pride is defined by Merriam-Webster as "reasonable self-esteem" or "confidence and satisfaction in oneself". A healthy amount of pride is good, however, pride sometimes is used interchangeably with "conceit" or "arrogance" (among other words) wh ...

mixed-martial-arts organizations; member of Columbus-based

Team Hammer House Team Hammer House is a mixed martial arts team operating out of Columbus, Ohio, made up of mostly former NCAA wrestling, wrestlers. While Hammer House focuses on amateur wrestling they do have cross training deals with notable fighters and camps ...

Zach Collaros Zachary J. Collaros (born August 27, 1988) is an American professional Canadian football quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Collaros won the 107th Grey Cup and 108th Grey Cup as the starting quarterba ...

(1988– ),

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

quarterback for the

Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...

Carl Cooke Carl Clement Cooke (August 25, 1889 – July 28, 1971) was an American sprinter. He competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics. Early life and education Cooke was born on August 25, 1889, in Columbus, Ohio. He attended Columbus North High Sch ...

(1889-1971), sprinter; born in Columbus * Joe Cooper (1979– ), professional football player * Ben Curtis (1977– ), professional golfer, winner of 2003 British Open; born in Columbus *

Antonio Daniels Antonio Robert Daniels (born March 19, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player who played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is currently the television color analyst for the New Orleans Pelicans on B ...

(1975- ), basketball player; born in Columbus *

Helen Darling Helen Marie Darling (born August 29, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player, who played most recently for the San Antonio Silver Stars of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). In her WNBA career, Darling has mo ...

(1978– ), WNBA guard; attended high school in Columbus *

Jessica Davenport Jessica Davenport, born June 24, 1985, is an American basketball player, formerly a reserve center for the WNBA's Indiana Fever. She previously played for The Ohio State University's women's basketball team. High school Davenport played for ...

(born 1985), basketball player *

Buster Douglas James "Buster" Douglas (born April 7, 1960) is an American former professional boxer who competed between 1981 and 1999. He reigned as undisputed world heavyweight champion in 1990 after knocking out Mike Tyson to win the title. His win over ...

(1960– ), heavyweight boxing champion after defeating

Mike Tyson Michael Gerard Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 2005. Nicknamed "Iron Mike" and "Kid Dynamite" in his early career, and later known as "The Baddest Man on the Planet", Tyson is cons ...

; born and raised in Columbus *

Nate Ebner Nathan Ebner (born December 14, 1988) is an American football safety and special teamer who is a free agent, and a rugby sevens player for the United States national rugby sevens team. Ebner played rugby union (15-a-side) on the US Under-19 ...

(1988– ), football player in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

; rugby Olympian; lived in Columbus as a youth *

Pat Elflein Patrick Elflein (born July 6, 1994) is an American football center for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State, where he won the Rimington Trophy as a senior in 2016. Elflein was draf ...

(1994– ), NFL player, born and raised in Columbus and graduated from The Ohio State University * Sarah Fisher (1980– ), auto racer, drove in nine Indianapolis 500s; born in Columbus * John Frank (1962– ), NFL football player * Ross Friedman (1992– ), Harvard and Major League Soccer player *

Lawrence Funderburke Lawrence Damon Funderburke (born December 15, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player. Basketball career Funderburke was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, where he played high school basketball at Wehrle High School, leading ...

(1970– ), Ohio State and NBA basketball player; born and raised in Columbus * Terry Glenn (1974–2017),

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

and

wide receiver; born and raised in Columbus *

Hank Gowdy Harry Morgan Gowdy (August 24, 1889 – August 1, 1966) was an American Professional baseball, professional baseball catcher, first baseman, manager (baseball), manager and coach (baseball), coach who played in the Major League Baseball, major lea ...

(1889–1966),

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

catcher; born and lived in Columbus * Brian Grant (1972– ), basketball player *

Archie Griffin Archie Mason Griffin (born August 21, 1954) is a former American football running back. He played seven seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. As college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner, he is considered one of the grea ...

(1954– ), only two-time

winner; attended Eastmoor High School, then the Ohio State University; won the Heisman Trophy twice as a running back for the OSU Buckeyes; returned to Columbus after his pro career to become the university's assistant athletic director, and president of its alumni association * Forrest Griffin (1979– ), UFC light-heavyweight fighter and winner of the first season of ''

The Ultimate Fighter ''The Ultimate Fighter'' is an American reality television series and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Pilgrim Media Group currently airing on ESPN+. It previously aired for fourteen s ...

''; born in Columbus *

Andrew Hampsten Andrew Hampsten (born April 7, 1962) is an American former professional road bicycle racer who won the 1988 Giro d'Italia and the Alpe d'Huez stage of the 1992 Tour de France. Between 1986–1994 he finished in the Top 10 of eight Grand Tour ...

(1963– ), professional cyclist; born in Columbus * Sam Hanks (1914-1994), race car driver; born in Columbus *

Chic Harley Charles Wesley "Chic" Harley (September 15, 1895 – April 21, 1974) was an American football player and athlete, often credited with bringing Ohio State University's football program to national attention. Harley was Ohio State's first consens ...

(1894–1974), Ohio State University All-American football player * Bo Lamar (1951– ), basketball player *

Chris Leitch Chris Leitch (born April 1, 1979 in Pickerington, Ohio) is a retired American soccer player who is currently the general manager and a former head coach for the San Jose Earthquakes. Career College Leitch played college soccer at the Univer ...

(1979– ),

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

defender; born in Columbus * Caris LeVert (1994– ), basketball player *

Pauline Martin Pauline Martin (born April 19, 1952) is a Canadian film actress and television personality known for appearing in the 1989 film ''Jesus of Montreal''. She was born in Trois-Pistoles, Quebec, with her family moving to Chicoutimi in 1956. In 1976, ...

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...

player (1946 season) *

Liam McCullough Liam McCullough (born June 5, 1997) is an American football long snapper for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Las Vegas Raiders ...

(1997– ), NFL long snapper for the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...

; born in Columbus *

Lance Moore Lance Andrew Moore (born August 31, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver who played over ten seasons professionally in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Toledo. He was signed by the Cleveland Brown ...

(1983– ),

wide receiver for the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

; born in Columbus *

Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus (born January 21, 1940), nicknamed The Golden Bear, is a retired American professional golfer and List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest go ...

(1940– ), pro golfer, winner of a record 18

golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...

majors Jonathan Michael Majors (born September 7, 1989)Majors in is an American actor. He rose to prominence after starring in the independent feature film ''The Last Black Man in San Francisco'' (2019). In 2020, he garnered wider notice for portraying ...

and member of World Golf Hall of Fame; born in Columbus and attended the Ohio State University; won the 1961

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

Championship while playing for the school * Roosevelt Nix (1992– ), NFL fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers; born and raised in Columbus; attended high school in Reynoldsburgh and played college football at Kent State * Abuchi Obinwa (1997– ), professional soccer midfielder; born in Columbus and plays for Columbus Crew SC * Paul O'Neill (1963– ),

outfielder; born and raised in Columbus * Danny O'Rourke (1983– ), Major League Soccer midfielder; born and raised in Columbus * Lilia Osterloh (1978– ), tennis player *

Jesse Owens James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games. Owens specialized in the sprints and the long jump and was recognized in his lifet ...

(1913–1980), track and field; set three world records in one day while in college at the Ohio State University; won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics; raised in Cleveland, and attended college in Columbus *

Jerry Page Jerry Louis Page (born January 15, 1961 in Columbus, Ohio) is an American boxer who won the light welterweight gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics. A year earlier he won a silver medal at the 1983 Pan American Games. Amateur career Jerry P ...

(1961- ), boxer; born in Columbus *

Alexis Peterson Alexis Ganay Peterson (born June 20, 1995) is an American basketball combo guard who currently plays for Maccabi Bnot Ashdod of the Israeli Female Basketball Premier League (Ligat ha'Al). A former ACC Player of the Year at Syracuse, she was draft ...

(1995- ), basketball combo guard; born in Columbus * Brady Quinn (1984– ), NFL quarterback; born in Columbus and attended high school in Dublin, Ohio *

Madison Rayne Ashley Nichole Lomberger (née Simmons; born February 5, 1986) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling under the ring name Madison Rayne, where she is also the coach of the women's division. She is best known ...

(1986-), Professional Wrestler for

TNA Impact ''Impact!'' (stylized as ''IMPACT!''), also known as ''IMPACT! on AXS TV'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by the American promotion Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA)) th ...

and All Elite Wrestling. *

Michael Redd Michael Wesley Redd (born August 24, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player. He was drafted 43rd overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2000 NBA draft. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, where he attended West High School. He wa ...

(1979– ), Ohio State University basketball player and

shooting guard; born and raised in Columbus * Dave Roberts (1944–2009),

pitcher; moved to Columbus * Mauri Rose (1906–81), auto racer *

Jack Roslovic Jack Roslovic (born January 29, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey player for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 25th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2015 NHL Entry Dr ...

(1997– ), NHL player,

Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

* Randy Savage (1952–2011), professional wrestler, former WWE champion; born in Columbus *

Devon Scott Devon Patricia Scott (born November 29, 1958) is a former American actress and daughter of actor/producer George C. Scott. She starred in the first season of ''The Tony Randall Show'', which ran from 1976 to 1978; she was replaced for the secon ...

(born 1994), basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League *

Kip Selbach Albert Karl (Kip) Selbach (March 24, 1872 – February 17, 1956) was a left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1894 through 1906, he played for the Washington Senators (NL), Cincinnati Reds, New York Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Washington ...

(1872–1956), Major League Baseball outfielder; born in Columbus *

Cole Sillinger Cole Sillinger (born May 16, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Sillinger was selected by the Blue Jackets 12th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Playing care ...

(2003– ), NHL player,

; born in Columbus * George Simpson (1908-1961), sprinter; born in Columbus *

Spencer Strider Spencer Robert Strider (born October 28, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Clemson Tigers baseball, Clemson Tigers, and was drafted by the A ...

(1998-), MLB player, starting pitcher for the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

; born in Columbus *

Jared Sullinger Jared Sullinger Sr. (born March 4, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Shenzhen Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for Ohio State University before being drafted 21st overall ...

(1992– ), CBA forward for the

Shenzhen Leopards The Shenzhen New Century Liebao Club, also known as Shenzhen Marco Polo or Shenzhen Leopards (previously Shenzhen Aviators) are a Chinese professional basketball team which plays in the Southern Division of the Chinese Basketball Association (C ...

; born in Columbus and played for Ohio State * Nick Swisher (1980– ), Major League Baseball outfielder; attended the Ohio State University *

Thelma Thall Thelma Thall “Tybie” Sommer (born 1924) is the only living American woman to have won two World Table Tennis Championships. She received the USA Table Tennis Lifetime Achievement Award, and is in the Table Tennis Hall of Fame. She says tha ...

(1924– ), two-time world table tennis champion *

Wil Trapp William Alexander Trapp (born January 15, 1993) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defensive midfielder for Major League Soccer club Minnesota United. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Trapp graduated from Lincoln High School, ...

(1993– ), Major League Soccer midfielder; plays for

Minnesota United FC Minnesota United FC is an American professional soccer club based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that plays in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer. The club began play in 2017 as the league's 22nd club, and replaced the North American Socc ...

and grew up in Gahanna *

Gary Trent Gary Dajaun Trent Sr. (born September 22, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. Early life Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Trent played his high school basketball at Hamilton Township High School. In his senior season ...

(1974– ), NBA player; attended Hamilton Township High School and was born and raised in Columbus *

Louie Vito Louis Philip "Louie" Vito III (born March 20, 1988) is an Italian-American professional snowboarder. He is an Olympian, Winter X Games, and U.S. Grand Prix Champion. Early life Louis Vito was born in Columbus, Ohio, but grew up in the nearby ...

(1988– ), professional snowboarder, 2010 US Olympic Team, four-time Overall US Grand Prix Champion and two-time Dew Cup Overall Champion; six career X Games medals, including two gold medals; born in Columbus * Granville Waiters (1961–2021), NBA player; born and raised in Columbus *

Samaki Walker Samaki Ijuma Walker (born February 25, 1976) is an American retired professional basketball power forward and center. Walker played college basketball at the University of Louisville and was drafted in 1996 by the Dallas Mavericks, where he playe ...

(1976– ), NBA player; born and raised in Columbus * Evan White (1996– ), Major League Baseball player; born in Columbus * Herb Williams (1958– ), NBA player and coach; born in Columbus and played basketball for the Ohio State University * Jarren Williams (1997– ), NFL defensive back for New York Giants; born and raised in Columbus * John Williamson (1986– ), basketball player for

Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. Hapoel Tel Aviv Basketball Club ( he, מועדון כדורסל הפועל תל אביב) is an Israeli professional basketball club, based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Historically the second-most successful side in Israeli basketball with five nationa ...

of the

Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional sports, professional competition in Israeli sports club, club basketball, making ...

Blaine Wilson Blaine Carew Wilson (born August 3, 1974) is a retired American gymnast. He is a five-time U.S. national champion (1996-2000), a three-time Olympian (1996, 2000, 2004), and an Olympic silver medalist in the team competition at the 2004 Olympic G ...

(1974– ), gymnast, Olympic silver medalist in 2004; attended the Ohio State University

Diplomats

* James Linn Rodgers (1861–1930), United States Consul General to Shanghai, Havana and Montreal (also editor of

Columbus Dispatch ''The Columbus Dispatch'' is a daily newspaper based in Columbus, Ohio. Its first issue was published on July 1, 1871, and it has been the only mainstream daily newspaper in the city since ''The Columbus Citizen-Journal'' ceased publication in 1 ...

)

Entrepreneurs

Jeni Britton Bauer 'Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams'' is an artisan ice cream company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Jeni's has over 60 branded 'scoop shops' and retail distributors nationally. History Jeni Britton Bauer is the founder and chief creative office ...

(1973-), founder of

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams 'Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams'' is an artisan ice cream company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Jeni's has over 60 branded 'scoop shops' and retail distributors nationally. History Jeni Britton Bauer is the founder and chief creative officer ...

Dick Cepek Dick, Dicks, or Dick's may refer to: Media * ''Dicks'' (album), a 2004 album by Fila Brazillia * Dicks (band), a musical group * ''Dick'' (film), a 1999 American comedy film * "Dick" (song), a 2019 song by Starboi3 featuring Doja Cat Names ...

(1930–1983), Off-road Motorsports Hall of Fame member, parts supplier and racer; raised in Columbus *

Jack Hanna Jack Bushnell Hanna (born January 2, 1947) is a retired American zookeeper and a former director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. "Jungle Jack" was director of the zoo from 1978 to 1992, and is viewed as largely responsible for elevat ...

(1947– ), zookeeper and television personality; director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (1978–1993), director emeritus afterwards * John H. McConnell (1923–2008), founder of

Worthington Industries Worthington Industries, Inc. is a global diversified metals manufacturing company based in Columbus, Ohio. It is a steel processor and manufacturer of pressure vessels, such as propane, oxygen and helium tanks, hand torches, refrigerant and indu ...

and the

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

team * Jay Schottenstein (1954– ), entrepreneur and philanthropist *

Dave Thomas Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * Dave (film), ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * Dave (musical), ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital ...

(1932–2002), founder of

Wendy's Wendy's is an American international fast food restaurant chain founded by Dave Thomas (1932–2002) on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. Its headquarters moved to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. As of December 31, 2018, Wendy's was the ...

restaurant chain, whose first store was in Columbus *

Robert D. Walter Robert D. Walter (born 1944) is an American businessman best known for his role in the creation of Cardinal Health. Early life Walter graduated from St. Charles Preparatory School in Columbus, Ohio, and received a B.A. degree from Ohio Universit ...

(1944– ), founder of Cardinal Health, born and raised in Columbus *

Leslie Wexner Leslie Herbert Wexner (born September 8, 1937) is an American billionaire businessman, the founder and chairman emeritus of Bath & Body Works, Inc. (formerly Limited Brands). Wexner grew a business empire after starting The Limited, a clothing re ...

(1937– ), founder and chairman emeritus of

L Brands Bath & Body Works, Inc. (formerly known as L Brands, Inc., Limited Brands, Inc. and The Limited, Inc.) is an American specialty retail company based in Columbus, Ohio. It owns Bath & Body Works, posted $11.9 billion in revenue in 2021, and wa ...

* Granville Woods (1856–1910), inventor; spent his early childhood in Columbus

Journalists

Charlotte Curtis Charlotte Murray Curtis (December 19, 1928 – April 16, 1987) was an American journalist, columnist and editor at ''The New York Times''. Career Curtis worked as a reporter and society editor for the ''Columbus Citizen'' for 11 years, and a ...

(1928–1987), reporter and editor for the ''Columbus Citizen'' and the ''New York Times'' *

Wil Haygood Wil Haygood (born September 19, 1954, in Columbus, Ohio) is an American journalist and author who is known for his 2008 article "A Butler Well Served by this Election" in ''The Washington Post'' about Eugene Allen, which served as the basis for t ...

(1954– ), Pulitzer-nominated, award-winning journalist ''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

''; wrote the article that inspired the movie ''The Butler'' *

Charles F. Hockett Charles Francis Hockett (January 17, 1916 – November 3, 2000) was an American linguist who developed many influential ideas in American structuralism#Structuralism in linguistics, structuralist linguistics. He represents the post-Leonard Bloomfi ...

(1916-2000), American linguist; born in Columbus * Terry Murphy, television journalist, Chicago and Los Angeles news anchor, host of shows '' Hard Copy'' and '' Extra''; born in Columbus * Sacha Pfeiffer (1971– ), award-winning journalist with the ''

Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' *

Cabot Rea Cabot Rea is a former American reporter and television news anchorman. He was the evening and night co-anchorman for WCMH, the NBC affiliate in Columbus, Ohio. In 1978, Rea graduated from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio with a degree in mu ...

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

-winning television reporter and anchor for the Columbus NBC affiliate

WCMH WCMH-TV (channel 4) is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios are located on Olentangy River Road near the Ohio State University campus, and its transm ...

; anchored the local

UPN The United Paramount Network (UPN) was an American broadcast television network that launched on January 16, 1995. It was originally owned by Chris-Craft Industries' United Television. Viacom (through its Paramount Television unit, which prod ...

news at WWHO *

Cora Rigby Cora Rigby (11 Feb 1865 – 11 Jun 1930) was an American journalist who was the first woman at a major newspaper to head a Washington News bureau and was one of the founders of the Women's National Press Club. Biography Cora Rigby was born in Lanc ...

, first woman at a major paper to head a Washington News bureau and was one of the founders of the Women's National Press Club. * James Linn Rodgers (1861–1930), editor of

(also United States Consul General to Shanghai, Havana and Montreal) * Dana Tyler, news anchor at WBNS * Ralph Waldo Tyler (1860–1921), journalist and war correspondent during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Andrew Welsh-Huggins Andrew Welsh-Huggins is an American journalist and author of both fiction and nonfiction books about crime. He graduated from Kenyon College. Welsh-Huggins is legal-affairs reporter for the Associated Press in Columbus, Ohio. He is the author of ...

, journalist and author of the Andy Hayes mystery novels, set in Columbus

Military personnel

* Casper H. Conrad Jr. (1872-1954), U.S. Army brigadier general *

Cordelia E Cook Cordelia Elizabeth Cook (March 17, 1919 – June 19, 1996) was an American combat nurse in the United States Army Nurse Corps during World War II. She was the first woman in the U.S. Army to receive both the Bronze Star Medal award and the Purp ...

(1919–1996), World War II U.S. Army

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

in the United States Army Nurse Corps * Donald G. Dunn (1923–2021), World War II decorated member of the 10th Mountain Division *

Donn Eisele Donn Fulton Eisele (June 23, 1930 – December 1, 1987) (Colonel (United States), Colonel United States Air Force, USAF) was a United States Air Force, United States Air Force officer, test pilot, and later a List of astronauts by selection ...

(1930–1987), NASA astronaut; Colonel, U.S. Air Force *

Linda L. Fagan Linda Lee Fagan (born July 1, 1963) is a United States Coast Guard admiral who serves as the 27th Commandant of the Coast Guard. Previously, in 2021 she became the 32nd Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard’s first female four ...

(1963– ), Coast Guard vice admiral * Stanley H. Ford (1877-1961), United States Army General * Gilbert C. Hoover (1894–1980), World War I and World War II USN admiral, involved in developing the nuclear bomb * Curtis LeMay (1906–1990), World War II and

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

U.S. Air Force general; born and raised in Columbus; studied civil engineering at the Ohio State University * Irvin McDowell (1818-1885), army officer; born in Columbus * Eddie Rickenbacker (1890–1973),

fighter

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

, "Ace of Aces"; born and raised in Columbus * Willard Franklyn Searle (1924–2009), Captain, U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage 1964–1969; born and raised in Columbus * Richard Secord (1932– ), Air Force major general * Walter Cowen Short (1870–1952), US Army brigadier general * Paul Tibbets (1915–2007), World War II ''Enola Gay'' decorated pilot

Miss America

* Mary Katherine Campbell (1905–1990),

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...

1922; born and raised in Columbus and attended the Ohio State University *

Laurie Lea Schaefer Laurel Lea Schaefer (born May 21, 1949) was Miss America 1972. A native of Bexley, Ohio, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Ohio University in June 1971. Three months later, she won the Miss America pageant. She parlayed her t ...

, Miss America 1972

Musicians

əkoostik hookah əkoostik hookah is a jam band from Columbus, Ohio. Formed in 1991, the band has made multiple national tours in the US, as well as performing in overseas locales like Amsterdam and Jamaica, although they may more commonly be found playing local ...

, musical group *

Attack Attack! Attack Attack! is an American metalcore band from Westerville, Ohio, originally formed in 2007 as Ambiance, later changing their name. Attack Attack!'s first release, an independent EP titled ''If Guns Are Outlawed, Can We Use Swords?'', was ...

, metalcore band * Beartooth, hardcore punk band * Blueprint, rapper and hip hop producer *

Bizzy Bone Bryon Anthony McCane II (born September 12, 1976),Whitburn, Joel (2008) ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2006'', Record Research, , p. 97 better known by his stage name Bizzy Bone, is an American rapper, singer and the youngest member o ...

(1976– ), rapper, part of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony * Bow Wow (1987– ), (formerly known as "Lil' Bow Wow"), rapper; born in Columbus and spent his early childhood there * Happy Chichester, singer-songwriter * Colin Rigsby, singer-songwriter Vesperteen, also drummer for House of Heroes * Copywrite, underground hip-hop artist *

The Crimson Armada The Crimson Armada was an American metalcore band formed in Westerville, Ohio in 2007 by Kyle Barrington and David Puckett. Following a one-year hiatus in 2008, the band returned to increased popularity, releasing its first EP, ''Behold the Arc ...

, metalcore band * Jay DeMarcus (1971– ), bassist in the country group Rascal Flatts; born and raised in Columbus * Rocco Di Pietro (1949– ), composer *

Aaron Diehl Aaron Diehl (born September 22, 1985) is an American jazz pianist. Diehl is considered a jazz virtuoso and composer. He is the 2014 Monterey Jazz Festival Commission Artist, becoming one of the youngest artists to receive this honor, and compos ...

(1985– ), jazz pianist * Jerome Dillon (1969– ), drummer and musician, formerly of Nine Inch Nails * Josh Dun (1988– ), drummer of rock duo

Twenty One Pilots Twenty One Pilots (stylized in Letter case, all lowercase or as twenty øne piløts) are an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. Initially a band, the group was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris ...

* Early Man, speed metal band * Harold "Sweets" Edison (1915–1999), jazz trumpeter of the swing/bebop era who played and recorded with Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and Count Basie; born in Columbus and attended East High School *

FanFan Christine Fan (born March 18, 1976), better known by her stage name FanFan or her Chinese name Fan Wei-chi, is a Taiwanese singer-songwriter, TV presenter, record producer, actress, author and philanthropist. She sings mostly in Mandarin, but ha ...

(范玮琪) (1976– ), Taiwanese-American artist; born in Columbus *

Fly Union Fly Union (sometimes stylized as Fly.Union) is an American hip hop group from Columbus, Ohio. The group consists of production duo MnkeyWrench (Iyeball and Jay Swifa) and rapper Jerreau. Rapper Vada Azeem was also a founder and member of the ...

, musical group *

Michael Feinstein Michael Jay Feinstein (born September 7, 1956) is an American singer, pianist, and music revivalist. He is an archivist and interpreter for the repertoire known as the Great American Songbook. In 1988 he won a Drama Desk Special Award for cele ...

(1956– ), singer; born in Columbus and lived there until age 19 * Terry Glaze, original lead singer of heavy metal band

Pantera Pantera () is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas formed in 1981, and currently comprised of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. The group's best-kn ...

Stomp Gordon Archie A. Gordon, known professionally as Stomp Gordon (February 10, 1926 – January 18, 1958), was an American jump blues pianist and singer in the 1950s. He led a five piece ensemble, which was known for their riotous live performances an ...

, jump blues pianist and singer * House of Heroes, Christian rock band *

Illogic Jawhar Glass (born January 18, 1980), better known by his stage name Illogic, is an American indie hip hop artist from Columbus, Ohio.Mills, BradIllogic Biography, Allmusic, retrieved 2011-06-05 He has collaborated with many artists—particula ...

(1980– ), rapper and hip-hop artist * Howard Jones (1970– ), lead vocalist of

Light the Torch Light the Torch (formerly Devil You Know) is an American metalcore supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 2012. They are currently signed to Nuclear Blast Records and have released four albums: two under the "Devil You Know" moniker ('' The Beau ...

(formerly Devil You Know), former lead vocalist of

Killswitch Engage Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast (band), Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joe ...

and

Blood Has Been Shed Blood Has Been Shed was an American metalcore band based in Granby, Connecticut. The band came together in 1997 and has featured members of Killswitch Engage, Diecast, Light the Torch, Red Tide, Terror, Walls of Jericho, Bury Your Dead and T ...

Tyler Joseph Tyler Robert Joseph (born December 1, 1988) is an American singer, rapper, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman for the musical duo Twenty One Pilots, alongside bandmate Josh Dun. He has been nominated for ...

(1988– ), lead vocalist of rock duo Twenty One Pilots *

Like Moths to Flames Like Moths to Flames is an American metalcore band from Columbus, Ohio, formed in 2010 by former members of various bands, including Emarosa, Agraceful, the Crimson Armada, and My Ticket Home. The band has released four studio albums and three ...

, metalcore band *

Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. ''Grove Music Online''. ''Oxford Music Online''. Retrieved February 1, 2009-. "The year ...

(1935–1977), jazz saxophonist; born and raised in Columbus, and educated at the Ohio State School for the Blind * Latto, (1998– ), rapper *

Gary LeVox Gary LeVox (born Gary Wayne Vernon Jr., July 10, 1970) is an American singer and songwriter. He is known for being the lead vocalist of the contemporary country music band Rascal Flatts, and his stage name was taken from the studio-console label ...

(1970– ), lead singer of country group Rascal Flatts * Joe "Foley" McCreary, bass player for Miles Davis * Nancy Jewel McDonie singer, who became famous with the Korean KPop group Momoland *

Mulatto (, ) is a racial classification to refer to people of mixed African and European ancestry. Its use is considered outdated and offensive in several languages, including English and Dutch, whereas in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese is ...

(1998– ), rapper; born in Columbus *

My Ticket Home My Ticket Home is an American heavy metal band formed in 2008 from Columbus, Ohio. They have released two EPs and three full-length albums. Their first three releases exemplified metalcore and hardcore punk, while 2013's '' Strangers Only'' mar ...

, alternative metal band *

O.A.R. O.A.R. (short for Of A Revolution) is an American rock band, founded in 1996 in Rockville, Maryland. The band consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Marc Roberge, drummer Chris Culos, guitarist Richard On, bassist Benj Gershman, saxophonist/guitar ...

, roots rock band *

Phil Ochs Philip David Ochs (; December 19, 1940 – April 9, 1976) was an American songwriter and protest singer (or, as he preferred, a topical singer). Ochs was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, political activism, often alliterative lyrics, and ...

(1940–1976), folk-activist singer and songwriter; grew up in Columbus, which provided the inspiration for his song "Boy in Ohio"; studied journalism at Ohio State University * Don Patterson (1936–1988), jazz organist * Penny & The Quarters, short-lived 1970s soul band that came to notice in 2011 *

Rascal Flatts Rascal Flatts is an American country music band founded in 1999. The band members were Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, background vocals), and Joe Don Rooney (lead guitar, background vocals). DeMarcus is LeVox's second cousi ...

, country band formed in Columbus *

Conrad Reeder Conrad Reeder (1954) (also known as Connie Reeder Nichols) is an American singer, songwriter, writer and college professor. She was married to the late producer and recording engineer Roger Nichols for over thirty years. Music career She was ...

(1954– ), singer/songwriter * Red Wanting Blue, alternative rock band * John Reuben (1979– ), Christian rapper * RJD2 (1976– ), real name Ramble Jon "RJ" Krohn; hip-hop producer * Saving Jane, alternative rock band * Starset, alternative rock band *

Caleb Shomo Caleb Joshua Shomo (born December 1, 1992) is an American singer, musician, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter. He is most well known as the lead-vocalist of hardcore punk band Beartooth, though he records all studio instrumentals for the ba ...

(1992– ), lead vocalist of Beartooth, former lead vocalist/keyboardist of

* Jermaine Stewart, an American R&B singer best known for his 1986 hit single "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off", which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. Born in Columbus. * The Sun, alternative rock band * Camu Tao (1977–2008), rapper and producer, member of S.A. Smash *

Times New Viking Times New Viking is an American lo-fi indie rock band from Columbus, Ohio. The lineup consists of guitarist Jared Phillips, drummer Adam Elliott, and Beth Murphy on keyboards. Murphy and Elliott share vocal duties. Their name, "Times New Viking, ...

, indie rock band *

, alternative rock music duo from Columbus * Joe Walsh (1947– ), musician, solo artist, guitarist for The Eagles * Nancy Wilson (1937–2018), singer * Dwight Yoakam (1956– ), country singer; raised in Columbus and briefly attended Ohio State

Politicians

Prescott Bush Prescott Sheldon Bush (May 15, 1895 – October 8, 1972) was an American banker as a Wall Street executive investment banker, he represented Connecticut in the from 1952 of the Bush family, he was the father of former Vice President and Pre ...

(1895–1972), U.S. Senator elected from Connecticut, father and grandfather of Presidents

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...

and

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

, respectively; born in Columbus and spent his childhood there until 1908; moved back to Columbus for part of 1923 for a job in business * Patrick Clifford, member of the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

, born in Columbus * Richard Cordray, 1st Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, born in Columbus *

Bob Hackett Bob Hackett (born August 3, 1949) is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 10th district since 2016. Career Hackett, a graduate of Columbia University where he played on the Columbia Lions football team, served two terms as a ...

, Ohio State Senator *

Mark Kersey Mark Kersey (born ) is an American politician who was a member of the San Diego City Council for District 5 from 2012 to 2020. He was elected in June 2012 and re-elected in June 2016. Kersey was council president ''pro tem'' in 2016 and 2017. ...

, member of the

San Diego City Council The San Diego City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of San Diego, California. The city council was first established in San Diego in 1850. The council uses a strong mayor system with a separately elected mayor who acts ...

, born in Columbus *

Milton Latham Milton Slocum Latham (May 23, 1827 – March 4, 1882) was an American politician, who served as the sixth governor of California and as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator. Latham holds the distinction of having the shortest governorship in ...

(1827-1882), politician, governor of California, U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator; born in Columbus *

Pat McCrory Patrick Lloyd McCrory (born October 17, 1956) is an American businessman, politician and radio host who served as the 74th governor of North Carolina from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 53rd Mayor o ...

(1956– ), 74th

Governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

(2013–2017), longest-serving mayor of

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

; born in Columbus, but relocated to North Carolina as a child; 2008 Republican nominee for Governor of North Carolina * Harley Rouda (1961- ), attorney, businessman and politician, U.S. representative for California's 48th congressional district; born in Columbus * Bob Shamansky (1927-2011), politician and attorney, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 12th district; born in Columbus

Writers

Hanif Abdurraqib Hanif Abdurraqib (born August 25, 1983) is an American poet, essayist, and cultural critic. He is the author of 2016 poetry collection ''The Crown Ain't Worth Much'' (published as Hanif Willis-Abdurraqib), the 2017 essay collection ''They Can't ...

(1983– ), poet and aurthor; raised in Columbus *

David Auburn David Auburn (born 30 November 1969) is an American playwright, screenwriter and theatre director. He is best known for his 2000 play '' Proof'', which won the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play and Pulitzer Prize for Drama. He also wrote the screen ...

(1970– ), playwright; raised in Columbus * Lois McMaster Bujold (1949– ), science fiction author; born in Columbus *

Ron Burch Ron Burch is an American writer whose work spans television, film, plays, short fiction and novels. His movies include '' Head over Heels'', '' Yours, Mine and Ours'' and ''Ferdinand''. He was the executive producer/showrunner (along with David Kid ...

, TV writer and producer, screenwriter, playwright and novelist; born and raised in Columbus and attended the Ohio State University *

(1928–1987), first woman editor of the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', born in Columbus and worked at the ''Columbus Citizen'' for 11 years. See Journalists above. * Natalie Dee, webcomic artist; creator of ''Natalie Dee''; co-creator of '' Married to the Sea'' with husband Drew; lives in Columbus * Drew (1979– ), webcomic artist, creator of '' toothpaste for dinner'' and co-creator of '' Married to the Sea''; lives in Columbus *

Florence Magruder Gilmore Florence Magruder Gilmore (pen name, Florence Gilmore; February 13, 1881 – September 13, 1945) was an American author and settlement movement, settlement worker. She was a frequent contributor to the Catholic press, and wrote several novels. Pe ...

(1881-1945), author and settlement worker *

Fred Golan Fred Golan is an American television writer and producer. Golan is best known for his work on series such as '' Justified'' and '' Sneaky Pete'', on which he served as a writer and executive producer. Notable other work includes ''Boomtown'', '' ...

(1959– ), television writer and executive producer; raised in Columbus, studied at Ohio State * Margaret Peterson Haddix (1964– ), author; lives in Columbus *

Saeed Jones Saeed Jones (born November 26, 1985) is an American writer and poet. His debut collection '' Prelude to Bruise'' was named a 2014 finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for poetry. His second book, a memoir, '' How We Fight for Our ...

, writer and poet * Harvey C. Mansfield, Jr. (1932– ), Professor of Government at Harvard University; author of numerous books on the subject of political theory; graduated from high school in Columbus * Lida Rose McCabe (1865-1938), author, journalist, lecturer *

Tom Meek Tom Meek (born 1956) is an American columnist and author of "Another Day In Cyberville" published weekly in The Gainesville Voice, a New York Times regional newspaper, beginning in October, 2000 in The Gainesville Sun. "Cyberville" deals with i ...

(1965– ), columnist; lived in Columbus in 1976 *

Mary Robison Mary Cennamo Robison (born January 14, 1949 in Washington, D.C., United States) is an American short story writer and novelist. She has published four collections of stories, and four novels, including her 2001 novel ''Why Did I Ever'', winn ...

(1949– ), short story writer *

Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Arthur Meier Schlesinger Jr. (; born Arthur Bancroft Schlesinger; October 15, 1917 – February 28, 2007) was an American historian, social critic, and public intellectual. The son of the influential historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr. and a spe ...

(1917–2007), historian and writer; born in Columbus * Jeff Smith (1960– ),

cartoonist A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary and ...

and creator of ''Bone''; grew up and currently lives in Columbus *

Maggie Smith Dame Margaret Natalie Smith (born 28 December 1934) is an English actress. With an extensive career on screen and stage beginning in the mid-1950s, Smith has appeared in more than sixty films and seventy plays. She is one of the few performer ...

, poet, freelance writer, and editor, born in Columbus *

Donald Ogden Stewart Donald Ogden Stewart (November 30, 1894 – August 2, 1980) was an American writer and screenwriter best known for his sophisticated golden age comedies and melodramas such as '' The Philadelphia Story'' (based on the play by Philip Barry), ''T ...

(1894–1980),

humorist A humorist (American) or humourist (British spelling) is an intellectual who uses humor, or wit, in writing or public speaking, but is not an artist who seeks only to elicit laughs. Humorists are distinct from comedians, who are show business e ...

, playwright, and Academy Award-winning black-listed screenwriter; born and raised in Columbus *

R. L. Stine Robert Lawrence Stine (; born October 8, 1943), sometimes known as Jovial Bob Stine and Eric Affabee, is an American novelist, short story writer, television producer, screenwriter, and executive editor. Stine has been referred to as the "St ...

(1943– ), author; born and raised in Columbus; attended the Ohio State University * James Thurber (1894–1961),

and

; born and raised in Columbus; many of his short stories depict episodes from this period of his life

Other

* Ted Allen (1968– ), author and television personality, '' Queer Eye'', ''

Chopped Chopped can have the following meanings: * Chopped and screwed Chopped and screwed (also called screwed and chopped or slowed and throwed) is a music genre and technique of remixing music that involves slowing down the tempo and deejaying. It ...

''; born in Columbus * Joshua Angrist, economist; born in Columbus *

Roman Atwood Roman Bernard Atwood (born May 28, 1983) is an American YouTube personality and prankster. He is best known for his vlogs, where he posts updates about his life. His vlogging channel, "RomanAtwoodVlogs", has a total of 5 billion views and 15 ...

(1983– ), Youtube personality, comedian, vlogger from Columbus * Neal Buckon (1953- ), prelate of the Roman Catholic Church; born in Columbus * Neil Carpathios (1961– ), poet, professor, newspaper columnist, radio program host *

Annie W. Clark Annie W. Clark (August 21, 1843 – July 3, 1907) was an American social reformer and leader in the temperance movement. She served as president of the Ohio Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). Early life and education Annie Wood Clark was ...

(1843-1907), president, Ohio

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program th ...

* Mark Dindal (1960– ), effects animator and director, '' Cats Don't Dance'', ''

The Emperor's New Groove ''The Emperor's New Groove'' is a 2000 American animated slapstick comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 40th animated film produced by the studio, it was directed by Mark Dindal and pr ...

''; born and raised in Columbus *

Chris Douridas Chris Douridas (born September 20, 1962) is an American popular DJ and musical tastemaker at Santa Monica, California's radio station KCRW, where he hosts a two-hour program showcasing progressive new music. He is also a filmmaker, actor, televisi ...

(1962– ), radio host, actor, music supervisor * Guy Fieri (1968– ), chef on Food Network, born in Columbus *

Judah Folkman Moses Judah Folkman (February 24, 1933 – January 14, 2008) was an American medical scientist best known for his research on tumor angiogenesis, the process by which a tumor attracts blood vessels to nourish itself and sustain its existence. He ...

(1933–2008), medical scientist who founded the field of angiogenesis research; raised in Columbus, and graduated from the Ohio State University * Michael Foreman (1957- ), astronaut; born in Columbus *

Mark Frissora Mark Paul Frissora (born August 1955) is an American business executive. He has been the CEO and president of The Hertz Corporation, and was the CEO and president of Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Caesars Entertainment until 2019. Prior to ...

, CEO of

Caesars Entertainment Caesars Entertainment, Inc., formerly Eldorado Resorts, Inc., is an American hotel and casino entertainment company founded and based in Reno, Nevada that operates more than 50 properties. Eldorado Resorts acquired Caesars Entertainment Corpora ...

Lincoln Goodale Lincoln Goodale (February 25, 1782–1868) was the first doctor to live in Columbus, Ohio, United States. He was a great benefactor to the city and his legacy includes a large parcel of land that today is known as Goodale Park. His likeness in t ...

(1782–1868), doctor and namesake of

Goodale Park Goodale Park is a public park in the Victorian Village area of Columbus, Ohio. It was donated to the city in 1851 by Lincoln Goodale. For a few months during the American Civil War, Civil War, it was a staging area for Union troops known as Camp ...

David E. Harris David Ellsworth Harris (born December 22, 1934) is the first African American commercial airline pilot and first to achieve the rank of Pilot Captain for a major U.S. commercial airline. Early life, education, personal life Harris was born o ...

, the first

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

commercial airline pilot and pilot captain for a major U.S. commercial airline. *

Sandra Hubby The following women have appeared in the American or international edition of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month. Those who were also named Playmate of the Year are highlighted in green. A common misconception is that Marilyn Monroe was ...

(1978– ), ''

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...

'' Playmate and beauty pageant contestant; represented Columbus in the Miss Hawaiian Tropic Pageant *

Curtis Lovell II Curtis Lovell II is an American illusionist and escape artist. He is known for his high-profile escape performances and his events for corporations. The Washington Times interviewed him for a political piece subtitled "Houdini Factor". He was re ...

(1981– ), illusionist, escape artist and endurance artist * Jeffrey L. Meikle (1949– ), cultural historian, professor *

Ruth Ella Moore Ruth Ella Moore (May 19, 1903 – July 19, 1994) was an American bacteriologist and microbiologist, who, in 1933, became the first African-American woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in a natural science. She was a professor of bacteriology at How ...

(1903-1994), academician, bacteriologist, microbiologist, and fashion designer, born in Columbus, awarded a Ph.D. of historical note in 1933 by Ohio State University, professor and department chair at Howard University *

Alexis Nikole Nelson Alexis Nikole Nelson (born May 26, 1992) is an American forager, cook, and internet personality. She maintains the TikTok account alexisnikole and Instagram page blackforager, where she posts videos of her foraging finds along with cooking techn ...

(1992– ), forager and internet celebrity * J. Havens Richards (1851–1923), Jesuit and president of

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

* Ann Shaw (1921–2015), civic leader, social worker *

Randy Skinner Randy Skinner is an American dancer, director and choreographer, primarily for the stage. He has been nominated four times for Tony Awards, three times for Drama Desk Awards, and four times for Outer Critics Circle Awards for choreography. Ear ...

(1952– ), Broadway director and choreographer; born and raised in Columbus; graduated from the Ohio State University in 1974 *

Howard Dwight Smith Howard Dwight Smith (February 21, 1886 – April 27, 1958) was an architect most known for his designs of Ohio Stadium (completed in 1922) for which he was awarded the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal for Public Building Design. E ...

(1886–1958), architect of, most notably,

Ohio Stadium Ohio Stadium is an American football stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on the campus of Ohio State University. It primarily serves as the home venue of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team and is also the site for the university's Spring Commencement c ...

; graduated from the Ohio State University in 1907

References

{{Columbus, Ohio *

People A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...

Actors

Artists

Architects

Athletes

Diplomats

Entrepreneurs

Journalists

Military personnel

Miss America

Musicians

Politicians

Writers

Other

See also

References