The following is a list of notable people associated with

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...

. These people were born or lived in Grand Rapids.

Artists and artisans

* Mathias Alten — impressionist painter * Jeffrey Brown — comic book creator *

Frederick Stuart Church Frederick Stuart Church (1842–1924) was an American artist, working mainly as an illustrator and especially known for his (often allegorical) depiction of animals. Biography He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His father was an impor ...

— illustrator * Paul Collins — painter * Dirk Gringhuis — illustrator *

Daniel Vosovic Daniel Vosovic (born March 25, 1981) is an American fashion designer and a finalist in season 2 of the reality show ''Project Runway''. Biography Vosovic was born March 25, 1981, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and raised in the nearby city of Lowe ...

— clothing designer

Business, industry, academic and labor figures

Criminals

Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood Gwendolyn Gail Graham (born August 6, 1963) and Catherine May Wood (born March 7, 1962) are American serial killers convicted of killing five elderly women in Walker, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids, in 1987. They committed their crimes in ...

Entertainment figures

Gillian Anderson Gillian Leigh Anderson ( ; born August 9, 1968) is an American actress. Her credits include the roles of FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the series ''The X-Files'', ill-fated socialite Lily Bart in Terence Davies's film ''The House of Mirth'' ...

— television and film actress *

Ford Beebe Ford Beebe (November 26, 1888 – November 26, 1978) was a screenwriter and Film director, director. He entered the film business as a writer around 1916 and over the next 60 years wrote and/or directed almost 200 films. He specialized in B-movi ...

— film director *

Otto Brower Otto Brower (December 2, 1890 – January 25, 1946) was an American film director. He directed more than 40 films between 1928 and 1946. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and died in Hollywood, California, from a myocardial infarction, ...

— film director *

James T. Callahan James Callahan may refer to: Sports * James Callahan (ice hockey), founder of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925 *Nixey Callahan (1874–1934), also known as Jimmy Callahan, baseball pitcher and manager * Jim Callahan (baseball) (1881–1968), basebal ...

— film and television actor *

Horace B. Carpenter Horace B. Carpenter (January 31, 1875 – May 21, 1945) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He appeared in more than 330 films between 1914 and 1946. He also directed 15 films between 1925 and 1934. Born in Grand Rapids, ...

— film actor and director *

Jim Cash James Willis Cash (January 17, 1941 – March 25, 2000) was an American film writer, noted for writing such 1980s films as ''Top Gun'' and '' The Secret of My Success''. Early life Cash was born on January 17, 1941, in Boyne City, Michigan. ...

— screenwriter *

Riley Chamberlin Riley Chamberlin (November 7, 1854 – January 24, 1917) was an American silent film actor. Born in Byron, Michigan, he was a graduate of Grand Rapids High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He attended Clinet College, Cornell University, and ...

— silent film actor *

Rex Cherryman Rexford Raymond "Rex" Cherryman (October 30, 1896 – August 10, 1928) was an American actor of the stage and screen whose career was most prolific during the 1920s. Biography Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Rex Cherryman attended Colgate Unive ...

— stage and film actor *

Shawn Christian Shawn Patrick Christian (born December 18, 1965) is an American television and film actor. Life and career After graduating from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan in 1989 with a degree in marketing, he moved to Chicago to purs ...

— television and film actor * Wanda Cochran — soprano *

Steven Ford Steven Meigs Ford (born May 19, 1956) is an American actor, and son of former U.S. President Gerald Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford. Early life Ford is the third child and youngest son of former President Gerald Ford and former First Lad ...

— television and film actor * Stephen Goosson — film set designer *

Lorna Gray Virginia Pound (July 26, 1917 – April 30, 2017), known professionally as Lorna Gray and (after 1945) Adrian Booth, was an American film actress known for her comic roles, and later as a villainess. She is best known for her roles in Columb ...

— film actress *

Stacey Haiduk Stacy Haiduk (born April 24, 1968) is an American actress. Her best-known roles include Lana Lang on ''Superboy'', Katherine Hitchcock on ''seaQuest DSV'', Hannah Nichols on ''All My Children'', as Patty Williams and Emily Peterson on ''The You ...

— television actress *

Thom Hartmann Thomas Carl Hartmann (born May 7, 1951) is an American radio personality, author, former psychotherapist, businessman, and progressive political commentator. Hartmann has been hosting a nationally syndicated radio show, ''The Thom Hartmann Pro ...

— radio personality *

Paul Walter Hauser Paul Walter Hauser (born October 15, 1986) is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his supporting roles in the films '' Cruella'', ''I, Tonya'', '' Late Night'', ''BlacKkKlansman'', and ''Da 5 Bloods''. In 2019, Hauser had his breakout ...

- television and film actor and comedian *

Adam Herz Adam Herz (born September 10, 1972) is an American screenwriter and producer. He founded the production company Terra Firma Films in 2003 with a first-look deal at Universal Studios. Herz was born in New York City and raised in East Grand Rapi ...

— screenwriter and producer *

Jimmy Jacobs Christopher Scoville (born February 17, 1984) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Jimmy Jacobs. He was recently signed to Impact Wrestling as a member of the creative team and producer. He is best known for his 1 ...

— professional wrestler *

Matt Keeslar Matthew Keeslar (born October 15, 1972) is an American retired actor and practicing PA-C (certified physician assistant). He is an instructor of urology at the Oregon Health & Science University's School of Medicine. Life and career Matthew Ke ...

— television and film actor *

Lisa Kelly Lisa Kelly (born 7 May 1977) is an Irish singer of both classical and Celtic music and a voice teacher. She has taken part in many musical theatre productions and concerts, and is a founding and former member of the musical group Celtic Woman ...

— ice road trucker *

James Kirkwood Sr. James Cornelius Kirkwood Sr. (February 22, 1876 – August 24, 1963) was an American actor and director. Biography Kirkwood debuted on screen in 1909 and was soon playing leads for D. W. Griffith. He started directing in 1912, and became a fa ...

— film actor and director *

Eric Allan Kramer Eric Allan Kramer (born March 26, 1962) is an American actor and fight choreographer. Kramer has appeared in numerous feature films and television programs including ''True Romance'' and '' Robin Hood: Men in Tights'' and is also known for his ...

— television, film and stage actor *

Taylor Lautner Taylor Daniel Lautner (; born February 11, 1992) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Therianthropy, shapeshifter Jacob Black in ''The Twilight Saga (film series), The Twilight Saga'' film series. Lautner began his acting caree ...

— television and film actor * Victor Lundberg — radio personality *

C. Cameron Macauley Charles Cameron Macauley (October 20, 1923 – May 17, 2007) was a photographer, filmmaker and educator noted for his prize winning still photographs, his ethnographic films and his expertise on historic films and photographs. His career spanned o ...

— filmmaker *

Violet MacMillan Violet MacMillan (March 4, 1887 – December 29, 1953), was an American actress in Broadway theatre productions, vaudeville, and silent films. Early career MacMillan gained fame as the "Cinderella Girl"''New York Times'' Obituary. Dec. 30, 19 ...

— vaudeville, stage and silent film actress * Kevin Matthews — radio personality *

Ryan O'Reilly Ryan O'Reilly (born February 7, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres. O'Reilly was dra ...

— professional wrestler *

Wally Phillips Walter Phillips (July 7, 1925 – March 26, 2008) was an American radio personality best known for hosting WGN's morning radio show from Chicago for 21 years from January 1965 until July 1986, and was number one in the morning slot from 19 ...

— radio personality *

Don Quinn Don Quinn (November 18, 1900 – December 30, 1967) was an American comedy writer who started out as a cartoonist based in Chicago. According to sources, Quinn's career as a cartoonist was short-lived but his career as a writer began after he rea ...

— comedy writer and cartoonist *

Andy Richter Paul Andrew Richter (born October 28, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and talk show announcer. He is best known as the sidekick for Conan O'Brien on each of O'Brien's talk shows: '' Late Night'' and ''The Tonight Show'' on NBC an ...

— television and film actor *

Leonard Schrader Leonard Schrader (November 30, 1943 – November 2, 2006) was an American screenwriter and director, most notable for his ability to write Japanese-language films and for his many collaborations with his brother, Paul Schrader. He earned an ...

— screenwriter and director *

Paul Schrader Paul Joseph Schrader (; born July 22, 1946) is an American screenwriter, film director, and film critic. He first received widespread recognition through his screenplay for Martin Scorsese's ''Taxi Driver'' (1976). He later continued his collabo ...

— screenwriter and director *

Richard Shoberg Richard Shoberg (also credited as Dick Shoberg, born March 1, 1950 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American actor and writer. He first appeared in soap operas as Mitch Farmer on ''Somerset'' from 1971 to 1972. After leaving ''Somerset'' he retur ...

— television actor *

Phillips Holmes Phillips Raymond Holmes (July 22, 1907 – August 12, 1942) was an American actor. For his contributions to the film industry, he was posthumously given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. Early life, education and career Born in ...

- early film actor * Noah Sife - television actor *

Jackie Swanson Jackie Swanson (born June 25, 1963) is an American actress. She is best known for her role on the American sitcom ''Cheers'' as Kelly Gaines the rich, simple love interest of Woody Boyd and as Amanda Hunsaker in the first Lethal Weapon movie. ...

— television and film actress *

Ray Teal Ray Elgin Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976) was an American actor.The book ''Celebrities in Los Angeles Cemeteries: A Directory'' gives Teal's birth date as January 12, 1908. His most famous role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee on the televis ...

— television and film actor *

Reed Timmer Reed Timmer (born March 17, 1980) is an American meteorologist and storm chasing, storm chaser. He is known for starring in the Discovery Channel reality television series ''Storm Chasers (TV series), Storm Chasers'', as well as in the documentar ...

— storm chaser and meteorologist *

Jess Walton Mary Jesse Walton is an American actress, best known for her role as Kelly Harper in CBS soap opera ''Capitol'' and as Jill Abbott on the CBS soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless''. She also starred in the 2018 movie ''Christmas with a View'' ...

— television actress *

Elizabeth Wilson Elizabeth Welter Wilson (April 4, 1921 – May 9, 2015) was an American actress whose career spanned nearly 70 years, including memorable roles in film and television. In 1972 she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for ...

— stage, television and film actress *

Dick York Richard Allen York (September 4, 1928 – February 20, 1992) was an American radio, stage, film, and television actor. He was the first actor to play Darrin Stephens on the ABC fantasy sitcom ''Bewitched''. He played teacher Bertram Cates in the ...

— television, stage, radio and film actor *

Ginger Zee Ginger Renee Colonomos ( née Zuidgeest; born January 13, 1981), known by her pseudonym Ginger Zee, is an American television personality. She is the chief meteorologist for ABC News, after having been the network's weekend meteorologist. Earl ...

— ABC News meteorologist *

Kim Zimmer Kimberly Jo Zimmer (born February 2, 1955) is an American actress, best known for her role as Reva Shayne on the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light''. For this portrayal, she has won four Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama ...

— television and stage actress

Government officials, politicians and activists

Military figures

Musicians and bands

* Pennjamin Bannekar — independent music artist and songwriter *

Ralston Bowles Ralston Bowles is an American poet, songwriter, producer, musician and singer from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ralston Bowles was born on August 31, 1952 to parents, Buel Bowles of Green Sulphur Springs, West Virginia (1913–2002) and May Jean Mor ...

— folk musician *

Mary Canberg Mary Canberg (1918 – 15 June 2004) was an American violinist, conductor, and music educator. Canberg was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She studied with Michael Press and Hans Letz at the Juilliard School in New York City and made her profe ...

— violinist *

The Cardboard Swords The Cardboard Swords were an American indie pop rock band from Grand Rapids, Michigan. History In early 2015, The Cardboard Swords signed to Count Your Lucky Stars Records. Not long after, they were featured on a split released by the label alon ...

— pop-rock band *

Jeffrey Daniel Jeffrey Glen Daniel (born August 24, 1955 ) is an American dancer, singer-songwriter and choreographer, most notable for being a founding member of the R&B vocal group Shalamar. In Nigeria, he is best known as a former ''Idol'' series judge ...

— member of R&B group Shalamar *

Xavier Davis Xavier Davis (born 1971 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, producer, and music educator who leads the Xavier Davis Trio. In addition to performing with the Christian McBride Big Band and other groups as a si ...

— jazz pianist *

DeBarge DeBarge was an American musical recording group composed of several members of the DeBarge family. In addition to various solo projects completed by members of the family, DeBarge was active between 1979 and 1989. The group originally consisted ...

— R&B/soul group * Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen — vocalist (formerly of Toto) *

Al Green Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), better known as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Take Me to the River", ...

— R&B/soul singer * Bob Hay — member of the Squalls *

Adina Howard Adina Marie Howard (born November 14, 1973) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to fame during the mid-1990s with her debut album, ''Do You Wanna Ride?'' and her debut single, "Freak like Me". Some of her other minor hits include "Wh ...

— R&B singer *

Charlie Huhn Charles Huhn (born January 11, 1951) is an American rock singer and guitarist. He got his start playing with Vic Amato, Andy Dennen and Al Lesert in the band Cirrus, in and around Grand Rapids, Michigan, playing many gigs in West Michigan befor ...

— frontman for Foghat *

Maynard James Keenan Maynard James Keenan (born James Herbert Keenan; April 17, 1964) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and winemaker. He is best known as the singer and primary lyricist of the rock bands Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Pusci ...

— lead singer of Tool *

Anthony Kiedis Anthony Kiedis ( ; born November 1, 1962) is an American singer and songwriter. He is a founding member and lead vocalist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Kiedis and his fellow band members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fa ...

— lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers *

La the Darkman Lason Jackson (born July 23, 1979), better known as La the Darkman, is a Wu-Tang Clan affiliated rapper and MC. Biography Jackson was born in New York City, New York and grew up Crown Heights, Brooklyn with his brother William Jackson. He negoti ...

— hip hop artist affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan *

La Dispute :''This is for the Marivaux play, for the band, see La Dispute (band).'' ''La Dispute'' is a prose comedy written by Pierre de Marivaux, shown for the first time on 19 October 1744 by the Théâtre-Italien in the Hôtel de Bourgogne. The story i ...

— post-hardcore group * Robert Longfield - composer *

Kevin Max Kevin Max Smith (born August 17, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known for being a member of the Christian pop group dc Talk. As a solo artist following the band going on hiatus, he has recorded 12 full-length studi ...

— member of dc Talk *

Ken Medema Kenneth Peter Medema (born December 7, 1943) is an American musician and singer-songwriter who has been performing in the United States, Canada, and Europe for more than forty years. Some of his best known songs began as live improvisations. M ...

— Christian musician *

Kellin Quinn Kellin Quinn is an American singer and musician. He is the lead vocalist and keyboardist of the post-hardcore band Sleeping with Sirens. Aside from his band, he is well-known for collaborating with other artists. Career Quinn is the vocalis ...

— Member of post-hardcore/alternative rock band "Sleeping With Sirens" *

John W. Peterson John Willard Peterson (November 1, 1921 – September 20, 2006) was a songwriter who had a major influence on evangelical Christian music in the 1950s through the 1970s. He wrote over 1000 songs, and 35 cantatas. Biography Born in Lindsborg, Kans ...

— Christian songwriter *

Mustard Plug Mustard Plug is an American ska punk band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, consisting of Dave Kirchgessner (vocals), Brandon Jenison (trumpet), Jim Hofer (trombone), Nate Cohn (drums), Colin Clive (guitar/vocals), Mark Petz ...

— ska punk group *

Pop Evil Pop Evil is an American rock band that was formed in North Muskegon, Michigan, in 2001 by Leigh Kakaty. The band's roots reside in TenFive, a group formed in the late-1990s by Kakaty and guitarist Jason Reed. Pop Evil won the Radio Contraband ...

— hard rock band *

Marvin Sapp Bishop Marvin Louis Sapp Sr. (born January 28, 1967) is an American Gospel music singer-songwriter who recorded with the group Commissioned during the 1990s before beginning a record-breaking solo career. Sapp is also the founder and former sen ...

— gospel singer, and member of the group Commissioned *

Del Shannon Charles Weedon Westover (December 30, 1934 – February 8, 1990), better known by his stage name Del Shannon, was an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known for his 1961 number-one '' Billboard'' hit " Runaway". In 1999, he was ind ...

— rock & roll musician * Sleeping with Sirens — alternative rock/post-hardcore band *

SoFaygo Andre Dontrel Burt Jr. (born October 3, 2001), known professionally as SoFaygo (formerly stylized as $oFaygo), is an American rapper and singer. In 2020, Burt released the ''Angelic 7'' mixtape, which was produced by friend and fellow rapper Lil ...

- rapper *

Leo Sowerby Leo Salkeld Sowerby (1 May 1895 – 7 July 1968) was an American composer and church musician. He won the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1946 and was often called the “Dean of American church music” in the early to mid 20th century. Biography L ...

— composer and musician *

Still Remains Still Remains is an American metalcore band from Grand Rapids, Michigan. They formed out of previous local bands Shades of Amber and Unition. They released three studio albums, '' Of Love and Lunacy'', '' The Serpent'' and '' Ceasing to Breathe ...

— metalcore group * Casey Stratton — pop/rock musician * Sam Stryke — composer and pianist * Helena Stone Torgerson — harpist and composer *

Whirlwind Heat Whirlwind Heat was a three-piece band from the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although they are avid genre-hoppers, they are often categorized as indie rock. History The band was formed in 1996 by synthesizer-player/vocalist David James Swanso ...

— alternative rock group *

Willie the Kid Willie the Kid (foaled 1937 in Ontario) was a Canadian Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse best known for winning the eighty-first running of the King's Plate, Canada's most important race. Bred by William F. Morrissey, Willie Morrissey, Willie t ...

— rapper * Jason Wood — lead singer of It Dies Today

Religious figures

Science

Roger Chaffee Roger Bruce Chaffee (; February 15, 1935 – January 27, 1967) was an American naval officer, aviator and aeronautical engineer who was a NASA astronaut in the Apollo program. Chaffee was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he became an Eag ...

— NASA astronaut, U.S. Navy lieutenant commander *

Jewell James Ebers Jewell James Ebers (November 25, 1921 – March 30, 1959) was an American electrical engineer who is remembered for the mathematical model of the bipolar junction transistor that he published with John L. Moll in 1954. The Ebers-Moll model ...

— transistor-theory electrical engineer *

Christina Koch Christina Hammock Koch ( ; born January 29, 1979) is an American engineer and NASA astronaut of the class of 2013. She received Bachelor of Science degrees in electrical engineering and physics and a Master of Science in electrical engineering a ...

– NASA astronaut, engineer *

Jack R. Lousma Jack Robert Lousma (born February 29, 1936) is an American astronaut, aeronautical engineer, retired United States Marine Corps officer, former naval aviator, NASA astronaut, and politician. He was a member of the second crew, Skylab-3, on ...

— NASA astronaut, U.S. Marine Corps colonel *

Lynn Rogers Lynn Leroy Rogers (born 1939) is an American biologist who studies wild black bears and is known as the ''Jane Goodall of bears''. He is the founder of the North American Bear Center. He teaches a yearly black bear field study course for the W ...

— biologist

Sports figures

Writers, novelists, poets and journalists

References

{{Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...