This is a list of notable people, past and present who have lived in Ridgefield,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

or are closely associated with the town, listed by area in which they are best known:

Authors, writers, playwrights, screenwriters

* Silvio A. Bedini (1917–2007), retired

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

curator, author, born and raised in Ridgefield *

Rich Cohen Rich Cohen (born July 30, 1968) is an American non-fiction writer. He is a contributing editor at '' Vanity Fair'' and ''Rolling Stone''. He is co-creator, with Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and Terence Winter, of the HBO series ''Vinyl''. His ...

(born 1968), non-fiction writer *

Howard Fast Howard Melvin Fast (November 11, 1914 – March 12, 2003) was an American novelist and television writer. Fast also wrote under the pen names E.V. Cunningham and Walter Ericson. Biography Early life Fast was born in New York City. His mother, ...

(1914–2003), novelist *

Ira Joe Fisher Ira Joe Fisher (born October 31, 1947, Salamanca, New York) is an American broadcaster, poet, and educator.. The winner of two regional Emmys, he currently presents Speaking Fearlessly seminars and teaches at UConn and Mercy College. He was the ...

(born 1947), CBS weatherman and poet (''Some Holy Weight in the Village Air'') *

Robert Fitzgerald Robert Stuart Fitzgerald (; 12 October 1910 – 16 January 1985) was an American poet, literary critic and translator whose renderings of the Greek classics "became standard works for a generation of scholars and students".Mitgang, Herbert (Janua ...

(1910–1985), poet, critic and translator; he and his wife Sally called Ridgefield home and many sources repeat the assertion, though their residence was located in neighboring ReddingNumerous sources state that the Fitzgerald's home was on Seventy Acre Road and that Flannery O'Connor lived with them there, including, ''Letters of Flannery O'Connor: The Habit of Being'', selected and edited by Sally Fitzgerald (1979, Farrar, Straus & Giroux), address from the top of a letter from O'Connor: "70 Acre Road/Ridgefield, Conn./October 6, '49", page 15; Hyson, Lynn, "Flannery O'Connor Biographer gets glimpse of author's time here", article in ''The Redding Pilot'', February 1, 2007, page A020: "The scene at the home of Janet August and Amy Atamian on a recent Saturday resembled a salon, true to the tradition of their house on Seventy Acre Road. Around the massive stone fireplace the two had gathered neighbors and friends to compare notes about the time writer Flannery O'Connor (1925–1964) lived here."; Web page titled "Flannery O'Connor / Lesson Plan Ideas for Teachers" from "Flannery O'Connor-Andalusa Farm Foundation" website ("she was introduced to Robert and Sally Fitzgerald, with whom she lived for over a year in Ridgefield, Connecticut.") accessed July 12, 2007

Map of Redding showing 70 Acre Road entirely within Redding (between Mountain Road and Umpawaug Road in the central part of western side of town; click on map to enlarge), at the "History of Redding" Web site, accessed July 12, 2007 * Tom Gilroy, screenwriter, actor and film producer, graduated from Ridgefield High School in 1978 *

Max Gunther Max Gunther (1927–1998) was an Anglo-American journalist and writer. He was the author of 26 books, including his investment best-seller, ''The Zurich Axioms''. Born in England, Gunther moved to the United States at age of 11 after his father, ...

(1926–1998), journalist and writer *

Tim Herlihy Timothy Patrick Herlihy (born October 9, 1966) is an American screen actor, film producer, screenwriter, and Broadway musical bookwriter. Films written or produced by Herlihy have grossed over $3 billion at the worldwide box office. He frequentl ...

(born 1966), screenwriter, film producer, former head writer of ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...

'' * Roger Kahn (1927–2020), author *

Irene Kampen Irene Kampen (April 18, 1922, in Brooklyn, New York – February 1, 1998, in Oceanside, California) was an American newspaperwoman and author who wrote several books about events in her life. Biography Born Irene Trepel in Brooklyn, New York, an ...

(1923–1998), novelist and journalist *

Richard Kluger Richard Kluger (born 1934) is an American author who has won a Pulitzer Prize. He focuses his writing chiefly on society, politics and history. He has been a journalist and book publisher. Early life and family Born in Paterson, New Jersey, in Se ...

(born 1934), author *

Clare Boothe Luce Clare Boothe Luce ( Ann Clare Boothe; March 10, 1903 – October 9, 1987) was an American writer, politician, U.S. ambassador, and public conservative figure. A versatile author, she is best known for her 1936 hit play '' The Women'', which h ...

(1903–1987), playwright, ambassador, politician, and wife of Henry Luce *

Andy Luckey Andrew A. Luckey (born October 7, 1965) is an American animator, artist, author, designer, director, illustrator and television producer, primarily of animated works. He also writes and illustrates children's books and Bible studies. Luckey ha ...

(born 1965), children's book author *

John Ames Mitchell John Ames Mitchell (January 17, 1845 – June 29, 1918) was an American publisher, architect, artist and novelist. He was co-founder, editor, and publisher of the original ''Life'' magazine, in which he was a contributing artist, and the au ...

(1844–1918), novelist, founder of ''

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...

'' magazine *

Allan Nevins Joseph Allan Nevins (May 20, 1890 – March 5, 1971) was an American historian and journalist, known for his extensive work on the history of the Civil War and his biographies of such figures as Grover Cleveland, Hamilton Fish, Henry Ford, and J ...

(1891–1971), only writer to win the Pulitzer prize for historical biography twice (on Grover Cleveland and Hamilton Fish) *

Flannery O'Connor Mary Flannery O'Connor (March 25, 1925August 3, 1964) was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist. She wrote two novels and 31 short stories, as well as a number of reviews and commentaries. She was a Southern writer who often ...

(1925–1964), writer often said to have lived in town when she was a boarder of

's from 1949–1951, although Fitzgerald actually lived in neighboring Redding *

Eugene O'Neill Eugene Gladstone O'Neill (October 16, 1888 – November 27, 1953) was an American playwright and Nobel laureate in literature. His poetically titled plays were among the first to introduce into the U.S. the drama techniques of realism, earlier ...

(1888–1953), Nobel Prize-winning playwright, owned Brook Farm on North Salem Road from 1922 to 1927 *

Brad Parks Brad Parks (born July 13, 1974) is an American author of mystery novels and thrillers. He is the winner of the 2010 and 2014 Shamus Award, the 2010 Nero Award and the 2013 and 2014 Lefty Award. He is the only author to have won all three of tho ...

(born 1974), author * Cornelius J. Ryan (1920–1974), author *

Mark Salzman Mark Joseph Salzman (born December 3, 1959 in Greenwich, Connecticut) is an American writer. Salzman is best known for his 1986 memoir '' Iron & Silk'', which describes his experiences living in China as an English teacher in the early 1980s ...

(born 1959), author and actor who wrote about the town in his novel ''Lost in Place: Growing Up Absurd in Suburbia'' *

Richard Scarry Richard McClure Scarry (June 5, 1919 – April 30, 1994) was an American children's author and illustrator who published over 300 books with total sales of over 100 million worldwide. He is best known for his ''Best Ever'' book series that take ...

(1919–1994), children's author *

Maurice Sendak Maurice Bernard Sendak (; June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. He became most widely known for his book ''Where the Wild Things Are'', first published in 1963.Turan, Kenneth (October 16, 200 ...

(1928–2012), author and artist
Where Americana and Aesthetics Mingle," article by Lisa Prevost, part of series "If You're Thinking of Living In" in the Real Estate section 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 ...

'', March 14, 2004, accessed August 29, 2006 "Current residents include Maurice Sendak, the children's book author and illustrator; Harvey Fierstein, the actor and playwright; and Roz Chast, the New Yorker cartoonist." * Fred Stahl (born 1944), Professor (

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

), author, pioneer computer scientist, computer security and forensics, science historian, inventor, lexicographer, real estate developer (current resident) *

Robert Lewis Taylor Robert Lewis Taylor (September 24, 1912 – September 30, 1998) was an American writer and winner of the 1959 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Education Born in Carbondale, Illinois, Taylor attended Southern Illinois University for one year. The un ...

(1912–1998), Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist (''The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters'', 1959) *

Alvin Toffler Alvin Eugene Toffler (October 4, 1928 – June 27, 2016) was an American writer, futurist, and businessman known for his works discussing modern technologies, including the digital revolution and the communication revolution, with emphasis on th ...

(1928–2016), futurist, author * Abigail Goodrich Whittlesey (1788–1858), educator, publisher, editor *

Max Wilk Max Wilk (July 3, 1920 – February 19, 2011) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author of fiction and nonfiction books. In all, Wilk was the author of 19 books, four films, three produced plays as well as many TV shows and magazine ar ...

(1920–2011), author * Bari Wood (born 1936), author

Actors, others in the dramatic arts

David Cassidy David Bruce Cassidy (April 12, 1950 – November 21, 2017) was an American actor, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was best known for his role as Keith Partridge, the son of Shirley Partridge (played by his stepmother, Shirley Jones), in t ...

(1950–2017), actor and singer *

Ralph Edwards Ralph Livingstone Edwards (June 13, 1913DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 86-87. – November 16, 2005) was an American radio ...

(1913–2005), producer and host of television show ''Truth or Consequences'' *

Chris Elliott Christopher Nash Elliott (born May 31, 1960) is an American actor, comedian and writer. He appeared in comedic sketches on '' Late Night with David Letterman'' (1982–1988), created and starred in the comedy series '' Get a Life'' (1990–1992) ...

(born 1960), actor, comedian, author *

Giancarlo Esposito Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (; born April 26, 1958) is an American actor and director. He is best known for portraying Gus Fring in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'', from 2009 to 2011, and in its prequel series ''Better Ca ...

(born 1958), actor (current resident) *

Harvey Fierstein Harvey Forbes Fierstein ( ; born June 6, 1952) is an American actor, playwright and screenwriter. He is best known for his theater work in '' Torch Song Trilogy'' and '' Hairspray'' and movie roles in '' Mrs. Doubtfire'', ''Independence Day'', an ...

(born 1954), actor and playwright (current resident) *

Walter Hampden Walter Hampden Dougherty (June 30, 1879 in Brooklyn – June 11, 1955 in Los Angeles), known professionally as Walter Hampden, was an American actor and theatre manager. He was a major stage star on Broadway in New York who also made numerous ...

(1879–1955), actor *

Carolyn Kepcher Carolyn Kepcher (born January 30, 1969) is an American businesswoman who was one of the judges on the NBC television program ''The Apprentice''. She was formerly the Executive Vice President, chief operating officer, for the Trump Golf Propertie ...

(born 1969), appeared on the NBC show ''

The Apprentice ''The Apprentice'' is a Reality competition, reality talent game show franchise originally aired in 2004 in the United States. Created by U.S.-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with variou ...

'' and ran Donald Trump's golf course in Briarcliff, New York (current resident) *

Cyril Ritchard Cyril Joseph Trimnell-Ritchard (1 December 1898 – 18 December 1977), known professionally as Cyril Ritchard, was an Australian stage, screen and television actor, and director. He is best remembered today for his performance as Captain Hook in ...

(1897–1977), actor *

Grant Rosenmeyer Grant Mandel Rosenmeyer (born July 3, 1991) is an American actor and screenwriter best known for his roles in ''The Royal Tenenbaums'' and on the FOX television sitcom '' Oliver Beene''. Early life and education Rosenmeyer was born in Manhas ...

(born 1991), actor *

Erland Van Lidth de Jeude Erland Philip Peter Van Lidth De Jeude (June 3, 1953 – September 23, 1987) was a Dutch-American actor, opera singer, and amateur wrestler. Early life and education Van Lidth De Jeude was born in Hilversum, the Netherlands, and came to t ...

(1953–1987), actor, wrestler, computer engineer and singer, grew up on Short Lane *

Robert Vaughn Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor noted for his stage, film and television work. His television roles include the spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s series ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.''; the ...

(1932–2016), actor

Singers, musicians, composers

Larry Adler Lawrence Cecil Adler (February 10, 1914 – August 6, 2001) was an American harmonica player. Known for playing major works, he played compositions by George Gershwin, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Malcolm Arnold, Darius Milhaud and Arthur Benjamin. ...

(1914–2001), harmonica virtuoso, lived on Pumping Station Road *

Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning seven decades. An Academy Award-nominated documentary director and a Grammy Award-winning recording artist, she is known for her ec ...

(born 1939), Grammy-award-winning folk singer (current resident) *

Aaron Copland Aaron Copland (, ; November 14, 1900December 2, 1990) was an American composer, composition teacher, writer, and later a conductor of his own and other American music. Copland was referred to by his peers and critics as "the Dean of American Com ...

(1900–1990), lived on Limestone Road *

Fanny Crosby Frances Jane van Alstyne (née Crosby; March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915), more commonly known as Fanny J. Crosby, was an American mission worker, poet, lyricist, and composer. She was a prolific hymnist, writing more than 8,000 hymns ...

(1820–1915), wrote more than 8,000 hymns, lived as a child at the corner of Main Street and Branchville Road * Edwina Eustis Dick (1908–1997), contralto, pioneer in the field of music therapy, lived on Old Branchville Road *

Geraldine Farrar Alice Geraldine Farrar (February 28, 1882 – March 11, 1967) was an American lyric soprano who could also sing dramatic roles. She was noted for her beauty, acting ability, and "the intimate timbre of her voice." She had a large following a ...

(1882–1967), Metropolitan Opera soprano, lived on West Lane and later New Street, where she died *

Andrew Gold Andrew Maurice Gold (August 2, 1951 – June 3, 2011) was an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and record producer who influenced much of the Los Angeles-dominated pop/soft rock sound in the 1970s. Gold played on scores of reco ...

(1951–2011), singer, songwriter, and musician, lived on St. Johns Road * Stephen Jenks (1772–1856), composer and "teacher of psalmody", lived in Ridgefield *

Ed Kowalczyk Edward Joel Kowalczyk (; born July 16, 1971)"Edward Kowalczyk IMDb entry"
''

(born 1971), singer, songwriter, musician and a founding member of the band

Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music *Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of albums ...

Jim Lowe James Ellsworth Lowe (May 7, 1923 – December 12, 2016) was an American singer-songwriter, best known for his 1956 number-one hit song, " The Green Door". He also served as a disc jockey and radio host and personality, and was considered ...

(1927–2016) singer,

disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music f ...

and radio host *

Václav Nelhýbel Václav Nelhýbel (September 24, 1919 – March 22, 1996) was a Czech American composer, mainly of works for student performers. Life and career He was born the youngest of five children in Polanka, Czechoslovakia. He received his early mu ...

(1919–1996), composer *

Alex North Alex North (born Isadore Soifer, December 4, 1910 – September 8, 1991) was an American composer best known for his many film scores, including ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' (one of the first jazz-based film scores), '' Viva Zapata!'', '' S ...

(1910–1991), film composer *

Noël Regney Noël Regney (born Léon Schlienger; 19 August 1922 – 22 November 2002), was a French World War II veteran and songwriter who is best known for composing the Christmas standard "Do You Hear What I Hear?" with his then-wife Gloria Shayne Baker in ...

(1922–2002), pianist and songwriter *

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...

(born 1948), composer and lyricist (current resident) *

Debbie Shapiro Debbie Shapiro Gravitte is an American actress and singer. She was born in Los Angeles, California. Career Gravitte made her Broadway debut in the chorus of '' They're Playing Our Song'' in 1979. She performed on Broadway in '' Blues in the Nig ...

(born 1954), singer (current resident) *

Maxim Shostakovich Maxim Dmitriyevich Shostakovich (russian: Макси́м Дми́триевич Шостако́вич; born 10 May 1938 in Leningrad) is a Soviet, Russian and American conductor and pianist. He is the second child of the composer Dmitri Shostak ...

(born 1938), conductor (past resident) *

Jim Steinman James Richard Steinman (November 1, 1947 – April 19, 2021) was an American composer, lyricist and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, mus ...

(1947–2021), composer, lyricist, record producer, and playwright

Artists, architects, designers, cartoonists

Peggy Bacon Margaret Frances Bacon (May 2, 1895 – January 4, 1987) was an American artist, best known for her satirical caricatures. Bacon studied under Kenneth Hayes Miller at the Art Students League of New York, where she taught herself drypoint an ...

(1895–1987), author and artist with works in the

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of char ...

and

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

Wayne Boring Wayne Boring (June 5, 1905 – February 20, 1987) was an American comic book artist best known for his work on Superman from the late 1940s to 1950s. He occasionally used the pseudonym Jack Harmon. Biography Early life and career Boring attend ...

(1915–1982), an artist of ''

Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...

'' comic strips, lived on Lincoln Lane *

Sarah Bostwick Sarah Bostwick (born 1979 in Ridgefield, Connecticut) is an American artist, known for her architecture or landscape inspired, minimal, cast and carved drawings. Biography Sarah Bostwick received a BFA in 2001 from Rhode Island School of Desi ...

(born 1979), visual artist *

Orlando Busino Orlando Busino (October 10, 1926 – January 11, 2022) was an American cartoonist whose cartoons appeared in '' McCalls'', ''Reader's Digest'', ''Good Housekeeping'', '' Saturday Evening Post'', and many other magazines. Among his creations were ...

(born 1926), cartoonist and author (current resident) *

Roz Chast Rosalind Chast (born November 26, 1954) is an American cartoonist and a staff cartoonist for ''The New Yorker''. Since 1978, she has published more than 800 cartoons in ''The New Yorker''. She also publishes cartoons in ''Scientific American'' and ...

(born 1954), New Yorker cartoonist and book author (current resident) *

Niels Diffrient Niels Diffrient (6 September 1928 – 8 June 2013) was an American industrial designer. Diffrient focused mainly on ergonomic seating, and his most well known designs are the Freedom and Liberty chairs, manufactured by Humanscale. Biography D ...

(1928–2013), industrial designer *

Cass Gilbert Cass Gilbert (November 24, 1859 – May 17, 1934) was an American architect. An early proponent of skyscrapers, his works include the Woolworth Building, the United States Supreme Court building, the state capitols of Minnesota, Arkansas and We ...

(1859–1934), architect *

Alexander Isley Alexander Isley (born ) is an American graphic designer and educator. Early life and education Alexander Isley was born in Durham, North Carolina and studied at Durham Academy, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (high school vis ...

(born 1961), designer and educator (current resident) *

Alexander Julian Alexander Julian (born ) is an American fashion designer, known for his ''Colours'' clothing brand and designing his own clothing fabric. Julian has won five Coty Awards for design — the first before age 30—and the Cutty Sark award three time ...

(born 1948), designer (current resident) *

Nicholas Krushenick Nicholas Krushenick (May 31, 1929 – February 5, 1999) was an American abstract painter, collagist and printmaker whose mature artistic style straddled Pop Art, Op Art, Minimalism and Color Field. He was active in the New York art scene ...

(1929–1999), abstract artist, a dozen of whose works are in the

* Erik Nitsche (1908–1998), graphic designer *

Frederic Remington Frederic Sackrider Remington (October 4, 1861 – December 26, 1909) was an American painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in the genre of Western American Art. His works are known for depicting the Western United State ...

(1861–1909), painter, illustrator, and sculptor; died in Ridgefield in 1909, less than six months after moving to the town *

Julian Alden Weir Julian Alden Weir (August 30, 1852 – December 8, 1919) was an American impressionist painter and member of the Cos Cob Art Colony near Greenwich, Connecticut. Weir was also one of the founding members of "The Ten", a loosely allied group of ...

(1852–1919), impressionist painter, bought Nod Hill Farm in 1882, now a National Historic Site *

Mahonri Young Mahonri Mackintosh Young (August 9, 1877 – November 2, 1957) was an American social-realist sculptor and artist. During his lengthy career, he created more than 320 sculptures, 590 oil paintings, 5,500 watercolors, 2,600 prints, and thousand ...

(1877–1957), grandson of

Brigham Young Brigham Young (; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from 1847 until his ...

; artist and sculptor

Businesspeople

Lawrence Bossidy Lawrence Arthur "Larry" Bossidy (born March 5, 1935) is an American author and retired businessman. He served as CEO of AlliedSignal (later Honeywell) in the 1990s, prior to which he spent more than 30 years rising through executive positions at ...

(born 1935), retired CEO of

AlliedSignal AlliedSignal was an American aerospace, automotive and engineering company created through the 1985 merger of Allied Corp. and Signal Companies. It subsequently purchased Honeywell for $14.8 billion in 1999, and thereafter adopted the Honeywell n ...

and

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable energ ...

(current resident) *

E.P. Dutton E. P. Dutton was an American book publishing company. It was founded as a book retailer in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1852 by Edward Payson Dutton. Since 1986, it has been an imprint of Penguin Group. Creator Edward Payson Dutton (January 4, ...

(1831–1923), publisher *

Joseph M. Juran Joseph Moses Juran (December 24, 1904 – February 28, 2008) was a Romanian-born American engineer and management consultant. He was an evangelist for quality and quality management, having written several books on those subjects. He was the brot ...

(1904–1908), founder of the Juran Institute, lived on Old Branchville Road * Hans Peter Kraus (1907–1988), rare book dealer, author of ''A Rare Book Saga'' * Arvind Krishna, CEO of IBM (current resident) * John R. Patrick (born 1945), former IBM vice-president and innovative leader in the information technology industry, author of ''Net Attitude'' *

Jay S. Walker Jay Scott Walker (born November 5, 1955) is an American entrepreneur and chairman of Walker Digital, a privately held research and development lab focused on using digital networks to create new business systems. Walker is also curator of TEDMED ...

(born 1955),

Priceline.com Priceline.com is an online travel agency for finding discount rates for travel-related purchases such as airline tickets and hotel stays. The company facilitates the provision of travel services from its suppliers to its clients. Priceline.com ...

founder (current resident) * Stephen Ward Jr., retired CEO of

Lenovo Lenovo Group Limited, often shortened to Lenovo ( , ), is a Chinese Multinational corporation, multinational technology company specializing in designing, manufacturing, and marketing consumer electronics, Personal computer, personal computers, ...

(current resident)

Journalists

* Todd Brewster, author, documentary film producer, former Senior Editorial Producer, ABC News (current resident) *

Morton Dean Morton Dean Dubitsky (born August 22, 1935), better known as Morton Dean, is an American Broadcast journalism, television and Broadcast journalism, radio News presenter, anchor, news correspondent and author. Dean is a former weekend news anchor ...

(born 1935), television journalist (current resident) * Henry Luce (1898–1967), founder of ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' magazine, husband of

David Manning Sir David Geoffrey Manning, (born 5 December 1949) is a former British diplomat, who was the List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to the United States, British Ambassador to the United States from 2003 to 2007. He authored the so-called ...

, fictitious film reviewer said to be with the ''

Ridgefield Press ''The Ridgefield Press'' is an American weekly newspaper published each Thursday for Ridgefield, Connecticut. The newspaper was established in 1875, and has a paid circulation of about 4,753 copies. It is currently owned by Hearst Media, which ...

'' but created in a deceptive advertising campaign *

Westbrook Pegler Francis James Westbrook Pegler (August 2, 1894 – June 24, 1969) was an American journalist and writer. He was a popular columnist in the 1930s and 1940s famed for his opposition to the New Deal and labor unions. Pegler aimed his pen at president ...

(1894–1969), columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner (resident, 1941–1948)

Government

* Joel Abbot (1776–1826),

United States Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

* Jeremiah Donovan (1857–1935),

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from Connecticut * John H. Frey (born 1963), Minority Whip, Connecticut House of Representatives; Connecticut National Committeeman, Republican National Committee * George E. Lounsbury (1838–1904), former Connecticut governor *

Phineas C. Lounsbury Phineas Chapman Lounsbury (January 10, 1841 - June 22, 1925) was an American politician and the List of Governors of Connecticut, 53rd Governor of Connecticut. Biography Lounsbury was born in Ridgefield, Connecticut on January 10, 1841. He work ...

(1841–1925), former Connecticut governor *

(1903–1987), playwright, ambassador, politician, wife of Henry Luce *

Theodore Sorensen Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Saskatche ...

(1928–2010), JFK advisor *

Norman Thomas Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 – December 19, 1968) was an American Presbyterian minister who achieved fame as a socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America. Early years Thomas was the ...

(1884–1968), six-time Socialist candidate for president, spent summers in Ridgefield until the early 1920s *

Kurt Waldheim Kurt Josef Waldheim (; 21 December 1918 – 14 June 2007) was an Austrian politician and diplomat. Waldheim was the Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981 and president of Austria from 1986 to 1992. While he was running for t ...

(1918–2007), U.N. secretary-general (1972–1981), frequently stayed at the estate of a friend in town

Other

Anthony Alfredo Anthony Francis Alfredo (born March 31, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 23 Chevrolet Camaro for Our Motorsports. Racing career Early career After ...

(born 1999),

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 *

Blackleach Burritt Blackleach Burritt (1744 – August 27, 1794) was a preacher during the American Revolutionary War. During the war, he was incarcerated in a sugar house prison.Mather., p. 206 Early life and ancestors Blackleach Burritt was born at Ripton Pari ...

(1744–1794), noted clergyman in the American Revolution *

Jolie Gabor Jolie Gabor, Countess de Szigethy (born Janka Tilleman; September 30, 1896 – April 1, 1997) was a Hungarian-born American jeweler and socialite, known as the mother of actresses and fellow socialites Magda, Zsa Zsa and Eva Gabor. Family ...

(1896–1997), jewelry store-owing mother of the famous Gabor sisters—

Eva Eva or EVA may refer to: * Eva (name), a feminine given name Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Eva (Dynamite Entertainment), a comic book character by Dynamite Entertainment * Eva (''Devil May Cry''), Dante's mother in t ...

Magda Magda is a feminine given name, sometimes a short form ( hypocorism) of names such as Magdalena, which may refer to: * Magda Apanowicz (born 1985), Canadian actress * Magda B. Arnold (1903–2002), Czechoslovakian-born American psychologist * M ...

, and

Zsa Zsa Zsa Zsa (also Zsazsa, ) is a given name originated as the baby pet name of Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917–2016), Hungarian-American actress and socialite. Notable people, characters, and animals with the name include: People * Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917–201 ...

—had a home on Oscaleta Road from 1966 to 1970 *

Samuel Keeler Samuel Keeler (1656 – May 19, 1713) was a member of the House of Representatives of the Colony of Connecticut from Norwalk in the sessions of October 1701, October 1703, May 1704, May 1706, May 1709 and October 1709. He is listed as a foundi ...

(1656–1713), founding settler of Ridgefield * Jeff Landau (born 1974), professional

tennis player Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cove ...

* "Typhoid Mary" Mallon (1869–1938), who became famous for infecting people with typhoid, spent some time as a cook in town, where she infected some (according to brief front-page story in the July 22, 1909 ''Ridgefield Press'') *

Matt Merullo Matthew Bates Merullo (born August 4, 1965) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher who played for the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, and Minnesota Twins between 1989 and 1995. Playing career Merullo attended the Unive ...

(born 1965), former baseball player and scout for

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...

* Elmer Q. Oliphant (1892–1975), played with NFL's Buffalo All-Americans (1920s) *

Alice Paul Alice Stokes Paul (January 11, 1885 – July 9, 1977) was an American Quaker, suffragist, feminist, and women's rights activist, and one of the main leaders and strategists of the campaign for the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ...

, author of the proposed

Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and ...

, author and suffragist, part-time resident (1885–1977) * George Scalise, owned a mansion on Lake Mamanasco, president of the

Building Service Employees International Union Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union representing almost 1.9 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States and Canada. SEIU is focused on organizing workers in three sectors: healthcare (over half of members ...

Kieran Smith Kieran Smith is an American swimmer specializing in freestyle and individual medley events. He currently co-holds short course world records in the 4×200 meter freestyle relay and the 4×100 meter medley relay. He is the Americas record hol ...

, competitive

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, OlympianBarker, Sean (June 13, 2021)
"Ridgefield swimmer Kieran Smith qualifies for Olympics in 400 freestyle"
'' Connecticut Post''. Retrieved July 20, 2021. *

Tucker West Tucker West (born June 15, 1995) is an American luger who, at the age of 18, was the youngest male ever to qualify to represent the United States in the men's luge at the Olympics. West placed 22nd in the men's single competition at the 2014 ...

(born 1995), Olympic luger

Footnotes

External links

"Notable Ridgefielders" webpage
People from Ridgefield People from Fairfield County, Connecticut Ridgefield Connecticut