The following is a list of people from

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater D ...

Actors, entertainers, and models

Tom Aldredge Thomas Ernest Aldredge (February 28, 1928 – July 22, 2011) was an American television, film and stage actor. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for playing the role of Shakespeare in ''Henry Winkler Meets William Shakespeare'' (1978). His Broadway ...

, actor *

Ralph Byrd Ralph Byrd (April 22, 1909 – August 18, 1952) was an American actor. He was most famous for playing the comic strip character Dick Tracy on screen, in serials, films and television. Early life and career The son of George and Edna ...

, actor *

Nancy Cartwright Nancy Cartwright (born October 25, 1957) is an American actress. She is the long-time voice of Bart Simpson on the animated television series ''The Simpsons'', for which she has received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Perform ...

, voice artist *

Max Charles Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...

, actor *

Mystro Clark Mystro Clark (born December 29, 1966, in Dayton, Ohio) is an American entertainer who was the second permanent American host of the syndicated version of the series '' Soul Train'' from 1997 until 1999. He went on to become a film and televisio ...

, actor, comedian, and TV host * Willis "Bing" Davis, visual artist and teacher *

Dr. Creep Barry Lee Hobart (June 23, 1941 – January 14, 2011) was a local television personality widely known to fans as Dr. Creep. He was a horror movie host on WKEF Television in Dayton, Ohio. Early life Hobart was a native of nearby Middleto ...

aka Barry Hobart, actor *

Charles Michael Davis Charles Michael Davis (born December 1, 1984) is an American actor, model, producer, and director. He is best known for his roles as Marcel Gerard on The CW television drama '' The Originals'' (2013–2018) and Zane Anders on the TV Land original ...

, actor *

Mel Epstein Mel Epstein (March 25, 1910 in Dayton, Ohio – December 14, 1994) was an American film director and producer. He produced several films, including '' Secret of the Incas'' and ''Alaska Seas''. He also produced episodes of the 1961 televisio ...

, film producer *

Dorothy Gish Dorothy Elizabeth Gish (March 11, 1898June 4, 1968) was an American actress of the screen and stage, as well as a director and writer. Dorothy and her older sister Lillian Gish were major movie stars of the silent era. Dorothy also had great s ...

, silent actress *

Luke Grimes Luke Timothy Grimes (born January 21, 1984) is an American actor. He is known for his role as real life Navy SEAL Marc Alan Lee in the acclaimed film ''American Sniper''. He played Christian Grey's brother, Elliot, in the film '' Fifty Shades of ...

, actor *

Dorian Harewood Dorian Harewood (born August 6, 1950) is an American actor, best known for playing Jesse Owens in '' The Jesse Owens Story'' (1984), Paul Strobber on '' Strike Force'' (1981–1982), and Rev. Morgan Hamilton in '' 7th Heaven'' (1996–2003). E ...

, actor * Drew Hastings, comedian, actor, writer *

Allison Janney Allison Brooks Janney (born November 19, 1959) is an American actress. In a career spanning three decades, she is known for her performances across multiple genres of screen and stage. Janney has received various accolades, including an Academ ...

, actress *

Ken Jenkins Ken Jenkins (born August 28, 1940) is an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bob Kelso, the chief of medicine on the American comedy series '' Scrubs'' (2001–2009). He has also had notable appearances in many popular TV shows. Ea ...

, actor *

Toccara Jones Toccara Elaine Jones (born March 13, 1982) is an American television personality, fashion model, occasional actress and singer. Jones was a contestant on the third season of the UPN series ''America's Next Top Model'', where she was the eighth ...

, fashion model and TV personality *

Gordon Jump Alexander Gordon Jump (April 1, 1932 – September 22, 2003) was an American actor best known as the clueless, yet occasionally wise, radio station manager Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson in the TV series ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' and the incompetent Ch ...

, actor *

Chad Lowe Charles Davis Lowe II (born January 15, 1968) is an American actor. He is the younger brother of actor Rob Lowe. He won an Emmy Award for his supporting role in '' Life Goes On'' as a young man living with HIV. He has had recurring roles on '' ...

, actor *

Rob Lowe Robert Hepler Lowe (born March 17, 1964) is an American actor, filmmaker, and podcast host. He made his acting debut at the age of 15 with ABC's short-lived sitcom ''A New Kind of Family'' (1979–1980). Following numerous television roles in ...

, actor * Dan Patrick (Pugh), sports anchor * Wendy Pepper, reality TV star and fashion designer * Keith Prentice, actor *

Ted Ross Theodore Ross Roberts (June 30, 1934 – September 3, 2002) was an American actor who was probably best known for his role as the Lion in ''The Wiz'', an all-African American reinterpretation of ''The Wizard of Oz''. He won a Tony Award for t ...

, actor *

Gary Sandy Gary Lee Sandy (born December 25, 1945) is an American actor. He is best known for playing program director Andy Travis on the television sitcom ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' (1978-1982). Early life and education Sandy was born in Dayton, Ohio, the s ...

, actor *

Sherri Saum Sherri Michelle Saum (born October 1, 1974) is an American actress. Saum is best known for her co-lead role as Lena Adams Foster in the Freeform drama series '' The Fosters'' (2013–2018) as well as a subsequent guest star role in its spinoff ...

, actress *

Martin Sheen Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. He first became known for his roles in the films ''The Subject Was Roses'' (1968) and ''Badlands'' (1973), and later achieved wid ...

, actor *

Candace Smith Candace Elizabeth Smith (born February 1, 1977) is an American lawyer, actress, television personality, life coach, and author from Dayton, Ohio. Early life and education Smith was born in Dayton, Ohio and is a graduate of Chaminade Julienne Hig ...

, Miss Ohio 2003, reality TV contestant * Beth Stelling, comedian *

Andrea Thompson Rebecca Andrea Thompson (born January 6, 1960)
Film Reference. Retrieved May 19, 2013. is an Ameri ...

, actress * De'Angelo Wilson, actor *

Jonathan Winters Jonathan Harshman Winters III (November 11, 1925 – April 11, 2013) was an American comedian, actor, author, television host, and artist. Beginning in 1960, Winters recorded many classic comedy albums for the Verve Records label. He also h ...

, comedian and actor * Vincent M. Ward, actor

Athletes

* Will Allen, NFL safety * Michael Bennett, NFL defensive tackle *

Pauline Betz Pauline may refer to: Religion *An adjective referring to St Paul the Apostle or a follower of his doctrines *An adjective referring to St Paul of Thebes, also called St Paul the First Hermit *An adjective referring to the Paulines, various relig ...

, Hall of Fame tennis player, four-time U.S. Open champion * Howie Brown, NFL guard * David Bruton, NFL strong safety, Denver Broncos *

Tonja Buford-Bailey Tonja Yvette Buford-Bailey (born December 13, 1970, in Dayton, Ohio) is an American former athlete who competed mainly in the 400 meter hurdles. She competed as Tonja Buford until marrying Victor Bailey on October 28, 1995. In 1982, when she was ...

, Olympic 400m hurdler *

Keith Byars Keith Alan Byars (born October 14, 1963) is an American sports broadcaster and former American football fullback in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets. Early life ...

, NFL running back *

Roosevelt Chapman Roosevelt "Velvet" Chapman (born April 6, 1962) is an American former college basketball player who, while attending the University of Dayton from 1980 to 1984, became the university's all-time leading scorer with 2,233 points. Through the 2019– ...

, basketball hall of famer and all-time leading scorer at the

University of Dayton The University of Dayton (UD) is a private, Catholic research university in Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, it is one of three Marianist universities in the nation and the second-largest private university in Ohio. The univ ...

Roger Clemens William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "Rocket", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Boston Red Sox. Clemens was one of the most dominant pi ...

MLB 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), ...

pitcher *

Norris Cole Norris Gene Cole II (born October 13, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League. A 6' 2" point guard, he is a two-time NBA champion, winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 with the Miami ...

, NBA player, New Orleans Pelicans * Kurt Coleman, NFL safety, Philadelphia Eagles * Marco Coleman, NFL defensive tackle *

Cris Collinsworth Anthony Cris Collinsworth (born January 27, 1959) is an American sports broadcaster and former professional American football player. Collinsworth was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons (1981-1988), all with ...

, NFL wide receiver, sports commentator *

Daequan Cook Daequan Cook (born April 28, 1987) is an American former professional basketball player who last played for Ironi Nes Ziona of the Israeli Premier League. He was taken 21st overall in the 2007 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers then subsequently ...

, NBA player, playing in the Israeli Basketball Premier League *

Greg Cook Gregory Lynn Cook (November 20, 1946 – January 27, 2012) was an American football quarterback who played two professional seasons, in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He played college football ...

, NFL quarterback * Charles Daniels, Olympic freestyle swimmer *

Megan Duffy Megan Duffy (born July 13, 1984) is an American women's basketball coach, currently the head coach at Marquette University. Previously, she had been the head coach with the Miami RedHawks women's basketball team, an associate head coach with the ...

, WNBA player, New York Liberty *

Rob Dyrdek Robert Stanley Dyrdek (born June 28, 1974) is an American entrepreneur, actor, producer, reality TV personality, and former professional skateboarder. He is best known for his roles in the MTV reality and variety shows ''Rob & Big'', ''Rob Dyrd ...

, skateboarder,

Alien Workshop Alien Workshop (AWS) is an independent American skateboarding company that was founded in 1990 by Chris Carter, Mike Hill, and Neil Blender in Dayton, Ohio. Following periods under the ownership of the Burton snowboard company and original team ...

* Claire Falknor, professional soccer player, Houston Dash *

Doug France Frederick Douglas France Jr. (April 26, 1953 – April 8, 2016) was an American professional football player who was a tackle for eight seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college fo ...

, NFL Player, Los Angeles Rams * Nikki Fuller, professional bodybuilder * Na'Shan Goddard, NFL offensive lineman *

Jeff Graham Jeffery Todd Graham (born February 14, 1969) is a retired professional American football player who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 1991 NFL Draft. A 6'2", 206-lb wide receiver from Kettering, Archbishop Alt ...

, NFL receiver *

Joe Greene Charles Edward Greene (born September 24, 1946), better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 to 1 ...

, two-time Olympic bronze medalist long jumper * Andy Harmon, NFL player for the Philadelphia Eagles *

Ron Harper Ronald Harper (born January 20, 1964) is an American former professional basketball player. He played for four teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) between 1986 and 2001 and is a five-time NBA champion. Early life Harper was born ...

, basketball player * A. J. Hawk, NFL linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals *

Victor Heflin Victor Heflin (born July 7, 1960) is a former American football defensive back who played two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft. He p ...

, NFL defensive back *

Vince Heflin Vince Heflin (born July 7, 1959) is a former professional American football wide receiver. He played for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins. Heflin attended Wayne High School in H ...

, NFL wide receiver * John Henderson, NFL wide receiver, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings *

Kirk Herbstreit Kirk Edward Herbstreit (; born August 19, 1969) is an American sportscaster and former college football player. He serves as an analyst for ESPN's '' College GameDay'', a television program covering college football, and he also provides color ...

, Ohio State quarterback, football analyst * Chris Hero, pro wrestler *

Brady Hoke Brady Patrick Hoke (; born November 3, 1958) is an American football coach in his second stint as the head coach at San Diego State University. He was previously the head coach at the University of Michigan from 2011 to 2014. Hoke grew up in O ...

, Ball State University linebacker *

Todd Hollandsworth Todd Mathew Hollandsworth (born April 20, 1973) is an American former professional baseball outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). In , he won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, setting a record as the fifth consecutive Los Angeles ...

, baseball player *

Darrell Jackson Darrell Lamont Jackson (born December 6, 1978) is an American former college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 2000s. Jackson played college football for ...

, NFL wide receiver * Will Johnson, football player * Kerry Kittles, NBA player * Dave Krynzel, MLB player,

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...

* Frank Lockhart, race car driver *

Ron Lyle Ronald David Lyle (February 12, 1941 – November 26, 2011) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1971 to 1980, and in 1995. He challenged unsuccessfully for the world heavyweight championship, losing to Muhammad Ali in 1975. Kno ...

, boxer * Holley Mangold, Olympic weightlifter *

Nick Mangold Nicholas Allan Mangold (born January 13, 1984) is a former American football center. He played college football at Ohio State, and was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Mangold was a seven-time Pro Bowl selec ...

, NFL offensive lineman, New York Jets *

Justin Masterson Justin Daniel Masterson (born March 22, 1985) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. Drafted by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2006 MLB draft from San Diego State University, he made his MLB debut two years later. ...

, baseball pitcher * Don May, NBA player *

Brandon McKinney Brandon McKinney (born August 24, 1983) is an American football nose tackle who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Michigan State Spartans football, ...

, NFL nose tackle, Indiana Colts *

Mike Mickens Mike Mickens (born July 24, 1987) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals. He played college football at the University of Cincinnati. He is curre ...

, NFL defensive back, Cincinnati Bengals *

Braxton Miller Braxton Marcellus Miller (born November 30, 1992) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and was their starting quarterback from 2011 to 2013, before moving to the wide receiver posit ...

, NFL wide receiver Houston Texans * Mike Mohler, baseball pitcher * Edwin C. Moses, Olympic gold medalist hurdler * Sean Murphy, MLB Catcher, Oakland A’s * Josh Myers, NFL center, Green Bay Packers *

Mike Nugent Michael Nugent (born March 2, 1982) is a former American football placekicker. He played college football for Ohio State University, and was twice recognized as a consensus All-American. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the second round o ...

, NFL kicker, Cincinnati Bengals * Ifeadi Odenigbo, NFL Defensive End, Minnesota Vikings * Jim Paxson Jr., NBA player, Cleveland Cavaliers general manager *

John Paxson John MacBeth Paxson (born September 29, 1960) is an American basketball administrator and former player who was vice president of basketball operations for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 2009 to 2020. He was th ...

, basketball player, coach, manager, broadcaster *

Peerless Price Peerless LeCross Price (born October 27, 1976) is a former American football wide receiver who played nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Price played college football for the University of Tennessee Volunteers and was drafte ...

, NFL wide receiver * Scott Rettich,

USF2000 The USF2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires is an American racing series using the American variation of the Formula Ford formula, "F2000", that resumed operation for the 2010 season. As of 2022, it is sanctioned by the United States Auto ...

driver *

Javon Ringer Javon Eugene Ringer (born February 2, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football for Michigan State University, and was drafted in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL draft. Ringer attended Chaminade-Julienne High ...

, NFL running back, Tennessee Titans *

Chris Rolfe Chris Rolfe (born January 17, 1983) is an American former professional soccer player. Playing both as a forward and winger, Rolfe primarily played for the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer, in addition to spending time in the Danish Supe ...

, soccer player * Brett Salisbury, quarterback *

Joe Schilling Joseph Francis Schilling (born January 13, 1984) is an American professional Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist who most recently competed for Bellator Kickboxing in the Middleweight division, and in the Middleweight division for Bell ...

, kickboxer *

Mike Schmidt Michael Jack Schmidt (born September 27, 1949) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played his entire 18-season career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies. Schmidt was a 12-time All-Star and a ...

, Hall of Fame baseball player *

Bryan Sellers Bryan Sellers (born August 19, 1982 in Dayton, Ohio) is an American racing driver. Sellers won the title in the U.S. F2000 in 2002 and later competed in the Atlantic Championship and in racing sports cars. Racing career Bryan Sellers first com ...

, race car driver * Donald Smith, NBA player * Joe Thomasson (born 1993), basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League * Al Tucker, Jr, NBA basketball player * T. J. Turner, NFL player *

Sam Underhill Sam Underhill (born 22 July 1996) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Bath and the England national team. Club career At the age of just 17, Underhill made his debut for Gloucester in the Anglo-Welsh Cup ...

, English Rugby Union player *

Salt Walther David "Salt" Walther (November 22, 1947 – December 27, 2012) was a driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He also drove NASCAR stock cars and unlimited hydroplane boats, and was a car owner in USAC. Walther is best remembere ...

, Indy car driver *

Taylor Ward Joseph Taylor Ward (born December 14, 1993) is an American professional baseball third baseman and outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Ward was raised in Central Florida before moving to Indio, California, wher ...

, baseball player *

Dan Wilkinson Daniel Raymon Wilkinson (born March 13, 1973) is a former American football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. Nicknamed "Big Daddy", he played college football at Ohio State, where he received co ...

, NFL defensive tackle * Tamika Williams, WNBA player,

Connecticut Sun The Connecticut Sun are an American professional basketball team based in Uncasville, Connecticut that competes in the Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The team was established as the Orlando Miracle in ...

Jerel Worthy Jerel Worthy (born April 26, 1990) is a former American football defensive tackle. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He played college football for Michigan State, where he was recognized as a con ...

, NFL defensive end, Green Bay Packers * Chris Wright, NBA forward, Milwaukee Bucks *

Steve Yeager Stephen Wayne Yeager (born November 24, 1948) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Yeager spent 14 of the 15 seasons of his Major League Baseball career, from 1972 through 1985, with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His last year, 1986, ...

, MLB player, Los Angeles Dodgers

Writers and cartoonists

Natalie Clifford Barney Natalie Clifford Barney (October 31, 1876 – February 2, 1972) was an American writer who hosted a literary salon at her home in Paris that brought together French and international writers. She influenced other authors through her salon and a ...

, playwright, poet and novelist *

Erma Bombeck Erma Louise Bombeck (''née'' Fiste; February 21, 1927 – April 22, 1996) was an American humorist who achieved great popularity for her newspaper humor column describing suburban home life, syndicated from 1965 to 1996. She also published 15 b ...

, columnist and author * Richard H. Brodhead, author and president of Duke University *

Si Burick The International System of Units, known by the international abbreviation SI in all languages and sometimes pleonastically as the SI system, is the modern form of the metric system and the world's most widely used system of measurement. ...

, sports editor and columnist *

Milton Caniff Milton Arthur Paul Caniff (; February 28, 1907 – April 3, 1988) was an American cartoonist famous for the ''Terry and the Pirates'' and ''Steve Canyon'' comic strips. Biography Caniff was born in Hillsboro, Ohio. He was an Eagle Scout and a r ...

, cartoonist *

Ritter Collett Charles Ritter Collett (June 14, 1921 – September 26, 2001), known as Ritter Collett, was a sports editor and columnist for the ''Dayton Journal-Herald'' and ''Dayton Daily News'' for over 50 years. Collett, a native of Ironton, Ohio, was the son ...

, sports editor and columnist * Charlotte Reeve Conover, historian *

Paul Laurence Dunbar Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Dayton, Ohio, to parents who had been enslaved in Kentucky before the American C ...

, early African-American poet * Cathy Guisewite, cartoonist *

Marj Heyduck Marj ( ar, المرج, Al Marǧ, The Meadows), also spelt ''El Merj'', generally believed to be on the site of the ancient city of Barca or Barce, is a city in northeastern Libya and the administrative seat of the Marj District. It lies in an ...

, journalist, columnist, editor * Hunter Lewis, author *

Hal McCoy Harold Stanley "Hal" McCoy Jr. (born October 18, 1940 in Akron, Ohio) is an American sportswriter. McCoy was a beat writer for the '' Dayton Daily News'' ( Dayton, Ohio), covering the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. He still covers all Reds home ga ...

, baseball writer *

Terry Oroszi Terry Oroszi is an American author. She is a Professor and Vice Chair at Wright State University. Early life and education Oroszi graduated high school in Muscatine, Iowa and announced to her parents that she was putting college on hold, ins ...

, terrorism researcher and author *

Clarence Page Clarence Page (born June 2, 1947) is an American journalist, syndicated columnist, and senior member of the '' Chicago Tribune'' editorial board. Early years Page was born in Dayton, Ohio, and attended Middletown High School in Middletown whe ...

, journalist and syndicated columnist * Mike Peters, opinion cartoonist *

Tim Waggoner Tim Waggoner is the author of numerous novels and short stories in the Fantasy, Horror, and Thriller genres. Education Waggoner graduated from Wright State University in 1989 with a Master of Arts in English with a Creative Writing Concentra ...

, horror and fantasy writer *

Roz Young Rosamond McPherson "Roz" Young (October 4, 1912 – September 18, 2005) was an author, educator, historian, and for more than 25 years a "beloved" columnist for ''The Dayton Daily News'' and, prior to that, ''The Journal Herald'' in Dayton, Ohi ...

, columnist

Entrepreneurs

Larry Augustin Larry Augustin (born October 10, 1962) is a VP at Amazon Web Services. He formerly was the chairman of the board of directors of SugarCRM. He is a former venture capitalist and the founder of VA Software (now Geeknet). During the height of the ...

, member of the OpenSource community *

Larry Connor Larry Connor (January 7, 1950) is an American real estate and technology business person, as well as a space tourist. Connor is the head of the Connor Group, a real estate investment firm located in Dayton, Ohio. Education Born in 1950 in Alb ...

, founder of The Connor Group *

Edward A. Deeds Edward Andrew Deeds (March 12, 1874 – July 1, 1960) was an American engineer, inventor and industrialist prominent in the Dayton, Ohio, area. He was the president of the National Cash Register Company and, together with Charles F. Kettering, ...

, engineer, inventor, industrialist *

Philip Haas Philip Haas (born 1954) is an American artist, screenwriter and filmmaker, perhaps best known for his 2012 sculpture exhibition "The Four Seasons" and his 1995 film ''Angels and Insects.'' He began his career as a documentary film maker, direct ...

, inventor, plumbing specialties manufacturer *

George Huffman George Phillips Huffman (September 6, 1862 – December 31, 1897) was an American businessman. His Davis Sewing Machine Company, which began producing bicycles in the late 19th century, was the precursor to the Huffman Manufacturing Company (later ...

, founder of Huffy Corporation * Paul Iams,

Iams Iams () is an American brand of dog food and cat food manufactured by Spectrum Brands in Europe and Mars, Incorporated worldwide. The food is formulated for the puppy/kitten, adult and mature stages of life. Iams products are developed by nutr ...

founder *

Charles Kettering Charles Franklin Kettering (August 29, 1876 – November 25, 1958) sometimes known as Charles Fredrick Kettering was an American inventor, engineer, businessman, and the holder of 186 patents. For the list of patents issued to Kettering, see, Le ...

, inventor of the automobile self-starter * Carl Lindner, Jr., businessman * Nancy Lynn, business owner, pilot, and public speaker * John H. Patterson, founder of National Cash Register *

James Ritty James Jacob Ritty (29 October 1836 – 29 March 1918), saloonkeeper and inventor, opened his first saloon in Dayton, Ohio in 1871, billing himself as a "Dealer in Pure Whiskies, Fine Wines, and Cigars." Some of Ritty's employees would take ...

, inventor of the

cash register A cash register, sometimes called a till or automated money handling system, is a mechanical or electronic device for registering and calculating transactions at a point of sale. It is usually attached to a drawer for storing cash and other ...

* Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, inventors of the airplane

Military

Charles G. Bickham Charles Goodwin Bickham (August 12, 1867, in Dayton, Ohio – December 14, 1944, in Dayton) was a United States Army first lieutenant who received the Medal of Honor for "distinguished gallantry" on May 2, 1902, in the Battle of Bayang, during th ...

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipient * Llewellyn Morris Chilson, United States Army career soldier who served during World War II * Richard E. Cole, Air Force pilot who took part in the Doolittle Raid in 1942 * Sammy L. Davis, Medal of Honor recipient * Admiral Timothy J. Keating, Commander of the

United States Pacific Command United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is a unified combatant command of the United States Armed Forces responsible for the Indo-Pacific region. Formerly known as United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) since its inception in 1947, ...

* Joseph G. Lapointe Jr, Medal of Honor recipient *

Joe C. Paul Lance Corporal Joe Calvin Paul (April 23, 1946 – August 19, 1965) was a United States Marine killed in the Vietnam War who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for diverting an attack long enough to allow the evacuation of wounded Marines du ...

, Medal of Honor recipient *

Sidney Souers Sidney William Souers (March 30, 1892 – January 14, 1973) was an American admiral and intelligence expert. Rear Admiral Souers was appointed as the first Director of Central Intelligence on January 23, 1946 by President Harry S. Truman, where ...

, first Director of the

CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...

Tony Stein Tony Stein (September 30, 1921 – March 1, 1945) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War II. He received the award for repeatedly making single- ...

, Medal of Honor recipient

Musicians

Little Axe Skip McDonald (born Bernard Alexander, September 1949)Allmusic biography/ref> is an American musician who also performs under the stage name Little Axe. Career Early career Grounded in blues music learned from his father, a steel worker who ...

, blues musician * Leroy Bonner, musician/producer, The Ohio Players * Stevie Brock, pop singer *

Kim Deal Kimberley Ann Deal (born June 10, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She was the bassist and the co-vocalist in the alternative rock band Pixies, before forming the Breeders in 1989. Deal joined Pixies in January ...

, rock musician, member of

Pixies A pixie (also pisky, pixy, pixi, pizkie, and piskie in Cornwall and Devon, and pigsie or puggsy in the New Forest) is a mythical creature of British folklore. Pixies are considered to be particularly concentrated in the high moorland areas aro ...

, The Amps, and

The Breeders The Breeders are an American alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, consisting of members Kim Deal (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), her twin sister Kelley Deal (lead guitar, vocals), Josephine Wiggs (bass guitar, vocals) and Jim Macpherso ...

Kelley Deal Kelley Deal (born June 10, 1961) is an American musician and singer. She has been lead guitarist and co-vocalist of the alternative rock band The Breeders since 1992, and has formed her own side-projects with bands such as R. Ring and The Kelle ...

, rock musician, member of The Amps and

Rick Derringer Rick Derringer (born Richard Dean Zehringer; August 5, 1947) is an American guitarist, vocalist, producer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the 1960s as founding member of his band, the McCoys. Their debut single, "Hang on Sloopy", was ...

, rock musician *

Jim Ferguson James Edwin Ferguson (born December 23, 1948) is an American guitarist, composer, journalist, and educator. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Ferguson began his early music education playing the trombone at age 7, and then after eight years of study, swit ...

, classical/jazz guitarist, composer, author, educator, and music journalist *

Tommy James Tommy James (born Thomas Gregory Jackson; April 29, 1947), also known as Tommy Tadger, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer, widely known as frontman of the 1960s rock band Tommy James and the Shondells, who were know ...

, rock musician and singer of "Mony Mony" *

Walter "Junie" Morrison Walter "Junie" Morrison (June 28, 1954 – January 21, 2017) was an American songwriter, record producer, singer and multi-instrumentalist. He was a member of the Ohio Players in the early 1970s, and later became a member and musical direc ...

, musician and producer *

Vess Ossman Sylvester Louis "Vess" Ossman (August 21, 1868 – December 7, 1923) was a leading five-string banjoist and popular recording artist of the early 20th century. Biography Sylvester Louis Ossman was born in Hudson, New York, and made his firs ...

, 5-string banjoist *

Dottie Peoples Dorothy "Dottie" Peoples (born August 12, 1950) is an American gospel singer from Dayton, Ohio. After completing high school, she toured with gospel pioneer Dorothy Norwood, a member of the Caravans. After a stint in jazz, she relocated to Atlan ...

, gospel singer * M Ross Perkins, songwriter *

Robert Pollard Robert Ellsworth Pollard Jr. (born October 31, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter who is the leader and creative force behind indie rock group Guided by Voices. In addition to his work with Guided by Voices, he continues to have a prol ...

, founder and singer of lo-fi rock band Guided By Voices and other aliases thereof *

Harry Reser Harrison Franklin Reser (January 17, 1896 – September 27, 1965) was an American banjo player and bandleader. Born in Piqua, Ohio, Reser was best known as the leader of The Clicquot Club Eskimos. He was regarded by some as the best banjoist of ...

, banjoist and leader of the Clicquot Club Eskimos *

Kim Richey Kimberly Richey (born December 1, 1956) is an American singer and songwriter. Career Kim Richey came onto the music scene in the 1990s and entered her first recording contract at the age of 37. Kim signed with Mercury Nashville. She spent the n ...

singer/songwriter A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk-acoustic tradition, although this role has transmuted t ...

John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American guitarist and composer whose music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention in th ...

, jazz guitarist * John Schmersal, guitarist/singer for Brainiac, who went on to form Enon *

Bud Shank Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...

, jazz saxophonist *

Margo Smith Margo Smith (born Betty Lou Miller; April 9, 1942 in Dayton, Ohio) is an American country and Christian music singer–songwriter. She had several years of country success during the 1970s, which included two number one hits on the '' Billboard' ...

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

singer, known for her

yodeling Yodeling (also jodeling) is a form of singing which involves repeated and rapid changes of pitch between the low-pitch chest register (or "chest voice") and the high-pitch head register or falsetto. The English word ''yodel'' is derived from the ...

* Tyler Smith, singer (

The Word Alive The Word Alive is an American metalcore band formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2008. The band was signed to Fearless Records since their formation. In 2022, they changed their label and signed to Thriller Records. The band currently consists of ...

) * Billy Strayhorn *

Roger Troutman Roger Troutman (November 29, 1951 – April 25, 1999), also known as Roger, was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and the founder of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the funk movement and heavily influence ...

and Zapp, musicians/producers * Johnnie Wilder Jr., founder and lead singer, and Keith Wilder, founder,

Heatwave A heat wave, or heatwave, is a period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity, especially in oceanic climate countries. While definitions vary, a heat wave is usually measured relative to the usual climate in th ...

, R&B group *

Booty Wood Mitchell W. Wood, better known as Booty Wood (December 27, 1919 – June 10, 1987) was an American jazz trombonist. Career Wood played professionally on trombone from the late 1930s. He worked with Tiny Bradshaw and Lionel Hampton in the 1940s ...

, jazz trombonist *

Snooky Young Eugene Edward "Snooky" Young (February 3, 1919 – May 11, 2011) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was known for his mastery of the plunger mute, with which he was able to create a wide range of sounds. Biography Young was lead trumpeter of t ...

, jazz trumpeter

Politicians

James Middleton Cox James Middleton Cox (March 31, 1870 July 15, 1957) was an American businessman and politician who served as the 46th and 48th governor of Ohio, and a two-term U.S. Representative from Ohio. As the Democratic nominee for President of the United S ...

, Congressman, Ohio governor, 1920 Democratic presidential candidate, founder of

Cox Enterprises Cox Enterprises, Inc. is a privately held global conglomerate headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, with approximately 55,000 employees and $21 billion in total revenue. Its major operating subsidiaries are Cox Communications and ...

* Richard Clay Dixon, former mayor of Dayton * Dave Hall, former mayor of Dayton *

Tony P. Hall Tony Patrick Hall (born January 16, 1942) is an American politician, businessman, and diplomat who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 3rd congressional district from 1979 to 2002. Hall had previously se ...

, former US Congressman * Paul Leonard, former mayor of Dayton and lieutenant governor of Ohio * James H. McGee, former mayor of Dayton * C. J. McLin, former Ohio State Representative *

Mike Rohrkaste Mike Rohrkaste (born September 24, 1958) is an American businessman and politician. A Republican, he was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 2015 to 2021, representing Neenah, Grand Chute, and northeast Winnebago County. Early li ...

, Wisconsin State Assemblyman and businessman * Mike Turner, US Congressman, former mayor of Dayton

Other

China P. Arnold China Arnold (born March 29, 1980) is an American woman who was convicted of Filicide, murdering her 28-day old daughter, Paris, by heating her in a microwave oven. She was sentenced to Life imprisonment in the United States, life in prison withou ...

, convicted murderer serving life without parole for murdering and cooking her daughter, Paris in a microwave *

Jordan Anderson Jordan Anderson or Jourdon Anderson (December 1825 – April 15, 1907) was an African-American and former slave noted for an 1865 letter he dictated, known as "Letter from a Freedman to His Old Master". It was addressed to his former mast ...

, former slave and author of "Letter from a Freedman to His Old Master" *

Charles Bassett Charles Arthur Bassett II (December 30, 1931 – February 28, 1966), (Major, USAF), was an American electrical engineer and United States Air Force test pilot. He went to Ohio State University for two years and later graduated from Texas Tech ...

, astronaut *

Phil Donahue Phillip John Donahue (born December 21, 1935) is an American media personality, writer, film producer and the creator and host of ''The Phil Donahue Show''. The television program, later known simply as ''Donahue'', was the first talk show forma ...

, talk-show host, began his eponymous show in Dayton, where he spent over a decade * Ronnie and Donnie Galyon (1951–2020), oldest set of conjoined twins in the world * Steve Gibson, computer programmer * George J. Graham, Jr., political theorist *

Ahad Israfil Ahad Israfil (August 23, 1972 – October 18, 2019) was a man from Dayton, Ohio, known for his recovery from a gunshot injury that destroyed most of one of his cerebral hemispheres. Injury In 1987, at age 14, Ahad was shot in the head at work ...

, gunshot victim *

Virginia Kettering Virginia Weiffenbach Kettering (1907 - 2003) was Dayton, Ohio's leading philanthropist and patron of the arts. Early life and education Kettering was born July 15, 1907 in Bellevue, Kentucky to architect and marble importer Norman and Clara Weiff ...

(1907–2003), philanthropist * William H. Lough (1881–1940s), economist * W. S. McIntosh, civil rights activist * Jessica Moore, journalist * Robert R. Nathan, economist *

Mike Nawrocki Michael Lewis Nawrocki (born July 8, 1966) is an American director, animator, writer, lyricist, and voice actor best known as the co-creator of the long-running, Christian video series, ''VeggieTales'' where he voiced Larry the Cucumber. He voic ...

, co-creator of ''

VeggieTales ''VeggieTales'' is an American Christian media, computer generated musical children's animation, and book franchise created by Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki under Big Idea Entertainment. The series sees fruit and vegetable characters retell ...

'' * Melvin Lorrel Nichols, emeritus professor of chemistry,

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...

* Alice E. Heckler Peters (1845-1921), social reformer * Jane Reece, photographer *

Amy Schneider Amy Schneider (born May 29, 1979) is an American writer and game show contestant. Winning 40 consecutive games on the quiz show '' Jeopardy!'' from November 2021 to January 2022 and the November 2022 Tournament of Champions, she holds the seco ...

, ''

Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given gene ...

'' champion, and the first openly

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through ...

contestant to qualify for the Tournament of ChampionsAmy Schneider on Twitter: "The Neon Movies, DAI, the Oregon District. I also love how downtown has revived, when I was at C-J in the mid nineties it was a *much* different vibe" / Twitter
/ref> *

Constantine Scollen Father Con Scollen OMI. (4 April 1841 – 8 November 1902) was an Irish Catholic, Missionary priest who lived among and evangelized the Blackfoot, Cree and Métis peoples on the Canadian Prairies and in northern Montana in the United States. H ...

(1841-1902), renowned Irish missionary and "

Whoop-Up Trail The Whoop-Up Trail, also known as the Macleod-Benton Trail was a wagon road that connected Fort Benton, Montana, to Fort Hamilton, Alberta. The trail was initially a trade route between Montana and the southern region of Alberta, which was then kn ...

" priest among the native peoples of Canada and US. *Howard Dwight Smith, architect of Ohio Stadium *Dorothy Stang (1931–2005), Catholic nun of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and Amazon rainforest, Amazonian activist *Norman Steenrod, mathematician *Strobe Talbott, writer and diplomat

References

{{reflist People from Dayton, Ohio, Lists of people by city in the United States, Dayton, Ohio Dayton, Ohio-related lists, People Lists of people from Ohio, Dayton, Ohio