List of people from Champaign, Illinois
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The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Champaign, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Champaign, Illinois.
Business, science, and engineering[edit]
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Max Abramovitz | May 23, 1908 | Sep 12, 2004 | Architect | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Scott Anderson | Jun 26, 1913 | Oct 1, 2006 | Physicist | President of the Rotary Club of Champaign (1963 to 1964); founder of the Urban League of Champaign County | ||
Marc Andreessen | ![]() |
Jul 9, 1971 | Co-author of Mosaic and founder of Netscape | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
John Bardeen | ![]() |
May 23, 1908 | Jan 30, 1991 | Electrical engineer and physicist; two time Nobel Prize winner in Physics | Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | |
Steve Chen | ![]() |
Aug 18, 1978 | Co-founder of YouTube | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Jawed Karim | ![]() |
Jan 1, 1979 | Co-founder of YouTube | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Jimmy John Liautaud | ![]() |
Jan 12, 1964 | Jimmy John's Owner, founder, & chairman | |||
Anthony James Leggett | ![]() |
Mar 26, 1938 | Physicist; Nobel Prize winner in Physics | Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
W. Dwight Pierce | Nov 16, 1881 | Apr 29, 1967 | Entomologist | Born in Champaign | ||
Jerry Sanders | ![]() |
Sep 12, 1936 | Founder and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Lewis Hastings Sarett | Dec 22, 1917 | Nov 29, 1999 | Inventor of synthetic cortisone | Born in Champaign | ||
James Tobin | Mar 5, 1918 | Mar 11, 2002 | Laureate of the Nobel prize in economics (1981) | Born in Champaign | ||
Stephen Wolfram | ![]() |
Aug 29, 1959 | Founder of Wolfram Research, makers of Mathematica | Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |
Crime[edit]
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steven Phillip Kazmierczak | Aug 26, 1980 | Feb 14, 2008 | Perpetrator in the Northern Illinois University shooting | Attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Michael H. Kenyon | Convicted criminal; nicknamed the "Enema Bandit" | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||||
Karyn Hearn Slover | Sep 27, 1996 | 1996 murder victim |
Media and arts[edit]
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
David Ayer | Jan 18, 1968 | Filmmaker | Born in Champaign. | [1] | ||
Irving Azoff | Dec 12, 1947 | Music promotion | Attended UIUC. Started Blytham Ltd with Bob Nutt | [2] | ||
Marc Beeson | Dec 20, 1954 | Country music singer and songwriter | Born in Champaign | |||
Tom Bodett | Feb 23, 1955 | Author, voiceover actor, and spokesman | Born in Champaign | |||
Harold Bradley Jr. | ![]() |
Oct 13, 1929 | Former American football player and actor, singer, artist, TV host (WCIA Channel 3, WICD Channel 15) and painter. | Lived 19 years in Champaign | ||
Iris Chang | Mar 28, 1968 | Nov 9, 2004 | Author (The Rape of Nanking) | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Amy Chua | ![]() |
Oct 26, 1962 | Author (Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother) | Born in Champaign | ||
Jeremih Felton | ![]() |
Jul 17, 1987 | R&B singer | Attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Hart D. Fisher | Comic book creator and publisher | Born in Champaign | ||||
Michael Fumento | Journalist and author of The Myth of Heterosexual AIDS | Born in Champaign | ||||
Mike Connolly | 1914 | Nov 19, 1966 | Magazine reporter and Hollywood gossip columnist for The Hollywood Reporter | Attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he was the city editor of the Daily Illini, the independent student-run newspaper, known for his 1937–38 crusade against prostitution in Champaign | ||
Bill Geist | May 10, 1945 | CBS News correspondent and author | Born in Champaign | |||
Nathan Gunn | Nov 26, 1970 | Operatic baritone; one of People magazine's 2008 Sexiest Men Alive | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | |||
Steven Hager | May 25, 1951 | Magazine editor | Born in Champaign | |||
Bruce Hall | ![]() |
Mar 5, 1953 | Bass guitar player (REO Speedwagon) | Born in Champaign | ||
Stuart Hamm | Feb 8, 1960 | Bass guitar player | Grew up in Champaign | |||
Megyn Kelly | ![]() |
Nov 18, 1970 | American journalist, political commentator, and former corporate defense attorney | Born in Champaign | ||
Alison Krauss | ![]() |
Jul 23, 1971 | Bluegrass singer | Grew up in Champaign | ||
Christopher Bridges
(a.k.a. Ludacris) |
![]() |
Sep 11, 1977 | Rapper | Born in Champaign | ||
Marcella Martin | Jun 5, 1916 | Oct 31, 1986 | Actress | Born in Champaign | ||
Jack McDuff | Sep 17, 1926 | Jan 23, 2001 | Jazz musician | Born in Champaign | ||
Jeff Mondak | Mar 26, 1962 | Children's poet and songwriter | Lives in Champaign | |||
David Foster Wallace | ![]() |
Feb 21, 1962 | Sep 12, 2008 | Author of Infinite Jest | Lived in Champaign | |
George Will | ![]() |
May 4, 1941 | Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author | Born in Champaign | ||
Douglas Wilson | Interior designer and television personality (Trading Spaces) | Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign |
Bands[edit]
Name | Image | Founded | Disbanded | Music | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Beauty Shop | ![]() |
1999 | 2008 | Alt-country band | Formed in Champaign | |
Braid | 1993 | Rock band | Formed in Champaign | |||
Champaign | 1981 | R&B, soft rock group | Formed in Champaign | |||
Headlights | ![]() |
2004 | 2012 | Indie rock band | Formed in Champaign | |
Hostyle Gospel | ![]() |
2003 | Christian hip hop | Formed in Champaign | ||
Hum | 1989 | Alternative rock group | Formed in Champaign | |||
Pacifica Quartet | 1994 | 2008 Grammy-winning string quartet | Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Illinois School of Music, 2003–2012 | |||
Poster Children | 1987 | Rock group | Formed in Champaign | |||
REO Speedwagon | ![]() |
1967 | Rock group | Formed in Champaign | ||
Starcastle | 1969 | 2006 | Rock group | Formed in Champaign |
Politics[edit]
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mark Kirk | ![]() |
Sep 15, 1959 | United States Senator | Born in Champaign | ||
Vashti McCollum | ![]() |
Nov 6, 1912 | Aug 20, 2006 | Plaintiff in the landmark 1948 Supreme Court case McCollum v. Board of Education | Lived and died in Champaign |
Sports[edit]
Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chantal Bailey | May 28, 1965 | Olympic speed skater | Born in Champaign | |||
Walter "Boom-Boom" Beck | ![]() |
Oct 16, 1904 | May 7, 1987 | Pitcher for six Major League Baseball teams | Lived and died in Champaign | |
Bonnie Blair | ![]() |
Mar 18, 1964 | Speed skater, Olympic gold medalist | Grew up in Champaign | ||
Harold Bradley Jr. | ![]() |
Oct 13, 1929 | Former American football player and actor, singer, artist, TV host (WCIA Channel 3, WICD Channel 15) and painter. | Lived 19 years in Champaign | ||
Fred Brainard | Feb 17, 1892 | Apr 17, 1959 | Infielder for the New York Giants | Born in Champaign | ||
Don Branson | Jun 2, 1920 | Nov 12, 1966 | Indy-car driver | [citation needed] | ||
Dick Butkus | Dec 9, 1942 | Football linebacker for the Fighting Illini | Attended UIUC | |||
Steve Dunn | Apr 18, 1970 | First baseman for the Minnesota Twins | Born in Champaign | |||
Matt Herges | Apr 1, 1970 | Pitcher for eight Major League Baseball teams | Born in Champaign | |||
Reggie Hodges | ![]() |
Jan 26, 1982 | Punter for the Cleveland Browns | Born in Champaign | ||
Bershawn Jackson | ![]() |
May 8, 1983 | Olympic 400M hurdler | Lives in Champaign | ||
Rhaka Khan | ![]() |
Dec 25, 1981 | Wrestler with the WWE | Born in Champaign | ||
Jonathan Kuck | ![]() |
Mar 14, 1990 | Speed skater and silver medalist in the 2010 Winter Olympics | Attending University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign | ||
Don Laz | ![]() |
May 17, 1929 | Feb 21, 1996 | Pole vaulter; Olympic silver medalist | [citation needed] | |
Jeremy Leman | ![]() |
Mar 1, 1985 | Linebacker for Illinois Illini and six NFL teams | Born and lives in Champaign | ||
Mikel Leshoure | ![]() |
Mar 30, 1990 | Running back for the Detroit Lions | Graduated from Centennial High School in Champaign | ||
Troy Mattes | Aug 26, 1975 | Pitcher for the Montreal Expos | Born in Champaign | |||
Tyler McGill | Aug 18, 1987 | Swimmer, US Olympic team 2012 | Born in Champaign | |||
Big Jeff Pfeffer | ![]() |
Mar 31, 1882 | Dec 19, 1954 | Pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, Boston Beaneaters/Doves and Boston Rustlers | Born in Champaign | |
Roy Radebaugh | ![]() |
Feb 22, 1881 | Jan 17, 1945 | Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals | Born in Champaign | |
Katherine Reutter | ![]() |
Jul 30, 1988 | Short track speed skater, Olympic silver medalist | Born in Champaign | ||
Rayvonte Rice | ![]() |
Jul 14, 1992 | Starting guard for the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team | Born in Champaign | ||
Bob Richards | ![]() |
Feb 20, 1926 | Pole vaulter; Olympic gold medalist | |||
Adam Seward | Jun 15, 1982 | Linebacker for the Carolina Panthers | Born in Champaign | |||
Emily Stevenson | Jul 26, 1925 | Dec 30, 2012 | Backup catcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League | Born in Champaign |
References[edit]
- ^ "MEET DAVID AYER: The hard-edged director of 'Suicide Squad'". Business Insider. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Irving Azoff/Bob Nutt/Blytham Ltd". stlmusicyesterdays.com. Retrieved 19 February 2019.