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Famous People from New Jersey


Bud Abbott (1895 - 1974) Born William Alexander Abbott. An American actor, producer and comedian. Made famous in the popular team Abbott and Costello with routines such as "Who's on First". Born in Asbury Park, NJ (370)

Charles Addams (1912 - 1988) An American Cartoonist who created The Addams Family. Born in Westfield, NJ (371)

Buzz Aldrin (1930 - ) Born Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. First astronaut to leave a spacecraft and walk in space, he later became the second person to walk on the moon. Born in Montclair, NJ (372)

Count Basie (1904 - 1984) Born William James Basie. An American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Widely regarded as one of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time, Basie led his popular Count Basie Orchestra for almost 50 years. Born in Red Bank, NJ (851)

Joan Geraldine Bennett (1910 - 1990) An American stage, film and television actress. Besides acting on the stage, Bennett appeared in more than 70 motion pictures from the era of silent movies well into the sound era. Born in Palisades Park, NJ (852)

Judy Blume (1938 - ) Fiction writer for youth with well-known books such as Superfudge and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Born in Elizabeth, NJ (373)

Jon Bon Jovi (1962 - ) Born John Francis Bongiovi, Jr. An American singer-songwriter, record producer, philanthropist, and actor. Founder and lead singer of the rock band Bon Jovi. Born in Perth Amboy, NJ (387)

Aaron Burr (1756 - 1836) 3rd Vice-President of the United States under Thomas Jefferson. He was also a well-known Revolutionary War hero and adventurer. Born in Newark, NJ (386)

Grover Cleveland (1837 - 1908) The 22nd and 24th President of the United States. The only president to serve 2 non-consecutive terms. Born in Caldwel, NJ (375)

Lloyd H. Conover (1923 - ) Invented the antibiotic Tetracycline. He was the first to make an antibiotic by chemically modifying a naturally produced drug. Born in Orange, NJ (853)

James Fenimore Cooper (1789 - 1851) A prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales. Among his most famous works is the novel The Last of the Mohicans, often regarded as his masterpiece. Born in Burlington, NJ (854)

David Copperfield (1956 - ) Born David Seth Kotkin. An American illusionist. Best known for his combination of storytelling and illusion. Born in Metuchen, NJ (855)

Lou Costello (1906 - 1959) Born Louis Francis Cristillo. Comedian made famous in the popular team Abbott and Costello with routines such as "Who's on First". Born in Paterson, NJ (376)

Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900) Author who is most famous for his novel The Red Badge of Courage. Born in Newark, NJ (377)

Garret Hobart (1844 - 1899) The 24th Vice President of the United States (1897-1899) serving under President William McKinley. He was the sixth American vice president to die in office. Born in Long Branch, NJ (1710)

Donald Fletcher Holmes (1910 - 1980) An American inventor. Holmes, along with Dr. William Edward Hanford, invented the process for making the multipurpose material polyurethane. Born in Woodbury, NJ (856)

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (1963 - 2012) An American singer, actress, producer and model. She is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time. Her single, "I Will Always Love You" became the best-selling single by a woman in music history. Born in East Orange, NJ (379)

Linda Hunt (1945 - ) Born Lydia Susanna Hunter. An American film, stage and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her Academy Award-winning role in 1982's The Year of Living Dangerously. Born in Morristown, NJ (927)



Ernie Kovacs (1919 - 1962) Born Ernest Edward Kovacs. An American comedian, actor, and writer. His comedic style influenced many television comedy programs. Born in Trenton, NJ (857)

Jerry Lewis (1926 - ) Born Joseph Levitch. An American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. Famous for The Nutty Professor and hosting the Jerry Lewis Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy. Born in Newark, NJ (380)

Raymond Liotta (1954 - ) An American actor. Best known for his role as Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, and for his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. Born in Newark, NJ (865)

James Wilson Marshall (1810 - 1885) Although he never struck it rich, James Marshall is linked forever to the story of the California gold rush as the man who set the whole world heading westward with his discovery of gold along the American River in northern California. Born in Hopewell Township, NJ (858)

Eger Vaughan Murphree (1898 - 1962) An American chemist, best known for his co-invention of the process of fluid catalytic cracking. He worked at Exxon, and served from 1947 to 1962 as its VP of research and engineering. Born in Bayonne, NJ (859)

Jack Nicholson (1937 - ) Born John Joseph Nicholson. An American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is the most nomiated male actor in the Academy's history. Some of his films include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Chinatown, Batman and The Shining. Born in Neptune, NJ (381)

Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967) An American writer and poet, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles. Born in Long Branch, NJ (860)

Paul Robeson (1898 - 1976) An American singer and actor. He became a football All-American while playing at Rutgers College. He also played in the NFL. Born in Princeton, NJ (382)

Paul Simon (1941 - ) An American musician, actor and singer-songwriter. He was part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel before beginning his solo career. Some of his songs include"Mrs. Robinson," and "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Born in Newark Heights, NJ (383)

Frank Sinatra (1915 - 1998) Born Francis Albert Sinatra. An American singer, actor, director, and producer. Known for songs like "September of My Years" and "Strangers in the Night." Some of his films include Anchors Aweigh, From Here to Eternity, and Around the World in 80 Days. Born in Hoboken, NJ (384)

Kevin Spacey (1959 - ) Born Kevin Spacey Fowler. An American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and comedian. Some of his films include The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns and American Beauty. Born in South Orange, NJ (861)

Bruce Springsteen (1949 - ) Born Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. An American singer-songwriter, guitarist and humanitarian. Best known for his work with his E Street Band. Nicknamed "The Boss." Born in Freehold, NJ (378)

Meryl Streep (1949 - ) Born Mary Louise Streep. An American actress and producer. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest film actresses of all time. Some of her films include Kramer vs. Kramer, Sophie's Choice, Out of Africa, The Bridges of Madison County, Julie & Julia and The Devil Wears Prada. Born in Summit, NJ (804)

Dave Thomas (1932 - 2002) An American restaurant owner and philanthropist. He was the founder and chief executive officer of Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers. Born in Atlantic City, NJ (862)

John Travolta (1954 - ) An American actor, dancer, and singer. He was made famous in Grease and Saturday Night Fever. Born in Englewood, NJ (385)

Sarah Vaughan (1924 - 1990) An American jazz singer. She received the highest honor in jazz, NEA Jazz Masters award, in 1989. Born in Newark, NJ (863)

Aaron Montgomery Ward (1844 - 1913) He was a business man most well-known for his invention of the mail order business. The company, Montgomery Ward, was begun in 1872, in Chicago. Born in Chatham, NJ (787)

Dionne Warwick (1940 - ) Born Marie Dionne Warrick. An American singer, actress, and TV-show host. Some of her songs include "Walk On By" and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?". She became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization and a U.S. Ambassador of Health. Born in East Orange, NJ (864)