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Famous People from Oregon


Danny Ainge (1959 - ) The only person to be a high school first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball. Named the national collegiate player of the year while playing basketball for BYU. While in college, he played 3 seasons in major league baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays. He then changed to basketball and played for the Boston Celtics, the Sacramento Kings, the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Phoenix Suns. Born in Eugene, OR (563)

Wally Backman (1959 - ) Born Walter Wayne Backman. A former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played with the New York Mets from 1980-1988 and was a member of the team when they won the 1986 World Series. Born in Hillsboro, OR (890)

Colonel Rex T Barber (1917 - 2001) A World War II fighter pilot. He was best known as a member of the top secret mission to intercept the aircraft carrying Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in April 1943. Born in Culver, OR (892)

Carl Barks (1901 - 2000) An American cartoonist, author, and painter. Best known for his comics about Donald Duck and as the creator of Scrooge McDuck. Born in Merrill, OR (891)

Scott Beach (1931 - 1996) An American actor, writer, and disc jockey best known for his role in the film American Graffiti. Born in Portland, OR (1249)

Beverly Cleary (1916 - ) One of America's most successful authors of children's literature. Some of her best-known characters are Ramona Quimby, Beezus, Ribsy, Ralph S Mouse and Henry Huggins. Born in McMinnville, OR (485)

Pinto Colvig (1892 - 1967) Born Vance DeBar Colvig. Was a vaudeville actor, radio actor, newspaper cartoonist, voice actor, and circus performer. Best known as the original Bozo The Clown and as the original voice of Goofy. Born in Jacksonville, OR (894)

Richard Diebenkorn (1922 - 1993) An American painter. His early work is associated with abstract expressionism. His later work, known as the Ocean Park paintings, helped him achieve worldwide acclaim. Born in Portland, OR (895)

Sally Flynn (1946 - ) An American singer and musician (also known as Sally Hart) who was a featured performer on The Lawrence Welk Show television program. Born in Ontario, OR (1257)

Dick Fosbury (1947 - ) One of the most influential athletes in the history of track and field. Invented the "Fosbury Flop" move in high jumping, flipping over the bar backwards. He also set an Olympic record in 1968. Born in Portland, OR (491)

Alfred Carlton Gilbert (1884 - 1961) An American inventor, athlete, toy-maker and businessman. He is best known as the inventor of the Erector Set. Born in Salem, OR (897)

Matt Groening (1954 - ) An American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the co-creator of two TV series The Simpsons and Futurama. The Simpsons is the longest running U.S. prime time television series in history. Born in Portland, OR (489)



Margaux Hemingway (1954 - 1996) Born Margot Louise Hemingway. An American fashion model and actress. Granddaughter of writer Ernest Hemingway and sister of actress Mariel Hemingway. Born in Portland, OR (898)

Edwin Markham (1852 - 1940) Born Charles Edward Anson Markham. An American poet who is frequently called the "Dean of American Poetry." Works include The Man with the Hoe, and Lincoln, Man of the People. Born in Oregon City, OR (484)

Dale Murphy (1956 - ) Former Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played for 18 years and is best remembered for his years with the Atlanta Braves. Born in Portland, OR (574)

River Jude Phoenix (1970 - 1993) Born River Jude Bottom. An American actor, musician, and activist. As of 2014, he and his brother Joaquin Phoenix are the first and only brothers to be nominated for acting Academy Awards. Born in Metolius, OR (1256)

Mitchell Craig "Mitch" Pileggi (1952 - ) An American actor. He is best known for his role as Walter Skinner on The X-Files. He also had a recurring role on Stargate Atlantis and Sons of Anarchy. Born in Portland, OR (1255)

Ahmad Rashad (1949 - ) Born Robert Earl Moore. An American sportscaster and former professional football player. He played 11 years in the NFL. Born in Portland, OR (488)

Susan Raye (1944 - ) An American country music singer, best known for a series of Top 40 Country hits in the early half of the 1970s, most notably the song "L.A. International Airport" in 1971. Born in Eugene, OR (1254)

Kim Rhodes (1969 - ) An American actress who played the role of Cindy Harrison on two different soap operas and the mother of Zack and Cody on the sitcom The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Born in Portland, OR (1253)

Lisa Deanna Rinna (1963 - ) An American television host and actress. She is best known for her roles as Billie Reed on Days of Our Lives and Taylor McBride on Melrose Place. Born in Medford, OR (1252)

Rebecca Lucile Schaeffer (1967 - 1989) An American model and actress best known for her role in the sitcom My Sister Sam. Born in Eugene, OR (1251)

Doc Severinsen (1927 - ) Born Carl Hilding Severinsen. Band leader and jazz trumpet player. He was the band leader for the Tonight Show when Johnny Carson hosted it. Born in Arlington, OR (492)

Sally Ann Struthers (1948 - ) An American actress and spokeswoman best known for her role of Gloria Bunker Stivic on All in the Family, for which she won two Emmy awards. Born in Portland, OR (1250)