Music · born 1945
Neil Youngsinger, songwriter, guitarist, filmmakerCanadian rock icon whose first record deal was with Motown: in 1966 he recorded at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit as a member of Rick James's band, the Mynah Birds.DETROIT / A living lexicon / ¼
Famous Detroiters
People who were born here, moved here or built their careers in Detroit: musicians, carmakers, athletes, writers, inventors, civil-rights leaders and a few notorious names. With their dates, their Detroit story and the places where they lived, worked and played, closed ones included.
- 1,940 famous people
- 515 Detroit places
- 14 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Origin and citizenship
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
71 people · 1/2 page
Clear filtersMusic · born 1945Neil Youngsinger, songwriter, guitarist, filmmakerCanadian rock icon whose first record deal was with Motown: in 1966 he recorded at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit as a member of Rick James's band, the Mynah Birds.
Music · born 1943Joni Mitchellsinger-songwriter, guitarist, painterThe Canadian songwriter spent 1965–1967 in Detroit's Cass Corridor, playing the city's folk coffeehouses with her husband Chuck Mitchell and developing her open-tuned guitar style.
Sports · 1928–2016Gordie Howeice hockey player, right wingDetroit Red Wings right wing for 25 seasons, often called the most complete player in hockey history, whose nickname 'Mr. Hockey' became synonymous with the city.
Science & invention · 1928–2023Natalie Zemon DavishistorianHistorian of early modern France and author of The Return of Martin Guerre, born in Detroit and educated at Cranbrook's Kingswood School.
Press & broadcasting · 1891–1979Charles CoughlinCatholic priest, radio broadcaster, political agitatorThe Royal Oak 'Radio Priest' whose 1930s broadcasts from the Shrine of the Little Flower reached tens of millions before turning to antisemitism and support for fascism.
Auto industry · 1952–2018
Sergio MarchionneCEO of Fiat, Chrysler and Fiat Chrysler AutomobilesItalian-Canadian executive who took over bankrupt Chrysler in 2009 and turned it around from Auburn Hills, merging it with Fiat.
Sports · born 1982Joel Anthonybasketball player, centerCanadian center and two-time NBA champion with Miami who spent his final two NBA seasons as a rarely used reserve big man for the Pistons.
Sports · born 1960
Igor Larionovice hockey center, coach, agentSoviet-trained center nicknamed 'the Professor' who anchored Detroit's famed Russian Five and won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings.
Sports · born 1965Steve Yzermanice hockey center, general managerHall of Fame center who played his entire 22-season career with the Red Wings, captained the team for a record 19 years, and led Detroit to three Stanley Cups.
Sports · born 1964Brett Hullice hockey right winger, executiveOne of the NHL's greatest goal scorers, Hull signed with Detroit in 2001 chasing a second Stanley Cup and won it in 2002, switching his number out of respect for Vladimir Konstantinov.Michael Moriartyactor, jazz pianist, composerDetroit-born, Emmy- and Tony-winning actor, the original prosecutor Ben Stone of Law & Order, who is also a jazz pianist and composer.
Music · born 1970Richie HawtinDJ, electronic musician, label founderWindsor-raised techno producer who crossed the river into Detroit's clubs, co-founded Plus 8 and became a leading figure of minimal techno as Plastikman.
Sports · born 1969Brendan Shanahanice hockey forward, executiveHall of Fame power forward who won three Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings and remains one of only two players with over 600 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes.
Film & TV · born 1969Vincenzo Natalifilm director, screenwriterDetroit-born Canadian-American director of the cult science-fiction thriller Cube and the horror film Splice.
Sports · born 1933Scotty Bowmanice hockey coachThe NHL's winningest coach, who led the Red Wings to Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998 and 2002, ending Detroit's 42-year drought.
Sports · 1932–2016Andy Bathgateice hockey right wingerHall of Fame right winger who spent two seasons with the Red Wings after a trade from Toronto, part of a 17-year NHL career later honored among the 100 greatest players ever.
Sports · born 1961Paul Coffeyice hockey defencemanHall of Fame defenceman, second all-time among NHL blueliners in points, who spent three and a half seasons with the Red Wings and won a Norris Trophy in Detroit.
Sports · born 1967Curtis Josephice hockey goaltenderVeteran goaltender nicknamed "Cujo" who signed with the Red Wings in 2002 hoping to finally win a Stanley Cup, and helped Detroit finish first overall the next season.
Sports · 1925–2019Ted Lindsayice hockey player, left wing, general managerFierce Red Wings left wing of the 'Production Line' who won four Stanley Cups with Detroit, led the first serious attempt to unionize NHL players, and stayed part of the club for the rest of his life.
Sports · born 1972Chris Osgoodice hockey goaltender, broadcasterGoaltender who spent most of his 17-year NHL career with Detroit and won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, in 1997, 1998 and 2008.
Sports · born 1951Marcel Dionneice hockey centreHall of Fame centre who began his 18-season NHL career in Detroit after being drafted second overall in 1971, setting a rookie scoring record with the Red Wings.
Sports · 1929–1970Terry Sawchukice hockey goaltenderHall of Fame goaltender who won three of his four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings and, at his death, held the all-time NHL records for wins and shutouts.
Sports · born 1975Todd Bertuzziice hockey wingerPower forward who joined the Red Wings at the 2008 trade deadline and returned for a five-season second stint, reaching the 2009 Western Conference finals.
Sports · 1931–2025Alex Delvecchioice hockey player, coach and general managerOne of only three players to spend 1,500-plus games with a single NHL franchise, a three-time Stanley Cup winner who later coached and ran the Red Wings' front office.
Sports · 1932–2015Al Arbourice hockey defenceman, later coachFuture Hockey Hall of Fame coach who began his pro playing career with the Red Wings and won the Stanley Cup with Detroit in 1954, decades before building a coaching legacy with the New York Islanders.
Sports · born 1971Kris Draperice hockey forward and executiveFour-time Stanley Cup champion who spent 17 seasons with the Red Wings as part of the famed "Grind Line," then stayed on in the front office as assistant general manager.
Sports · 1931–2026Glenn Hallice hockey goaltenderHall of Fame goaltender who broke in with the Red Wings and later set the NHL's iron-man record of 502 consecutive games, mostly earned after leaving Detroit.Red Kellyice hockey defenceman, politician, coachHall of Fame defenceman who won four Stanley Cups with Detroit in the 1950s, part of the most decorated career of any player never to suit up for the Montreal Canadiens.
Sports · born 1966Luc Robitailleice hockey executive and former playerHighest-scoring left winger in NHL history who capped his long career with a two-season stint in Detroit and his only Stanley Cup, in 2002.Tiny Thompsonice hockey goaltender, scoutFour-time Vezina Trophy winner and Hockey Hall of Famer who closed his 12-season NHL career with two seasons in Detroit after a decade starring for Boston.
Sports · 1918–2000Sid Abelice hockey player, coach and general managerHall of Fame center who captained the Red Wings' famed "Production Line" with Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay to three Stanley Cups, then coached and managed the team for another decade.
Sports · born 1960Dino Ciccarelliice hockey player, right wingerHall of Fame goal-scorer who reached his 500th career goal with the Red Wings and later opened Detroit-area sports bars named for his jersey number.
Sports · born 1989Sam Gagnerice hockey forwardVeteran forward acquired in a 2020 trade-deadline deal who spent three seasons as a depth scorer and locker-room presence for the Red Wings.Anthony Manthaice hockey player, wingerRed Wings first-round pick who developed into a top scoring winger, including a four-goal home-opener performance in 2019, before an eventual trade to Washington.
Sports · born 1944
Václav Nedomanskýice hockey forwardThe first Czechoslovak hockey star to defect and play professionally in North America, who spent five NHL seasons with the Red Wings in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Sports · born 1987Marc Staalice hockey defenseman and coachVeteran Rangers defenseman who finished a long New York tenure with two seasons in Detroit before moving on to Florida.
Sports · 1894–1968Jack Adamsice hockey coach and general managerHall of Fame builder who spent 36 years running the Red Wings as coach and general manager, winning seven Stanley Cups and turning Detroit into an NHL powerhouse; the NHL's annual coach-of-the-year award bears his name.
Sports · born 1988Jonathan Bernierice hockey goaltenderStanley Cup-winning goaltender who signed with Detroit in 2018 and spent three seasons backing up, then sharing duties with, Jimmy Howard.
Sports · 1931–2021Leo Boivinice hockey player, defensemanHard-hitting defenseman who joined the Red Wings in a 1966 trade and helped Detroit reach that year's Stanley Cup Final.
Sports · born 1978Daniel Clearyice hockey forward, front-office executiveNewfoundland-born forward who made the Red Wings out of a tryout in 2005, won the 2008 Stanley Cup as the first Newfoundlander ever to do so, and now directs the team's player development.
Sports · born 1963Gerard Gallantice hockey player and coachPhysical left winger who spent nine of his eleven NHL seasons with the Red Wings, skating on Detroit's top line alongside Steve Yzerman before a long career as an NHL coach.
Sports · born 1985Mike Greenice hockey defensemanOffensive-minded defenseman, famous for his goal-scoring years in Washington, who spent five seasons as a veteran presence on the Red Wings' blue line.
Sports · born 1957Glen Hanlonice hockey goaltender, later coachVeteran goaltender who anchored the Red Wings' crease for five seasons, sharing duties with Greg Stefan as Detroit reached back-to-back conference finals in 1987 and 1988.
Sports · born 1943Paul Hendersonice hockey playerCanada's 1972 Summit Series hero, who broke into the NHL with the Red Wings organization and reached two Stanley Cup Finals in Detroit before a blockbuster trade to Toronto.Greg Johnsonice hockey centreSkilled centre who spent parts of four seasons with the Red Wings in the 1990s, later returned to Detroit as a free agent, and made the city his home until his death there in 2019.
Sports · born 1972Kirk Maltbyice hockey forward and scoutGrind Line winger who spent 14 seasons with the Red Wings, won four Stanley Cups, and has lived in the Detroit area ever since as the club's professional scout.
Sports · 1959–2011Brad McCrimmonice hockey defenseman and coachVeteran defenseman who played one season for Detroit before returning years later as an assistant coach, and whose life ended in a tragic 2011 plane crash.
Sports · born 1961Larry Murphyice hockey defenceman, broadcasterHall of Fame defenceman whose late-career trade to Detroit added the experience that helped the Red Wings win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998; he later stayed in Detroit as a broadcaster.The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own. Famous people's places among the sights ↗