Sports · born 1987
Jonas Jerebkobasketball playerSwedish forward drafted by the Pistons in 2009 who spent six seasons in Detroit, the longest stretch of his ten-year NBA career.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.
- 1,949 famous people
- 516 Detroit places
- 22 fields
Hungarian ties 31 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Origin and citizenship
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
1747 people · 6/37 page
Clear filtersSports · born 1987Jonas Jerebkobasketball playerSwedish forward drafted by the Pistons in 2009 who spent six seasons in Detroit, the longest stretch of his ten-year NBA career.
Sports · born 1988Patrick Kaneice hockey right wingerOne of the most decorated American-born players in NHL history, Kane trained as a teenager in the Detroit area before returning in 2023 to sign with the Red Wings.
Literature · 1918–1994Russell Kirkpolitical theorist, historian, man of letters, novelistAuthor of The Conservative Mind, a founding text of postwar American conservatism, born and raised in the metro Detroit railroad town of Plymouth.
Music · born 1954Ray Parker Jr.guitarist, singer, songwriter, producerDetroit-born guitarist behind the “Ghostbusters” theme, who started as a teenager in the house band of the city's famous 20 Grand nightclub.
Film & TV · born 1945Paul Petersenactor, singer, writer, child-actor advocateThe Donna Reed Show's Jeff Stone, who recorded singles for Detroit's Motown label in the late 1960s and later became a leading advocate for child performers.
Music · born 1956Dianne Reevesjazz singerFive-time Grammy-winning jazz singer born in Detroit into a musical family and raised in Denver.
Music · born 1977Obie TricerapperWest-side Detroit rapper who came up through the Hip Hop Shop battles and released two top-ten albums on Eminem's Shady Records.
Science & invention · born 1967Dominic A. Antonelliastronaut, naval aviatorNASA astronaut and Navy fighter pilot who piloted two Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station; born in Detroit.
Sports · born 1959Rick Carlislebasketball coach, former playerHall-of-Fame-caliber coach who ran the Pistons bench for two seasons, reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals before Detroit let him go with a year left on his contract.
Press & broadcasting · 1891–1979
Charles 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.
Sports · 1930–2009Chuck Dalybasketball coachHead coach of the "Bad Boys" Pistons who won back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, then coached the 1992 Olympic Dream Team.
Film & TV · born 1966Hill Harperactor, author, political candidateActor from CSI: NY and The Good Doctor who moved to Detroit in 2016, bought a downtown coffee roastery and ran for the U.S. Senate from Michigan in 2024.
Sports · born 1992Tobias Harrisbasketball forwardVersatile scoring forward traded to the Pistons in 2016, who returned on a two-year contract in 2024 to help lead Detroit back to the playoffs after years of losing.
Music · born 1937
Neeme JärviconductorEstonian-born conductor who led the Detroit Symphony Orchestra from 1990 to 2005 in its restored Orchestra Hall, the second-longest tenure in the orchestra's history.
Science & invention · 1921–2017Isabella Karlechemist, crystallographerDetroit-born chemist whose practical methods for solving X-ray crystal structures transformed chemistry and drug design; a National Medal of Science laureate.
Literature · 1928–2015Philip Levinepoet, essayist, professorU.S. Poet Laureate (2011–2012) and Pulitzer winner whose poems about Detroit's factories and working people made him the city's great industrial poet.Douglas McGregormanagement theorist, psychologistManagement theorist of Theory X and Theory Y, born in Detroit into the family that ran the McGregor Institute, a mission for homeless men, and a graduate of today's Wayne State.
Film & TV · born 1952S. Epatha MerkersonactressLaw & Order's Lt. Anita Van Buren grew up in Detroit, graduated from Cooley High School and earned her theatre degree at Wayne State University.
Film & TV · born 1965Ted Raimiactor, director, writerDetroit-born character actor of the Evil Dead films and Xena, younger brother of director Sam Raimi, who started out in Detroit industrial films.
Sports · born 1969Steve Smithbasketball player, broadcasterMichigan-born NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist, Michigan State's all-time leading scorer, now a national basketball broadcaster.
Theatre & dance · 1925–2014Elaine Stritchactress, singer, comedianBroadway's tough, funny star of Company and At Liberty was born in Detroit, and after six decades in New York came home to Birmingham, Michigan, to spend her last year.
Literature · 1940–2025Edmund Whitenovelist, memoirist, biographer, essayistPioneering gay novelist of A Boy's Own Story who finished high school at Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, where he wrote his first two novels.
Music · 1944–2021Mary Wilsonsinger, authorFounding member of the Supremes who grew up in Detroit's Brewster-Douglass projects and stayed with the group longer than any other original member.
Sports · born 1940Larry Brownbasketball coachHall of Fame coach who led the Pistons to the 2004 NBA championship over the Lakers, the only coach to win both NCAA and NBA titles.
Sports · born 1987Meryl Davisice dancer, Olympic championRoyal Oak-born ice dancer who, with childhood friend Charlie White, trained in metro Detroit and won America's first Olympic ice-dance gold in 2014.
Sports · born 1993Andre Drummondbasketball player, centerDominant rebounder who spent eight seasons anchoring the Pistons' frontcourt, becoming the franchise's all-time leader in offensive rebounds and a two-time NBA All-Star.
Auto industry · 1861–1947William C. Durantfounder of General Motors, co-founder of ChevroletFlint carriage king who founded General Motors, co-founded Chevrolet in Detroit and ordered the giant GM headquarters on West Grand Boulevard.
Film & TV · 1937–2012Chad EverettactorTV heartthrob Dr. Joe Gannon of Medical Center, who grew up in Dearborn, graduated from Fordson High and studied at Wayne State.
Film & TV · born 1962Paul Feigdirector, writer, producer, actorBridesmaids director and Freaks and Geeks creator who grew up in Mount Clemens and based his cult series on his years at Chippewa Valley High School.
Sports · born 1994Jerami Grantbasketball player, forwardForward who became a Pistons focal scorer for two seasons, developing into a go-to offensive option during Detroit's rebuilding years.
Film & TV · born 1965Butch Hartmananimator, writer, producerCreator of The Fairly OddParents and Danny Phantom, born in Highland Park and raised in Roseville and New Baltimore in Macomb County.
Film & TV · born 1957Laura Innesactress, television directorER's Dr. Kerry Weaver and an Emmy-nominated TV director, born in Pontiac and raised in Birmingham, where she graduated from Seaholm High School.
Music · 1923–1999Milt Jacksonjazz vibraphonist, composerDetroit-born vibraphonist who brought church-rooted blues feeling to bebop and became a founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet.
Music · 1918–2010Hank Jonesjazz pianist, bandleader, composerPontiac-raised pianist, eldest of the Jones brothers with Thad and Elvin, who accompanied Ella Fitzgerald, backed Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" and appeared on about a thousand recordings.
Comedy · born 1961Tim Meadowscomedian, actorTen-season Saturday Night Live veteran from Highland Park and Detroit's Conant Gardens, who learned improv at the Soup Kitchen Saloon and later moved back to the city.
Sports · born 1990Greg Monroebasketball playerPistons power forward-center for five seasons who was the last Detroit player to wear No. 10 before it was retired for Dennis Rodman.
Film & TV · born 1977Michael Raymond-JamesactorDetroit-born actor of True Blood, Terriers and Once Upon a Time, a 1996 graduate of Clarkston High School.
Music · 1931–2017Della Reesesinger, actress, television host, ministerBlack Bottom-born singer who went from Detroit gospel choirs and the Flame Show Bar to pop hits, her own talk show and Touched by an Angel.
Politics · 1907–1995George W. Romneyautomobile executive, governor of MichiganDetroit auto-industry spokesman and American Motors chief who became Michigan's governor (1963–1969) and later U.S. housing secretary.
Film & TV · born 1962Grant ShowactorDetroit-born actor who played brooding mechanic Jake Hanson on Melrose Place and tycoon Blake Carrington in the Dynasty reboot.
Music · 1945–1970Tammi TerrellsingerPhiladelphia-born Motown singer, discovered by Berry Gordy at Detroit's 20 Grand, whose duets with Marvin Gaye include "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".
Film & TV · born 1937Marlo Thomasactress, producer, author, activistThat Girl star and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital champion, born in Detroit while her father Danny Thomas was a struggling local radio and club entertainer.
Film & TV · 1925–1971Martha Vickersactress, modelCarmen Sternwood of The Big Sleep (1946), born Martha MacVicar in Ann Arbor and briefly raised in Detroit.
Film & TV · 1943–2019Max WrightactorALF's harried father Willie Tanner, born in Detroit and raised in Southfield, where he starred in high school musicals; he returned to act at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre in 2007.
Music · born 1977Royce da 5'9"rapper, songwriterDetroit rapper and Eminem's partner in Bad Meets Evil, whose debut album Rock City was named after his hometown's musical past.
Literature · born 1956Katherine Applegatechildren's and young-adult authorNewbery Medal–winning author of The One and Only Ivan and creator of the Animorphs series, born in Ann Arbor on the western edge of the Detroit metropolitan region.
Music · 1943–1976Florence BallardsingerDetroit-born founding member of the Supremes who named the group, sang on nine No. 1 hits and died in her hometown at 32 as a comeback was beginning.
Sports · 1939–2013Walt Bellamybasketball player, centerHall of Fame center and 1961 Rookie of the Year who spent parts of two seasons with the Pistons after a blockbuster trade for Dave DeBusschere.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 ↗