Comedy · born 1953Tim Allencomedian, actorHome Improvement star and voice of Buzz Lightyear who grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, learned stand-up in Detroit's clubs and set his hit sitcom in suburban Detroit.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
- 270 Detroit places
- 7 fields
Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
10 people
Clear filtersComedy · born 1953Tim Allencomedian, actorHome Improvement star and voice of Buzz Lightyear who grew up in Birmingham, Michigan, learned stand-up in Detroit's clubs and set his hit sitcom in suburban Detroit.
Literature · born 1958Mitch Albomauthor, newspaper columnist, radio host, philanthropistDetroit Free Press columnist since 1985 and author of Tuesdays with Morrie, whose charities have funded shelters, clinics and homes across Detroit.
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.
Film & TV · born 1953Curtis Armstrongactor, voice actorDetroit-born actor famous as Booger in Revenge of the Nerds, who grew up in Berkley and trained at Oakland University's Academy of Dramatic Art.
Music · 1957–2017Geri Allenjazz pianist, composer, educatorPontiac-born, Detroit-raised jazz pianist and educator, a Cass Tech graduate and protégée of trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, who became one of the most original pianists of her generation.
Sports · born 1959Mark Aguirrebasketball playerThree-time All-Star traded to Detroit for Adrian Dantley in 1989, becoming a key role player as the Pistons won back-to-back NBA championships.
Music · born 1959Joseph Alessiclassical trombonistDetroit-born trombonist who has been principal trombone of the New York Philharmonic since 1985 and is one of the most influential orchestral trombonists of his time.
Music · born 1955Pheeroan akLaffjazz drummer, percussionist, educatorDetroit-born drummer, born Paul Maddox, who started in Detroit and Ann Arbor funk and R&B bands and became a leading drummer of American creative jazz.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 ↗