List of people from Little Rock, Arkansas

Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Little Rock native

The following people were all born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with the city of Little Rock, Arkansas (categorized by area in which each person is best known):

Actors, musicians and others in the entertainment industry

Actors

• Broncho Billy Anderson (1880-1971), born in Little Rock, actor, writer, director, and producer.
• Jon Beavers, (born 1984), actor best known for playing Twist of Nick Jr. and live stage show The Fresh Beat Band.
• Frank Bonner (born 1942), actor and television director best known for playing sales manager Herb Tarlek on the classic TV sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati.^[1]
• Daniel Davis (born 1945), actor best known for playing Niles the Butler on the television program The Nanny.^[2]
• Gil Gerard (born 1943), actor best known for playing Captain William "Buck" Rogers in 1979–1981 television series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.^[3]
• John LeCompt (b. 1973), musician, part of Little Rock scene with bands like Evanescence.
• Amy Lee (b. 1981), lead singer of Evanescence.^[4]
• Lil' JJ, actor, comedian, rapper, has show on Nickelodeon called Just Jordan.^[5]
• Josh Lucas (born 1971), actor, Sweet Home Alabama, Poseidon, Glory Road, was born in the city.
• Roger Mobley (born 1949), child actor, Fury and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, reportedly living in the Little Rock area since 2015.
• Corin Nemec (born 1971), actor best known for playing Parker Lloyd Lewis in 1990s TV series Parker Lewis Can't Lose and Jonas Quinn in Stargate SG-1.
• George Newbern (born 1964), actor, Adventures in Babysitting, Father of the Bride, was born in the city.
• Mary Steenburgen (born 1953), actress and Academy Award winner, Melvin and Howard, The Help, Step Brothers, Last Vegas, was born in Newport, Arkansas.

Music

• American Princes, whose record, Other People, was named Magnet magazine's #1 album of 2008, is based in Little Rock
• Richard B. Boone (1930-1999) was a jazz musician and scat singer
• Evanescence and Ho-Hum have their roots in Little Rock
• Living Sacrifice, a Christian death, thrash and metalcore band that formed in 1989 in Little Rock
• Art Porter, Jr., (1961-1996), jazz saxophonist
• Art Porter, Sr., (1934–1993), jazz pianist; father of jazz saxophonist Art Porter, Jr.
• Cory Brandan Putman, lead vocalist for Grammy-nominated band Norma Jean and ex-guitarist for Living Sacrifice, a metal band based in Little Rock
• The Sludge metal band Rwake (signed to Relapse Records) was formed in Little Rock
• Pallbearer, a doom metal band from Little Rock
• 187Gang, rap super group founded in Little Rock, members are King Will, Ca$h Bill$ and Purp Cobain
• Spitta Tre' Hill, hip hop artist and songwriter
• Pharoah Sanders, jazz saxophonist
• Towncraft is a documentary on the 1990s Little Rock punk rock scene
• Jason Truby, ex-guitarist for the band P.O.D., also in Little Rock-based band Living Sacrifice
• Jason White, Green Day's backup guitarist (particularly for American Idiot tour and 21st Century Breakdown tour), born in Little Rock
• Lenny Williams, R&B singer
• Grand Funk Railroad's song "We're an American Band" mentions Little Rock: "Out on the road for forty days / Last night in Little Rock put me in a haze."^[6]
• Yuni Wa, producer and DJ, born and raised in Little Rock

Other entertainers

• Matt Besser (born 1967), comedian, born in the city.
• Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (born 1947), film and television producer and director best known for TV series Designing Women; she and her husband Harry Thomason are close friends of Bill and Hillary Clinton.
• John Braden (1949–2004), a writer, producer, and director of movies and television programs, was born in the city.
• Jim Dickinson, a record producer, pianist and singer, was born in the city.
• Danielle Evans is a fashion model who won Cycle 6 of UPN's America's Next Top Model.
• Tammy Graham (born 1968), singer and pianist, born in the city.
• David Gordon Green (born 1975), filmmaker, born in the city.
• Lee Elhardt Hays (1914–1981), folk singer and songwriter for The Weavers, born in the city.
• Al Hibbler (1915–2001), a blind singer who worked eight years with Duke Ellington before becoming a soloist; civil rights activist in 1950s and 1960s, was born in the city.
• Bill Hicks (1961–1994), comedian, lived and died in the city
• Jon Hynes, classical pianist, native of the city
• SL Jones, southern rapper, born in Flint, Michigan and raised in Little Rock
• Amy Lee, lead singer of alternative rock band Evanescence.
• Smokie Norful, gospel recording artist, born in the city.
• Frank Page, radio broadcaster, KLRA, prior to 1947: later with KWKH in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he introduced Elvis Presley in 1954 to national radio audience of Louisiana Hayride.
• Fatima Robinson, dance choreographer, known for music videos for R&B singer Aaliyah, and in Dreamgirls.
• Harry Thomason (born 1940), a film and television producer and director best known for TV series Designing Women he and wife Linda Bloodworth-Thomason are close friends of Bill and Hillary Clinton; was a Little Rock high school speech teacher and football coach.

Artists

• Catherine Tharp Altvater, artist and first woman to hold office in the American Watercolor Society; born in Little Rock^[7]
• Charlotte Moorman (1933–1991) was an American cellist, performance artist, and advocate for avant-garde music was born in Little Rock

Sports people

Baseball

• Glenn Abbott (born 1951), a baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1973–1981 and 1983–1984, was born in the city.
• Bill Dickey (1907–1993), a Major League Baseball player and manager in the Baseball Hall of Fame after playing his entire career with the New York Yankees, lived much of his life in the city.
• Torii Hunter, Major League Baseball player
• Randy Jackson (born 1926), a Major League Baseball player^[8]
• Kevin McReynolds (born 1959), outfielder/designated hitter who played for San Diego Padres and New York Mets, was born in the city.^[9]
• Brooks Robinson, began his career at Lamar Porter Field, Hall of Fame third baseman for Baltimore Orioles from 1955 to 1977; born in Little Rock in 1937^[8][10]

Basketball

• Hubert "Geese" Ausbie (b. 1938), longtime player with the Harlem Globetrotters^[11]
• Derek Fisher, professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder, former head coach for the New York Knicks^[12]
• Joe Johnson, NBA basketball player^[13]
• Sidney Moncrief, basketball player for Arkansas Razorback and NBA's Milwaukee Bucks; born in Little Rock in 1957^[14]

Football

• Jamaal Anderson (born 1986), defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL; former high school football star for Little Rock Parkview^[15]
• Reggie Arnold (born 1987) running back for the Arkansas State Red Wolves football team^[16]
• Walt Coleman, National Football League referee and owner and operator of Coleman Dairy; known for playoff game between Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots which incorporated the "Tuck Rule"
• August Curley (born 1960), NFL player^[17]
• Steve Foley (born 1975), a professional linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, is a former resident.
• Chris Harris, (born Chris Harris) NFL player^[18]
• Keith Jackson (born 1965) NFL player for Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, and Green Bay Packers^[19]
• Jerry Jones (born 1942), owner of the Dallas Cowboys^[20]
• Ken Kavanaugh (born 1916) was a professional football player, 1940–1950, for the Chicago Bears.
• Darren McFadden (born 1987), a running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League, was born in the city.
• Houston Nutt,(born 1957), coach of University of Arkansas Razorbacks football team from 1997 to 2007, also coached Ole Miss; born in Little Rock^[21]
• Lawrence Phillips (1975-2016), an American and Canadian football running back, was born in the city; died in prison.
• Vince Warren, (born 1963) NFL wide receiver, member of New York Giants' winning Super Bowl team.

Other sports

• Kortney Clemons, b.1980), American Paralympic athlete and Iraq War Veteran.
• Glen Day, PGA Tour golfer, winner of 1999 Heritage at Hilton Head, South Carolina.
• Rolando Delgado (born 1981), mixed martial artist.
• John Kocinski (born 1967), motorcycle road racer who won 1990 250cc World Championship and 1997 World Superbike title, was born in the city
• Jermain Taylor (born 1978), professional boxer and Middleweight Champion of the World in 2005, was born in the city.^[22]
• Michael Tinsley (born 1984), a professional track runner specializing in the 400m hurdles. Silver medalist at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2013 World Championships.

Writers, journalists

• Margot Adler, a journalist born in Little Rock.
• Joe Bob Briggs, pseudonym and persona of John Irving Bloom (born 1953), a syndicated film critic, writer and actor, was raised in the city.
• Dee Brown (1908–2002), a novelist and historian whose most famous work is Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, grew up partly in the city.
• Helen Gurley Brown (1922–2012), an author, publisher, and businesswoman who was editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 32 years, lived in the city.^[23]
• Craig Durrett (1955-2015), journalist with The Monroe News-Star (1983-1987), The Arkansas Gazette (1987-1991, its closing) and The Shreveport Times (1978-1983 and 1991-2012)^[24]
• John Gould Fletcher (1886–1950), a Pulitzer Prize-winning Imagist poet and author, was born in the city.
• Fred Graham (born 1931), chief anchor and managing editor of Court TV, was born in the city.
• E. Lynn Harris (born 1955), a gay, black author with five novels that hit The New York Times Best Seller list, was raised in Little Rock.
• Charles B. MacDonald (1922–1990), United States Army officer of World War II, and military historian.
• Mercer Mayer (b.1943), an author and illustrator of children's book Little Critter series and There's a Nightmare in My Closet.
• Robert Palmer (born 1945), a journalist, author of books about music and a musician, was born in the city.
• Charles Willeford (1919–1988), an author of detective novels and other books, was born in the city.

Politics, government, military

• Wayne H. Babbitt (1928 – 1994), veterinarian, Republican politician, GOP nominee against U.S. Senator John L. McClellan in 1972.
• Daisy Bates (1914 – 1999), a civil rights leader, journalist, publisher, and author who lived in the city.
• Rick Beck (born 1956), Republican member of Arkansas House of Representatives for Conway and Perry counties, born in Little Rock.^[25]

• Roswell Beebe (1795 – 1856), mayor, alderman, benefactor, president of Cairo and Fulton Railroad.^[26]
• Charles J. Blake, Democratic African-American member of Arkansas House of Representative from a portion of Little Rock; chairman of Daisy Bates Holiday Committee^[27]
• Shelby Brewer, top nuclear official in Reagan Administration from 1981 to 1984.^[28]
• Len E. Blaylock (1918 – 2012), Republican political activist, gubernatorial nominee in 1972, state party chairman; lives in Perry County.
• Drew Bowers (1886 – 1985), Little Rock lawyer, Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1926 and 1928.
• Kelly Bryant (1908–1975), Arkansas Secretary of State from 1963 until his death in office.
• Preston Bynum (born 1939), lobbyist and former Republican former member of Arkansas House.

Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States.

• Marvin Childers (born 1961), former Arkansas state representative from Mississippi County, lawyer and poultry industry lobbyist in Little Rock.
• Wesley Clark (born 1944), 2004 presidential contender and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Commander; born in Chicago under the name Wesley Kanne but a graduate of Hall High School in Little Rock^[29]
• Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States and previously Governor of Arkansas, lived in the city.
• Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator from New York, 2016 presidential candidate, wife of Bill Clinton, former first lady of state and U.S.; lived in the city.
• Chelsea Clinton (born 1980 in Little Rock), daughter of Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton.^[30]
• Thomas James Churchill (1824–1905), a Confederate States of America major general during American Civil War, governor, moved to the city in 1848.
• Osro Cobb, lawyer, Republican politician from Montgomery County and later Little Rock.
• Sterling R. Cockrill, Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, 1967-1968; Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, 1970.
• Bob Cohee (1938 – 2013), Republican state party chairman in 1982; county judge of Baxter County, former Little Rock resident.
• Ken Coon, Republican Party activist, gubernatorial candidate, state party chairman and a Little Rock psychologist and educator.
• William A. Culpepper, Louisiana state court judge, retired to and died in Little Rock.^[31]
• Andy Davis, Republican member of Arkansas House of Representatives from District 31 in Pulaski and Saline counties since 2013; civil engineer and businessman in his native Little Rock.
• Lynn A. Davis (1933 – 2011), attorney, lecturer, and head of the state police in 1967, who cleared Hot Springs of illegal gambling, was the U.S. marshal in Little Rock, 1969–1974.^[32]
• Les Eaves (born c. 1967), member of the Arkansas House of Representative for White Countty; former Little Rock resident.^[33]
• Clay Ford (1938 – 2013), member of Arkansas House of Representative from Pulaski County from 1975 to 1976; member of Florida House of Representatives from 2007 until his death; lawyer.
• Orval Faubus (1906 – 1994), a six-term Arkansas governor known for his 1957 stand against integration of Little Rock schools in defiance of United States Supreme Court rulings. Native of Madison County, lived in Conway, Arkansas, in later years.
• Vivian Flowers (born c. 1969) - African-American Democratic member of Arkansas House of Representatives from Pine Bluff; diversity officer at UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock.^[34]
• Carlos Hathcock (1942 – 1999), a legendary Marine sniper during the Vietnam War.
• Kenneth Henderson - Republican member of Arkansas House of Representatives for Pope County; real estate developer in Russellville, former resident of Little Rock and graduate of UALR.^[35]
• Thomas C. Hindman (1828 – 1868), a U.S. Representative representing Arkansas and a Major General for Confederacy during the American Civil War; assassinated in 1868.
• Missy Irvin (born 1971), Republican member of Arkansas State Senate from Stone County since 2011; born in Little Rock.
• Jim Keet, state legislator from Little Rock, Republican gubernatorial nominee against incumbent Mike Beebe in 2010 general election^[36]
• Allen Kerr (born 1954), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Pulaski County; insurance agent in his native Little Rock; state insurance commissioner.
• Douglas MacArthur GCB (1880–1964), iconic general and Medal of Honor recipient, Supreme Commander of Allied forces in the South West Pacific Area during World War II; born in Little Rock^[37]
• Sheffield Nelson, businessman and Republican politician.
• Albert Pike (1809 – 1891) an attorney, soldier, writer, Freemason; only Confederate military figure honored with a statue in Washington D.C, once lived in Little Rock.
• Wade Rathke, founder and chief organizer of ACORN, a nationwide poverty advocacy group for the poor that grew out of efforts he started in Little Rock.
• Pratt C. Remmel (1915 – 1991), businessman and only Republican mayor of Little Rock in the 20th century; GOP candidate for governor against Orval Faubus in 1954. He was born, lived, and died in Little Rock and is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery.
• John Selden Roane (1817 – 1867), Confederate Brigadier General during the Civil War, governor of Arkansas; died in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and is buried at Oaklawn Cemetery in Little Rock.
• Tommy F. Robinson, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives^[38]
• Winthrop Rockefeller (1912 – 1973), businessman, philanthropist, and the first Republican governor of Arkansas since Reconstruction and the grandson of John D. Rockefeller, lived in the city and in Conway County.
• David J. Sanders (born 1975), Republican state senator from District 15, Baptist education official in Little Rock.
• Jim Sorvillo (born 1948), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 32 in Pulaski County.
• Wallace Townsend (1882 – 1979), Republican national committeeman from Arkansas from 1928 to 1961, Little Rock attorney.
• Leona Troxell (1913 – 2003), longtime Republican national committeewoman from Arkansas and associate of Winthrop Rockefeller, lived in Rose Bud in White County.
• Carmen Twillie (born 1959) lawyer and politician, dean of Douglass College.

Others

• Ben M. Bogard, clergyman, founder of American Baptist Association, pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, a founder of Missionary Baptist Seminary, both in Little Rock^[39]
• Fulham Davies (1890–1973), Merrill Lynch broker in Little Rock; kept office intact during Great Depression
• Connie Hamzy, groupie
• E. Fay Jones, (1921–2004), architect, designer and an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright^[40]
• David Levering Lewis, historian, Julius Silver University professor and Professor of History at New York University and recipient of two Pulitzer Prizes^[41]
• Frank Pace, Jr. (1912-1988), first president of Corporation for Public Broadcasting
• Scott E. Parazynski (born 1961), astronaut
• Alison Rogers, New York City real estate agent and author
• Christian Rudder, co-founder, with three others, of dating site OkCupid^[42]
• Richard Thalheimer, founder and CEO of Sharper Image; raised in Little Rock

References

1. ↑ Frank Bonner at the Internet Movie Database
2. ↑ Biography for Daniel Davis at the Internet Movie Database
3. ↑ Gil Gerard at the Internet Movie Database
4. ↑ Biography for Amy Lee at the Internet Movie Database
5. ↑ Lil' JJ at the Internet Movie Database
6. ↑ "We're An American Band Lyrics – Grand Funk Railroad". Lyricsfreak.com. Retrieved 2012-03-04. 
7. ↑ "Catherine Tharp Altvater". .askart.com. Retrieved 6 September 2013. 
8. 1 2 Reichler, Joseph L., ed. (1979) [1969]. The Baseball Encyclopedia (4th ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing. ISBN 0-02-578970-8. 
9. ↑ "Kevin McReynolds". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 9 September 2013. 
10. ↑ "Brooks Robinson". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 9 September 2013. 
11. ↑ "Hubert "Geese" Ausbie". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 6 September 2013. 
12. ↑ "Derek Fisher". www.basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
13. ↑ "Joe Johnson". www.basketball-reference.com. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
14. ↑ "Sidney Moncrief". NBA Media Ventures. Retrieved 9 September 2013. 
15. ↑ "Jamaal Anderson". University of Arkansas. Retrieved 6 September 2013. 
16. ↑ "Reggie Arnold". Arkansas State Red Wolves. Retrieved 6 September 2013. 
17. ↑ "AUGUST CURLEY". profootballarchives.com. Retrieved November 17, 2014. 
18. ↑ "Chris Harris". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
19. ↑ "Keith Jackson". pro-football-reference.com. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
20. ↑ "Jerry Jones". Notable Names Data Base. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
21. ↑ Houston Nutt at the Internet Movie Database
22. ↑ "Jermain Taylor". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 9 September 2013. 
23. ↑ Scanlon, Jennifer (2009). Toff, Nancy, ed. Bad Girls Go Everywhere: The Life of Helen Gurley Brown. Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-19-534205-5. 
24. ↑ John Andrew Prime (May 11, 2015). "Craig Durrett, veteran journalist, dies". The Shreveport Times. Retrieved May 15, 2015. 
25. ↑ "Rick Beck". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 8, 2015. 
26. ↑ "Roswell Beebe". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 6 September 2013. 
27. ↑ "Charles Blake". arkansashouse.org. Retrieved April 16, 2015. 
28. ↑ "Shelby Brewer". presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 6 September 2013. 
29. ↑ "Wesley Clark". A+E Television Networks, LLC. Retrieved 7 September 2013. 
30. ↑ Chelsea Clinton at the Internet Movie Database
31. ↑ "Judge William Albright Culpepper". The Alexandria Town Talk. October 7, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015. 
32. ↑ "Lynn A. Davis". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Retrieved 7 September 2013. 
33. ↑ "Leslie Dale Eaves". intelius.com. Retrieved April 3, 2015. 
34. ↑ "Vivian Flowers". arkansashouse.org. Retrieved April 15, 2015. 
35. ↑ "Ken Henderson". arkansashouse.org. Retrieved April 8, 2015. 
36. ↑ "Jim Keet". Arkansas Business Limited Partnership. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
37. ↑ "Douglas MacArthur". www.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 9 September 2013. 
38. ↑ "Tommy F. Robinson". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 9 September 2013. 
39. ↑ "Benjamin Marcus Bogard (1868–1951)". encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Retrieved August 4, 2013. 
40. ↑ "E. Fay Jones". The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 8 September 2013. 
41. ↑ "David Levering Lewis". The HistoryMakers. Retrieved 9 September 2013. 
42. ↑ "Talk of the Town: Brave New World," New Yorker, Aug. 25, 2014, p. 19.