Famous Nebraskans

Famous People Born in Nebraska

See our top list of the most famous people from Nebraska. We’ve chosen people like athletes, actors, civil rights activists, scientists and people from other walks of life that have come from the “The Cornhusker State”.

Grace Abbott social worker, Grand Island
Grover Cleveland Alexander baseball pitcher, Saint Paul
Fred Astaire dancer, actor, Omaha
Max Baer boxer, Omaha
Bil Baird puppeteer, Grand Island
George Beadle geneticist, Wahoo
Marlon Brando actor, Omaha
Warren Buffett investor, Omaha
Dick Cavett TV entertainer, Gibbon
Montgomery Clift actor, Omaha
James Coburn actor, Laurel
Sandy Dennis actress, Hastings
Mignon Eberhart author, Lincoln
Harold Edgerton inventor, Fremont
Ruth Etting singer, actress, David City
Henry Fonda actor, Grand Island
Gerald Rudolph Ford U.S. president, Omaha
Jay W. Forrester inventor, Climax
Bob Gibson baseball player, Omaha
Hoot Gibson actor, Tememah
Howard Hanson composer, conductor, Wahoo
Leland Hayward producer, Nebraska City
David Janssen actor, Naponee
Susette La Flesche artist, Omaha
Francis La Flesche ethnologist, Omaha
Frank W. Leahy football coach, O’Neill
Malcolm X civil rights advocate, Omaha
Irish McCalla actress, Pawnee City
Dorothy McGuire actress, Omaha
Nick Nolte actor, Omaha
Roscoe Pound educator, legal scholar, Lincoln
Red Cloud Indian rights advocate, leader
Mari Sandoz author, Sheridan Cty
Standing Bear Indian rights advocate, leader
Inga Swenson actress, Omaha
Robert Taylor actor, Filley
Paul Williams singer, composer, actor, Omaha
Don Wilson announcer, Lincoln
Julie Wilson singer, actress, Omaha
Darryl F. Zanuck film producer, Wahoo