List of Famous people born in Illinois, United States of America
Tempestt Bledsoe
Tempestt Bledsoe is an American actress. She is best known for her childhood role as Vanessa Huxtable, the fourth child of Cliff and Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1984–92). In December 2010, it was announced that Bledsoe would be the host of Clean House on the Style Network, replacing long-time host Niecy Nash. From September 2012 to February 2013, she was one of the stars of the NBC TV sitcom Guys with Kids, portraying Marny.
Jay Pritzker
Jay Arthur Pritzker was an American entrepreneur, conglomerate organizer, and member of the Pritzker family.
Mike Brown
Michael Steven Brown is an American former professional ice hockey right winger.
Philip Kaufman
Philip Kaufman is an American film director and screenwriter who has directed fifteen films over a career spanning more than six decades. He has been described as a "maverick" and an "iconoclast," notable for his versatility and independence. He is considered an "auteur", whose films have always expressed his personal vision.
Pontiac
Pontiac or Obwaandi'eyaag was an Odawa war chief known for his role in the war named for him, from 1763 to 1766 leading Native Americans in an armed struggle against the British in the Great Lakes region due to, among other reasons, dissatisfaction with British policies. It followed the British victory in the French and Indian War, the American front of the Seven Years' War. Pontiac's importance in the war that bears his name has been debated. Historical accounts from the 19th century portrayed him as the mastermind and leader of the revolt, but some subsequent scholars argued that his role had been exaggerated. Historians today generally view him as an important local leader who influenced a wider movement that he did not command.
Bill Kaysing
Bill Kaysing was an American writer and scientist who claimed that the six Apollo Moon landings between July 1969 and December 1972 were hoaxes, and so a founder of the Moon landing conspiracy theories.
Jessica Harper
Jessica Harper is an American actress, producer, and singer. Harper began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise (1974), My Favorite Year (1982), as well as a role in Inserts (1975). She is best known for her portrayal of Suzy Bannion, the protagonist of Dario Argento's giallo cult classic Suspiria (1977), and appeared in a supporting role in Luca Guadagnino's 2018 remake.
Landry Bender
Landry Bender is an American actress. She is known for playing the role of Cleo Bernstein in the Disney XD series Crash & Bernstein, and playing Blithe Pedulla in the 2011 film The Sitter. Bender played one of the lead roles, Cyd, in the 2015–2016 Disney Channel sitcom Best Friends Whenever. In 2017, she started playing Jackson Fuller's girlfriend Rocki in the Netflix original series, Fuller House.
Bob Davidson
Robert Allan Davidson is a former umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed "Balkin' Bob" and "Balk-a-Day Bob" for his tendency to liberally invoke baseball's balk rule, Davidson was an umpire on the National League (NL) staff from 1982 to 1999, and he was on the combined MLB umpiring staff from 2005 to 2016. He worked one World Series (1992) and several other postseason series.
Stan Albeck
Charles Stanley Albeck was an American professional basketball coach. Albeck coached for several teams in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA), including the Denver Rockets, the San Diego Conquistadors,, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the San Antonio Spurs, the New Jersey Nets, and the Chicago Bulls.