List of Famous people born in Oklahoma, United States of America
Danny Hodge
Daniel Allen Hodge was an American wrestler and boxer. He is renowned for his wrestling career, both amateur and professional. He was born and raised in Perry, Oklahoma, where he continued to live. He was famous for the ability to crush apples with one hand, a feat which he demonstrated live on ESPN during the 2006 NCAA Wrestling Championships. He said his strength was due to having double tendons in his hands.
Olivia Hooker
Olivia Juliette Hooker was an American psychologist and professor. She was one of the last known survivors of the Tulsa race massacre of 1921, and the first African-American woman to enter the U.S. Coast Guard in February 1945. She became a SPAR, a member of the United States Coast Guard Women's Reserve, during World War II, earning the rank of Yeoman, Second Class during her service. She served in the Coast Guard until her unit was disbanded in mid-1946; she went on to become a psychologist intern at a women's correctional facility and a clinical professor at Fordham University.
Elizabeth Garrett
Helen Elizabeth Garrett, commonly known as Elizabeth Garrett or Beth Garrett,, was an American professor of law and academic administrator. Between 2010 and 2015, she served as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Southern California. On July 1, 2015, she became the 13th president of Cornell University—the first woman to serve as president of the university. She died from colon cancer on March 6, 2016, the first Cornell president to die while in office.
Sterling Shepard
Sterling Clay Shepard is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma. Shepard was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Clu Gulager
William Martin "Clu" Gulager is an American television and film actor and director. He first became known for his work in television, appearing in the co-starring role of William H. Bonney in the 1960–1962 NBC television series The Tall Man and as Emmett Ryker in another NBC Western series, The Virginian. He later had a second career as a horror film actor, including a lead part in Dan O' Bannon's The Return of the Living Dead (1985). He also was in A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985). In 2005 he started acting in his son's horror films -- the Feasts movies and Piranha DD -- in his 80s.
Bennie G. Adkins
Bennie Gene Adkins was a United States Army soldier and recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Vietnam War. In March 1966 Adkins distinguished himself during a 38-hour close-combat battle against North Vietnamese Army forces during the Battle of A Shau. At the time of the cited action, Adkins was a sergeant first class serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces.
Ryan Helsley
Ryan Dalton Helsley is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2019.
Sheila Kuehl
Sheila James Kuehl is an American politician, former actress, comedienne and currently the member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the 3rd District. In 1994, she became the first openly gay California legislator. Two years later, George magazine named her one of the 20 most fascinating women in politics and the California Journal selected her as "Rookie of the Year." The following year, she became the first woman in California history to be named Speaker pro tempore of the California State Assembly. In 1998 and 2000, the California Journal chose her as the Assembly member with the greatest intelligence and the most integrity. During this time, she was twice selected to speak about family violence and diversity at the Democratic National Conventions.
Chad Johnson
Brian Chad Johnson is an American reality television personality. He has been a contestant on The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Famously Single and Celebrity Big Brother UK. He also starred in the second season of MTV's Ex on the Beach.
John Starks
John Levell Starks is an American former professional basketball shooting guard. Starks was listed at 6'5" and 190 pounds during his NBA playing career. Although he was undrafted in the 1988 NBA draft after attending four colleges in his native Oklahoma, including Oklahoma State University, he gained fame while playing for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association in the 1990s.