Do you live in a city or town/area that is known for some famous people?  And I don't mean like New York or Hollywood or places where famous people are known to be

Nah, not really. The only two people I can think of may be (very) famous in my country, but are hardly known elsewhere.

First, there's Ard Schenk, a former speed skater -triple Olympic Champion, triple World Champion and triple European Champion.
He was born in Anna Paulowna, a small village less than 10 miles from where I live.

The other one is Anton Pieck (1895 - 1987), a painter, artist and graphic artist, who was born in Huisduinen (which basically is a quarter of Den Helder nowadays). He was responsible for the look and layout of the Fairytale Forest Park De Efteling, the largest theme park of The Netherlands, attracting some 4 million visitors each year.

Well, obviously I don't know everything... :-Edward W. Bok, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, was born in Den Helder, as were Nobel Prize-winning physicist Gerard 't Hooft and former ABA/NBA player Swen Nater.

But perhaps the most famous (of his time) was Dorus Rijkers (1847 - 1924), a lifeboat captain, most famous for his sea rescues of 487 shipwrecked victims over a total of 38 rescue operations, and at least 25 before joining the lifeboat-service.

In the city I live:

Killer Kowalski( for all you wrestling fans) lived here until his demise a couple of years ago. 

Gary Cherone who played for a while with Extreme and Van Halen(his brother teaches Special Ed at our high school)

Ed Ames- Actor

Norman Greenbaum- "Spirit in the Sky"

Frank Stella - Artist

RUN DMC is from Hollis Queens.

From the city I live:
Tam (inthe00s moderator) :D
Bryan Adams
The Tragically Hip (rock band; Their biggest success outside of Canada was the 1993 song Courage that reached #18 on the US Rock chart)
Bedouin Soundclash (rock band; They reached UK #24 in 2006 with When the Night Feels My Song)
Polly Shannon (she played Abby Taylor in the first two Jesse Stone TV movies)
Don Cherry
Kirk Muller
Doug Gilmour
David Usher (lead singer for rock band Moist; They reached UK #20 in 1995 with Push)
Paul Bernardo (He went to University here and currently resides in Kingston Penitentiary)
Karla Homolka (Wife of Bernardo.  She was housed in Kingston's Prison for Women until 1997)
Dan Aykroyd (He was not born here, but he has a summer home here and at one time had his own restaurant downtown)
Donna Dixon (Co-star of the 80s sitcom Bosom Buddies.  She was not born here but has a summer home here with her husband Dan Aykroyd)
Zal Yanovsky (The late guitarist and founding member of The Lovin' Spoonful; He was not born here, but moved here in the 70s and opened his own restaurant which is still in operation)
Hugh Dillon (star of the TV series Flashpoint; First gained fame as lead singer for 90s rock band The Headstones)
Simon Whitfield (Olympic Gold Medalist)
Ryan Malcolm (lead singer for the band Low Level Flight and also the first winner of the reality series Canadian Idol)
Sir John A. MacDonald (first Prime Minister of Canada)
Deanna Johnston (7th place contestant on Rock Star: INXS and one of the house vocalists on The Singing Bee when it was on NBC)


From neighbouring towns:
Cliff Edwards (lead singer for The Bells.  They reached US #7 in 1971 with Stay Awhile)
Frances Ford Seymour (Widow of Henry Fonda; Mother of Peter and Jane Fonda)
Currie Graham (You may best recognize him as Mark Warner, the husband of Dr. House's ex-girlfriend Stacy on House, M.D.)
Ian Millar (Olympic Silver Medalist in Equestrian)
Avril Lavigne (She was also born in the same city as me)


From the city/area I was born (which is about 75km from here):
Lee Aaron (Heavy metal queen of the 80s)
Bobby Hull
Brett Hull
Brian Orser (retired Olympic figure skater)
Farley Mowat (Author)
Col. Russell Williams (He currently resides in Kingston Penitentiary)
John Weldon (Animator; Won the 1979 Oscar for animated short Special Delivery)
Elizabeth Manley (retired Olympic figure skater)


There are also many more current and retired NHL hockey players, but that list would be about 50 more people.  I only went with the known legends

Mt. Ephraim used to to be home to many pro ball players playing for philadelphia teams, Haddonfield is that town now.

Neighboring towns:

Haddon Heights was home to Willie Mosconi (pro pool player) and Steven Speilberg (film director).

Audubon is the home of Joe Flacco (NFL quaterback) and Merle Reagle (Crossword constructor).

Michael Landon and Kelly McGillis called Collingswood home for awhile.

From the town I was born and spent 40 years of my life:

Camden was home to Walt Whitman (essayist, poet), Nick Virgilio (haiku poet), Mike Rozier (NFL), Rawley Eastwick (MLB)
Richard Hollingshead (inventor of the drive-in theater), Dajaun Wagner (NBA), and Dwight Muhammad Qawi (Dwight Braxton-
light heavy weight boxer).

Do you live in a city or town/area that is known for some famous people?  And I don't mean like New York or Hollywood or places where famous people are known to be


I know famous people live in Santa Barbara but I'll still play...

Famous Santa Barbara-ians:

Katy Perry
Eric Stolz  (was not born in California but went to middle/high school here)
Anthony Edwards
Cole Hauser
Alex Linz ( kid actor from One Fine Day & Liar Liar) his dad is a professor at UCSB

This was news to me... Dishwalla is an American alternative rock band based out of Santa Barbara, CA.
Toad the Wet Sprocket

I know famous people live in Santa Barbara but I'll still play...

Famous Santa Barbara-ians:

Katy Perry
Eric Stolz  (was not born in California but went to middle/high school here)
Anthony Edwards
Cole Hauser
Alex Linz ( kid actor from One Fine Day & Liar Liar) his dad is a professor at UCSB

This was news to me... Dishwalla is an American alternative rock band based out of Santa Barbara, CA.
Toad the Wet Sprocket


I didn't think you were allowed to live in your neck of the woods without being a little famous.  ;D

I mentioned Nick Virgilio for one reason. To me he was just a Little League Baseball coach who wanted badly
for me to be on his team. He constantly told my parents how he wished I played for Nick's Astros but I was a Lenny
because my brother was before me. It wasn't until later in life that I found out he was an internationally known haiku
poet who was credited to popularizing the Japanese style of poetry in the U.S.. He was also a radio personality who
did some work with Jerry Blavet, The Geater With The Heater.

From the city I live:
Tam (inthe00s moderator) :D
Bryan Adams
The Tragically Hip (rock band; Their biggest success outside of Canada was the 1993 song Courage that reached #18 on the US Rock chart)
Bedouin Soundclash (rock band; They reached UK #24 in 2006 with When the Night Feels My Song)
Polly Shannon (she played Abby Taylor in the first two Jesse Stone TV movies)
Don Cherry
Kirk Muller
Doug Gilmour
David Usher (lead singer for rock band Moist; They reached UK #20 in 1995 with Push)
Paul Bernardo (He went to University here and currently resides in Kingston Penitentiary)
Karla Homolka (Wife of Bernardo.  She was housed in Kingston's Prison for Women until 1997)
Dan Aykroyd (He was not born here, but he has a summer home here and at one time had his own restaurant downtown)
Donna Dixon (Co-star of the 80s sitcom Bosom Buddies.  She was not born here but has a summer home here with her husband Dan Aykroyd)
Zal Yanovsky (The late guitarist and founding member of The Lovin' Spoonful; He was not born here, but moved here in the 70s and opened his own restaurant which is still in operation)
Hugh Dillon (star of the TV series Flashpoint; First gained fame as lead singer for 90s rock band The Headstones)
Simon Whitfield (Olympic Gold Medalist)
Ryan Malcolm (lead singer for the band Low Level Flight and also the first winner of the reality series Canadian Idol)
Sir John A. MacDonald (first Prime Minister of Canada)
Deanna Johnston (7th place contestant on Rock Star: INXS and one of the house vocalists on The Singing Bee when it was on NBC)


From neighbouring towns:
Cliff Edwards (lead singer for The Bells.  They reached US #7 in 1971 with Stay Awhile)
Frances Ford Seymour (Widow of Henry Fonda; Mother of Peter and Jane Fonda)
Currie Graham (You may best recognize him as Mark Warner, the husband of Dr. House's ex-girlfriend Stacy on House, M.D.)
Ian Millar (Olympic Silver Medalist in Equestrian)
Avril Lavigne (She was also born in the same city as me)


From the city/area I was born (which is about 75km from here):
Lee Aaron (Heavy metal queen of the 80s)
Bobby Hull
Brett Hull
Brian Orser (retired Olympic figure skater)
Farley Mowat (Author)
Col. Russell Williams (He currently resides in Kingston Penitentiary)
John Weldon (Animator; Won the 1979 Oscar for animated short Special Delivery)
Elizabeth Manley (retired Olympic figure skater)


There are also many more current and retired NHL hockey players, but that list would be about 50 more people.  I only went with the known legends



the only names on your list I recognize are Tam, Bryan Adams and Hugh Dillon. 


and maybe Bobby Hull....did he play hockey or something?

RUN DMC is from Hollis Queens.


As Young MC says in his song "Know How"  He was born in England and raised in Hollis Queens

                          Born in England, raised in Hollis, taught to go for myself

I didn't think you were allowed to live in your neck of the woods without being a little famous.  ;D




I snuck in while they were busy celebrating each other!  lol


I mentioned Nick Virgilio for one reason. To me he was just a Little League Baseball coach who wanted badly
for me to be on his team. He constantly told my parents how he wished I played for Nick's Astros but I was a Lenny
because my brother was before me. It wasn't until later in life that I found out he was an internationally known haiku
poet who was credited to popularizing the Japanese style of poetry in the U.S.. He was also a radio personality who
did some work with Jerry Blavet, The Geater With The Heater.

never heard of him  :-\\

Did I mention I spent a year in the Film Studies program with Jack Johnson...course I didn't know him, nor had any clue until he gave a concert here a couple years ago that we probably crossed paths thousands of times.
Interesting article about his time here


Famous UCSB alumni:

Benjamin Bratt (Law & Order)
Michael Douglas (yeah...Kirk's son)
Don Hertzfeldt (Academy Award nominated animator)
Gwenyth Paltrow
Jim Rome (sports announcer)
Eric Roth (writer, Forest Gump & Munich)
Scott Frank (writer, Out of Sight, Minority Report, & The Lookout)
Harvey Levin (TMZ)

and a bunch of people I didn't know you may know.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_California,_Santa_Barbara_people

never heard of him  :-\\


I would've been surprised if you did but then again how many poets are really famous.

The sack of kittens                    Lily:
Sinking in the icy creek              Out of the water
Increases the cold                    Out of itself         

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjq6TmbTabc

I went to high school with three of the members of the 80's band Pretty Poison, a mild hit with Catch Me I'm Falling,
they too were from Camden does that count?  ;D

the only names on your list I recognize are Tam, Bryan Adams and Hugh Dillon. 


and maybe Bobby Hull....did he play hockey or something?


Bobby Hull was a NHL player yes. His son is Brett Hull. 

You don't know of Dan Aykroyd or Avril Lavigne? :o

Bobby Hull was a NHL player yes. His son is Brett Hull. 

You don't know of Dan Aykroyd or Avril Lavigne? :o


Your list was too long. Guess I missed those  :P

Famous people from Westmoreland County (which is the county I live in) and Allegheny County (Pittsburgh, PA)

Actress, Frances McDormand
Actress, Shirley Jones
Actress, Angela Jones (was in Pulp Fiction)
Lillian Peacock, who was a silent film actress, was actually from Scottdale (where I live).
Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers)
Jeff Goldblum
Michael Keaton
Gene Kelly
Comedian, Dennis Miller
Comedian, Marty Allen
Christina Aguilera
Brett Michaels


Meh, the list goes on and on. Here's a link to check out the rest, lol:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_the_Pittsburgh_metropolitan_area