Pennsylvania has been the birthplace of many famous Americans. They are of course referred to as Pennsylvanians. This state is the sixth most populous state in the United States.
There are many notable people who were born in this state or who spent a significant time in this state including authors, poets, writers, actors, journalists, astronauts, athletes, musicians, choreographer, composers, comedians, actors, inventors, painters, baseball players, secretary of state, band leaders, anthropologists, generals, football players, military officers, figure skaters, dancers, economist, playwrights, frontiersmens, biologist, indian experts, and sculptors.
I have never seen so many musicians from one state, including those from bands like Poison, Breaking Benjamin, Fuel, Pink, Taylor Swift, Will Smith, and many others! You will see more people from this category listed as well.
Below you will find the most notable careers and people who spent time in or were born in Pennsylvania.
ACTORS
Kevin Bacon, Bill Cosby, Gene Kelly, John Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, Peter Boyle, Charles Bronson, Steve Burns, Tina Fey, Richard Gere, Shirley Jones, Jamie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Seth Green, Gene Kelly, Jeff Goldblum, Cheri Oteri, Christine Taylor, Jonathon Taylor Thomas, Will Smith, Dennis Miller, Jayne Mansfield, Sharon Stone, Penny Singleton, James Stewart, and M. Night Shyamalan.
ARTISTS
There are many artists like George Caitlin, Alexander Calder, Stuart Davis, Franz Kilne, Martin Johnson Heade, Maxfield Parrish, Charles Sheeler, Man Ray, Jerry Harris, Charles Demuth, Keith Haring, Thaddeus Mosley, Philip Pearlstein, William Stanley Haseltine, William Glackens, Thomas Eakins, N.C. Wyeth, Jamie Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, John Sloan, Andy Warhol, and Grover Simcox.
ASTRONAUTS
Patricia Hillard Robertson, Paul J. Weitz, Paul W. Richards, Micheal Fincke, Pete Conrad, Theodore Freeman, and Pete Conrad.
ATHLETES
There is a long, extensive list of athletes from this state. These are just a few. Reggie Jackson, Joe Amato, Sid Bream, Gary Brown, Kobe Bryant, Steve Bilko, Fred Biletnikoff, Steve Blackman, Kyle Brady, Marco Andretti, John Andretti, Fred Biletnikoff, Lavar Arrington, Charlie Batch, Kurt Angle, Billy Cox, Chuck Daly, Kerry Collins, Mike Ditka, Aaron Gray, Ken Griffey Sr, Ken Griffey Jr, Peter Gruner, Tom Herr, Richard Hamilton, Marvin Harrison, Nellie Fox, Dan Conners, Keith Dorney, Jim Furyk, Marques Colston, Wilt Chamberlain, Ray Caldwell, and Fred Biletnikoff.
AUTHORS
Includes great writers like Louisa May Alcott, John Updike, Rachel Carson, John O’Hara, Gerald Stein, Marianne Wiggins, August Wilson, Ida Tarbell, James Morrow, Lisa Scottoline, James A. Michener, Henry Meyer, Martin Cruz Smith, John Edgar Wideman, Lauren Weisberger, Wallace Stevens, Kristin Hunter, Tristan Egolf, Dean Koontz, Condra Richter, Annie Dillard, Bebe Moore Campbell, Charles Brockden Brown, and Owen Wister to name just a few!
CONSERVATIONISTS
Joseph Rothrock, Inky Moore, and Paul R. Ehrlich.
FILMMAKERS
Tigre Hill, Richard Rossi, and Adam McKay.
MUSICIANS
Daryl Hall and John Oates, Chubby Checker, Cinderella, Boyz II Men, Frankie Avalon, Christina Aguilera, Justin Guarini, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Young Gunz, Fuel, Jim Croce, Perry Como, Cassidy, Vanessa Carlton, The Clarks, Stan Getz, Breaking Benjamin, Anti-Flag, The Bloodhound Gang, Sister Sledge, Tom Rundgren, Beanie Sigel, Trent Reznor, poison, Pink, Lisa Lopes, Patti LaBelle, Chris Kirkpatrick, Live, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Joan Jett, The Hooters, Teddy Pendergrass, Shanice, Silvertide, The Roots, Rusted Root, Musiq Soulchild,, Mirah, Allan Jones, Bill Haley & His Comets, Boby Vinton, Taylor Swift, Will Smith, Pat Monahan (Train), and so many more!
RADIO AND TELEVISION
Debra Fox (TV anchor), Jon & Kate Plus 8, Marilyn Horne, Suzy Kolber, Jeanne Moos, Christ Matthews (broadcast journalist), and this list goes on.
Other famous Pennsylvania notables include :
Betsy Griscom Ross, the Flagmaker from Philadelphia. Daniel Boone the frontiersmen from Reading. Gene Kelly the dancer and actor was from Pittsburg
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