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Famous people · Worcester

Performers stand out among the 28 famous people born in Worcester

At the top of the list is the American physicist Robert H. Goddard, covered in 83 languages. Elizabeth Bishop, the American poet, comes second, with Alicia Witt third. Between 1920 and 1969, 14 were born, the most of any period. Born in 1882, Robert H. Goddard is the first name on record, and Matt Mobley, born in 1994, the most recent.

#1 best knownRobert H. GoddardScience & Medicine · 1882–1945
+24more
Born here
28
notable people
Best known
Robert H. Goddard
in 83 Wikipedia languages
First
1882
Robert H. Goddard
Youngest
1994
Matt Mobley
Most common field
Film, TV & Stage
8 people
Also called it home
3
notable residents

What stands out about Worcester’s famous people

★ What stands out · Known for

What Worcester is known for

The field furthest above the usual share is performers, at 3 times.

The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.

The best known

Born in Worcester

Three names lead: Robert H. Goddard (83 languages), Elizabeth Bishop (59) and Alicia Witt (47).

Robert H. Goddard#1
Science & Medicine

Robert H. Goddard

1882–1945

American physicist

83 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Elizabeth Bishop#2
Writing & Arts

Elizabeth Bishop

1911–1979

American poet

59 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Alicia Witt#3
Film, TV & Stage

Alicia Witt

born 1975

American actress and singer-songwriter

47 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years

When Worcester’s famous people were born

More were born in the 1950s than in any other decade: 5.

Mills & railroadsThe American centuryToday190019502000Alicia WittRonald DworkinRobert H. GoddardElizabeth BishopJohn Adams
Film, TV & StageSportsWriting & ArtsMusicNotableScience & MedicinePolitics & Law

Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.

Everyone

Everyone else born in Worcester

Still to come: 25 more, from 1886 to 1994.

Arthur Kennedy

Arthur Kennedy

1914–1990

American actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Ronald Dworkin

Ronald Dworkin

1931–2013

American legal philosopher

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Denis Leary

Denis Leary

born 1957

American actor and comedian

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
NG

Noah Gordon

1926–2021

American writer

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
ES

Erik Sullivan

born 1991

American actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
LA

Lillian Asplund

1906–2006

One of the last three living survivors:RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912

DH

Diana Der Hovanessian

1934–2018

Armenian American poet, translator, and author

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
SS

Scott Silver

born 1964

American film director and screenwriter

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
DB

Dorothy Bridges

1915–2009

Actress and poet from the United States

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
WH

Wallace Harrison

1895–1981

American architect

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
SR

Susan Rojcewicz

born 1953

Olympic medalist in basketball

GH

George Howe

1886–1955

American architect and educator

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
MB

Michael Bradley

born 1979

American basketball player and coach

SB

Samuel Flagg Bemis

1891–1973

American historian

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
CB

Cedric Ball

born 1968

American basketball player

JM

James Maxwell

1929–1995

American actor, theatre director and writer

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
MM

Matt Mobley

born 1994

American basketball player

RS

Renee Sands

born 1974

American singer and actress

MM

Michael McGrath

1957–2023

American actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
SS

Stanley Stutz

1920–1975

American basketball player

A chosen home

Also called Worcester home

Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Worcester, though born elsewhere.

Bob Cousy

Bob Cousy

born 1928

American basketball player and coach

JO

Jack O'Connell

1959–2024

American author

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
WJ

Winthrop Jordan

1931–2007

American historian

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

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Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

The best known from each town bordering Worcester.

From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Worcester and whose English Wikipedia article agrees, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. People known mainly for crimes, and adult performers, aren’t listed. “The usual town” = everyone born in the towns gathered so far.

Photo credits (11)