#1Famous people · St. Louis
22 famous people from St. Louis, many of them performers
T. S. Eliot, the US-British poet, is the most widely known, written about in 159 languages. Behind the leader come Maya Angelou and Josephine Baker. 11 of them were born between 1920 and 1969, more than in any other period. Births since 1970 account for 7 of the names.
Born here
22
notable people
Best known
T. S. Eliot
in 159 Wikipedia languages
First
1888
T. S. Eliot
Youngest
1998
Sexyy Red
Most common field
Film, TV & Stage
8 people
Also called it home
9
notable residents
What stands out about St. Louis’ famous people
Known worldwideT. S. Eliot has an article in 159 languages, more than anyone else from here.A town of performers8 of the 22 people born here are performers, 3.9× the usual share.Still making names11 were born since 1950, the youngest in 1998.A chosen home9 more notable people chose to live in St. Louis, including Tennessee Williams.
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in St. Louis
Two of the three are writers and artists.
#1
#2Writing & Arts
Maya Angelou
1928–2014American poet, author, and civil rights activist
145 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Film, TV & Stage
Josephine Baker
1906–1975American-born French dancer, singer and actress
98 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for
What St. Louis is known for
Set against the usual town, performers come out 3.9 times as common.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Through the years
When St. Louis’s famous people were born
Births peak in the 1940s, with 4 people born in that decade.
Film, TV & StageMusicWriting & ArtsScience & MedicineSportsNotable
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in St. Louis
19 more, 7 of them performers.
Steven Chu
born 1948American physicist, former United States Secretary of Energy, Nobel laureate
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Marilyn vos Savant
born 1946American magazine columnist, author and lecturer
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Oliver Nelson
1932–1975American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader
MusicWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called St. Louis home
9 notable people born elsewhere made the town home, Tennessee Williams the best known.
Guy Davenport
1927–2005American novelist, short story writer, poet, illustrator, translator, teacher
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from St. Louis?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Your pick
No picks yet
Be the first to say who St. Louis’ most famous person is.
Or tell us
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Nearby, East St. Louis has the most on record, with 53.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is St. Louis 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)
- T. S. Eliot: Thomas Stearns Eliot with his sister and his cousin by Lady Ottoline Morrell.jpg: Lady Ottoline Morrell (1873–1938) derivative work: Octave.H, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Maya Angelou: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Josephine Baker: Studio Harcourt, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Steven Chu: Department of Energy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Taylor Momsen: Ralph Arvesen, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Roger D. Kornberg: Рустем Кадыров, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kevin Kline: Gordon Vasquez of RealTVfilms, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tennessee Williams: Orlando Fernandez, World Telegram staff photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jimmy Connors: John Mathew Smith & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Franciscus: CBS Television, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Reginald Hudlin: Luigi Novi, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons