#140 famous people from Tulsa, many of them performers
At the top of the list is the American actress Jennifer Jones, covered in 66 languages. Close behind are Blake Edwards and Martin Gardner. 29 of them were born between 1920 and 1969, more than in any other period. Fewer than a quarter of the 296 towns in Oklahoma with famous people list more.
What stands out about Tulsa’s famous people
What Tulsa is known for
Performers stand out most, at 4.8 times the usual share.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Born in Tulsa
Performers take two of the three places.
#1
#2Blake Edwards
1922–2010American film director, screenwriter and producer
#3Martin Gardner
1914–2010American mathematics and science writer
When Tulsa’s famous people were born
No decade has more births than the 1920s, at 9.
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone else born in Tulsa
Here are 37 more, born from 1920 to 1996.












Naomi Parker Fraley
1921–2018American factory worker, likely the inspiration for the "We Can Do It!" poster
No one matches both filters.
Also called Tulsa home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Tulsa, though born elsewhere.

Paul Ray Ramsey
born 1963American political vlogger, YouTuber and public speaker
Who’s the most famous person from Tulsa?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Be the first to say who Tulsa’s most famous person is.
Famous people from the towns next door
Of the towns around it, Sapulpa has the most on record: 12.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Tulsa 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 (19)
- Jennifer Jones: Studio Publicity, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Blake Edwards: Photo by G. K. Austin, Burbank, CA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Martin Gardner: RobertoTenore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Garth Brooks: Toglenn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Hader: Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ryan Tedder: Burtontedder, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Goldberg: Adam Rickert, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Tim Blake Nelson: GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Wade Williams: watchwithkristin, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Daniel Patrick Moynihan: U.S. Congress, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Heather Langenkamp: GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cornel West: DarrellNance, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Malese Jow: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America. Edited (cropped) by Haltiamieli., CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Markwayne Mullin: U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Larry Drake: Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Anita Bryant: Russ Busby / Word Records, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Melinda Mercado: KazLovesPinoe, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kristin Chenoweth: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mae Young: Yagobo79 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons


