You May Be Surprised to Know These 30 Famous People Are From Nebraska

Nebraska is well-known for its prairies, corn fields, and wide-open spaces, but it's also produced some of the most famous people, too. From athletes to actors to politicians and innovators, the Cornhusker State has shaped these well-known celebrities into the remarkable people they are today.

Do you know of any famous people from Nebraska? If not, take a look at the following 30 celebrities from our great state and see if any ring a bell. Many were born and raised in our unique Nebraska culture, or lived here at some point in their lives. Even if they've long since moved away, they still make us so proud.

Actors and Entertainers From Nebraska That Might Look Familiar

Plenty of famous Hollywood stars came from humble beginnings in Nebraska. They come from all different generations, and have made their name in the film, TV, and dance industries in immeasurable ways. Here are the top actors and entertainers from the Cornhusker State.

1. Legendary Dancer and Actor Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire was born in Omaha in 1899. He was an American singer, actor, dancer, and choreographer, most well-known as the "greatest popular music dancer of all time." His trademark ballroom dancing style greatly influenced the American dance industry, and he was featured in films such as Top Hat (1935) and The Band Wagon (1953). He won several awards for his outstanding work and was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in 1972. Astaire passed away in June 1987 at the age of 88. Now, his memory is honored through the variety of Fred Astaire Dance Centers throughout the country.

2. Beloved Actor Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando was also born in Omaha, but in 1924. He may have moved to Illinois at six years old, but it seems his early life in the Cornhusker State had a profound effect on him. Despite his tumultuous upbringing, he grew up to become one of the greatest American actors of his time. He starred on Broadway in the early 1940s and went on to get his big film break in Warner Brothers Rebel Without a Cause in 1947. Other films include Julius Cesar in 1953, the film adaptation of Guys and Dolls in 1955, and his western directorial debut, One-Eyed Jacks in 1961.

3. Comedian, Actor, and Television Host Johnny Carson

Even though Johnny Carson was born in Iowa, the infamous TV host Johnny Carson was raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, where he practiced card tricks and magic acts on his family and friends. He went on to study at the University of Nebraska, where he simultaneously got jobs writing radio comedy programs in the area. Eventually, he moved to Los Angeles, where his entertaining career took off. His first big break was a game show on ABC called "Who Do You Trust," which drew attention from the TV producers behind "The Tonight Show" later on, which he hosted for nearly four decades!

4. Television Host Dick Cavett

The famous TV host was born in 1936 in Gibbon, Nebraska, a small town of less than 2,000 residents. He later moved to Grand Island and then Lincoln, Nebraska, throughout his youth, and went on to study at the Yale School of Drama. Eventually, he moved to New York City to try stand-up comedy and famously wrote for comedians Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, another famous Nebraska celebrity. He helped shape the structure of late night television with his ingenious comedic stylings.

5. Mannheim Steamroller Musician Chip Davis

Chip Davis may have been born in Ohio in 1947, but he moved to Omaha in the early 1970s. He's a classically trained musician who got his start making jingles for an Omaha ad agency and went on to get a recording contract, which resulted in a few solo albums. His claim to fame is helping create the "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas," which has sold more than six million copies and won a Grammy Award. Now, he resides in Omaha with his wife and family.

6. Actor and Comedian, Adam DeVine

DeVine was born in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1983, but he graduated from Omaha's Millard South High School in 2002. Despite being a Hollywood star, he spent most of his childhood biking around Omaha, and even endured a bike accident there at age 11. Now, he's a popular American actor, producer, and screenwriter, and is most known for creating the shows Workaholics and Adam DeVine's House Party on Comedy Central. He's best known for starring in the Pitch Perfect movie franchise and as Andy Bailey in Modern Family.

7. Actor David Doyle, aka 'Bosley' on Charlie's Angels

David Doyle was born in Omaha in 1929 and spent the majority of his childhood living in Nebraska with his loving family. He spent two years studying Latin at the University of Nebraska, and then went on to attend New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in 1950 to start his acting career. He's most known for his character John Bosley in the 1970s hit Charlie's Angels. Here he is pictured with his cast members. He died in 1997 at 67 years old.

8. Academy Award-Winning Actor Henry Fonda

American actor Henry Fonda was born in 1905 in Grand Island, Nebraska, a fairly large city in south-central Nebraska. His professional life began as a journalist in Nebraska, but he decided to pursue acting at the Omaha Community Playhouse, which was founded by Marlon Brando's (another NE celebrity) mom, Dorothy Brando. Then, in the 1920s, he joined Broadway and starred in several classic Hollywood films throughout his illustrious career. He's also the father of celebrity actor, activist, and fitness entrepreneur Jane Fonda!

9. TV and Movie Actress Marg Helgenberger

Marg Helgenberger was born in the small town of Fremont, Nebraska, in 1958. She then moved to the town of North Bend, which she considers her hometown. Unlike other celebs on this list, Helgenberger is likely still in touch with many Nebraska sayings and slang, since she got her start as a local news weather girl right here in the Cornhusker State! She graduated from Northwestern University's drama program and landed her first dramatic role in the soap opera Ryan's Hope in 1975. Nowadays, she's most known for playing a crime scene investigator in the show CSI.

10. 'The Walking Dead' Actress Emily Kinney

Another modern-day actor, Emily Kinney, was born in Wayne, Nebraska, in 1985. Her childhood in Nebraska was fairly simple until she decided to pursue theater studies at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. From there, she moved to New York City and starred in her first Broadway production called Spring Awakening. She also released an EP in 2011 called Blue Toothbrush—the same year she started working on the hit TV show, The Walking Dead.

11. Emmy Award-Winning Actress Swoosie Kurtz

American actress Swoosie Kurtz was born in Omaha in 1944, but she didn't stick around Nebraska for long. Her father was in the U.S. Air Force, so her family moved around a lot when she was young. Despite not having much connection to the Cornhusker State, we still take pride in her being technically from here. Like Kinney, Kurtz began her career in live theater and has collected the Broadway "triple crown": a Tony, a Drama Desk award, and an Outer Critics Circle award. She has since moved into TV and film, and has been nominated several times of Emmys and Golden Globes.

12. Comedian Larry the Cable Guy

You can't get more Nebraska than Larry the Cable Guy, aka Daniel Lawrence Whitney. Larry (pictured on the right above) was born in Pawnee City, Nebraska, in 1963 and grew up on a farm his whole childhood. His family raised pigs and livestock in Nebraska until 1978, and even though they moved to Florida thereafter, Whitney returned to attend the University of Nebraska. He dropped out to pursue his comedy career and has been featured on several shows, in movies, and as Tow Mater in the Disney animated movie, Cars.

13. Musician Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes

Decorated musician Conor Oberst was born in Omaha in 1980. He was raised in Nebraska public schools, where he was involved in choir, and went on to attend a few semesters at the University of Nebraska before jumping into his music career full-time. While he's most known for fronting the indie band Bright Eyes, he's also been in several smaller rock bands and has co-founded several record labels. He attributes much of his music taste to the regional bands he grew up listening to in the Cornhusker State. He currently splits his time between Omaha and Los Angeles.

14. Director and Screenwriter, Alexander Payne

Another Omaha celebrity, Alexander Payne, was born right here in Nebraska in 1961. The famous director and Academy Award-winning screenwriter lived in Omaha until college. After graduating from UCLA film school, it was his mission to film movies in his home state. His first movie, Citizen Ruth, has flashes of Nebraska license plates throughout, and his movie Election was filmed in Omaha and other Nebraska towns, including Papillion, Elkhorn, and Bellevue. Now, he's considered a decorated director and an Academy Award-winning screenwriter.

15. Indie Singer-Songwriter Elliott Smith

Steven "Elliott" Smith may have moved around a lot in his youth, but he was born in Omaha in 1969. People may not think of the singer-songwriter as a Nebraskan, yet we happily claim him as one of our own. In his early youth, Smith moved to Texas, and then to Portland, Oregon, at 14, where he became involved in the local music scene. He started an indie rock band called Heatmeiser and broke out solo shortly after. Unfortunately, Smith tragically died at the age of 34, but his legacy and emotional music live on.

16. Academy Award-Winning Actress Hilary Swank

Hilary Swank's time in Nebraska was short-lived, but she was born and raised here until she was six. She was born in Lincoln in 1974 and then lived in Washington state, where she partook in several local theater gigs. Swank and her mother moved to Los Angeles during her teen years to dive into her acting career. Her breakout roles were in The Next Karate Kid in 1994 and Boys Don't Cry in 1999, for which she won an Oscar. She's also the third-youngest woman in history to win two Academy Awards for "Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role."

Famous Athletes and Coaches From Small-Town Nebraska

Several professional athletes and coaches have come from Nebraska, dating back to the 1930s. From football to tennis and wrestling, Nebraska sports enthusiasts may have heard about these famous people. But if you haven't read on for more.

17. Professional Baseball Player Wade Boggs

Wade Boggs was born in Omaha in 1958, but isn't super well-known for his Nebraska roots. He's most famous for being a 12-time All-Star third baseman. After graduating from Plant High School in Tampa, Florida, Boggs went on to play for the Boston Red Sox for 18 years. Eventually, he won the World Series while playing for the New York Yankees in 1996, and then played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, Boggs has since retired and settled down in Tampa.

18. Former Huskers Football Coach, Bob Devaney

Bob Devaney is as Nebraska as it gets! He was the famous head coach for the University of Nebraska's football team from 1962 to 1972. He made the team two-time National Champions and is widely recognized as an integral part of the team's long-term success. After coaching, he served as the university's director of athletics from 1967 to 1993, and in 1981, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, he lived in Lincoln from 1962 until he died in 1997.

19. Retired St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher, Bob Gibson

Bob Gibson, a famous baseball player, was born in Omaha in 1935. He went on to become the first Black basketball and baseball player at Creighton University—a private university in Omaha—and then signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and the Harlem Globetrotters. As a professional baseball player, he received eight All-Star selections and racked up stats that made him one of the greatest MLB players of our time. He became a coach in his retirement until he passed away in 2020 at 84 years old.

20. Memorable Professional Wrestler Gorgeous George

George Wagner, also known as "Gorgeous George," was a famous professional wrestler. Born in Butte, Nebraska, in 1915, Wagner began wrestling to earn a living during the Great Depression. He wasn't necessarily skilled, so he turned to more of a performance-style wrestling, which modern-day fans may recognize as WWE wrestling. Wagner passed away in 1963 at the age of 48, but his wrestling persona still greatly influences the industry today. Even boxer Muhammad Ali reported that Wagner influenced his persona.

21. Legendary Football Player and Cornhuskers Coach, Tom Osborne

Another Nebraska football legend, Tom Osborne, was born in Hastings in 1937. He was the quarterback at Hastings College, where he was named the state's College Athlete of the Year in 1959. After playing professionally for a few years, he joined Bob Devaney's coaching team at the University of Nebraska in 1962, when he simultaneously got his master's and doctorate degrees in educational psychology. He took on the role of Nebraska's head coach until he retired in 1997. Talk about an impressive Nebraska accomplishment!

22. Retired Professional Tennis Player Andy Roddick

Legendary tennis champion Andy Roddick was born in Omaha in 1982. He didn't live in Nebraska for long—he moved to Texas at age 4 with his family, and then to Boca Raton, Florida, where he graduated high school in 2000. Throughout his tennis career, Roddick won several Grand Slam tournaments, 32 titles to be exact, and became No. 1 in men's singles tennis by the Association of Tennis Professionals for 13 straight weeks. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017, and continues to inspire the next generations of tennis stars to this day.

Authors and Historical Figures From Nebraska

Beyond athletes, actors, and musicians, there are also authors and historical figures who hail from the Cornhusker State. We're home to several astronauts, businessmen, philanthropists who have greatly impacted the world. Here are some unexpected famous folks from Nebraska who might just live within the pages of our textbooks.

23. Astronaut Clayton Anderson

Clayton Anderson was born in Omaha in 1959, but he considers Ashland to be his hometown. He studied physics at Hastings College in 1981 and joined NASA in 1983, where he helped design space shuttles and International Space Station (ISS) missions. But he didn't just study spacecraft—he also went to space! In 2007, he spent five months aboard the ISS and went on three spacewalks with fellow astronauts. We're pretty stoked that he's a Nebraskan.

24. Celebrated Frontier Author Willa Cather

Willa Cather was born in Virginia in 1873, but lived in Webster County, Nebraska, from the age of 9. After graduating from high school, she attended the University of Nebraska to become a doctor. But once she submitted an essay to the school's Lincoln Journal, she decided she wanted to be a writer instead. She became a journalist and an influential novelist who depicted life on the frontier—her most famous work was a series called Prairie Trilogy, which featured the books O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, and My Antonia. She even won a Pulitzer Prize.

25. Crazy Horse, Oglala Lakota Sioux Warrior

Crazy Horse, an Oglala Lakota Sioux Warrior, was the chief of his band of warriors who fought just before the Battle of the Little Bighorn. He lived in South Dakota, but after fighting against a battalion of U.S. soldiers over land, he was imprisoned and killed in 1877 in territory now known as Nebraska. Crazy Horse is a notable historic figure in Nebraska's origin story, though a memorial honoring his feats is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

26. Author and Founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard

L. Ron Hubbard was born in Tilden in 1911, a quiet, rural town in northeast Nebraska. But his family moved to Montana shortly thereafter. He served in the Navy during World War II, where he gained inspiration for his book Dianetics, published in 1950. This work helped him create the theological framework for the Church of Scientology in 1954. Hubbard remains the figurehead of the religion, which has spread worldwide. He never returned to his Nebraska roots, spending his final days on a yacht in California.

27. Prolific Author and Screenwriter Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks, one of the greatest romance novelists of our time, was born in Omaha in 1965. While his family moved to California when he was eight, we still like to imagine that the beauty of the Cornhusker State inspired his love stories. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, he became a salesman but still had a dream of writing. His first published novel was The Notebook in 1996, which quickly became a New York Times bestseller and an eventual movie. Other famous works include A Walk to Remember, The Last Song, Lucky One, The Longest Ride, and more.

Famous Politicians and Leaders from Nebraska

Several notable politicians and figureheads were born in rural Nebraska. While many of them moved away in their early childhood, the culture, values, and community of small-town Nebraska still certainly influenced their future careers. Here are three people, including one former president, who were born right here in the Cornhusker State.

28. Businessman and Philanthropist Warren Buffett

Known as the "Oracle of Omaha," Warren Buffett was born in Omaha in 1930 and is as Nebraskan as they come. Not only was he born to U.S. Representative Howard Buffett of Nebraska, but he also graduated from the University of Nebraska and applied his business chops to one of the greatest things invented in Nebraska—the textile manufacturer Berkshire Hathaway. He took over the company in 1965 and turned it into an industry giant. Despite becoming one of the world's wealthiest men, he also generously gives back. He created The Giving Pledge with Bill Gates in 2010, becoming a well-known philanthropist across the country.

29. Former Vice President Dick Cheney

Former Vice President Dick Cheney was born in Lincoln in 1941. He was the 46th Vice President of the U.S., working alongside President George W. Bush in the early 2000s. While he was born in Nebraska, he grew up in Wyoming and went on to receive his degree in political science at the University of Wyoming. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1968, and served many roles, including President Gerald Ford's chief of staff from 1975 to 1977. Many people didn't expect him to become the vice presidential candidate for Bush, as he was part of the candidate search process. Cheney passed away in 2025.

30. U.S. President Gerald Ford

Former President Gerald Ford was a Nebraska man. While he was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he was born in Omaha in 1913. A talented student and football player, Ford graduated from the University of Michigan in 1935 and was about to play professionally. Instead, he decided to coach at Yale University, where he received his law degree in 1941. He became a lawyer in Michigan, joined the U.S. Naval Reserve, and eventually became a U.S. House Representative in 1948. His political career led to taking over as president after Richard Nixon in 1974, following the Watergate scandal. He died in 2006 in California.

There you have it: 30 famous people born in the Cornhusker State. Looking for more things you can only find in Nebraska? Read more Nebraska articles we have on our website, or take a road trip through the state yourself to learn more about its unique culture and history.