You May Be Surprised To Learn These 12 Famous People Are From Cleveland
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Conor Battles
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Nearly 400,000 people live in Cleveland right now. While there’s not much of a chance that every one of those people will end up world-famous, Cleveland is certainly no stranger to celebrities. You’d be surprised at just how many rock stars, Hollywood luminaries, sports legends, and other notable figures called Cleveland home at some point. In fact, you might not even know that some of them ever lived here, like:
This daytime TV fixture and beloved host of Family Feud got his start performing stand-up on the Cleveland comedy circuit. Believe it or not, he spent some time homeless in Cleveland before he got his first big break hosting "It's Showtime At The Apollo."
One of the most iconic figures in the history of American comedy, the English-born Bob Hope emigrated to Cleveland at a young age, and based much of his early Vaudeville material on his childhood experiences growing up in the city.
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Another legendary fixture in the annals of Hollywood, Newman started his acting career by appearing in plays like "Robin Hood" as a child growing up in Cleveland.
Although he's most famous as a Golden State Warrior, Steph Curry took his first jump shots on the Buckeye State. While his father, Hornets legend Dell Curry, would eventually move the family to North Carolina, Steph spent a fair amount of time here.
It's no coincidence that the birthplace of rock and roll is also the hometown of one of American rock music's all-time greats. While not every member of the Eagles is from Cleveland, we can at least lay claim to the band's legendary founder.
Before he was a staple of daytime television and the biggest proponent of alternative medicine in the country, Mehment Oz was born in Cleveland to Turkish immigrants. His path from Cleveland to Oprah to worldwide recognition is a fascinating story.
One of the most groundbreaking cult figures in the history of late-night comedy would never have made it so far were it not for the lifetime of experiences he had growing up in the Cleveland area.
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A Clevelander through and through, this famous actor, game show host, and comedian was famously expelled from nearby Kent State University three separate times. From there, he joined the Marines, learned he had an aptitude for telling jokes, and the rest is (hilarious) history.
One of Hollywood's brightest stars, Halle Berry has done it all: from electrifying the audience as Storm of the X-Men to lighting up the screen as a Bond girl, Berry has brought classic Cleveland charm and grace to Hollywood.
This renowned rapper followed his "Pursuit of Happiness" out of a rough childhood in Shaker Heights to a position as one of the biggest rappers in the game.
While "The King" is most famous as a legend of Memphis wrestling and an icon of the South, he spent the bulk of his childhood in Cleveland, and has made multiple appearances to throw out the first pitch at Indians games over the years.
The star of "Empire" was born in Chicago, but spent the majority of his youth enduring a rough childhood in Cleveland. An abusive upbringing and poor conditions didn't stop him from becoming a beloved fixture of such films as "Crash" and "Hustle and Flow," making him one of Cleveland's finest exports.
Can you think of any other famous figures that lived in Cleveland? Tell us who you can come up with in the comments.
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