List of people from San Diego, California facts for kids

This is a list of famous people who were born, spent a majority of their life, or currently live in San Diego, California, USA.

A

• Marcus Allen, professional football player, CBS Sports analyst
• Concetta Antico, artist

B

• David Bailey, professional motocross racer
• Dr. Charlotte Johnson Baker, San Diego's first practicing woman physician
• Dr. Fred Baker, physician, founder of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
• Khalif Barnes, professional football player
• Arlene Baxter, model and actress
• Billy Beane, general manager of Oakland Athletics, portrayed by Brad Pitt in Moneyball
• The Bella Twins, WWE Divas and former Divas champions
• Belle Benchley, director of San Diego Zoo
• Annette Bening, actress
• Kurt Benirschke, pathologist and geneticist
• Rolf Benirschke, professional football player
• Doug Benson, professional comedian
• Noah "Wuv" Bernardo, drummer for P.O.D.
• Mayim Bialik, actress
• Tony Bill, actor, director, and Academy Award-winning producer
• Stephen Bishop, musician
• Ron Blair, musician, original bassist of band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
• Hank Blalock, professional baseball player
• Jolene Blalock, actress, Star Trek
• blink-182, rock band
• Kim Bokamper, professional football player
• Bob Boone, MLB catcher
• Tim Bradstreet, artist and illustrator
• Debbie Bramwell-Washington, IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Charles Brandes, investment manager, billionaire
• Madge Bradley, attorney and judge; first woman appointed to San Diego County bench
• Allison Bradshaw, professional tennis player
• Lucille Bremer, actress
• Drew Brees, professional football player, San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints
• Adam Brody, actor, The O.C.
• Bill Brown, music composer
• Victor Buono, actor
• Charles F. Buddy, first bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, University of San Diego founder
• Chase Budinger, professional basketball player
• Ron Burgundy, anchorman (fictional character)
• Bob Burnquist, professional skateboarder
• Eileen Rose Busby, author, antiques expert
• Reggie Bush, professional football player
• Chad Butler, drummer for band Switchfoot
• Darryl Byrd, professional football player

C

• Matt Cameron, drummer of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam
• John Castellanos, stage, film and television actor, film producer
• Donna Campbell, physician and member of the Texas Senate, born in San Diego in 1954
• Charlie Cannon, singer, theater performer and co-founder of Starlight Opera
• Nick Cannon, actor, rapper, occasional TV host
• Francesca Capaldi, actress
• Billy Casper, golfer, Masters and U.S. Open champion
• Mark Cerney, founder of Next of Kin Registry (NOKR)
• Eric Chavez, professional baseball player
• Steve Cherundolo, professional soccer player
• Judy Clarke, criminal defense attorney
• Eric Close, actor
• D. C. Collier, real estate developer, director of the 1915–16 Panama California Exposition
• Aukai Collins, Chechen mujahideen, spent his childhood in Ocean Beach, and part of his early adulthood in City Heights
• Marshall Colt, psychologist and former actor
• Holly Marie Combs, actress
• Dennis Conner, America's Cup yachtsman
• Maureen Connolly, professional tennis player, 1953 tennis Grand Slam champion
• Derrike Cope, NASCAR driver
• Salvatore J. Cordileone, Roman Catholic archbishop
• Jorge Cordova, professional football player
• Alana Cordy-Collins, anthropologist
• William P. Cronan, naval officer and 19th Naval Governor of Guam
• Robbin Crosby, musician
• Rob Crow, musician
• Cameron Crowe, screenwriter, director, and producer

D

• Austin da Luz, professional soccer player
• John D'Acquisto, professional baseball player
• Ted Danson, Emmy Award-winning actor
• Mike Davis, professional baseball player
• Terrell Davis, professional football player
• William Heath Davis, early San Diego developer
• Tom Delonge, singer and musician
• Warren DeMartini, musician
• Amir Derakh, musician
• Cameron Diaz, actress
• Johnny Downs, vaudevillian, dancer, actor, TV personality
• Gerry Driscol, yacht racer and businessperson
• Dinesh D'Souza, author
• Jared Dudley, professional basketball player
• Momčilo Đujić, WW2 Chetnik guerilla commander
• Robert Duvall, Oscar-winning actor

E

• Jason Earles, actor
• Donnie Edwards, professional football player
• Lindsay Ellingson, model
• Joan Embery, animal and environmental advocate
• Hayden Epstein, professional football player
• Gary Erwin, TV personality

F

• Marshall Faulk, professional football player, Hall of Famer
• Raymond E. Feist, author
• Amy Finley, cook, author
• John William Finn, Medal of Honor recipient
• Reuben H. Fleet, aviation pioneer, industrialist, army officer
• Jon Foreman, lead vocalist and guitarist for band Switchfoot
• Tim Foreman, bassist and backing vocalist for band Switchfoot
• Arian Foster, professional football player
• Julie Foudy, professional soccer player
• Dan Fouts, professional football player, TV commentator
• Frankie J, singer
• Ace Frehley, lead guitarist for band KISS
• Mike Fuentes, musician, drummer for band Pierce the Veil
• Vic Fuentes, musician, vocalist and rhythm guitarist for band Pierce the Veil

G

• Diamanda Galás, composer, vocalist, and keyboard artist
• Major Garrett, reporter
• Steve Garvey, professional baseball player, businessman
• Theodor Geisel, children's author (Dr. Seuss)
• Brian Giles, professional baseball player
• Marcus Giles, professional baseball player
• Jared S. Gilmore, child actor
• Francoise Gilot, painter, author
• Broc Glover, motocross national champion
• La'Roi Glover, professional football player
• Susan Golding, businesswoman, politician
• Adrian Gonzalez, professional baseball player
• Megan Goode, actress
• Edgar Gott, aviation industry executive
• Robert Klark Graham, businessman and eugenicist
• Cecil H. Green, geophysicist, philanthropist
• Harold Greene, television journalist
• Oscar Gutierrez, aka Rey Mysterio, Jr., former WWE wrestler
• Tony Gwynn, professional baseball player, Hall of Famer, coach
• Tony Gwynn Jr., professional baseball player, son of Tony Gwynn

H

• Leon Hall, professional football player
• Cole Hamels, professional baseball player
• Rosie Hamlin, singer
• Aaron Harang, professional baseball player, attended San Diego State
• Charles Mallory Hatfield, rainmaker
• Riley Hawk, professional skateboarder, son of Tony Hawk
• Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder
• Le Ly Hayslip, memoirist and humanitarian
• Roger Hedgecock, mayor and radio personality
• Arthur Hobbs, defensive back for CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Dennis Hopper, actor and director
• Mark Hoppus, singer and musician
• Alonzo Horton, early San Diego developer, created "New Town San Diego", later Downtown
• James Oliver Huberty, perpetrator of San Ysidro McDonald's Massacre
• Kimberly Hunt, news anchor
• Joe Hutshing, film editor

I

• Gabriel Iglesias, stand-up comedian
• Christofer Drew Ingle, musician
• Doug Ingle, founder of band Iron Butterfly, primary creator of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, first platinum record

• JANO,Prince of death
• JabbaWockeeZ, dance crew
• Prince Michael ″Blanket″ Jackson, youngest son of Michael Jackson
• Father Luís Jayme, California's first Christian martyr
• Jayo Felony, rapper
• Kris Jenner, television personality
• Johnny Jeter, professional wrestler
• Deron Johnson, professional baseball player
• Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR driver, six-time champion
• Katrina Johnson, actress
• Adam Jones, professional baseball player
• Dhani Jones, professional football player
• Jacque Jones, professional baseball player
• Lonnie Jordan, musician, War

K

• Kendrick Bangs Kellogg (born 1934), architect
• Sean Kelly, the auctioneer on Tru TV's Storage Hunters
• Dan Kemp, actor
• Kerri Kendall, model
• David Kennedy, musician
• Jewel Kilcher, singer
• Tawny Kitaen, model and actress
• Laurence Monroe Klauber, herpetologist
• Ken Kocher, professional football player
• Raph Koster, author and game designer
• Joan Kroc, philanthropist
• Ray Kroc, founder of the McDonald's corporation, owned San Diego Padres
• Alice K. Kurashige, first Japanese-American woman to be commissioned in US Marine Corps

L

• Frankie Laine, singer and actor
• Adam Lambert, runner-up on American Idol
• Tim Lambesis, vocalist for the band As I Lay Dying
• Fabio Lanzoni, model
• Bob Larsen, track and field coach, Olympic coach
• Don Larsen, professional baseball player
• Bucky Lasek, professional skateboarder
• Tammy Lauren, actress
• Bessie Learn, silent film actress
• Bobby Lee, MadTV actor and comedian
• David Leisure, "Joe Isuzu," character actor and comedian
• Jeanne Lenhart, senior Olympian, senior pageant winner, performing arts teacher
• Lil Rob, Chicano rapper
• Art Linkletter, television personality
• Cleavon Little, actor, Blazing Saddles
• Gene Littler, professional golfer in World Golf Hall of Fame
• Harold Lloyd, silent film actor
• Mario López, actor and television personality
• Greg Louganis, Olympic gold-medalist diver
• Moses A. Luce, lawyer and businessman, Medal of Honor recipient
• Faizon Love, actor

M

• John Macaulay, NFL player
• Rob Machado, professional surfer
• Doug Manchester, real estate developer, owner of the San Diego Union Tribune
• Gloria Marks, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Ross Martin, actor, The Wild Wild West
• Michael Martinez, drummer of Allstar Weekend
• Clay Marzo, professional surfer
• James Maslow, actor, singer from boy band Big Time Rush
• Victor Mature, actor, Kiss of Death
• Bill McColl, NFL player and surgeon
• William C. McCool, astronaut
• Tug McGraw, professional baseball player, father of country singer Tim McGraw
• Danica McKellar, "Winnie Cooper" actress
• Michael Medved, radio host, polital commentator, film critic
• Dan Melville, American football player
• Bob Mendoza, professional baseball player, coach, San Diego Hall of Champions inductee
• Cordelia Mendoza, antiques expert, businesswoman, author
• Shep Meyers, musician
• Phil Mickelson, professional golfer, Masters and British Open champion
• Martin Milner, actor, Adam-12
• Kevin Mitchell, professional baseball player
• Silas Weir Mitchell, actor
• Matthew Modine, actor, Full Metal Jacket, The Dark Knight Rises
• John J. Montgomery, pioneer aviator
• Archie Moore, professional boxer
• Alex Morgan, professional soccer player, US Women's National Team
• Jason Mraz, singer
• Chad Muska, professional skateboarder

N

• Dally Laamt, health professional
• Kathy Najimy, actress
• Stephen Neal, professional football player
• Andrew Newmark, activist, musician
• Walter R. Nickel, M.D., dermatologist and dermatopathologist
• Kent Ninomiya, journalist
• Craig Noel, theatre producer
• Matt Nokes, professional baseball player

O

• Ellen Ochoa, NASA astronaut
• Raymond Ochoa, actor
• Ryan Ochoa, actor
• Jeff Olson, tried and acquitted on 13 counts of vandalism
• Ronan O'Gara, professional rugby player
• Heather O'Rourke, actress, Poltergeist

P

• Carson Palmer, professional football player, Heisman Trophy winner
• Chuck Palumbo, professional wrestler
• Adam Pearce, professional wrestler
• Stephen Pearcy, musician
• Justin Pearson, musician
• Everett Peck, cartoonist, illustrator, animator and creator of Duckman and Squirrel Boy
• Gregory Peck, Oscar-winning actor
• Clarence M. Pendleton, Jr., chairman of the United States Commission on Civil Rights from 1981 until his death in 1988; Model Cities Program director in San Diego, 1972 to 1975; director of the San Diego chapter of the National Urban League, 1975 to 1981; resident of San Diego at the time of his death
• Bob Penuelas, cartoonist
• Tony Perry, lead guitarist for band Pierce the Veil
• Dat Phan, comedian
• Regis Philbin, television personality
• Steve Poltz, singer-songwriter and guitarist
• Zach Porter, singer of Allstar Weekend
• Jaime Preciado, bass player and vocalist for band Pierce the Veil
• Jenna Presley, actress
• Ben Press, tennis professional and coach
• Gary Puckett, musician and singer
• Sarah Purcell, television personality

R

• Sara Ramirez, actress and singer
• Scott Raynor, musician
• Autumn Reeser, actress
• Steve Reeves, actor, body builder, author
• Richard Requa, architect
• Roger Revelle, oceanographer, founder of UCSD
• Sally Ride, astronaut
• Dave Roberts, professional baseball player
• Cliff Robertson, Oscar-winning actor
• Alfred D. Robinson and Marion James Robinson, builders of Rosecroft
• Aaron Rodgers, professional football player
• Tony Romo, professional football player
• Louis Rose, developer
• Seraphim Rose, hieromonk
• Marion Ross, actress, Happy Days
• Neil Ross, voice actor
• Patrick Rowe, NFL player
• Ilan Rubin, musician
• Ralph Rubio, businessman and restaurant chain owner
• RuPaul, performer, television personality
• Betsy Russell, actress, Saw
• Jason Russell, film director

S

• Rashaan Salaam, professional football player, Heisman Trophy winner
• Jonas Salk, physician and researcher
• Jessica Sanchez, American Idol contestant
• Sonny Sandoval, musician
• Cathy Scott, journalist and true-crime author
• J. Michael Scott, senior scientist, environmentalist and author
• Junior Seau, professional football player
• Kate Sessions, horticulturalist, "the mother of Balboa Park"
• Stephanie Seymour, model
• Alana Shipp, American/Israeli IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Mary Sinclair, actress
• Andy Skib, musician
• Mitchy Slick, musician
• Alex Smith, professional football player
• Marty Smith, motocross national champion
• Carly Smithson, singer
• Suzy Spafford, artist
• John D. Spreckels, businessman and industrialist
• Michael Stamm, Olympic swimmer, national champion
• Scott Stantis, editorial cartoonist
• Jeremy Stenberg, professional motorcross rider
• Kenny Stills jr., NFL Football player
• J. J. Stokes, professional football player
• Milburn Stone, actor, Gunsmoke
• Frederick W. Sturckow, astronaut
• Savannah Sturges, Top 10 finalist on MasterChef Season 4
• Karen Hantze Susman, tennis player

T

• Brian Teacher, tennis player, Australian Open singles champion
• Jonathan Temple (1796–1866), landowner, rancher and politician
• Jamie Thomas, professional skateboarder
• Joanna Thomas, IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Susanna Thompson, actress
• Katherine Tingley, creator of Theosophical Society compound at Lomaland
• Robert Titzer, writer known for Your baby can read! infant learning book
• Ted Tollner, professional football coach
• Jerry Trainor, actor
• Alan Trammell, professional baseball player and manager
• Marty Tripes, winner of first Super Bowl of motocross
• Bitsie Tulloch, actress
• Jeremy Tyler, professional basketball player

V

• Peter Valdes, technopreneur, Tivoli software co-founder
• W.S. Van Dyke, film director
• Tiffany van Soest, kickboxer
• Eddie Vedder, singer in rock band Pearl Jam
• Juli Veee, soccer player
• Craig Venter, biologist, entrepreneur
• Victor Villaseñor, author
• Erik von Detten, actor

W

• Tom Waits, singer-songwriter, composer and actor
• Bill Walton, professional basketball player, TV commentator
• Luke Walton, professional basketball player
• Kelly Ward, actor
• Danny Way, professional skateboarder
• Harry M. Wegeforth, physician, founder of the San Diego Zoo
• Raquel Welch, Golden Globe Award-winning actress
• David Wells, professional baseball player
• Julie White, Tony Award-winning actress
• Shaun White, professional skateboader and snowboarder, Olympic gold medalist
• Kendra Wilkinson, model and television personality
• Carol Williams, concert organist, composer
• Michelle Williams, actress
• Nathan Williams, musician
• Ricky Williams, professional football player, Heisman Trophy winner
• Ted Williams, professional baseball player, Hall of Famer
• Ann Wilson, musician
• Jim Wilson, professional baseball pitcher and general manager
• Pete Wilson, mayor of San Diego, governor of California and U.S. Senator
• Scott Wilson, professional bodybuilder
• Kellen Winslow, professional football player
• Kellen Winslow II, professional football player
• Cassidy Wolf, Miss Teen USA
• Mickey Wright, LPGA golfer, World Golf Hall of Famer
• Robin Wright, Golden Globe Award-winning actress
• Marvell Wynne II, professional soccer player

Z

• Frank Zappa, musician
• Valerie Ziegenfuss, professional tennis player
• Sal Zizzo, professional soccer player