Science & invention · born 1936
Samuel C. C. Tingparticle physicistNobel Prize–winning physicist and co-discoverer of the J/ψ particle, born in Ann Arbor, who returned to the University of Michigan for all his degrees.DETROIT / A living lexicon / ¼
Famous Detroiters
People who were born here, moved here or built their careers in Detroit: musicians, carmakers, athletes, writers, inventors, civil-rights leaders and a few notorious names. With their dates, their Detroit story and the places where they lived, worked and played, closed ones included.
- 1,949 famous people
- 516 Detroit places
- 15 fields
Hungarian ties 31 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Origin and citizenship
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
40 people
Clear filtersScience & invention · born 1936Samuel C. C. Tingparticle physicistNobel Prize–winning physicist and co-discoverer of the J/ψ particle, born in Ann Arbor, who returned to the University of Michigan for all his degrees.
Science & invention · born 1960Eric BetzigphysicistPhysicist who shared the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for super-resolution fluorescence microscopy; born in Ann Arbor, he spent years back in Michigan at his family's machine-tool company.
Science & invention · 1915–2008Thomas Huckle Wellervirologist, physicianVirologist who shared the 1954 Nobel Prize for growing poliovirus in tissue culture, the step that made polio vaccines possible; born and raised in Ann Arbor.
Science & invention · born 1947Michael Portereconomist, management scholarHarvard Business School professor behind the five forces model of competitive strategy, born in Ann Arbor in 1947.
Business & brands · 1913–2001Bill Hewlettengineer, entrepreneurCo-founder of Hewlett-Packard, born in Ann Arbor, where his father taught at the University of Michigan Medical School.
Science & invention · born 1932Alvin PlantingaphilosopherLeading Christian philosopher of religion and Templeton Prize laureate, born in Ann Arbor, who began his professorial career at Wayne State University in Detroit (1958–1963).
Science & invention · 1864–1929Charles Horton CooleysociologistPioneer of American sociology who coined the 'looking-glass self'; he spent his whole life in Ann Arbor and taught the University of Michigan's first sociology course.
Science & invention · 1924–2013Kenneth Waltzpolitical scientistFounder of neorealism, the most influential theory of international politics of the late 20th century; born and raised in Ann Arbor.
Film & TV · born 1965David S. Goyerscreenwriter, director, producerAnn Arbor-born writer of the Blade and Dark Knight films, whose Batman v Superman turned Detroit into Gotham and Metropolis.
Film & TV · born 1989Jack Falaheeactor, singerAnn Arbor-born and -raised actor best known as Connor Walsh on the ABC legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder.
Film & TV · born 1980Austin Nicholsactor, directorActor and director born in Ann Arbor, best known as Julian Baker on One Tree Hill; his family moved to Texas before his first birthday.
Film & TV · 1925–1971Martha Vickersactress, modelCarmen Sternwood of The Big Sleep (1946), born Martha MacVicar in Ann Arbor and briefly raised in Detroit.
Literature · born 1956Katherine Applegatechildren's and young-adult authorNewbery Medal–winning author of The One and Only Ivan and creator of the Animorphs series, born in Ann Arbor on the western edge of the Detroit metropolitan region.
Science & invention · born 1942Deirdre McCloskeyeconomist, economic historianEconomic historian known for The Rhetoric of Economics and the Bourgeois Era trilogy, born in Ann Arbor in 1942.Dave Alexanderbassist, songwriterOriginal bassist of the Stooges, the Ann Arbor proto-punk band that came up through Detroit's Grande Ballroom alongside the MC5.
Sports · born 1967Aaron Kricksteintennis playerAnn Arbor-born tennis pro who reached a career-high world No. 6 and still holds Michigan's high school record for consecutive match wins.
Sports · born 1989Evan Batesice dancerOlympic champion ice dancer born and raised in Ann Arbor, who trained for years in suburban Canton and won national silver in Detroit in 2019 with Madison Chock.
Literature · 1921–2019Carol Emshwillershort-story writer, novelistNebula-winning avant-garde science-fiction writer, praised by Ursula K. Le Guin, who was born, studied and married in Ann Arbor on the edge of the Detroit region.
Music · 1930–2014Robert AshleycomposerAnn Arbor-born avant-garde composer who co-founded the ONCE Festival of new music in his hometown and later invented the “television opera”.Zeke Joneswrestler, coachSoutheastern Michigan-born Olympic silver medalist wrestler who later led USA Wrestling's freestyle program as national head coach.
Film & TV · born 1962John Knollvisual effects supervisor, co-creator of PhotoshopOscar-winning Industrial Light & Magic effects supervisor and co-creator of Adobe Photoshop, born and raised in Ann Arbor, where his brother wrote the first version.
Film & TV · born 1975Michael Schurtelevision writer, producer, director, actorCreator of The Good Place and co-creator of Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, born at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor.
Sports · born 1994Andrew Coppice hockey forwardAnn Arbor-born forward who played youth hockey with Detroit Compuware, starred at the University of Michigan and signed a five-year contract with the Red Wings in 2022.Thomas Knollsoftware engineerCreator of Adobe Photoshop, which he began writing in 1987 as a University of Michigan doctoral student in Ann Arbor, where he was born and raised.Tom Monaghanentrepreneur, founder of Domino's Pizza, former Detroit Tigers ownerAnn Arbor–born founder of Domino's Pizza who owned the Detroit Tigers during their 1984 World Series championship.
Politics · born 1953Debbie Dingellpolitician, former GM executiveDetroit-born descendant of the Fisher Body family and former GM executive who succeeded her husband John Dingell in Congress in 2015, representing Dearborn and later Ann Arbor and western Wayne County.
Music · born 1979Mayer Hawthornesinger, producer, DJ, multi-instrumentalistAnn Arbor-raised hip-hop DJ turned soul singer whose Motown-inspired records on Stones Throw revived classic Detroit soul for a new generation.
Music · born 1985Laurel Haloelectronic musician, composerAnn Arbor-born electronic composer whose Detroit-influenced experiments, beginning with the Wire's 2012 album of the year Quarantine, made her a leading figure in experimental music.
Music · born 1975Colin Stetsonsaxophonist, multi-reedist, composerAnn Arbor–born saxophonist, trained at the University of Michigan, known for circular-breathing solo records and work with Arcade Fire and Bon Iver.Virgil Exnerautomotive designer, creator of Chrysler's Forward LookAnn Arbor–born designer whose Forward Look gave Chrysler its soaring 1955–1963 tailfin cars and set off a styling race with GM.Robert Haydenpoet, essayist, professorThe first African American Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, who grew up in Detroit's Paradise Valley and made that neighborhood a lasting subject of his poems.
Music · born 1955Pheeroan akLaffjazz drummer, percussionist, educatorDetroit-born drummer, born Paul Maddox, who started in Detroit and Ann Arbor funk and R&B bands and became a leading drummer of American creative jazz.
Music · born 1983Rob Cantorsinger-songwriter, guitarist, video creatorBloomfield Hills–raised guitarist and singer of Tally Hall, the band he formed at the University of Michigan, later known for the viral song “Shia LaBeouf.”
Music · born 1938Bernie Krausemusician, synthesizer pioneer, soundscape ecologistDetroit-born musician who joined the folk group the Weavers, helped introduce the Moog synthesizer to pop music and later founded the science of soundscape ecology.
Music · born 1961John BrannonsingerPontiac-born singer of Negative Approach, the Detroit band that pioneered Midwest hardcore punk in 1981, and later of the Ann Arbor noise-rock band Laughing Hyenas.
Music · born 1955Niagarasinger, painterDetroit-born singer of the art-punk band Destroy All Monsters and a painter of pop-noir women whose shows made her the “Queen of Detroit” of lowbrow art.
Deniz Tekguitarist, singer, songwriter, physicianAnn Arbor–raised guitarist who carried the sound of the MC5 and the Stooges to Australia, where he co-founded the punk pioneers Radio Birdman.Scott Morgansinger, guitarist, songwriterAnn Arbor soul-rock singer who fronted the Rationals in the 1960s and later co-led Sonic's Rendezvous Band with the MC5's Fred “Sonic” Smith.
Harry Bennetthead of Ford's Service Department, Henry Ford's enforcerAnn Arbor–born ex-boxer who ran Ford's feared Service Department, led violent anti-union actions at the Rouge and was fired by Henry Ford II in 1945.Cary Lorenguitarist, filmmaker, photographer, booksellerDetroit-born filmmaker and guitarist who co-founded Destroy All Monsters and has run the Book Beat, an Oak Park bookstore, since 1982.The lexicon keeps growing. Every entry lists its sources at the bottom. Dates were checked against Wikidata and Wikipedia. The texts are our own. Famous people's places among the sights ↗
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