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.

1,940 famous people
366 Detroit places
17 fields

Hungarian ties 22 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →

10 people

Clear filters

Film & TV · born 1932Ellen BurstynactressOscar-, Tony- and Emmy-winning actress born Edna Rae Gillooly in Detroit, where she went to Cass Tech and modeled for Hudson's before leaving for the stage.Born hereGrew up here

Comedy · born 1939Lily Tomlincomedian, actress, writerComedy legend raised in Detroit's Virginia Park area; Cass Tech and Wayne State alumna whose characters grew out of the neighbors on her childhood block.Born hereGrew up here

Film & TV · 1932–2023Piper LaurieactressThree-time Oscar nominee (The Hustler, Carrie, Children of a Lesser God) who was born Rosetta Jacobs in a one-bedroom walk-up on Detroit's Tyler Street.Born hereGrew up here

Film & TV · 1931–2024Mitzi Gaynoractress, dancer, singerMusical film star of South Pacific, the daughter of a Hungarian-descended musician, who spent part of her childhood in Detroit before her family moved to Hollywood.Grew up here

Film & TV · 1934–1973Michael Dunnactor, singerOscar-nominated actor and singer with dwarfism, raised in Dearborn and schooled in Detroit, best remembered as Dr. Loveless in The Wild Wild West.Grew up hereStudied here

Music · 1932–1986Dorothy Ashbyjazz harpist, pianist, singer, composerDetroit-born pioneer who made the harp a bebop instrument, a product of Paradise Valley, Cass Tech and Wayne State who also ran a Black theater company in the city.Born hereGrew up here

Theatre & dance · 1938–2021Martha Henrystage and screen actress, directorLeading lady of Canada's Stratford Festival for six decades, born Martha Buhs in Detroit and raised in Bloomfield Hills, where she attended Cranbrook's Kingswood School.Born hereGrew up here

Theatre & dance · 1937–2026Woodie King Jr.theatre producer, director, filmmakerDetroit-raised founder of Concept East Theatre and New York's New Federal Theatre, a Ford welder turned producer who championed generations of Black playwrights.Grew up hereDetroit career

Music · 1930–2015Frank Porrettaoperatic and musical theater tenorDetroit-born tenor from a family of surgeons who sang fourteen seasons at New York City Opera and starred in musicals and the film Song of Norway.Born hereGrew up here

Theatre & dance · 1938–2004Ron Milnerplaywright, theatre directorDetroit playwright of the Black Arts Movement, raised on Hastings Street in Black Bottom, co-founder of Concept East Theatre and author of What the Wine-Sellers Buy and Checkmates.Born hereGrew up here

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 ↗

Famous Detroiters

Save the plan. Share the moment.