Visual art · 1907–1954
Frida KahlopainterMexican painter who spent 1932–33 in Detroit with Diego Rivera and made breakthrough works there, including Henry Ford Hospital.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
- 19 fields
Hungarian ties 31 Detroiters with Hungarian ties →
Origin and citizenship
Field
Connection
Born in
A–Z (family name)
69 people · 1/2 page
Clear filtersVisual art · 1907–1954Frida KahlopainterMexican painter who spent 1932–33 in Detroit with Diego Rivera and made breakthrough works there, including Henry Ford Hospital.
Film & TV · 1939–2014
Richard KielactorDetroit-born giant of the screen, 7 ft 1.5 in tall, best remembered as Jaws, the steel-toothed henchman of two James Bond films.
Press & broadcasting · 1932–2014Casey Kasemradio host, disc jockey, voice actorDetroit-born host of American Top 40 and original voice of Shaggy in Scooby-Doo, who started on the air at Northwestern High and Detroit radio stations.
Science & invention · 1928–2011Jack Kevorkianpathologist, right-to-die activistPontiac-born pathologist who assisted in the deaths of scores of patients in metro Detroit in the 1990s and was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999.Daniel Keyesnovelist, short-story writer, professor of creative writingAuthor of Flowers for Algernon, he taught creative writing at Wayne State University in Detroit in the years before the novel version appeared in 1966.
Comedy · born 1971Keegan-Michael Keyactor, comedian, writer, producerCo-creator of Key & Peele who grew up in Detroit, studied theater at the University of Detroit Mercy and co-founded Hamtramck's Planet Ant Theatre.
Music · born 1944Gladys Knightsinger, actressThe “Empress of Soul,” whose family group Gladys Knight & the Pips moved to Detroit in the 1960s and cut the first hit version of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” for Motown.
Film & TV · born 1949Lawrence Kasdanscreenwriter, film director, producerScreenwriter of The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark, who studied at the University of Michigan and spent about five years as a Detroit advertising copywriter before Hollywood.
Auto industry · 1876–1958Charles F. Ketteringinventor, engineer, head of GM ResearchInventor of the electric self-starter, first fitted to the 1912 Cadillac, and head of General Motors research from 1920 to 1947, whose laboratory stood in Detroit's New Center.
Sports · born 1988Patrick Kaneice hockey right wingerOne of the most decorated American-born players in NHL history, Kane trained as a teenager in the Detroit area before returning in 2023 to sign with the Red Wings.
Literature · 1918–1994Russell Kirkpolitical theorist, historian, man of letters, novelistAuthor of The Conservative Mind, a founding text of postwar American conservatism, born and raised in the metro Detroit railroad town of Plymouth.
Science & invention · 1921–2017Isabella Karlechemist, crystallographerDetroit-born chemist whose practical methods for solving X-ray crystal structures transformed chemistry and drug design; a National Medal of Science laureate.
Film & TV · born 1951David Patrick Kellyactor, musician, lyricistDetroit-born character actor, forever Luther of The Warriors, who began writing musicals while studying at the University of Detroit.
Film & TV · born 1974Jake Kasdanfilm and television director, producerDirector of the Jumanji films and Walk Hard, born in Detroit while his father, future screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, was writing ads for a local agency.
Film & TV · born 1983Jana Krameractress, country singerActress and country singer from Rochester Hills in metro Detroit, known for One Tree Hill and the top-ten country hits "Why Ya Wanna" and "I Got the Boy."
Music · 1948–2020
Ivan Králguitarist, bassist, songwriter, producer, filmmakerPrague-born guitarist of the Patti Smith Group and Iggy Pop, co-writer of “Dancing Barefoot,” who spent his final years recording in Ann Arbor and Detroit.
Sports · born 1991Brandon Knightbasketball player, guardGuard selected eighth overall by the Pistons in 2011 who earned All-Rookie honors before being traded to Milwaukee, and briefly returned to Detroit in 2020.
Architecture & design · 1869–1942Albert KahnarchitectGerman-born "architect of Detroit" who designed the Ford Highland Park and River Rouge plants, the Fisher Building and hundreds of other city landmarks.
Music · born 1952Kim Kashkashianviolist, teacherDetroit-born Armenian-American violist, one of the world's leading players of her instrument and a Grammy winner for music by Hungarian composers.
Music · 1939–1992Eddie Kendrickssinger, songwriterFalsetto lead of the Temptations who came to Detroit with the Primes, sang "Just My Imagination" and later topped the charts solo with "Keep On Truckin'."
Sports · 1935–2012Alex Karrasprofessional football player, actorDominant Lions defensive tackle for twelve seasons who later became a bestselling book subject, sportscaster and Hollywood actor, remembered as much for owning a downtown Detroit bar as for his play.
Sports · born 1984Ryan Keslerice hockey playerLivonia-born center and Selke Trophy winner who grew up playing Detroit-area youth hockey before a long NHL career, mostly with the Vancouver Canucks.
Sports · born 1972
Vyacheslav Kozlovice hockey left winger, coachRussian winger drafted by Detroit in 1990 who played a decade for the Red Wings as part of the famed Russian Five and won two Stanley Cups.Mike Kelleyartist, musicianInfluential installation artist from suburban Detroit whose Mobile Homestead, a replica of his childhood home, stands permanently at MOCAD.
Sports · 1927–2019
Red Kellyice hockey defenceman, politician, coachHall of Fame defenceman who won four Stanley Cups with Detroit in the 1950s, part of the most decorated career of any player never to suit up for the Montreal Canadiens.
Film & TV · born 1976Page Kennedyactor, rapperDetroit-raised actor and rapper, U-Turn on Weeds and Radon Randell on Blue Mountain State, whose debut album features Detroit rappers.
Sports · born 1982
Tomáš Kopeckýice hockey forwardSlovak forward drafted by Detroit in 2000 who won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 after working his way up through the organization's minor-league affiliate.
Sports · born 1991Torey Krugice hockey defensemanRoyal Oak-born defenseman who came up through metro Detroit's competitive youth hockey system before an NCAA and NHL career built mostly around the Boston Bruins.
Sports · 1934–2020Al Kalinebaseball player, right fielder, television announcerSigned by the Tigers straight out of high school, Kaline spent his entire 22-year career in Detroit, won ten Gold Gloves, and later spent decades as the team's beloved broadcaster.
Politics · born 1970Kwame Kilpatrickpolitician, former mayor of DetroitDetroit-born politician who became the city's youngest mayor at 31 in 2002, but resigned in 2008 after a corruption scandal and later served federal prison time before a 2021 commutation.Robert Kearnsengineer and inventor of the intermittent windshield wiperDetroit-educated engineer who invented the intermittent windshield wiper and fought Ford and Chrysler in court for decades; his story is the film Flash of Genius.
Politics · 1945–2025Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrickteacher, politicianDetroit schoolteacher who served 18 years in the Michigan House and 14 in Congress (1997–2011), chaired the Congressional Black Caucus and was the mother of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
Business & brands · 1914–2010
John Klugemedia entrepreneur, founder of MetromediaGerman immigrant who grew up in Detroit, studied at Wayne State and built Metromedia into a television empire, once ranked America's richest man.
Religion · born 1970Francis KalabatChaldean Catholic bishopKuwait-born Chaldean priest trained in Detroit who has led the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle of Detroit since 2014, the church of Metro Detroit's large Iraqi Christian community.
Music · born 1953Earl Klughacoustic guitarist, composerDetroit-born acoustic guitarist, discovered as a teenager by Yusef Lateef, who learned at Baker's Keyboard Lounge and won a Grammy with Bob James.
Literature · born 1960Kathe Kojanovelist, short-story writer, theatre directorDetroit-born author of the Bram Stoker Award–winning horror novel The Cipher who still lives in metro Detroit and directs the immersive theatre company nerve.Anybody KillarapperEast-side Detroit rapper of Lumbee heritage who performs as a Native American warrior and became a Psychopathic Records mainstay.
Military · 1928–1958Iven Carl Kincheloe Jr.test pilot, Air Force officerKorean War ace and test pilot called 'the First Spaceman' after flying the Bell X-2 to a record altitude in 1956; born in Detroit.KunivarapperDetroit rapper and founding member of D12, one of the few members who stayed with the group from its 1996 start to its 2026 comeback album.Ani Kavafianviolinist, professorIstanbul-born Armenian American violinist raised in Detroit, a pupil of Mischa Mischakoff, who became the longest-serving artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and a Yale professor.Ida Kavafianviolinist, violistIstanbul-born Armenian American violinist who grew up in Detroit, studied there with Mischa Mischakoff and became a leading chamber musician with Tashi, the Beaux Arts Trio and Opus One.
Press & broadcasting · 1908–1997Bill Kennedyactor, television movie hostFormer Warner Bros. actor who for 27 years hosted old movies for Detroit viewers on CKLW-TV and WKBD, famous for his sardonic Hollywood stories.
Law · 1924–2021Frank J. Kelleylawyer, Michigan attorney generalDetroit-born lawyer nicknamed 'the Eternal General,' who served as Michigan's attorney general for 37 years (1961–1999) and pioneered state consumer protection.
Politics · 1895–1971Harry Kellylawyer, governor of Michigan, state Supreme Court justiceOne-legged World War I hero and Detroit lawyer who governed Michigan during the 'Arsenal of Democracy' years (1943–1947) and later sat on the state Supreme Court.
Auto industry · 1868–1957Charles Brady Kingengineer, automotive pioneerEngineer who drove the first gasoline car on Detroit's streets on March 6, 1896, with Henry Ford following on a bicycle.Michael Kinsleypolitical journalist, editor, commentatorDetroit-born political journalist, Cranbrook graduate, editor of The New Republic, co-host of CNN's Crossfire and founding editor of Slate.
Music · 1923–2011Eddie Kirklandblues guitarist, harmonica player, singerJamaica-born, Alabama-raised bluesman who met John Lee Hooker at Detroit house parties while working at Ford's Rouge plant and toured with him from 1949 to 1962.
Theatre & dance · born 1985Andrew Keenan-Bolgerstage actor, web-series creatorDetroit-born Broadway actor, a Renaissance High School graduate, who originated Crutchie in Newsies and Jesse Tuck in Tuck Everlasting.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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