List of people from Tulsa, Oklahoma

This is a list of well-known persons who were either born in, or lived in, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Arts

• Joe Andoe, painter
• Charles Bell (1935–1995), artist
• Ted Berrigan, poet
• Willie George, children's show actor and pastor
• James Pepper Henry, artist and Gilcrease Museum director (2015-2017)
• Roman Jasinski, ballet dancer and teacher
• Ron Padgett, poet

Business

• Frank Abagnale,[1] fraud expert, former con man, subject of Catch Me If You Can
• Cyrus Avery (1870–1963), businessman and "father of Route 66"
• Bill Bartmann,[2] businessman, named as "One of the Top 100 Entrepreneurs of the Last 100 Years"[3]
• W. Tate Brady (1870–1925), businessman, owner of the Brady Hotel
• James A. Chapman (1881–1966), oilman and philanthropist
• Robert Galbreath Jr. (1863–1955), oilman who moved to Tulsa after he drilled the first oil well in Glenn Pool Field
• J. Paul Getty (1892–1976), oilman founder of Getty Oil Company, who made his first million in Tulsa between 1914 and 1916[4]
• Thomas Gilcrease (1890–1962),[5] oilman, founder of Gilcrease Museum
• J. M. Hall (1851–1935), pioneer merchant in Tulsa, organized First Presbyterian Church
• George Kaiser,[6] chairman of BOK Financial Corporation
• Henry Kravis,[7] co-founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
• James H. McBirney (1870–1944), co-founder and president National Bank of Commerce in Tulsa[8]
• Sam P. McBirney (1877–1936), football coach and co-founder National Bank of Commerce in Tulsa[8]
• Robert M. McFarlin (1866–1942), oilman and philanthropist
• Waite Phillips (1883–1964), oilman and philanthropist
• Harry Ford Sinclair (1876–1956), founder of Sinclair Oil, co-founder of Exchange National Bank (later part of National Bank of Tulsa and Bank of Oklahoma; convicted of jury tampering during Teapot Dome scandal trial
• Carolyn Mary Skelly (1905–1996), eccentric daughter of William Grove Skelly; oil heiress; dubbed the most robbed woman in the U.S. by the Boston Globe; socialite; hosted fundraisers for President George H.W. Bush, and Texas Governor John Connally[9][10]
• William G. Skelly (1877–1957), founder of Skelly Oil Company, Spartan Aircraft Company and Spartan School of Aeronautics
• William K. Warren Sr. (1897–1990), founder of Warren Petroleum Corporation; philanthropist
• John Smith Zink (1928–2005), engineer, owner of John Zink Industries, automobile racer

Music

• Admiral Twin (Mark Carr, Jarrod Gollihare, John Russell, Brad Becker), rock band
• The Agony Scene, metalcore band
• Elvin Bishop, blues and rock music singer, guitarist, bandleader, and songwriter.
• Garth Brooks,[11] country music singer
• Broncho, punk rock band with Ryan Lindsey, Johnathon Ford of Roadside Monument, and Nathan Price
• Anita Bryant, singer
• J. J. Cale,[12] songwriter and musician, an originator of The Tulsa Sound
• Capital Lights, pop rock band
• Rodney Carrington[13] country music singer and comedian
• Chuck Cissel,[14] singer and dancer
• Annie Clark (St. Vincent)
• Roy Clark, country musician
• David Cook, 2008 American Idol winner
• Denny Cordell, record producer, signed Tom Petty as part of Mudcrutch
• Ester Dean, singer, songwriter
• Joe Diffie,[15] country musician
• Phil Driscoll, trumpet player and singer, Christian and jazz musician
• Ronnie Dunn[16] (Brooks and Dunn)
• Annie Ellicott, jazz, swing singer[17][18]
• Ester Drang, indie band
• Rocky Frisco, pianist for J.J. Cale; 2008 inductee into Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame
• The Gap Band, Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson, R&B, funk, and soul band
• David Gates, musician (Bread)
• Hanson, Isaac, Taylor and Zac Hanson, Pop rock band
• Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, jazz band
• William Johns, opera singer[19]
• Jim Keltner, drummer for the Traveling Wilburys
• Tosca Kramer (1903–1976), violinist, violist, and music educator
• Fredell Lack (1922–2017), violinist
• Lega-C, rapper
• Leon McAuliffe, steel guitarist Bob Wills And His Texas Playboys
• Little Joe McLerran, singer, guitarist, recording artist and winner of 2009 International Blues Challenge
• John Moreland, singer, songwriter
• Jamie Oldaker, drummer, Eric Clapton, Bob Seger
• Patti Page, singer
• PDA, rapper
• Pillar, band
• Johnny Polygon, rapper
• Carl Radle, musician, bassist for Derek and the Dominos
• Ben Rector, singer-songwriter
• Steve Ripley, engineer, producer, singer, songwriter and guitarist for The Tractors and Bob Dylan
• Leon Russell, singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist
• SafetySuit, pop rock band
• Natalie Sims, musician, songwriter and music executive
• Andy Skib, guitarist, keyboardist in David Cook's band
• Ryan Tedder, producer, songwriter, lead singer of OneRepublic
• David Teegarden, rock drummer with Teegarden & Van Winkle and with Bob Seger
• Hank Thompson, musician
• Neal Tiemann, lead guitarist in David Cook's band
• Wayman Tisdale (1964–2009), jazz musician and former professional basketball player
• Dwight Twilley, musician
• Jared Tyler, singer-songwriter and producer
• Unwed Sailor, instrumental indie rock
• David T. Walker, session guitarist, famous for his work with Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder among others
• Bob Wills, western swing bandleader for the Texas Playboys
• Johnnie Lee Wills, western music band leader, brother of Bob Wills
• Charlie Wilson, R&B singer and lead singer of The Gap Band
• Bob Wootton, lead guitarist for the Tennessee Three
• Tuck Andress, guitarist
• Kristin Chenoweth, actress, singer and author
• Dara Tucker, singer, songwriter and documentary filmmaker
• AleXa, K-pop soloist

Politics

• Tom Adelson, member of the Oklahoma State Senate
• Bob Ballinger, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, reared in Tulsa
• Dewey F. Bartlett, former Governor of the state of Oklahoma and U.S. Senator
• Dewey F. Bartlett Jr., former Mayor of Tulsa (2009–2016)
• G. T. Bynum, Mayor of Tulsa (2016–present)
• Jim R. Caldwell, retired Church of Christ minister and former member of the Arkansas State Senate
• David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
• David Hall, former Governor of the state of Oklahoma
• James Inhofe, U.S. Senator
• James R. Jones, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, chairman of the American Stock Exchange
• Frank Keating, former Governor of the state of Oklahoma
• John Albert Knebel, Secretary of Agriculture in the Carter Administration
• Sheila Kuehl, former actress, now California State Senator
• Steve Largent, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Willian F. Martin, United States Deputy Secretary of Energy
• Jim McConn, former Mayor of Houston, Texas, 1979–1981
• Daniel Patrick Moynihan, former Democratic U.S. Senator representing New York was born in Tulsa.[20]
• George E. Nowotny, retired Tulsa businessman and former member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Fort Smith
• John A. Sullivan, member of the U.S. House of Representatives
• Kathy Taylor, Mayor of Tulsa (2006–2009)
• John Volz, attorney for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, died in Tulsa in 2011
• R. James Woolsey Jr., former director, Central Intelligence Agency
• Terry Young, former Mayor of the City of Tulsa

Print

• Mildred Grosberg Bellin, Jewish cookbook author
• Denver Nicks, journalist
• William Bernhardt, mystery/suspense fiction author
• Daniel J. Boorstin, historian and writer; former Librarian of Congress
• P.C. Cast, author
• John Hope Franklin, African American historian; namesake of John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park in Tulsa
• Martin Gardner, author of works on philosophy, mathematics and literature
• Sterling Gates, comic book writer (Supergirl, Action Comics)
• S.E. Hinton, author (The Outsiders, That Was Then, This Is Now, Tex)
• Mercedes Lackey, science-fiction author
• R.A. Lafferty, science-fiction author
• Billie Letts, author, Where the Heart Is
• Tracy Letts, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and actor (August: Osage County)
• Joe McGuff, journalist and newspaper editor
• Russell Myers, cartoonist, Broom-Hilda comic strip
• Dan Piraro, cartoonist of the Bizarro comic strip
• William P. Steven, journalist and newspaper editor
• Clifton Taulbert, author, Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored
• Will Thomas, mystery fiction author
• Mildred Ladner Thompson, reporter for The Wall Street Journal and Tulsa World[21]
• Michael Wallis, author, Route 66, Pretty Boy Floyd, Mankiller, Billy the Kid Voice Of Sheriff in The Cars Series
• K. D. Wentworth, science-fiction author
• Cornel West, theologian, author
• Joy Harjo, poet, musician, and author. First Native American Poet Laureate, and first Poet Laureate from Oklahoma.

Radio

• Paul Harvey, radio personality
• Roy D. Mercer, fictional radio character

Screen and stage

• Pamela Bach, actress; ex-wife of David Hasselhoff
• Marshall Bell, actor
• William Boyd, aka Hopalong Cassidy, western actor (born in Hendrysburg, Belmont County, Ohio)
• Max Burnett, TV writer, screenwriter and director
• Gary Busey, actor
• Cindy Chupack, screenwriter for Sex and the City
• Larry Clark, film director and photographer
• Iron Eyes Cody, actor
• Jay Dee, comedian
• Larry Drake, actor
• Blake Edwards, film director›
• Sue England, actress
• Bill Hader, actor, writer and comedian
• Sterlin Harjo, filmmaker[22]
• Josh Henderson, actor
• Eva Jinek, news anchor
• Jennifer Jones, actress
• Heather Langenkamp, actress
• Tommy Morrison, boxer and actor
• Jerry Nelson, actor, puppeteer
• Tim Blake Nelson, actor and director
• Mary Kay Place, actress
• Tony Randall, actor
• Julián Rebolledo, actor and voice talent
• Jack Roberts, actor
• Gailard Sartain, actor
• Mary Stuart, actress
• Wes Studi, actor
• Paula Trickey, actress
• Jeanne Tripplehorn, actress
• Stacy Valentine, porn star
• Amber Valletta, actress and supermodel
• Susan Watson, Broadway actress
• Alfre Woodard, actress
• Judy Woodruff, television journalist
• Don Woods, meteorologist

Sports

Bill Goldberg

John Starks

James Tillis

• Brent Albright, professional wrestler
• Kelenna Azubuike, professional basketball player
• Randy Blake, kickboxer
• Bill Blankenship, football coach, head coach at University of Tulsa
• Anthony Bowie, basketball player
• Michael Bowie, Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle
• Dylan Bundy, baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
• Mikey Burnett, mixed martial artist
• Dale Cook, kickboxer and actor
• Bobby Cox (born 1941), player, manager and Baseball Hall of Famer
• Richard Dumas, professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns
• Ebi Ere, basketball player for Melbourne Tigers
• Terrance Ferguson, basketball player for Oklahoma City Thunder
• Justin Fuente, head football coach, Virginia Tech
• Reuben Gant, football player for Buffalo Bills
• Matt Gogel, professional golfer
• Bill Goldberg (born 1966), professional NFL football player and undefeated wrestler
• Todd Graham, head coach of Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team (2007–2010)
• Matt Grice, mixed martial arts fighter
• Tommy Hanson, baseball pitcher[23]
• Gerald Harris, mixed martial artist
• Marques Haynes, Harlem Globetrotters player, Basketball Hall of Famer[24]
• David Heath, mixed martial artist
• Randy Heckenkemper, golf course designer
• Koyie Hill, Major League Baseball catcher
• Felix Jones, Dallas Cowboys running back
• Dallas Keuchel, pitcher for the Houston Astros
• Jim King, NBA player and Tulsa Golden Hurricane men's basketball coach
• Steve Largent, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver, Pro Football Hall of Famer, politician
• Kevin Lilly, NFL player
• Kevin Lockett, NFL player
• Tyler Lockett, NFL player
• Zach Loyd, soccer player
• Lee Mayberry, professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks
• Sam P. McBirney, coach of Tulsa Golden Hurricane football (1914–1916)
• R. W. McQuarters, professional football cornerback
• Robert Meachem, New Orleans Saints wide receiver
• Kenny Monday, Olympic gold medalist in wrestling
• Joe-Max Moore, soccer forward, U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame 2013
• Reece Morrison, NFL player
• Tommy Morrison, boxer, heavyweight contender and actor, Rocky V
• Ray Murphy, Jr., collegiate wrestler and 1989 Handicapped Person of the Year
• Charlie O'Brien, professional baseball catcher
• Janice O'Hara, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Peter Ramondetta, professional skateboarder
• Nolan Richardson (born 1941), basketball coach for University of Tulsa and University of Arkansas, coach and general manager WNBA's Tulsa Shock
• Henry Schichtle, football player
• Tubby Smith (born 1951), basketball coach at Texas Tech University; former coach of University of Tulsa, University of Georgia and University of Kentucky
• John Starks, professional basketball player for the New York Knicks
• Iciss Tillis, professional basketball player for WNBA's Washington Mystics
• James "Quick" Tillis, boxer, heavyweight contender and actor
• Wayman Tisdale (1964–2009), professional basketball player and musician
• Matt Wiman, mixed martial arts fighter
• Darryl Wren, gridiron football player
• John Smith Zink, automobile racing
• Richard Dumas, professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns

Religion

• Finis Alonzo Crutchfield, Jr., (1916–1986), United Methodist Church bishop, minister of Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, died in Tulsa[25]
• Paul Vernon Galloway (1904–1990), Minister of Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, later Methodist bishop
• Charles William Kerr (1875–1951), first permanent Protestant minister in Tulsa
• Carlton Pearson (born 1953), evangelist
• Oral Roberts (1918–2009), pioneer televangelist, founder of Oral Roberts University, affiliated with United Methodist church
• John B. Wolf (1925–2017), minister of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church

Other

• Deborah Barnes, judge of the Oklahoma Appellate Court (1987-present); daughter in law of the late Justice Don Barnes
• Don Barnes (judge), born in Tulsa, Justice of the Oklahoma State Supreme Court (1972-1985)
• Jennifer Berry,[26] Miss America 2006
• Butler, Phillip N., the eighth longest-held US prisoner of war in North Vietnam, president of Veterans for Peace
• Mike Doonesbury, main character in Garry Trudeau's comic strip Doonesbury
• John Duncan Forsyth (1887–1963), architect[27]
• W. R. Holway (1893–1981), engineer, designer of Spavinaw water project
• Robert Lawton Jones (1925–2018), architect noted for his contributions to modern architecture
• Olivia Jordan, Miss World America 2013, Miss Oklahoma USA 2015, Miss USA 2015
• Joseph R. Koberling, Jr. (1900–1990), architect
• Charles Page (1860–1926), philanthropist and founder of Sand Springs
• William Angie Smith (1894–1974), Methodist Bishop of Oklahoma
• Mother Grace Tucker, pastor and philanthropist

References

1. "Abagnale & Associates (based in Tulsa)". Abagnale & Associates. Archived from the original on May 15, 2007. Retrieved May 20, 2007.
2. "The Richest Man You've Never Heard Of". Retrieved September 16, 2007.
3. "About Bill Bartmann". Archived from the original on September 10, 2007. Retrieved September 16, 2007.
4. Whitman, Alden (June 6, 1976). "J. Paul Getty dead at 83; amassed billions from oil". New York Times. Retrieved September 6, 2008.
5. "Gilcrease Museum History". Archived from the original on December 16, 2007. Retrieved September 16, 2007.
6. "Forbes's The World's Richest People". Retrieved September 16, 2007.
7. "Academy of Achievement Biography". Archived from the original on February 13, 1997. Retrieved September 16, 2007.
8. "fwix.com". fwix.com.
9. http://articles.philly.com/1986-08-21/news/26062433_1_bois-dore-costume-jewelry-carolyn-skelly
10. https://articles.latimes.com/1986-08-18/news/mn-18211_1_william-skelly
11. "Life and Times of Garth Brooks". Retrieved September 17, 2007.
12. "JJ Cale Biography on Yahoo! Music". Retrieved September 17, 2007.
13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved April 20, 2008.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
14. "Chuck Cissel Biography on Soul Tracks". Retrieved September 17, 2007.
15. "Joe Diffie Biography on Star Pulse". Retrieved September 17, 2007.
16. "Brooks & Dunn Bio on TV.com". Retrieved September 17, 2007.
17. Karen Shade, "Finding Annie", Tulsa World, August 13, 2009 (pay site).
18. Gary Hizer, "Big New Voice", Urban Tulsa Weekly'', May 9, 2007.
19. Forbes, Elizabeth (2001). "Johns, William". Grove Music Online. Retrieved 26 October 2015 (subscription required for full access).
20. Barone, Michael; Ujifusa, Grant (1987). The Almanac of American Politics 1988. National Journal. p. 794.
21. Stanley, Tim. "Mildred Ladner Thompson 1918–2013: Former Tulsa World columnist witnessed history". Tulsa World. 2013-07-07. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
22. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
23. "Tommy Hanson Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
24. "Globetrotting tales," Tulsa World, June 25, 2008. (Haynes grew up in Sand Springs.)
25. "A Faithful Secret". tribunedigital-chicagotribune.
26. "KRMG Event Guide for 2006 Miss America". Archived from the original on November 13, 2006. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
27. Jim Gabbert, "5 Buildings by John Duncan Forsyth", Preservation Oklahoma News, July 2006, p.5.