This is a list of people whose career was all or part in Illinois; people are not included if they left the state before beginning a career.
- Jessica Abel, comic book writer and artist
- Flozell Adams, offensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Jane Addams, social worker, teacher, peace activist, Nobel Peace Prize recipient
- George Ade, author
- Paul Adelstein, television actor; Prison Break, Private Practice
- Dankmar Adler, architect
- Scott Adsit, actor, writer, improvisational comedian, 30 Rock, Moral Orel, Mary Shelley's Frankenhole
- Abraham Adrian Albert, mathematician
- Frankie Albert, quarterback and head coach for the San Francisco 49ers and College Football Hall of Famer
- Nelson Algren, author
- Saul Alinsky, founder of modern community organizing and writer
- Joan Allen, actress, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bourne Supremacy, Face/Off
- Karen Allen, actress, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Tony Allen, swingman for the Memphis Grizzlies
- Justin Allgaier, sports, 2008 ARCA RE/MAX Series Champion
- Samuel Allison, prominent physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project
- John Peter Altgeld, politician (Democrat), Illinois Governor and workplace safety advocate
- Ken Anderson, former quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals
- Philip Warren Anderson, Nobel Prize-winning physicist
- Elmer Angsman, running back for the Chicago Cardinals
- Ann-Margret, Emmy-winning actress, singer and dancer
- Philip Danforth Armour, businessman-Founder of Armour and Company
- Matthew John Armstrong, television actor; Heroes, American Dreams
- Louis Armstrong, jazz musician
- John Ashcroft, politician (Republican), U.S. Attorney General, Missouri Senator, Missouri Governor
- Jason Avant, wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Brendon Ayanbadejo, linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens
- Bill Ayers, founder and former member of the Weather Underground
- Reiko Aylesworth, actress, Michelle Dessler on 24
- Chantal Bailey, Olympic Speedskater
- Bob Balaban, actor and director
- Adam Baldwin, actor, voice actor, blogger, Chuck, Jackie Chan Adventures, The Cape
- Paris Barclay, Emmy-winning and DGA Award-winning TV director, In Treatment, NYPD Blue, Cold Case
- John Bardeen (1908–91) winner of two Nobel Prizes in Physics
- Brandon Barnes, rock musician in the band Rise Against
- John Barrowman, actor, singer, dancer
- Peter Bartlett, actor, One Life to Live, The Princess and the Frog
- Hank Bauer (1922–2007), right fielder and manager with the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics; also a decorated World War II U.S. Marine
- Jennifer Beals, actress, The L Word, The Chicago Code, The Book of Eli
- Edward Beecher, theologian and abolitionist
- Darryl M. Bell, actor, A Different World, Homeboys in Outer Space
- Josh Bell, third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles
- Saul Bellow, Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer
- Louis Bellson, jazz drummer, bandleader and musician
- James Belushi, actor, comedian, According to Jim, Saturday Night Live, The Defenders
- Vincent Hugo Bendix, inventor, industrialist and pioneer in both the automotive and aviation industries
- Jack Benny, actor and comedian
- Tom Berenger, actor, Platoon
- Emily Bergl, actress, Men in Trees
- Shelley Berman, comedian, actor, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Boston Legal, Meet the Fockers
- Joseph Bernardin (1928–96), Cardinal Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago
- Edward Allen Bernero, TV writer, producer, and director, co-creator of Third Watch
- Black Hawk, Sauk Indian Chief
- Edwin Black, syndicated columnist, journalist, author of IBM and the Holocaust
- Zach Blair, musician Rise Against
- Rosa Blasi, actress, Strong Medicine, Make It or Break It, Hitz
- Robert Bloch, writer, author of Psycho
- Sidney Blumenthal, journalist, aide to President Bill Clinton
- Michael Boatman, actor, writer, Spin City, China Beach, Arliss
- Samuel Bodman, politician (Republican), U.S. Secretary of Energy, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department
- Eric Bolling, anchor at the Fox Business Network, host of Follow The Money
- Lou Boudreau, (1917–2001) Hall of Fame baseball player
- Michael Bowden, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Bruce Boxleitner, actor, science fiction novelist, Babylon 5, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, the Tron films
- Lara Flynn Boyle, actress, The Practice, Twin Peaks, Men in Black II
- Lydia Moss Bradley, philanthropist and founder of Bradley University
- Mark Staff Brandl, art critic, reviewer for Art in America
- Mac Brandt, actor, Prison Break
- Andre Braugher, actor, Homicide: Life on the Street, Hack, Men of a Certain Age
- Wendy Braun, actress, General Hospital
- Anthony Braxton, jazz
- Josh Brent, nose tackle for the Dallas Cowboys
- Paul Brittain, actor, comedian, cast member on Saturday Night Live
- David Broder, journalist, author, Washington Post columnist
- Phil Brooks, professional wrestler under the ring name "CM Punk"
- Patrick Brown, offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins
- Sergio Brown, safety for the New England Patriots
- Shannon Brown, guard for the L.A. Lakers
- Tony Brown, former NBA player and current assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks
- William Jennings Bryan, politician (Democrat), lawyer, US Secretary of State
- Bob Bryar, musician My Chemical Romance Drummer
- Bryan Bulaga, offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers
- Richard Bull, actor, Little House on the Prairie, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
- Daniel H. Burnham, architect
- Heather Burns, actress, Bored to Death, Miss Congeniality and its sequel
- Drew Butera, catcher for the Minnesota Twins
- Dick Butkus, Hall of Fame linebacker for the Chicago Bears
- Will Bynum, point guard for the Detroit Pistons
- Tim Byrdak, relief pitcher for the New York Mets
- Jack Cafferty, political commentator for CNN
- L. Scott Caldwell, actress, Lost, Queens Supreme
- Frances Callier, actress, comedian, I'm a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here!
- Joe Cannon, politician (Republican) and Speaker of the US House of Representatives
- Al Capone, gangster and bootlegger
- Antonio "Tony Bananas" Caponigro, consigliere of Angelo Bruno in the Philadelphia crime family
- Brian Cardinal, forward for the Dallas Mavericks
- Steve Carell, actor and comedian
- Amy Carlson, actress, Third Watch, Blue Bloods, Law & Order: Trial by Jury
- Terrence C. Carson, actor, voice actor, Living Single, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Life with Louie
- Maurice Carthon, former NFL running back primarily with the New York Giants
- James Cartwright, USMC general, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Dan Castellaneta, actor, The Simpsons, The Pursuit of Happyness, Happy Feet
- Anton Cermak, politician (Democrat) and Mayor of Chicago
- George Chandler (1898–1985), actor
- Jay Chandrasekhar, actor, comedian, film director
- Brenda Chapman, animator and film director, The Prince of Egypt
- Maurice Cheeks, former NBA point guard and current assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder
- Judy Chicago, feminist artist and author
- Anna Chlumsky, actress
- Amy Chua, professor at Yale Law School and author of World on Fire and Day of Empire
- Danny Clark, linebacker for the New Orleans Saints
- Hillary Rodham Clinton, attorney and politician (Democrat), former First Lady, New York Senator and current U.S. Secretary of State
- Gary Cole (born 1956), actor, The Brady Bunch Movie, Office Space, Talladega Nights
- James M. Cole, U.S. Deputy Attorney General under President Barack Obama
- Gary Coleman, actor, Arnold Jackson on Diff'rent Strokes
- Doug Collins, head coach for the Philadelphia 76ers
- Sherron Collins, former NBA point guard
- George Connor, Hall of Fame offensive tackle/linebacker for the Chicago Bears
- Common, rap musician, songwriter, producer, actor
- Brian Cook, power forward for the Los Angeles Clippers
- Martin Cooper, the inventor of the modern cell phone
- Billy Corgan (born 1967), rock musician from Alternative Rock band The Smashing Pumpkins
- Don Cornelius, television show host, producer, creator of Soul Train
- John Coughlin, Politician (Democrat) and Chicago Alderman
- Cindy Crawford (born 1966), supermodel
- Jim Crowley, NFL player, head coach and College Football Hall of Famer
- Adrianne Curry, model and America's Next Top Model, Cycle 1 winner
- Eddy Curry, center for the Miami Heat
- Ann Cusack, actress, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Maggie
- Joan Cusack, (born 1962), actress
- John Cusack, (born 1966), actor
- John Francis Daley (born 1985), actor, Bones, The Geena Davis Show, Freaks and Geeks
- Richard J. Daley (1902–1976), Politician (Democrat), Member of the Illinois State Assembly, Chicago Mayor (1955–1976)
- Richard M. Daley (born 1942), Politician (Democrat), attorney, Illinois State Senator, Chicago mayor (1989–2011), son of Richard J. Daley
- Owen Daniels, tight end for the Houston Texans
- Randy Daniels, politician (Republican), Secretary of State of New York, Deputy Mayor of New York City, educator, journalist
- Erik Darnell (1982–), NASCAR driver for Roush Fenway Racing
- Lisa Darr, actress, Popular, Life As We Know It, Flesh 'n' Blood
- Clarence Darrow, attorney
- Kristin Dattilo, actress, The Chris Isaak Show, Hitz
- Andrew Davis, film director, The Fugitive
- Miles Davis, jazz musician, bandleader and composer
- Clinton Davisson, Nobel Prize-winning physicist who discovered electron diffraction
- John Deere, inventor and manufacturer, founder of Deere & Company
- Oscar Stanton De Priest (1871–1951), politician (Republican), U.S. Representative, civil rights advocate, first African American to be elected to Congress in the 20th century
- John Dewey, philosopher
- Bo Diddley, rock and blues musician and composer
- David Diehl, offensive tackle for the New York Giants
- Ryan Diem, offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts
- Paul Dinello, actor, comedian, Strangers with Candy, Exit 57, The Colbert Report
- Everett Dirksen (1896–1969), politician (Republican), United States Senator, Senate Minority Leader
- Walt Disney, film director, producer and animator
- Conrad Dobler, retired NFL offensive lineman
- Dorothy L. Dodson, track and field athlete
- Professor Mike Donovan, middleweight boxer of the bare-knuckle era
- Stephen Douglas, politician (Democrat), Member of the US Senate and House of Representatives, author of the Kansas-Nebraska Act
- Susan Downey, film producer, Sherlock Holmes, Iron Man 2, Due Date
- Theodore Dreiser, author and social activist
- Paddy Driscoll, Hall of Fame quarterback and head coach for the Chicago Cardinals and Chicago Bears
- Dennis Dugan, director, actor, Big Daddy, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
- Michael Clarke Duncan, actor, Kung Fu Panda, Armageddon, Planet of the Apes
- Nora Dunn, actress, comedienne, Saturday Night Live, Sisters, Bruce Almighty
- Finley Peter Dunne, author and journalist
- Chad Durbin, relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians
- Dick Durbin, politician (Democrat), U.S. Senator, Majority Whip, U.S. Representative
- Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, settler, founder of Chicago
- Dick Van Dyke, actor, producer and writer
- Wyatt Earp (1848–1929), American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer
- Roger Ebert (1942–present), Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, film critic and author
- Buddy Ebsen, actor, The Beverly Hillbillies, Barnaby Jones
- Ninian Edwards, politician (Democratic-Republican) and Governor of Illinois
- Dave Eggers, writer, editor, and publisher, author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
- David Eigenberg, actor, Steve Brady on Sex and the City
- Deborah Eisenberg, short story writer, actress
- Brett Eldredge, country music singer
- Larry Ellison, co-founder and chief executive of the Oracle Corporation
- John Ely, starting pitcher for the L.A. Dodgers
- Melvin Ely, center and power forward for the Denver Nuggets
- Rahm Emanuel, Politician (Democrat), former US Congressman, White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama
- Larry English, outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers
- John Erlander, founder of Rockford Union Furniture Company.
- Richard Estes, photorealistic painter
- Fred Evans, defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings
- Dennis Farina, actor, former Chicago police officer, Law & Order, Crime Story, Saving Private Ryan
- Louis Farrakhan, Nation of Islam leader
- James T. Farrell, author
- Enrico Fermi (1901–1954), nuclear physicist and Nobel Prize in Physics winner
- Lupe Fiasco, Rapper, musician
- Carl Fick, filmmaker, novelist
- Eugene Field, author
- Marshall Field, businessman, department store founder and philanthropist
- Marshall Field III, Banker, publisher and philanthropist
- Bill Fischer, offensive lineman for the Chicago Cardinals and College Football Hall of Famer
- Crista Flanagan, comedic actress, MADtv
- Dan Fogelberg, folk/rock musician and composer
- Harrison Ford, actor, the Indiana Jones films, the original Star Wars trilogy
- Thomas Ford, politician (Democrat) and Illinois Governor
- Dennis Franz, actor, NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues, Die Hard 2
- Jonathan Fraser, actor
- Jason Frasor, relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
- John T. Frederick, literary scholar, critic and professor
- Kathleen Freeman, actress
- Betty Friedan, writer, activist, feminist, author of The Feminine Mystique
- William Friedkin, director, The Exorcist
- Francis Fukuyama, philosopher, political economist, author
- R. Buckminster Fuller, scientist, architect, inventor and author
- John Wayne Gacy (1942–1994), serial killer
- Lyman J. Gage, Politician (Republican), Banker and US Secretary of The Treasury
- Johnny Galecki, actor, Roseanne, The Big Bang Theory, American Dreamer
- James Gammon, actor, Nash Bridges, Bagdad Cafe
- Elbert Henry Gary, lawyer, county judge, corporate officer, key founder of U.S. Steel
- Willie Geist, host of MSNBC's Way Too Early with Willie Geist and co-host of Morning Joe
- Jami Gertz, actress, Still Standing, Sibs, Twister
- Tavi Gevinson, blogger and feminist
- Emily Giffin, novelist
- Joe Girardi, manager of the New York Yankees
- Stephen Glass, former journalist for The New Republic fired for serial fraud in his articles
- Caroline Glick, journalist, deputy managing editor for the Jerusalem Post
- Godfrey, comedian, actor
- Jaslene Gonzalez, model and America's Next Top Model, Cycle 8 winner
- Stuart Gordon, director, writer, producer
- Otto Graham, Hall of Fame quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and head coach for the Washington Redskins
- Curtis Granderson, center fielder for the New York Yankees
- Red Grange, college and professional football player
- Ulysses S. Grant, Civil War General and 18th President of the United States 1869–1877
- Bonita Granville, film actress, television producer
- Eli Grba, former MLB relief pitcher, primarily with the New York Yankees
- Andrew Greeley (born 1928), Roman Catholic priest, sociologist and author
- Shawn Green (born 1972), former Major League Baseball 2-time All-Star right fielder
- Kathy Griffin, actress, stand-up comedian, television personality, author, star of My Life on the D-List
- Frank W. Gunsaulus, educator, orator and minister
- Luis Gutiérrez, politician (Democrat), U.S. Representative
- Buddy Guy, blues guitarist and composer
- Gene Hackman, screen actor and Academy Award winner, The French Connection, The Firm, Superman, The Birdcage
- Michael G. Hagerty, actor, Lucky Louie, The George Carlin Show, Friends
- Jerry Hairston, Jr., utility player for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- George Halas, (1895–1983) sports, co-founder of National Football League and longtime coach-owner of the Chicago Bears
- DeMarlo Hale, third base coach for the Baltimore Orioles
- Robert Halperin (1928–85), Olympic and Pan American Games yachting medalist, college and professional football player, one of Chicago's most-decorated World War II heroes, and Chairman of Commercial Light Co.
- Richard Hamming, prominent mathematician, inventor of the Hamming code and Hamming window
- Herbie Hancock, jazz musician
- Daryl Hannah, actress, producer
- J. A. Happ, pitcher for the Houston Astros
- Luke Harangody, power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers
- Clay Harbor, tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Erika Harold, model, 2003 Miss America, conservative activist, attorney
- William Rainey Harper, educator and first president of the University of Chicago
- Carter Harrison, Sr., politician (Democrat), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, Mayor of Chicago
- Carter Harrison, Jr., politician (Democrat) and Mayor of Chicago
- Dennis Hastert, teacher, politician (Republican), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker of the House, 1998–2006
- Helge Alexander Haugan, (1847–1909) – Chicago businessman and bank founder
- H. (Hauman) G. Haugan, railroad executive and brother of Helge A. Haugan
- Reidar Rye Haugan (1893–1972) – Chicago newspaper publisher
- Kelvin Hayden, cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons
- Reggie Hayes, actor, Girlfriends
- Luther Head, shooting guard and point guard for the Sacramento Kings
- George Peter Alexander Healy, painter
- Ben Hecht, author, activist, Academy Award winning screenwriter
- Hugh Hefner, magazine publisher
- Ernest Hemingway, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning writer and journalist
- Rickey Henderson, Hall of Fame MLB left fielder who holds the major league record for career stolen bases
- Max Henius, biochemist and co-founder the American Academy of Brewing in Chicago
- Whitey Herzog, Hall of Fame baseball manager, primarily with the St. Louis Cardinals and former outfielder
- Charlton Heston, Oscar-winning actor, political activist
- Jim Hickey, pitching coach for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Michael Hitchcock, actor, MADtv, Wild Hogs
- Craig Hodges, former NBA guard, played primarily with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Chicago Bulls
- Isabella Hofmann, actress, Dear John, Homicide: Life on the Street, JAG
- William Holabird, architect
- Raymond Hood, architect
- Jeff Hornacek, assistant coach for the Utah Jazz and former NBA shooting guard
- Henry Horner, politician (Democrat) and Illinois Governor
- Lin Houston, guard for the Cleveland Browns
- Juwan Howard, power forward for the Miami Heat
- Terrence Howard, actor, Iron Man, Big Momma's House, Sparks
- Reginald Hudlin, film and television director, screenwriter
- Warrington Hudlin, film director, producer
- Jennifer Hudson, R&B singer
- Rock Hudson, actor
- Brandon Hughes, cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Stephen Hunter, novelist, essayist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic
- Robert Maynard Hutchins, lawyer, educator and President of the University of Chicago
- Andre Iguodala, swingman for the Philadelphia 76ers
- Robert G. Ingersoll, Illinois Attorney General, orator, social reformer
- Samuel Insull, businessman and industrialist
- Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts
- Tom Irwin, actor, Saving Grace, My So-Called Life, Related
- Burl Ives, actor and folk musician
- Jesse Jackson, political activist and Baptist minister
- Colombe Jacobsen, chef and actress
- Peter Jacobson, actor, House, Transformers
- Brian James, assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers
- Peter Francis James, actor, voice-over artist
- Dave Jauss, bench coach for the New York Mets
- Mae Jemison, physician and astronaut
- Richard Jenkins, actor, Fun with Dick and Jane, Step Brothers, Six Feet Under
- William Le Baron Jenney, architect and engineer, originator of the metal-frame skyscraper
- Jeremih, R&B singer
- Armon Johnson, point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers
- Bobby Johnson, former wide receiver for the New York Giants
- Lynn-Holly Johnson, professional ice skater and actress
- J. J. Johnston, actor, boxing historian
- Charles "Buffalo" Jones, frontiersman
- Quincy Jones, musician, conductor, producer, arranger, composer, film composer
- Mike Kafka, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Harry Kalas (1936–2009), sportscaster, play-by-play for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Maria Kanellis, WWE Diva
- Henry Kaplan, radiologist who pioneered in radiation therapy and radiobiology
- Leon Kass, physician, scientist, educator, public intellectual
- Leslie Keeley, physician and founder of the Keeley Institute for addiction treatment
- Florence Kelley, social reformer, labor-rights advocate and founder of the National Consumers' League
- Robert Keohane, co-founder of the neoliberalism school of thought
- Johnny Kerr, NBA player and coach, color commentator for the Chicago Bulls
- T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh, actress, That's So Raven, Cosby, In Living Color
- Fazlur Khan (1929–1982), structural engineer
- Richard Kiley (1922–1999), actor, A Year in the Life, Kraft Television Theatre, Phenomenon
- Sam Kinison (1953–1992), stand-up comedian, actor
- Terry Kinney, actor, Oz, The Unusuals, The Firm
- John Kinzie, Chicago settler
- Jason Kipnis, second baseman for the Cleveland Indians
- Chris Klein, actor, American Pie film series
- Frank Knox, newspaper publisher/owner and Secretary of the Navy
- Seana Kofoed, actress, Men in Trees
- Mort Kondracke, political commentator, columnist for Roll Call
- George Kontos, relief pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Olof Krans, Swedish-American Folk Art painter and artist.
- Ray Kroc, entrepreneur/owner of McDonald's fast food restaurants
- Alison Krauss, bluegrass musician and composer
- Ken Kwapis, film and television director, The Office, The Bernie Mac Show, Malcolm in the Middle
- Kyung Lah, Tokyo-based international correspondent for CNN
- Ray LaHood, Politician (Republican), former Member of the U.S. and Illinois House of Representatives, current U.S. Secretary of Transportation
- Gene Lamont, former MLB catcher, former MLB manager, current third base coach for the Detroit Tigers
- James Landis, noted power engineer
- Eric Lane, actor
- Norm Larsen, industrial chemist, inventor of WD-40
- René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, explorer
- Carol Lawrence, actress
- Natasha Leggero, stand-up comedienne, actress, judge on Last Comic Standing
- John D. LeMay, actor, Friday the 13th: The Series
- Harry Lennix, actor, Dollhouse, Commander in Chief, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions
- Thomas Lennon, actor, comedian, Reno 911!, The State, Viva Variety
- Rick Lenz, actor, Hec Ramsey
- Donald Leslie, inventor of the Leslie speaker
- Brian Levant, film director, The Flintstones
- Charles Levin, actor, Alice, Capital News
- Greg Lewis, wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings
- Jeffrey Lieber, TV writer and producer, Lost, Miami Medical
- DeAndre Liggins, shooting guard for the Orlando Magic
- Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, member of Congress
- Mary Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's wife
- Robert Todd Lincoln, attorney, U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, U.S. Secretary of War, President of the Pullman Company, Abraham Lincoln's son
- Charles Magnus Lindgren, Shipping Executive
- John R. Lindgren, Banking Executive, son of Charles M. Lindgren
- Vachel Lindsay, poet
- Shaun Livingston, player for the Milwaukee Bucks
- Nils Lofgren, rock music recording artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist
- John A. Logan, politician (Democrat and Republican), U.S. Civil War General, member of the U.S. and Illinois House of Representatives, U.S. Senator
- Ramón E. López, space physicist
- Tony Lovato, musician, member of the band Mest
- Frank Orren Lowden, politician (Republican), member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Illinois Governor
- Jane Lynch, actress and comedienne; The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Alvin and the Chipmunks
- Bernie Mac, actor, stand-up comedian, The Bernie Mac Show, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Ocean's Eleven and its sequels
- Justina Machado, actress, Six Feet Under, Missing, Three Rivers
- Pete Mackanin, bench coach for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Fred MacMurray, actor, My Three Sons, Double Indemnity, The Apartment
- Earle S. MacPherson, automotive engineer that developed the MacPherson strut
- Amy Madigan, actress, Carnivàle
- Slip Madigan, college football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball
- Michael Madsen, actor, Die Another Day
- Virginia Madsen, actress, sister of Michael Madsen
- Corey Maggette, player for the Charlotte Bobcats
- Ron Mahay, relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
- John Mahoney, actor, Marty Crane on Frasier
- Terrence Malick, filmmaker
- John Malkovich actor, producer and director Con Air, In the Line of Fire
- David Mamet, screenwriter, playwright, director, producer, The Unit
- Harry Manfredini, film composer
- James Robert Mann, politician (Republican), attorney, Chicago City Alderman, U.S. Congressman
- Michael Mann, film director
- Joe Mantegna, actor, voice actor, Criminal Minds, Joan of Arcadia, The Simpsons
- Joe Mantello, actor
- Ray Manzarek, co-founder and keyboardist for The Doors
- Shawn Marion, forward for the Dallas Mavericks
- Richard Martini, writer, director
- Russell Maryland, NFL defensive tackle and College Football Hall of Fame inductee
- Edgar Lee Masters, author and poet
- Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, actress, The Color of Money
- Marlee Matlin, Academy Award-winning actress, Children of a Lesser God
- Jason Maxiell, player for the Detroit Pistons
- George S. May, businessman, golf promoter
- Chi McBride, actor, The John Larroquette Show, Boston Public, Human Target
- Mercedes McCambridge, Academy Award-winning actress
- Jenny McCarthy, model, actress, author, activist
- Melissa McCarthy, actress, Gilmore Girls, Samantha Who?, Charlie's Angels
- Mike McCormack, Hall of Fame NFL offensive tackle, head coach, president and general manager
- Cyrus Hall McCormick, businessman and inventor of the McCormick Reaper
- Robert R. McCormick, newspaper publisher and philanthropist
- Elizabeth McGovern, actress
- Tim McIlrath, musician, Rise Against
- Sherrick McManis, cornerback for the Houston Texans
- Donovan McNabb, quarterback for the Washington Redskins
- John McNaughton, film and television director
- Marcus McNeill, offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers
- Ryan McPartlin, actor, Chuck, Living With Fran
- Joseph Medill, newspaper owner and publisher, Mayor of Chicago
- Chris Medina, singer-songwriter and former American Idol constestant
- Rashard Mendenhall, running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Alex Meneses, actress, model, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
- Charles Edward Merriam, political scientist, professor
- Laurie Metcalf, actress, Roseanne
- Robert H. Michel, (born 1923), politician (Republican), longtime member of Congress and former House Minority Leader
- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886–1969), modernist architect
- Bob Miner, co-founder of Oracle Corporation
- Bob Mionske, attorney and former Olympic and professional bicycle racer
- Nazr Mohammed, center for the Oklahoma City Thunder
- Harriet Monroe, poet
- Meredith Monroe, actress, Dawson's Creek, Criminal Minds
- Dwight L. Moody, evangelical minister and publisher
- William Vaughn Moody, dramatist and poet
- Stephen Moore, economic writer, policy analyst, founder of the Club for Growth
- Read Morgan, actor
- Jennifer Morrison, actress, model, House, How I Met Your Mother, Star Trek
- Mark Moses, actor, Desperate Housewives, Grand, Mad Men
- Senta Moses, actress, General Hospital, Running the Halls, Home Alone
- Markos Moulitsas, founder of the liberal blog Daily Kos, columnist for Newsweek and The Hill
- George Mundelein, Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn and Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago
- James Murtaugh, actor
- Bill Murray, actor, comedian, the Ghostbusters movies, Charlie's Angels, Tootsie
- Brian Doyle-Murray, comedian, actor, voice artist, Saturday Night Live, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, The Middle
- Joel Murray, actor, Dharma & Greg, Love & War, Grand
- John Musker, animation director, Aladdin, Hercules, The Princess and the Frog
- George Musso, Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears
- Ajay Naidu, actor, Office Space, LateLine
- Suzy Nakamura, actress, Deep Impact, DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, The 40-Year-Old Virgin
- Heather Nauert, news anchor for the Fox News Channel
- Baby Face Nelson, bank robber and murderer in the 1930s
- Karl Nelson, former offensive tackle for the New York Giants
- Wayne Nelson, (born 1950) musician from classic rock's Little River Band
- Eliot Ness, Chief Investigator of the Prohibition Bureau
- Marisol Nichols, actress, Resurrection Blvd., 24, Blind Justice
- Alexa Nikolas, actress, Zoey 101, Hidden Hills
- Rob Ninkovich, linebacker and defensive end for the New England Patriots
- Ray Nitschke, Hall of Fame linebacker for the Green Bay Packers
- Frank Nitti, gangster
- Ken Norton, former heavyweight boxer
- Ken Norton, Jr., former NFL linebacker and current linebackers coach for the Seattle Seahawks
- Kim Novak, actress, Vertigo
- Robert Novak, syndicated columnist, journalist, TV personality, author, conservative political commentator
- Steve Novak, small forward and power forward for the New York Knicks
- Mike Nussbaum, actor, Men in Black
- Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States, US Senator from Illinois, Illinois State Senator
- Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States, wife of Barack Obama
- Hugh O'Brian, actor, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
- Bob Ociepka, assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers
- Donald O'Connor, dancer, singer, actor, Singin' in the Rain
- Kevin J. O'Connor, actor, The Beast, The Others, The Mummy
- Bill Odenkirk, comedy writer, actor, producer, Mr. Show, The Simpsons
- Bob Odenkirk, actor, comedian, writer, director, Breaking Bad, Mr. Show, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
- Chris O'Donnell, actor, NCIS: Los Angeles, Batman Forever, Batman & Robin
- William Butler Ogden, politician (Democrat), businessman, first Mayor of Chicago
- Richard James Oglesby, politician (Republican), U.S. Army General, U.S. Senator, Governor of Illinois
- Matt O'Leary, actor
- Ken Olin, actor, director, producer, Thirtysomething, Brothers & Sisters, L.A. Doctors
- Diana Oughton, student activist, member of The Weathermen
- Curtis Painter, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts
- John M. Palmer, politician (Democrat, Republican, Free Soil), Civil War General, Illinois State Senator, Illinois Governor
- Phoebe Palmer, evangelist and author
- Potter Palmer, real estate developer, businessman, founder of the Palmer House Hotel
- Danielle Panabaker, actress, Shark
- Kay Panabaker, actress, Summerland, Phil of the Future
- Jannero Pargo, point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies
- Anthony Parker, guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers
- Francis W. Parker, education reformer
- Mandy Patinkin, actor and singer, The Princess Bride, Dick Tracy, Chicago Hope
- Danica Patrick, auto racing driver
- Tom Paxton, (born 1937) folk musician and singer-songwriter
- Sean Payton, head coach for the New Orleans Saints
- John Mason Peck, Baptist minister and author
- Michael Peña, actor, World Trade Center, Crash, The Shield
- Jeff Perry, actor, Nash Bridges, Grey's Anatomy
- Pehr August Peterson, Rockford, Illinois industrialist and philanthropist
- William Petersen, actor, Gil Grissom on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- Father Michael Pfleger, controversial Roman Catholic priest
- Busy Philipps, actress, Dawson's Creek, Freaks and Geeks, ER
- Geoff Pierson, actor, Unhappily Ever After, Grace Under Fire, Dexter
- Tonya Pinkins, actress, All My Children, Enchanted
- John Podesta, White House Chief of Staff under Bill Clinton
- Fritz Pollard, first African American head coach in the NFL and Pro Football Hall of Famer
- Ernest Poole, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist
- Michael Posner, Attorney, human rights advocate and Assistant Secretary of State under Barack Obama
- Joe Principe, musician, member of the band Rise Against
- Penny Pritzker, founder and current Chair of Classic Residence by Hyatt
- Richard Pryor, comedian and actor
- Kirby Puckett, Hall of Fame center fielder for the Minnesota Twins
- George M. Pullman, inventor and industrialist, founder of the Pullman Car Company
- David Purcey, relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Todd Purdum, national editor and political correspondent for Vanity Fair
- John Qualen, actor, Casablanca, The Grapes of Wrath, The Searchers
- Maeve Quinlan, actress, former tennis player, The Bold and the Beautiful, South of Nowhere
- Aidan Quinn, actor
- Declan Quinn, cinematographer
- Louis Quinn, actor, 77 Sunset Strip
- Pat Quinn, politician (Democrat), attorney, Illinois Treasurer and Governor of Illinois since January 2009
- Adolfo "Shabba Doo" Quiñones, actor, dancer, choreographer
- Henry T. Rainey, politician (Democrat), member and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Harold Ramis, actor, director, writer, Ghostbusters parts 1 and 2, As Good as It Gets, Analyze This, National Lampoon's Vacation
- Antwaan Randle El, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Lou Rawls, soul, jazz and blues singer and actor
- James Earl Ray, assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Ronald Reagan (1911–2004), actor and politician (Republican), 40th President of the United States, Governor of California
- John C. Reilly, actor; Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, Chicago
- Denise Richards, actress, The World Is Not Enough, Denise Richards: It's Complicated
- Quentin Richardson, swingman for the Orlando Magic
- Sy Richardson, actor, Pushing Daisies
- Andy Richter, actor, comedian, writer, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, the Madagascar films & cartoons
- Doc Rivers, former NBA point guard and head coach for the Boston Celtics
- Robin Roberts, Hall of Fame starting pitcher who played primarily with the Philadelphia Phillies
- Craig Robinson, actor, stand-up comedian, The Office, Lucky, Last Comic Standing
- Knute Rockne, College Football Hall of Fame head coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- George Lincoln Rockwell, founder of the American Nazi Party
- Richard Roeper, columnist, film critic, former co-host of At the Movies
- Carl Rogers, prominent psychologist
- Christina Romer, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama
- John Root, architect
- Adam Rosales, third baseman for the Oakland A's
- Derrick Rose, NBA player for the Chicago Bulls
- Julius Rosenwald, businessman and philanthropist, President of Sears, Roebuck & Company
- Ricco Ross, actor, Westbeach
- Larry Rothschild, pitching coach for the New York Yankees
- Rudy Ruettiger, motivational speaker and former collegiate football player for the University of Notre Dame
- Donald Rumsfeld, politician (Republican), Secretary of Defense, White House Chief of Staff, U.S. Representative
- William A. Rusher, lawyer, columnist, publisher of National Review from 1957–1988
- Chuck Russell, director, The Mask, Eraser
- Ann Rutledge, friend of Abraham Lincoln
- Rex Ryan, head coach for the New York Jets
- Robert Ryan, actor
- Shawn Ryan, television producer and writer, The Shield, The Unit, Angel
- Lou Rymkus, NFL tackle and head coach for the Houston Oilers
- Marc Rzepczynski, relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Jonathan Sadowski, actor, Live Free or Die Hard
- Craig Sager, sportscaster
- Pat Sajak, television game show host Wheel of Fortune
- Jerome Sally, former NFL nose tackle
- Kiele Sanchez, actress, Married to the Kellys, Related, Lost
- Carl Sandburg, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and journalist
- Fred Savage, actor, director, The Wonder Years, Working, Austin Powers in Goldmember
- George Schaefer, television and stage director
- Lanny D. Schmidt, chemist, inventor, author, and professor
- Bill Schulz, regular panelist, writer, and producer on Fox News Channel's Red Eye w/ Greg Gutfeld
- William Schutz, psychologist
- Rusty Schwimmer, actress, Twister, The Perfect Storm
- Edward Willis Scripps, newspaper publisher, founder of E.W. Scripps Company
- Richard Warren Sears, businessman, co-founder of Sears, Roebuck and Company
- Kevin Seitzer, former All-Star MLB third baseman and current hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals
- Michael Shannon, actor, Boardwalk Empire, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys II
- Shannon Sharpe, Hall of Fame NFL tight end
- Sterling Sharpe, former wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, analyst for the NFL Network
- Bernard J. Sheil, Roman Catholic Archbishop and founder of the Catholic Youth Organization
- Derek Shelton, hitting coach for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Sam Shepard, actor, director and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Black Hawk Down, The Pelican Brief, The Right Stuff
- Sherri Shepherd, comedienne, actress, co-host of The View
- Brian Sherwin, art critic, curator, writer.
- Kiernan Shipka, child actress, Sally Draper on Mad Men
- William Shockley, (1910–1989), Nobel Prize-winning physicist and co-inventor of the transistor
- Bobby Short, cabaret singer and performer
- Brian Shouse, former MLB relief pitcher
- Iman Shumpert, guard for the New York Knicks
- Casey Siemaszko, actor, NYPD Blue, Back to the Future parts 1 and 2
- Shel Silverstein, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books
- Bobby Simmons, small forward/shooting guard for the San Antonio Spurs
- James Singleton, power forward for the Guangdong Southern Tigers
- Gary Sinise, Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning actor, director and musician CSI: NY, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13
- Gene Siskel, television journalist, film critic and author
- Jeffrey Skilling, former president of Enron, convicted of multiple federal felony charges
- Tom Skilling, meteorologist for WGN News
- Duke Slater, NFL tackle and College Football Hall of Famer
- John Slater, physicist
- Jerry Sloan, HOF former head coach and former NBA All-Star player for the Chicago Bulls
- Albion W. Small, sociologist and university professor
- Art Smith, actor
- Joseph Smith, Jr., prophet and founder of the Latter Day Saint movement
- Lonnie Smith, former Major League Baseball outfielder
- Sandra Smith, Business news reporter for the Fox Business Network
- Carrie Snodgress, actress
- Rafael Sorkin, physicist
- David Soul, actor and singer, Starsky and Hutch, Here Come the Brides, The Yellow Rose
- Soulja Boy, rapper
- John Spalding, Roman Catholic Bishop and co-founder of The Catholic University of America
- Richard Speck, mass murderer
- Mac Speedie, wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns and head coach for the Denver Broncos
- Donald Spero, rower
- Lawrence Sperry, aviation pioneer
- Anthony Spilotro, mobster and enforcer for the Chicago Outfit
- Erik Spoelstra, head coach for the Miami Heat
- Jimmy Stafford, lead guitarist for Train
- Amos Alonzo Stagg, College Hall of Fame football coach and athlete, creator of the lateral pass and helmet
- Michael Stahl-David, actor, The Black Donnellys
- Dino Stamatopoulos, television comedy writer, actor, producer
- Ellen Gates Starr, social reformer and co-founder of Hull House
- Todd Stashwick, actor, The Riches
- Shelby Steele, columnist, documentary filmmaker, author of White Guilt
- James R. Stein, TV writer and producer, America 2-Night, Fernwood 2 Night, Son of the Beach
- Rick Stelmaszek, former MLB catcher and current bullpen coach for the Minnesota Twins
- Fisher Stevens, actor, producer, director, Early Edition, Key West
- John Paul Stevens, attorney, jurist, Supreme Court Justice
- Adlai Stevenson II, attorney, politician (Democrat), Illinois Governor, Ambassador to the United Nations, Presidential candidate in 1952 and 1956
- David Ogden Stiers, actor and orchestral conductor; M*A*S*H, The Dead Zone, Better Off Dead
- Dejan Stojanović, poet, writer, essayist, philosopher, businessman, and former journalist
- Melville E. Stone, newspaper publisher and manager of the Associated Press
- Lauren Storm, actress, Flight 29 Down
- John Stossel, consumer reporter, investigative journalist, author
- Michael Stoyanov, actor, TV comedy writer, Blossom
- The Brothers Strause, directing duo, special effects artists
- Barbara Stuart, television actress
- Patrick Stump, lead singer of the band Fall Out Boy
- Louis Sullivan, architect
- Daniel Sunjata, actor, Rescue Me, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Devil Wears Prada
- Lynn Sweet, Washington D.C. bureau chief for the Chicago Sun-Times, columnist for The Hill
- Gustavus Franklin Swift, inventor, meat-packing entrepreneur
- Keith Szarabajka, actor, The Dark Knight, We Were Soldiers, The Equalizer
- Joe Tait, broadcaster who did radio play by play for the Cleveland Cavaliers
- Jill Talley, actress, voice actress, Little Miss Sunshine, The Boondocks, Mr. Show
- Mark Tatge, journalist
- Edmund Dick Taylor, "Father of the Greenback"
- Lili Taylor, actress, Six Feet Under, Deadline, Ransom
- Andy Tennant, actor, writer, film director, Hitch
- Felisha Terrell, actress, Days of our Lives
- Lynne Thigpen, actress, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, All My Children
- Roy Thinnes, actor, The Invaders, The Long, Hot Summer, Falcon Crest
- Josh Thole, catcher for the New York Mets
- Pierre Thomas, running back for the New Orleans Saints
- Theodore Thomas, violinist, orchestral conductor and founder of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Jim Thome, first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Charles Tillman, cornerback for the Chicago Bears
- Gregg Toland, cinematographer
- Scott Tolzien, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers
- David Tom, actor, The Young and the Restless, All My Children
- Lauren Tom, film & TV actress, voice actress, King of the Hill, Futurama, W.I.T.C.H.
- Nicholle Tom, actress, The Nanny, The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman
- Tom Towles, actor
- Robert Townsend, actor and director, The Parent 'Hood
- Mary Ellen Trainor, actress, Roswell, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, the Lethal Weapon films
- Sam Treiman, theoretical physicist
- Lyman Trumbull, politician (Democrat, Republican), Illinois Assembly member, Illinois Supreme Court Justice, U.S. Senator, author of the Thirteenth Amendment
- Robin Tunney, actress, The Mentalist, Prison Break
- Bob Turley, Cy Young-winning pitcher, primarily with the New York Yankees
- Jonathan Baldwin Turner, scholar, activist and advocate of land grant universities
- Evan Turner, shooting guard for the Philadelphia 76ers
- Michael Turner, NFL running back for the Atlanta Falcons
- Scott Turow, author and lawyer
- Twista, rapper
- R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr., founder and editor-in-chief of The American Spectator
- Virginia Valli, silent movie actress
- Danitra Vance, actress, Saturday Night Live cast member
- Wendelin Van Draanen, author of the Sammy Keyes children's novels
- Jerry Van Dyke, actor, comedian, Coach, My Mother the Car
- Brian Van Holt, actor, Cougar Town, John from Cincinnati
- Phillip Edward Van Lear, actor, Prison Break
- Melvin Van Peebles, director, screenwriter, actor, composer
- Vince Vaughn, actor, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Wedding Crashers
- Eddie Vedder, lead vocalist for Pearl Jam
- Nadine Velazquez, actress and model, My Name Is Earl
- Rachel Veltri, actress and model
- Mark Venturini, actor
- Jim Verraros, singer, actor
- Vince Vieluf, actor, Love, Inc.
- Steve Vinovich, actor
- The Wachowskis, filmmakers, the Matrix trilogy
- Dwyane Wade, NBA Star for the Miami Heat
- David Foster Wallace, author
- Eric Wallace, politician (Republican), entrepreneur, pastor
- Matt Walsh, actor, writer, comedian, Upright Citizens Brigade, The Hangover
- Kevin Walter, wide receiver for the Houston Texans
- Aaron Montgomery Ward, retail businessman and creator of the mail order catalog
- Muddy Waters, blues musician and songwriter
- Elmo Scott Watson, journalist and university professor
- Alvin M. Weinberg, nuclear physicist
- Robbie Weinhardt, relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
- Michael T. Weiss, actor, The Pretender, The Legend of Tarzan, Dark Shadows
- Raquel Welch, actress, author and sex symbol
- Jon Wellner, actor, Henry Andrews on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- George Wendt, actor, Norm Peterson on the television show Cheers
- John Wentworth, politician (Democrat), U.S. Congressman, Mayor of Chicago and newspaper editor
- Pete Wentz, bass player of Fall Out Boy
- Jayson Werth, outfielder for the Washington Nationals
- Kanye West, rap musician, songwriter, producer
- Haskell Wexler, cinematographer, film producer, director
- Betty White, actress, comedian, The Golden Girls, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Proposal, Hot in Cleveland
- Richard Widmark, actor
- George Will, conservative Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, journalist, ABC news analyst, author
- Frances E. Willard, suffragist and social activist
- Cynda Williams, actress
- Jason Williams, inside linebacker for the Carolina Panthers
- Kyle Williams, wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers
- Robin Williams, actor, comedian, Night at the Museum, Mrs. Doubtfire, Aladdin
- George Wilson, NFL player and coach
- Martez Wilson, linebacker for the New Orleans Saints
- Oprah Winfrey, television host, actress, producer, media magnate and icon
- Samuel Witwer, actor, Davis Bloome on Smallville
- Gary K. Wolf, author of the mystery novel that became the basis for Who Framed Roger Rabbit
- Hillary Wolf, former child actress, judo player, Home Alone, Home Alone 2
- Ross Wolf, relief pitcher for the Houston Astros
- Garrett Wolfe, running back for the Chicago Bears
- Amy Wright, actress
- Frank Lloyd Wright, architect, designer, writer and educator
- Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ
- Julian Wright, small forward for the Toronto Raptors
- Alex Wurman, film and TV composer
- Kevin Yagher, special effects technician
- Richard Yates Sr., politician (Republican), member of the Illinois and U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate and Civil War-era Governor of Illinois,
- Richard Yates Jr., politician (Republican), attorney, U.S. Congressman Progressive Era Governor of Illinois
- Charles Yerkes, financier and mass-transit developer
- Philip Yordan, screenwriter
- John J. York, actor, General Hospital, Werewolf
- Buddy Young, NFL running back and College Football Hall of Famer
- Robert Young, actor, Father Knows Best, Marcus Welby, M.D.
- Roger Young, TV writer/director, Lou Grant
- Victor Young, composer, arranger, violinist, conductor
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- Jacob Zachar, actor, Greek
- Paula Zahn, journalist, newscaster
- Naureen Zaim, model, actress, artist
- Katalin Zamiar, martial artist, sportswriter, actress
- Zana, porn actress
- Billy Zane, producer, director and actor, Titanic
- Lisa Zane, actress, L.A. Law, Biker Mice from Mars, Roar
- John Zaremba, actor, I Led Three Lives, The Time Tunnel, Ben Casey
- Robert Z'Dar, actor, producer
- Kara Zediker, actress
- Sam Zell, real estate entrepreneur
- Robert Zemeckis, film director, Forrest Gump, Cast Away, the Back to the Future films
- Warren Zevon, rock musician, singer-songwriter
- Howard Zieff, film and TV commercial director
- Florenz Ziegfeld, Broadway impresario
- Ben Ziff, actor, musician
- Adrian Zmed, actor, TV personality, T. J. Hooker, Goodtime Girls
- Ben Zobrist, second baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Louis Zorich, actor, musician, Mad About You, Brooklyn Bridge
- Jim Zulevic, actor, comedian, radio host, TV writer
- Edward Zwick, film director, The Last Samurai, Defiance
