Celebrities and Famous People Born in Massachusetts

The state of Massachusetts has a lot of history and therefore a lot of notable people have come and gone through its borders. Apparently it is a hot bed for producing political leaders, book authors, artists, and actors to an astonishing degree. Here is a list of some famous people and celebrities that were born in Massachusetts. I said BORN not raised or lived there, spawned there. This list is not all conclusive, many will be missing, one can only type so much, and of course as time passes by more will be born.

Conan O'Brien: Co-Co, as dubbed by Tom Hanks, is a famous talk show host, formerly on NBC and currently on TBS. Before becoming a television personality he was a writer for shows like "The Simpsons" and "Saturday Night Live." He was born in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Susan B. Anthony: An important woman in the gaining of rights for women, Susan B. Anthony was born in Adams, Massachusetts in the year 1820. The home where she was born has been turned into the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum. Creative name, right?

Benjamin Franklin: Born on Milk Street in Boston, Benjamin Franklin was the eighth child in his family. He would go on to become a political leader, an inventor of more things than I can list, and to play with kites in lightening storms. If you are lucky enough to get a USA hundred dollar bill in your pocket, check it for his portrait.

Eliza Dushku: As the vampire slayer named Faith on "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" Eliza Dushku gained many a television groupie. She also went on to star as the lead in the show "Dollhouse." You may have also seen her in movies such as "True Lies," "Bring it On," "Wrong Turn," and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." She was born in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Kurt Russell: This famous actor has his career guided by Disney for a long time, but has done a little bit of everything. An odd twist on the Disney connection though is that the last words as written out by Walt Disney before he died were supposedly nothing more than Kurt Russell's name. Kurt was born in Springfield.

Dr. Seuss: A virtual God in the world of children's books, Dr. Seuess was born in Springfield, Massachusetts as Theodor Seuss Geisel.

Emily Dickinson: A very famous female poet, Emily Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts in the year 1830.

Rob Zombie: Rob Zombie was the lead singer of the band White Zombie, before he went solo under his own name making hits such as "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl." he has also become a respected mvie maker with genre flicks such as "The Devil's Rejects" and the remake of "Halloween." He was born in the town of Haverhill.

Spider One: The lead singer of the band Powerman 5,000 is known as Spider One, tough his real name is Michael David Cummings. Aside from the single 'When World's Collide," he may be best known as the brother of fellow rocker Rob Zombie. He was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

John F. Kennedy: Born in Brookline, Massachusetts, JFK was 35th president of the United States of America. He is one of the most celebrated presidents as well with hi assassination death still a shocking ordeal.

John Adams: John Adams was the second president of the United States of America. He was born October 30, 1735 in what is now Quincy, Massachusetts; back in his day it was known as the north precinct of Braintree. His birthplace is a part of the Adams National Historical Park.

Donna Summer: In the 70s she was dubbed "The Queen of Disco." The real name for this singer is LaDonna Adrian Gaines. She was born in Boston.

Edgar Allen Poe: A macabre vibe surrounds the legacy of Edgar Allen Poe, as his life was considered somewhat tragic as was the darkness of many of his works. He was born in Boston in 1809 and died in 1849, a death which the cause of I still a mystery to this day. His most popular works are probably "The Raven," "The Pit and the Pendulum," and "The Tell-Tale Heart."

Barbara Walters: One of the most famous female newspersons ever. She is known for her interviews, for the television show "The View," and "20/20." She was born in Boston in 1929.

Bette Davis: Bette Davis is a cherished actress born in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1908. She was the first person to ever reach the milestone of ten academy award nominations. I'm sure you've heard the song inspired by her eyes.

Matt Damon: He went from winning an Oscar as a non-household name, to being an A-list actor that everyone has heard of. He used to be seen hanging around the likes of Ben Affleck all of the time. Matt Damon was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and you would think Ben Affleck was born in Massachusetts as well, but nope: he came to be in California.

Casey Affleck: Casey Affleck is the Affleck actually born in Massachusetts, in Falmouth. He is an accomplished actor having appeared in movies such as "Gone Baby Gone" and the dark Indie that I enjoyed "The Killer Inside Me."

Elizabeth Banks: This attractive actress was first known as the lady in the bathtub scene of 'The 40 Year Old Virgin," but she has gone on to prove her acting chops in a variety of movies, even playing the role of Laura Bush in Oliver Stone's 'W." She was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

John Cena: Born in West Newbury, Massachusetts John Cena is know as a professional wrestler. His time in that ever so physical man soap opera helped develop him into an action movie star as well, with movies such as "The Marine" and "12 Rounds." He is also known to be a fan of hip hop culture and even released a hip hop album of his own.

Peter Laird: The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were born of two fathers and Peter Laird was one of those. This co-creator of the hero turtles was born in North Adams, Massachusetts. The turtles have gone from comics, to cartoons, to movies, and to the toy aisle with great success. If you were a kind in the late eighties to early nineties you probably had a favorite Ninja turtle; mine was Leonardo.

Jeff Bagwell: This baseball players was born in Boston, but sent his entire career as a member of the Houston Astros. A dangerous hitter, he was a first baseman who won both Rookie of the Tear and MVP honors. He retired at the start of the 2006 season.

Jo Dee Messina: This country music singer has had huge hits with songs like "Heads Carolina, Tails California," "Bye Bye," I'm Alright," "That's the Way," and "My Give A Damn's Busted." She was born in Holliston, Massachusetts.

John Hancock: His name has become synonymous with signing documents as his fancy signature stands out on the US Declaration of Independence. Similar to John Adams, Hancock was born in Braintree, in a part now known as Quincy.

Aaron Lewis: This tragic voiced singer is the front man for the rock band Staind. In 2011 he released a solo album in the genre of country music. He was born in Longmeadow, Massachusetts.

Ellen Pompeo: Ellen Pompeo is an actress who is best known for her role of Meredith Grey on the hit show "Grey's Anatomy." Long before she met Dr. McSteamy, she was in Massachusetts born in the town of Everett.

Mark Wahlberg: An underwear model, a rapper, and most famously an actor Mark Wahlberg has led a charmed life after a self-confessed young adulthood of trouble making. He won an Oscar for his supporting role in "The Departed." He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

Donnie Wahlberg: He is the older brother of Mark Wahlberg. Donnie was a member of the boy band New Kids On The Block and then went into acting like his brother. The first time I recall seeing him on film was in the opening of "The Sixth Sense."

Mickey Ward: An infamous boxer, Mickey Ward was the inspiration for the 2010 movie "The Fighter." He was born in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Paul Revere: This silversmith was made famous in song as he warned people that the British were coming. Not so widely advertised was his participation in Penobscot Expedition, one of the biggest naval failures in American history. He was born in Boston.

Geena Davis: A model turned actress, Geena Davis is memorable in movies such as "Beetlejuice," "The Fly," "Thelma and Louise," and of course the guilty pleasure action flick "The Long Kiss Goodnight." She was born in Wareham.

Ralph Waldo Emerson: This writer and philosopher was born in Boston on May 25th, 1803. He is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts.

Nathaniel Hawthorne: Born in Salem, Massachusetts, his book "The Scarlet Letter" remains popular and somewhat provocative.

Linda Perry: Linda Perry is a singer, songwriter, and producer. She was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. You may remember her vocals from the song "What's Up?" by the band 4 Non Blondes.

James Taylor: A singer and songwriter, James Taylor has been making hits since 1970 with "Fire and Ice," followed up in '71 by the number one hit "You've Got A Friend." James Taylor appeared as himself in the Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen comedy "Funny People." He was born in Lenox.

Samuel Adams: The Boston beer company uses his name to sell their products, but long before he was on modern beer bottle labels Samuel Adams was a political leader and founding father to the country. He was born Boston.

Howie Long: Howie Long was not always a sports football commentator, he played the sport first. In fact, he was a defensive end honored in the year 200 by being inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. Born in Charlestown, Howie Long also made a run at becoming an action movie star with the movies "Firestorm" and "Broken Arrow."

Nancy Kerrigan: Nancy Kerrigan is a former Olympic skater who may end up having her professional legacy overshadowed by the attack on her in 1994. Nancy was smashed in the knee with a collapsible sledgehammer and the aftermath of the attack was caught on camera. The attack was partially plotted out by the husband of rival skater Tonya Harding. She was born in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Maria Menounos: An attractive Greek-American, Maria has made a career out of television hosting gigs. She has been in segments for "Today" and "Access Hollywood." Born in Medford, Massachusetts, she won the Miss Massachusetts Teen USA in 1996.

Eli Roth: "Hostel" helped usher in a new era of horror movies dubbed "torture porn" and Eli Roth was the director of said movie. He is also an actor in movies by the likes of Quentin Tarantino. He was born in Newton, Massachusetts.

James Spader: James Spader is someone you can see in movies such as "Pretty In Pink," "Stargate," and "Secretary." He is also a face familiar with television audiences having won three Emmys for the charcter Alan Shore; featured on "The Practice" and "Boston Legal." James Spader was born in Boston.

Uma Thurman: This actress was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970. She was a model at the age of fifteen and got into movie acting shortly after that.

Traci Bingham: A model and actress who appeared in "Baywatch," Traci Bingham is all kinds of sexy having been born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ray Bolger: you may know him better as The Scarecrow from "The Wizard Of Oz" movie. He was born in Boston and died in Los Angeles from bladder cancer.

Eli Whitney, Jr.: Junior here is the same Eli Whitney famous for inventing the cotton gin, amongst other things. He was born in Westborough, Massachusetts in 1765.

Michael Chiklis: This actor was the lead on the popular television show "The Shield" and played Thing in the movie "The Fantastic 4." He was born in Lowell.

James Abbott McNeill Whistler: An influential artist, Whistler was born in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1834. He lived to be sixty-nine years old. He was known to be quite the personality and had awards bestowed upon him during his life time, a definite plus for an artist. His works have continued to impress well after his death, with a print of his work "Nocturne" selling at auction in 2010 for $282,000.

Tom Glavine: This retired major league baseball player was a big part of the Atlanta Braves pitching staff alongside Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Steve Avery. He eventually left the Braves and became a New York Met, but before he retired he made sure to get back on the Atlanta Braves team for his final game. Tom Glavine was born in Concord, Massachusetts.

Olympia Dukakis: This actress won a multitude of awards, including an Oscar, for her role in the movie "Moonstruck." She was born June 20, 1931 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Chris Evans: He was one of the Fantastic 4 in the movie versions of the comic and landed the lead as Captain America as well. He was born in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

Ben Foster: This actor brings a lot of edginess to his roles, playing parts in movies such as "Hostage," "Alpha Dog," "3:10 To Yuma," and "Pandorum." He was born in Boston.

Paul Michael Glaser: This actor will go down in history as David Starsky on the television show 'Starsky and Hutch." He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Michael Bloomberg: Born on Valentine's day of 1942 in Boston, Massachusetts, Michael Bloomberg grew up to become the Mayor of New York City.

Steven Van Zandt: Steven Van Zandt was born in Boston, Massachusetts and famously portrayed the gangster Silvio in the Showtime series "The Sopranos." He wasn't really an actor when he got the role, but has been a musician for years, as a guitarist in Bruce Springsteen's band.

William Prescott: "Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes." Those words were from Willaim Prescott, a famous colonel in the Revolutionary war. He commanded forces at the Battle Of Bunker Hill. He was born Groton, Massachusetts.

Leonard Bernstein: A music composer whose works have been used in most every form of audible entertainment there is, Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Bobby Brown: He's no longer "Humpin' Around" with his ex-wife Whitney Houston, but as of this writing R & B singer turned reality television star Bobby Brown has avoided getting into any new legal troubles; something he is not known to avoid. He was born in Roxbury.

Samuel Morse: The inventor of the single-wire telegraph and co-inventor of Morse code, (I wonder who it was named after?), Samuel Morse was born in Charlestown in 1791. He died in 1872 in New York.

B.J. Novak: Born in Newton, this actor is know for being on the television show "The Office" as well as being featured in the movie "Inglorious Basterds."

John Kransinski: This actor and director is know for his roles on the television show "The Office" and movies such as "License to Wed" and "Away We Go." He directed the movie "Brief interviews With Hideous Men." He was born in Newton, Massachusetts and married actress Emily Blunt in 2010.

Joe Perry: Joe Perry was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He is the lead guitarist for the band Aerosmith.

Steve Carell: Steve Carell's acting career got a boost from the quotable movie "Anchorman" and then skyrocketed with "The 40 Year Old Virgin." He was the lead on the US version of "The Office" and continues to star in movies that make it to the big screen. He was born in Concord.

Dane Cook: Dane Cook is a standup comedian and an actor. My opinion, as of this writing, is that his best role was in the dark "Mr. Brooks" feature. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

Marcia Cross: Born in Marlborough, Massachusetts, actress Marcia Cross may be best known for her television roles on the shows "Melrose Place" and "Desperate Housewives."

Denis Leary: Denis Leary went from performing is dry, profanity accented comedy routines to starring in the television show "Rescue Me," as well as movies. He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Winslow Homer: Winslow Homer was born in Boston in 1836. He became a famous painter, often creating art involving a marine theme ala bodies of water. His most famous painting is considered to be "Breezing Up" and one can find his artwork on a couple of US postal stamps.

Mickey Cochrane: Mickey Cochrane was both a baseball player and eventually a manager. He was only the second catcher to ever be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame. It is said that famous New York Yankee great Mickey Mantle was named after him. Mickey Cochrane was born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Bill Laimbeer: This retired basketball player was born in Boston, Massachusetts, though he spent his NBA career as a Detroit Piston. Aside from basketball playing and coaching he also played Sleestak on some "Land Of The Lost" episodes in the seventies. In movies he appeared as himself in both "Hot Shots" and "Forget Paris."

Anthony Michael Hall: This actor was featured in lots of teen movies in the 80s, titles such as: 'Sixteen Candles," "The breakfast Club," and 'Weird Science." He was born in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.

Matt LeBlanc: Matt LeBlanc rose to fame as Joey on the television show "Friends" and then as the same character on the spin-off failure that was "Joey." He was born in Newton.

Amy Poehler: This funny lady has been featured on television and in movies: "Parks & Recreation," Saturday Night Live," and "Blades Of Glory" are where you may have seen her. She is married to actor Will Arnett and was born in Burlington, Massachusetts.

Jack Kerouac: This famous book author was Canadian by descent, but was actually born in Lowell, Massachusetts. His heavy drinking caught up to him and he died at the age of 47.

John King: John King is an anchorman that has appeared on various news programs, such as John King, USA on CNN. He was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Jeremy Roenick: Jeremy Roenick played 18 years of hockey in the NHL, starting with the Chicago Blackhawks. He was the third American born player to ever score 500 goals, having been born in Boston.

Jack Lemmon: One half of the grumpy old men from the "Grumpy Old Men" movies, he often appeared along side fellow actor Walter Matthau. Jack was born in Newton, Massachusetts.

David Morse: This actor was Dr. Jack Morrison on the show St. Elsewhere and has since gone on to be featured in many a movie. He is around 6 foot four in height, though he surely was not so tall when he was born in Hamilton, Massachusetts.

Leonard Nimoy: Mr. Spock of "Star Trek" fame was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

Jennifer Coolidge: This bosomy blond actress is know for her work in movies such as "Legally Blond" and "American Pie." In "American Pie" she was the infamous Stifler's mom. Jennifer Coolidge was born in Boston.

Rocky Marciano: The only heavyweight champion of boxing ever to finish his career undefeated, Rocky Marciano was born in Brockton, Massachusetts. He died in a plane crash.

Rob Corddry: This profane comedian has been featured on television and movies. He is one of the leads in "Hot Tub Time Machine" which was is a goofy flick worth a rental. He was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts.

Matthew Perry: He became famous as Chandler on the television show "Friends," but went on to star in movies such as the funny "The Whole Nine Yards." Matthew Perry was born in Williamstown.

Steven Wright: A hilarious deadpan delivery comedian, Steven Wright was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He actually won an Oscar in 1989 for best Short Live-Action Film.

Maura Tierney: An actress who made a name for herself in television shows such as "ER" and "NewsRadio," Maura Tierney was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

Resources used:

www.imdb.com
www.wikipedia.com