The following is a list of famous people born in Ohio and people who spent significant periods of their lives living in Ohio.

Journalists, Photojournalists, Writers, Cartoonists, Poets, Authors, Playwrights, Screen Writers, Film Directors, Film Producers, Critics, etc.

• Berenice Abbott (journalist, photographer) (Springford)
• Karen Ackerman (author)
• Sherwood Anderson (author) (Camden/Clyde)
• Nathalie Barney (author) (Dayton)
• Ambrose Bierce (author) (Meigs County)
• Erma Bombeck (newspaper columnist, author) (Dayton)
• Louis Bronfield (author) (Mansfield)
• Milton Caniff (cartoonist)
• Alice Cary (poet)
• Chris Columbus (film director) (Warren)
• Hart Crane (poet)
• Wes Craven (film director) (Cleveland)
• Michael Cunningham (author)
• Stefan Czapsky (film director)
• Carol Dixon (author) Marietta
• Stephen Donaldson (author) (Cleveland)
• Rita Dove (poet) (Akron)
• Paul Laurence Dunbar (poet) (Dayton)
• Harlan Ellison (author) (Cincinnati)
• Mel Epstein (film producer) (Dayton)
• Bob Greene (newspaper columnist) (Columbus)
• Zane Grey (author) (Zanesville)
• Cathy Guisewite (cartoonist) (Dayton)
• Virginia Hamilton (children's author) (Yellow Springs)
• William Dean Howells (author, critic)
• Jim Jarmusch (film director) (Akron)
• Jerome Lawrence (writer) (Cleveland)
• Robert E. Lee (writer) (Elyria)
• Toni Morrison (author) (Lorain)
• Harvey Pekar (author) (Cleveland)
• Dav Pilkey (author) (Cleveland)
• Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman (Cleveland)
• Steven Spielberg (film director, film producer) (Cincinnati)
• R. L. Stine (author)
• Harriet Beecher Stowe (author) (Cincinnati)
• James Thurber (author, cartoonist) (Columbus)
• Michael Wadleigh (film director) (Akron)
• Lew Wasserman (studio executive)
• Bill Watterson (cartoonist)

Politicians, Public Servants, Public Officeholders, etc.

See also: List of Ohio politicians

• Michael K. Allen (politician, lawyer)
• Charles Anderson (Ohio governor) (Dayton)
• Prescott Bush
• William Jennings Bryan
• Steve Chabot (politician, U.S. representative) (Cincinnati)
• Charles G. Dawes (politician)
• Mike DeWine (politician)
• Bill Gradison (politician, U.S. representative)
• Ulysses S. Grant (soldier, politician, U.S. president)
• Benjamin Harrison (soldier, politician, U.S. president)
• Dave Hobson (politician, U.S. representative) (Springfield)
• Rutherford B. Hayes (politician, U.S. president)
• Dennis Kucinich
• Neil H. McElroy (businessman, cabinet secretary)
• William Howard Taft (politician, jurist, U.S. president, chief justice)
• Robert A. Taft I (politician) (Cincinnati)
• Robert Taft (Jr.)
• Robert A. Taft II
• Clement Vallandigham (politician, activist) (Dayton)
• George Voinovich (politician) (Cleveland)

Artists, Painters, Sculptors, Photographers, etc.

• William Jacob Baer (painter)
• George Bellows (painter) (Columbus)
• Theodore Earl Butler (painter)
• Ann Hamilton (artist) (Lima)
• Robert Henri (painter)
• Maya Lin (sculptor) (Athens)
• Lily Martin Spencer (painter) (Avondale/Marietta)
• John Henry Twachtman (painter)
• Tom Wesselmann (pop artist)
• Clarence White (photographer) (West Carlisle/Newark)
• Dare Wright (photographer, children's author)

Actors, Dancers, Comedians, Performers, Models, Broadcasters, Commercial Spokespersons, Television Presenters/Hosts, etc.

• Lola Albright (actor) (Akron)
• Tom Aldredge (actor) (Dayton)
• Corey Allen (actor) (Cleveland)
• Catherine Bach (actor) (Warren)
• Kaey Ballard (actor)
• Lisa Banes (actor) (Chagrin Falls)
• Theda Bara (actor) (Avondale)
• Majel Barrett (actor) (Columbus)
• Ned Bellamy (actor) (Dayton)
• Halle Berry (actor, fashion model) (Cleveland)
• David Birney (actor) (Cleveland)
• Nina Blackwood (veejay) (Cleveland)
• J. Paul Boehmer (actor) (Dayton)
• John Bottoms (actor) (Dayton)
• Bill Boyd (actor)
• Bob Braun (talk show host)
• Clancy Brown (actor) (Urbana)
• Woody Brown (actor) (Dayton)
• Michelle Burke (actor) (Defiance)
• Tyreese Burnett (actor) (Dayton)
• Ralph Byrd (actor) (Dayton)
• Marion Byron (actor) (Dayton)
• Drew Carey (actor, comedian) (Cleveland)
• Nancy Cartwright (voice performer) (Kettering/Dayton)
• George Chakiris (actor) (Norwood)
• Damian Chapa (actor) (Dayton)
• Dave Chappelle (comedian, actor) (Yellow Springs)
• Marguerite Clark (actor) (Avondale)
• Mystro Clark (actor) (Dayton)
• Ray Combs (game show host)
• Tim Conway (actor, comedian) (Willoughby)
• Christine Craft (broadcaster, radio talk show host)
• Yvonne Craig (actor) (Columbus)
• Beverly D'Angelo (actor) (Columbus)
• Dorothy Dandridge (actor)
• Frank Daniels (actor, Captain Jinks) (Dayton)
• Doris Day (actor) (Cincinnati)
• June Dayton (actor) (Dayton)
• Ruby Dee (actor) (Cleveland)
• Phyllis Diller (actor, comedian) (Lima)
• Phil Donahue (talk show host) (Cleveland/Dayton)
• Hugh Downs (broadcaster) (Akron)
• Keir Dullea (actor) (Cleveland)
• Micah Dyer (actor) (Dayton)
• Joe Estevez (actor) (Dayton)
• Angie Everhart (fashion model) (Akron)
• Jamie Farr (actor) (Toledo)
• Suzanne Farrell (dancer) (Cincinnati)
• Clark Gable (actor) (Cadiz)
• Teri Garr (actor) (Lakewood)
• Dorothy Gish (actor)
• Lillian Gish (actor) (Springfield)
• Carlin Glynn (actor) (Cleveland)
• David Graf (actor) (Lancaster)
• Joel Grey (actor, singer, dancer) (Cleveland)
• Julie Hagerty (actor) (Cincinnati)
• Arsenio Hall (comedian, talk show host, actor) (Cleveland)
• Margaret Hamilton (actor)
• Dorian Harewood (actor) (Dayton)
• Woody Harrelson (actor) (Lebanon)
• Patricia Heaton (actor) (Bay Village)
• Anne Heche (actor)
• Eileen Heckart (actor) (Columbia)
• John Hockenberry (broadcaster) (Dayton)
• Hal Holbrook (actor) (Cleveland)
• Katie Holmes (actor) (Toledo)
• Bob Hope (comedian, actor) (Cleveland)
• Rule Janice (actor) (Cincinnati)
• Elsie Janis (actor) (Columbus)
• Allison Janney (actor) (Dayton)
• Ken Jenkins (actor) (Dayton)
• Gordon Jump (actor) (Dayton)
• Carol Kane (actor) (Cleveland)
• Melina Kanakaredes (actor) (Akron)
• Perry King (actor) (Alliance)
• A. J. Langer (actor) (Columbus)
• Walter Law (actor) (Dayton)
• Hudson Leick (actor) (Cincinnati)
• RuDee Lipscomb (actor) (Dayton)
• John Lithgow (actor) (Yellow Springs)
• Chad Lowe (actor) (Dayton)
• Rob Lowe (actor) (Dayton)
• Paul Lynde (actor)
• Diane McBain (actor) (Cleveland)
• Gates McFadden (actor) (Cuyahoga Falls)
• Mark Metcalf (actor) (Findlay)
• W. Chrystie Miller (actor) (Dayton)
• Walter Miller (actor) (Dayton)
• Ryan Mitchell (actor)
• Bill Moor (actor) (Toledo)
• Greg Morris (actor) (Columbus)
• Martin Mull (comedian, actor) (North Ridgeville)
• John Newland (actor) (Cincinnati)
• Paul Newman (actor) (Cleveland)
• Stephen Nichols (actor) (Cincinnati)
• Don Novello (comedian, actor) (Ashtabula)
• Ed O'Neill (actor) (Youngstown)
• Annie Oakley (markswoman) (Greenville)
• Jack Paar (talk show host) (Canton)
• Lawanda Page (actor) (Cleveland)
• Suzee Pai (actor) (Toledo)
• Eleanor Parker (actor) (Cedarville)
• Sarah Jessica Parker (actor) (Cincinnati/Nelsonville)
• Robert Patrick (actor) (Cleveland)
• Austin Pendleton (actor) (Warren)
• Luke Perry (actor) (Fredericktown)
• Tom Poston (actor) (Columbus)
• Jess Robbins (actor) (Dayton)
• Roy Rogers (actor) (Cincinnati)
• Ted Ross (actor) (Dayton)
• Alan Ruck (actor) (Cleveland)
• Tyrone Power (actor) (Cincinnati)
• Gary Sandy (actor) (Dayton)
• Sherri Saum (actor) (Dayton)
• Fred Scott (broadcaster, "Uncle Fred") (Dayton)
• William Self (actor) (Dayton)
• Martin Sheen (actor) (Dayton)
• Lew Short (actor) (Dayton)
• Mamie Smith (singer) (Cincinnati)
• Hal Sparks (actor) (Cincinnati)
• Dina Spybey (actor) (Columbus)
• Mark Stevens (actor) (Cleveland)
• Philip Michael Thomas (actor) (Columbus)
• Andrea Thompson (model, broadcaster)
• Lucille Ward (actor) (Dayton)
• Jack Weston (actor) (Cleveland)
• Debra Winger (actor) (Cleveland Heights)
• Jonathan Winters (comedian, actor) (Dayton)
• Amy Yasbeck (actor) (Cincininati)

Miscellaneous Celebrities, Beauty Pageant Winners, Cheesecake Models, etc.

• Christina Angel (adult entertainment performer) (Dayton)
• Tina Bockrath (cheesecake model) (Dayton)
• Deanna Brooks (cheesecake model)
• Mary Katherine Campbell (Miss America 1922, 1923)
• Laura Cover (cheesecake model)
• Carmella DeCesare (cheesecake model) (Avon Lake)
• Amee Donovan (adult entertainment performer) (Dayton)
• Sue Downey (Miss USA 1965)
• Carmen Electra (cheesecake model, actor) (Cincinnati/White Oak)
• Leo Ford (adult entertainment performer) (Dayton)
• Felicia Fox (adult entertainmetn performer) (Springfield)
• Taylor Hayes (cheesecake model)
• John Holmes (adult entertainment performer)
• Toccara Elaine Jones (contestant on America's Next Top Model)(Dayton)
• Heather Kozar (cheesecake model) (Akron)
• Traci Lords (adult entertainment performer, actor, author) (Steubenville)
• Jacquelyn Mayer (Miss America 1963)
• Marilyn Meseke (Miss America 1938)
• Ce Ce Peniston (model, Miss Black Arizona 1989) (Dayton)
• Susan Perkins (Miss America 1978)
• Danielle Reyes (contestant on Big Brother) (Dayton)
• Laurel Lea Schaefer (Miss America 1972)
• Kim Seelbrede (Miss USA 1981)
• Dean Roll (professional wrestler) (Dayton)

Singers, Musicians, Composers, Songwriters, Conductors, etc.

• Albert Ayler (musician) (Cleveland)
• David Baerwald (musician) (Oxford)
• Stiv Bators (musician) (Cleveland)
• Kathleen Battle (singer) (Portsmouth)
• The Black Keys (musicians) (Toledo)
• Cindy Blackman (musician) (Yellow Springs)
• Bow Wow (musician) (Columbus)
• Eric Carmen (musician) (Cleveland)
• Tracy Chapman (musician) (Cleveland)
• Bootsy Collins (musician)
• Louis "Chip" Davis Jr. (musician) (Sylvania)
• Kim Deal and Kelley Deal (musicians) (Huber Heights/Dayton)
• Devo (musicians) (Kent)
• Michael Feinstein (Columbus)
• Craig Fuller (musician) (Waverly/Columbus)
• Macy Gray (musician) (Canton)
• Dave Grohl (musician) (Warren)
• Guided by Voices (musicians) (Dayton)
• Henry Fillmore (composer)
• Screamin' Jay Hawkins (musician) (Cleveland)
• Chrissie Hynde (musician) (Akron)
• Lux Interior (musician) (Kent)
• Nick Lachey (musician) (Cincinnati)
• James Levine (conductor, musician) (Cincinnati)
• Marilyn Manson (musician) (Canton)
• Dean Martin (singer, actor) (Steubenville)
• Maureen McGovern (singer) (Youngstown)
• Mills Brothers (musicians)
• Ohio Players (musicians) (Dayton)
• Robert Pollard (composer) (Dayton)
• Pure Prairie League (musicians) (Columbus)
• The Raspberries (musicians) (Cleveland)
• Michael Stanley (musician) (Youngstown)
• Billy Strayhorn (musician)
• Rachel Sweet (musician) (Akron)
• Art Tatum (musician) (Toledo)
• David Thomas (musician) (Akron)
• Roger Troutman and Larry Troutman (composers)
• Scott Weiland (musician) (Cleveland)
• Jon Frederic West (singer) (Dayton)
• Dwight Yoakam (singer, actor) (Columbus)

Soldiers, Sailors, etc.

• George Custer (cavalry officer) (New Rumley)
• William Tecumseh Sherman (soldier, politician)
• Tecumseh (soldier)

Architects, Inventors, Explorers, Adventurers, Astronauts, Aviators, Spies, etc.

• Neil Armstrong (astronaut) (Wapakoneta/Lebanon)
• George Bartholomew (inventor)
• Charles A. Bassett II (astronaut)
• Ken Cameron (astronaut) (Cleveland)
• Nancy Currie (astronaut)
• Thomas Edison (inventor) (Milan)
• Harvey Firestone (inventor, industrialist) (Columbiana/Akron)
• Cass Gilbert (architect) (Zanesville)
• John Glenn (astronaut, politician) (Cambridge/New Concord)
• Michael T. Good (astronaut)
• Elisha Gray (inventor) (Barnesville)
• Greg Harbaugh (astronaut) (Cleveland)
• Karl G. Henize (astronaut)
• Tom Henricks (astronaut)
• Philip Johnson (architect) (Cleveland)
• Charles Kettering (inventor) (Loudenville/Dayton)
• Whitmore Knaggs (soldier, spy)
• Jim Lovell (astronaut) (Cleveland)
• G. David Low (astronaut) {Cleveland)
• Judith Resnick (astronaut) (Akron)
• Eddie Rickenbacker (aviator, race car driver) (Columbus)
• Ron Sega (astronaut) (Cleveland)
• Don Thomas (astronaut)
• Carl Walz (astronaut) (Cleveland)
• D. Thomas Walz (astronaut) (Cleveland)
• Mary Ellen Weber (astronaut) (Cleveland)
• Granville Woods (inventor) (Columbus/Cincinnati)
• Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright (inventors) (Dayton)
• Donn F. Eisele (astronaut)
• Michael J. Foreman (astronaut)
• Michael L. Gernhardt (astronaut)
• Michael T. Good (astronaut)
• Thomas J. Hennen (astronaut)
• Terence T. Henricks (astronaut)
• Robert F. Overmyer (astronaut)
• Ronald A. Parise (astronaut)
• Robert C. Springer (astronaut)
• Sunita L. Williams (astronaut)
• Guion S. Bluford Jr. (astronaut)
• Mark N. Brown (astronaut) (Dayton)
• Charles O. Hobaugh (astronaut) (North Ridgeville)
• Kathryn D. Sullivan (astronaut)

Athletes, Coaches, etc.

• Kurt Abbott (baseball player) (Zanesville)
• Paul Brown (football coach) (Norwalk)
• Marco Coleman (football player) (Dayton)
• Roger Clemens (baseball player} (Dayton)
• Cris Collinsworth (football player) (Dayton)
• James "Buster" Douglas (boxer) (Columbus)
• Sarah Fisher (race car driver) (Columbus)
• Archie Griffin (football player) (Columbus)
• John Havlicek (basketball player)
• Woody Hayes (football coach) (Clifton/Newcomerstown/Upper Arlington)
• Bobby Knight (basketball coach) (Massilon/Orrville)
• Edwin C. Moses (runner) (Dayton)
• Thurman Munson (baseball player) (Canton)
• Jack Nicklaus (golfer) (Columbus)
• Paul O'Neill (baseball player) (Columbus)
• Jesse Owens (runner) (Cleveland)
• John Paxson (basketball player) (Dayton)
• Branch Rickey (baseball manager) (Stockdale)
• Pete Rose (baseball player) (Cincinnati)
• Mike Schmidt (baseball player) (Dayton)
• Shannon Stewart (baseball player)
• Kevin Youkilis (baseball player) (Cincinnati)
• Cy Young (baseball player) (gilmore/Newcomerstown)

Businesspeople, Entrepreneurs, etc.

• B. F. Goodrich (industrialist) (Akron)
• Charles Keating (banker, activist) (Cincinnati)
• Ransom Olds
• William Procter (industrialist) (Cincinnati)
• John D. Rockefeller (industrialist) (Strongsville/Cleveland)
• Frank Seiberling (industrialist) (Western Star)
• George Steinbrenner (shipping magnate, sports club owner) (Cleveland)

Publishers, Media Moguls, etc.

• James M. Cox (publisher of Dayton Daily News, founder of Cox Communications, politician) (Dayton)
• Larry Flynt (founder of Hustler magazine, strip club owner) (Cincinnati)
• Ted Turner (founder of Turner Broadcasting, CNN) (Cincinnati)

Activists, Philanthropists, Do-Gooders, Public Agitators, Advocates, Lawyers, etc.

• John Brown (abolitionist) (Hudson)
• Clarence Darrow (lawyer) (Kinsman)
• Gloria Steinem (feminist)
• Irvin F. Westheimer (founder of Big Brothers Big Sisters)
• Victoria Woodhull (activist, stock broker, journalist, politician) (Homer/Mount Gilead)

Criminals

• Donald DeFreeze (Patty Hearst kidnapper) (Cleveland)
• Nathan Gale (murderer)
• James Huberty (murderer) (Massillon)
• Charles Manson (murderer, cult leader) (Cincinnati/Walnut Hills)

Crime Victims

Scholars, Scientists, Historians, Theorists, Philosophers, Opinionists, etc.

• Samuel Dana Horton (monetary theorist)
• Thomas Samuel Kuhn (science philosopher)
• Charles Richter (physicist) (Hamilton)
• Arthur Schlesinger (historian)
• Sander Vanocur (commentator) (Cleveland)

Educators, Lecturers, Motivational Speakers, Self-Help Gurus, etc.

• William Holmes McGuffey (educator, author)(Tuscarawas County/Oxford/Cincinnati)
• Norman Vincent Peale

Others

• Clyde Beatty (animal trainer) (Chillicothe)
• Brenda Carlin (television producer, wife of George Carlin) (Dayton)
• John Dean
• Jack Hanna (zoo director, animal expert) (Cincinnati)
• Kenesaw Mountain Landis (baseball commissioner) (Millville)
• Sam Shepard (murder suspect) (Cleveland)