This is a list of notable people associated with Bridgeport, Connecticut who achieved great public distinction, listed in the category for which they are best known.
Athletes
Baseball players
These baseball players were born in or lived in the city:
- George Bryant, MLB player for Detroit Wolverines
- George "Kiddo" Davis, who in the 1933 World Series against the Washington Senators had 7 hits in 19 at-bats, and batted .368, helping the New York Giants win the championship
- Rob Dibble, pitcher for Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers
- Angel Echevarria, played in National League for Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago Cubs
- Ray Keating, pitched for the New York Highlanders, New York Yankees, and Boston Braves
- Kurt Kepshire, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Charles Nagy, pitcher for Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres, pitched in the 1995 and 1997 World Series
- Tricky Nichols, pitcher for the Boston Red Caps, St. Louis Brown Stockings, Providence Grays, Worcester Ruby Legs and Baltimore Orioles
- Jim O'Rourke, first player to be credited with a hit and single in a professional baseball game
- Ed Rowen, 19th-century baseball player for the Boston Red Caps and Philadelphia Athletics
- Dan Shannon, played second base for the Louisville Colonels and the Philadelphia Quakers, and second base and shortstop for the New York Giants and the Washington Senators
- Ed Wojna, pitcher for the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians
Basketball players
Football players
Soccer players
- Alyssa Naeher, goalkeeper for the Chicago Red Stars in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and United States women's national soccer team (USWNT)
Hockey players
Tennis players
Boxers
Business people
Entertainers, artists, writers
- Emma Dunning Banks (1856âÂÂ1931), actress, dramatic reader, teacher, and writer
- P.T. Barnum, circus owner, entrepreneur and mayor of Bridgeport
- Madeline Blair, prostitute and naval stowaway
- Robert O. Bowen, novelist
- Al Capp, cartoonist, creator of comic strip Li'l Abner
- Adriana Caselotti, voice of Snow White
- Adger Cowans, fine arts photographer and abstract painter
- Perry DeAngelis, co-founder and executive director of NESS, co-founder of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
- Sally Haley, artist and painter
- Maureen Howard, author
- Walt Kelly, cartoonist, creator of Pogo
- Larry Kramer, playwright and gay rights activist, writer of The Normal Heart
- Roy Neuberger, art collector and donor
- Charles Schnee, screenwriter and film producer
- Jim Shepard, author
- Cyndy Szekeres, children's book author and illustrator
- General Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton), performer, little person
Actors
- Richard Belzer, actor and comedian who once worked as a reporter for the Connecticut Post
- Alexandra Breckenridge, actress
- Adriana Caselotti, actress
- Bob Crane, actor known for his lead role in Hogan's Heroes; radio host on WICC-AM in Bridgeport, 1950âÂÂ1955
- Brian Dennehy, actor
- John Forrest, actor
- Arline Judge, actress
- John Mitchum, actor
- Robert Mitchum, actor
- Tony Musante, actor
- Kevin Nealon, comedian and actor
- John Ratzenberger, actor known for role of Cliff Clavin in TV series Cheers
- Bill Smitrovich, actor
- Deborah Walley, actress
- Michael Jai White, actor
Musicians
- Art Baron, jazz trombonist
- Mimi Benzell, Metropolitan Opera soprano
- Joseph Celli, oboist
- Fanny Crosby, composer of more than 8,000 Christian hymns; lived here for the last fifteen years of her life; buried in the Mountain Grove Cemetery
- Vernon Dalhart, singer-songwriter
- Jessica Delfino, musician, comedian
- Jin Hi Kim, geomungo player and composer
- Deon Kipping, gospel singer
- Paul Leka, singer-songwriter, composer, member of band Steam, known for "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye"
- Angus Maclise, experimental musician and poet, founding member of The Velvet Underground
- John Mayer, singer-songwriter, born in Bridgeport, largely grew up in neighboring Fairfield
- Peter McCann, singer-songwriter, "Do You Wanna Make Love", "Right Time of the Night"
- Syesha Mercado, singer, actress and American Idol contestant
- Justin Quiles, singer, songwriter
- Lou "Boulder" Richards, guitarist (Hatebreed)
- Vinnie Vincent, guitarist (KISS)
Musical groups
Government service
- David H. Burr, cartographer
- Robert E. De Forest, mayor, congressman
- Paul Gottfried, former professor of Elizabethtown College
- Robert A. Hurley (1895âÂÂ1968), Connecticut governor (first Roman Catholic to hold that office in Connecticut)
- Leonard Mastroni (1949âÂÂ2020), Kansas state representative and judge
- Anita McBride, chief of staff to the First Lady of the United States, 2005âÂÂ2009
- Jasper McLevy (1933âÂÂ1957), mayor
- Margaret E. Morton (1924âÂÂ2012), first African American woman to serve in the Connecticut General Assembly
- Mae Schmidle, Connecticut state representative
- William Shaler, U.S. consul in Mexico, Algiers and Havana
- James C. Shannon (1896âÂÂ1980), Connecticut governor
- Christopher Shays, Fourth District congressman
- Samuel Simons (1792âÂÂ1847), United States representative from Connecticut
Inventors
Medical
- Alfred Fones, dentist credited with founding the profession of dental hygiene in 1906
Military
Religious
Other
See also
- List of people from Connecticut
- List of people from Brookfield, Connecticut
- List of people from Darien, Connecticut
- List of people from Greenwich, Connecticut
- List of people from Hartford, Connecticut
- List of people from New Canaan, Connecticut
- List of people from New Haven, Connecticut
- List of people from Norwalk, Connecticut
- List of people from Redding, Connecticut
- List of people from Ridgefield, Connecticut
- List of people from Stamford, Connecticut
- List of people from Westport, Connecticut
References
External links