The following is a list of notable people who have been born or lived in Indianapolis, Indiana. Organized alphabetically by field of study and then by last name.
Actors
- Abraham Benrubi (1969â ), actor, best known for ER and Parker Lewis Can't Lose
- Monte Blue (1887âÂÂ1963), silent film/character actor
- Connie Booth (1944â ), actress, screenwriter
- Steve Burton (1970â ), television actor
- Joyce DeWitt (1949â ), actress, best known for Three's Company
- Cullen Douglas (1967â ), actor, producer, director, best known for Grey's Anatomy and Pure Genius
- Robert Emhardt (1914âÂÂ1994), actor
- Mike Epps (1970â ), stand-up comedian, actor, producer, writer, rapper
- Frances Farmer (1913âÂÂ1970), actress
- Rhett Fisher (1980â ), actor, best known for '
- Brendan Fraser (1968â ), film actor
- Ken Foree (1948â ), actor
- Vivica A. Fox (1964â ), actress
- Chase Infiniti (2000â ), actress
- Doug Jones (1960â ), actor
- Brook Kerr (1973â ), actress
- Priscilla Lawson (1914âÂÂ1958), actress
- Marjorie Main (1890âÂÂ1975), actress
- Steve McQueen (1930âÂÂ1980), Academy Award-nominated actor
- Julie McWhirter (1947â ), actress
- Margo Moore (1931âÂÂ2000), actress
- Dohn Norwood(1974â ) actor, Hell on Wheels
- Katy O'Brian (1989â ), actress
- Dayo Okeniyi (1988â ), film actor
- Jake Short (1997â ), actor
- Steve Talley (1981â ), television/film actor
- Harry von Zell (1906âÂÂ1981), television/film actor and radio announcer, best known for The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
- Clifton Webb (1889âÂÂ1966), stage/film actor
- Sasheer Zamata (1986â ), comedian, actress, former cast member on Saturday Night Live
Artists
- Vija Celmins (1938â ), visual artist
- Don Gummer, artist
- John Wesley Hardrick (1891âÂÂ1968), artist
- Ron McQueeney, photographer
- Wilhelmina Seegmiller (1866âÂÂ1913), author, illustrator, art teacher
- Sheida Soleimani (1990âÂÂ), contemporary artist, born in Indianapolis
- Jeremy Spencer, musician (1973â )
Athletes
- Joe Amico (1995â ), soccer player
- Sarah Bacon (1996â ), Olympic diver
- George Bailey (1900âÂÂ1940), IndyCar Series driver
- Jalen Brown (1995â ), soccer player
- Kevin Burns (1985â ), soccer player
- Donie Bush (1887âÂÂ1972), Major League Baseball (MLB) player/manager
- Bryce Campbell (1994â ), plays for the United States national rugby union team
- Rodney Carney (1984â ), National Basketball Association (NBA) player
- Oscar Charleston (1896âÂÂ1954), baseball player, member of Baseball Hall of Fame
- Mike Clark (1972â ), soccer player
- Josh Coan (1998â ), soccer player
- Mike Conley Jr. (1987â ), NBA player
- Hooks Dauss (1889âÂÂ1963), MLB player
- Euphrasia Donnelly (1905âÂÂ1963), swimmer, Olympic gold medalist (1924)
- Stu Douglass (1990â ), American-Israeli basketball player for the Israeli team Maccabi Ashdod
- Jack Doyle (1990â ), National Football League (NFL) tight end
- Daeshon Francis (born 1996), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Jeff George (1967â ), NFL quarterback
- Eric Gordon (1988â ), NBA player
- Greg Graham (1970â ), NBA player
- Marcellus Greene (1957â ), NFL player
- Gordon Hayward (1990â ), NBA player
- Alan Henderson (1972â ), NBA player
- John F. Hennessey (1900âÂÂ1981), tennis player (1920s)
- Oral Hildebrand (1907âÂÂ1977), MLB All-Star pitcher
- George Hill (1986â ), NBA player
- Cole Hocker (2001â ), distance runner, Olympian
- Lauren Holiday (1987â ), US Women's National Soccer player, Olympic gold medalist, 2015 Women's World Cup champion
- Lester Horton (1906âÂÂ1953), dancer and choreographer
- Tommy Hunter (1986â ), Major League baseball pitcher for Philadelphia Phillies
- Kenny Irwin (1969âÂÂ2000), NASCAR driver
- Jack Johnson (1987â ) NHL player
- Mathias Kiwanuka (1983â ), NFL player
- Ken Klee (1971â ), National Hockey League (NHL) player
- Chuck Klein (1904âÂÂ1958), MLB player
- Kyle Krisiloff (1986â ), NASCAR driver
- Shawn Langdon (2007â ), NHRA funny car driver 2013; Top Fuel Champion; 2-time Super Comp Champion
- Brad Leaf (1960âÂÂ), American-Israeli basketball player for Hapoel Galil Elyon and Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israel Premier League
- Courtney Lee (1985â ), NBA player
- Don Leppert (1931â ), MLB player
- Lori Lindsey (1980â ), U.S. Women's National Soccer player, Olympic gold medalist
- Maicel Malone-Wallace (1969â ), sprinter, Olympic gold medalist (1996)
- Zack Martin (1990â ), NFL player
- George McGinnis (1950â ), NBA player
- Frank McKinney (1938âÂÂ1992), diver, Olympic gold medalist (1960), banking executive
- Terry McLaurin Ohio State Buckeyes and Washington Redskins wide receiver
- Eric Montross (1971â ), NBA player
- Logan Neidlinger (2005â ), soccer player
- Greg Oden (1988â ), NBA player
- Jaycie Phelps (1979â ), gymnast, Olympic gold medalist (1996), Magnificent Seven team member
- Austin Price (born 1995), basketball player in the Israeli Premier Basketball League
- Derrick Ransom (1976â ), National Football League (NFL) player defensive tackle
- Matt Reiswerg (born 1980), soccer player, coach, and administrator
- Zion Richardson (2001â ), basketball player
- Oscar Robertson (1938â ), basketball player, member of Basketball Hall of Fame
- Sally Schantz, figure skater, U.S. ice dancing champion (1963)
- Judy Schwomeyer (1950â ), figure skater, U.S. ice dancing champion (1968âÂÂ1972)
- Sandra Spuzich (1937âÂÂ2015), LPGA pro golfer
- Brad Stevens (1976â ), President of Basketball Operations and former head coach of the Boston Celtics
- Major Taylor (1878âÂÂ1932), cyclist
- Jeff Teague (1988â ), NBA player
- Johnny Weaver (1935âÂÂ2008), pro wrestler, first to use the sleeper hold "Weaver Lock"
- Randy Wittman (1959â ), NBA head coach
- Greg Wojciechowski (1951â ), wrestler
- Sean Woods (1970â ), college basketball coach
- T. J. Yates (1987âÂÂ), former quarterback; wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons
Business and philanthropy
- Steve Bellamy, sports media entrepreneur, founder of The Ski Channel and The Tennis Channel
- Steve Ells, founder, CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Scott Flanders, businessman and former CEO of Playboy, Inc.
- John Geisse, businessman, founder of Target Stores
- Bob Glenalvin, first manager of Detroit Tigers
- Sid Grauman, founder of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, former home of the Academy Awards
- Scott A. Jones, co-founder of ChaCha
- Eli Lilly, founder, president of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company
- Josiah K. Lilly Sr., president of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company
- Ruth Lilly, philanthropist
- Kim Ng, Major League Baseball executive
- Ewald Over, entrepreneur
- Freeman Ransom, lawyer, businessman, civic leader
- Willard Ransom, lawyer, businessman, civic leader
- Henry J. Richardson Jr., lawyer and civil rights activist, member of the Indiana House of Representatives (1932âÂÂ36), and a judge in Marion County, Indiana.
- Madam C.J. Walker, pioneering African-American businesswoman, first female self-made millionaire in America
- Margaret Ray Wickens (1843âÂÂ1918), organizer and social reformer
Criminals
- Howard Allen, serial killer
- Herb Baumeister, suspected serial killer
- Melvin Carr, murderer, rapist, and suspected serial killer
- John Dillinger, bank robber
- Cecil Henry Floyd, serial killer
- Jared Fogle, Subway restaurant endorser, motivational speaker, and convicted child pornographer
- Jim Jones, cult leader and mass murderer who led the Peoples Temple between 1955 and 1978
Entertainment
- Rupert Boneham, reality show contestant, ', ', ', '; politician
- June Cochran, model, Miss Indiana USA 1960, Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Year 1963
- Ken Hixon, screenwriter
- David Letterman, television personality, former host of The Late Show (1993âÂÂ2015)
- Ryan Murphy, film and television screenwriter, director, and producer, notably Nip/Tuck, American Horror Story and Glee
- Blair St. Clair (Andrew Bryson), drag performer
- Marc Summers, game show host, television personality
- Dan Wakefield, screenwriter, novelist
- Marjorie Wallace, Miss World 1973
Journalists and media
Military
Musicians
- Mark Battles, rapper-songwriter, founder of record label Fly America
- Scrapper Blackwell, blues musician and songwriter, writer of the earliest version of "Sweet Home Chicago"
- Carl Broemel, multi-instrumentalist, member of My Morning Jacket
- Darrell Clanton, singer
- Dorian, hip-hop recording artist and music producer
- Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, R&B music producer/performer
- Guitar Pete Franklin, blues musician
- Jan Garber, bandleader
- Blind Leroy Garnett, boogie-woogie and ragtime pianist and songwriter
- Thurston Harris, singer, songwriter
- Billy Henderson, singer, member of The Spinners (American group)}The Spinners
- John Hiatt, musician
- Freddie Hubbard, jazz trumpeter
- J. J. Johnson, jazz trombonist
- Josh Kaufman, singer-songwriter, contestant on The Voice (U.S. Season 6)
- Adam Lambert, singer, runner-up of American Idol (Season 8)
- Adrianne Lenker, musician, singer songwriter of the indie band Big Thief
- Ted Leo, musician
- Charles Scott Leonard, member of the a cappella group Rockapella
- Lily & Madeleine, folk duo
- Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, indie rock band formed in Indianapolis
- Tim McIlrath, musician
- Wes Montgomery, jazz guitarist
- Plumb, singer/songwriter
- Hal Rayle, voice artist
- Larry Ridley, jazz bassist
- June Rochelle, singer/songwriter
- David Michael Schuster, opera singer
- George Shirley, operatic tenor
- Noble Sissle, composer
- Tiara Thomas, singer-songwriter
- Albert Von Tilzer, composer, notably "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"
- Pharez Whitted, jazz trumpeter
- Keke Wyatt, R&B singer
Politicians
- James Bingham, Indiana attorney general (1907âÂÂ1911)
- Maria Cantwell, U.S. senator from Washington
- Paul Cantwell, Indiana state representative
- André Carson, member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Indiana, second Muslim to be elected to the U.S. Congress (2008)
- Julia Carson, member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Indiana; grandmother of André Carson
- Harriette Bailey Conn, state representative and the first African American to serve as Indiana's state public defender
- Ray Crowe, basketball coach and politician
- John J. Dillon, Indiana attorney general (1965âÂÂ1969)
- Charles W. Fairbanks, 26th vice president of the United States (1905âÂÂ1909)
- William T. Francis, U.S. ambassador to Liberia (1927âÂÂ1929)
- Benjamin Harrison, 23rd president of the United States (1889âÂÂ1893); lived and died in Indianapolis
- Thomas A. Hendricks, 21st vice president of the United States (1863âÂÂ1869)
- Eric Holcomb, governor of Indiana
- William A. Ketcham, Indiana attorney general (1894âÂÂ1898), commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic (1920âÂÂ1921)
- Jon Krahulik, justice of the Indiana Supreme Court (1990âÂÂ1993)
- Daisy Riley Lloyd, first African-American woman to serve in the Indiana legislature
- Richard Lugar, U.S. senator from Indiana
- Frank E. McKinney, Democratic Party chairman
- Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States (2017âÂÂ2021)
- Dan Quayle, 44th vice president of the United States (1989âÂÂ1993)
- Mike Quigley, U.S. representative for Illinois
- Charles Ray, justice of the Indiana Supreme Court (1865âÂÂ1871)
- Jefferson Shreve, U.S. representative for Indiana
- Pat Spearman, politician, cleric, veteran
- Edwin K. Steers, Indiana attorney general (1953âÂÂ1965)
- Ted Stevens, U.S. senator from Alaska
- Mark Warner, U.S. senator from Virginia
Writers
- Georgia Alexander (1868âÂÂ1928), textbook author and educator
- Grace Alexander (1872âÂÂ1951), writer, journalist, teacher
- Margaret C. Anderson, critic, editor and publisher
- John David Anderson (1975â ), children's book author of Ms. Bixby's Last Day, 2017 Indiana Authors Award Winner
- Allan Bloom, philosopher and essayist
- A'Lelia Bundles (1952â ), TV producer, journalist, and author of On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker
- Jared Carter (1939â ), poet, author of Work, for the Night Is Coming (1981), and winner of the Walt Whitman Award and the Poets' Prize
- Matt Dellinger (1975â ), author of Interstate 69: The Unfinished History of the Last Great American Highway
- Elliot Engel, writer, lecturer, and dramatist
- Mari Evans (1923âÂÂ2017), poet, author of I Am a Black Woman (1970), winner of the Black Academy of Arts and Letters poetry award
- Janet Flanner, Paris correspondent of The New Yorker
- Hildegarde Flanner, poet
- John Green, children's book author of The Fault in Our Stars; vlogger
- Alex Hall, author of Ben Drowned (2010)
- Joseph Hayes, author
- Phillip Hoose (1947â ), children's book author of '
- Kathryn Lasky (1944â ), children's book author of Guardians of Ga'Hoole
- Charles Major, author
- Elizabeth Miller (1878âÂÂ1961), novelist
- Bill Peet (1915âÂÂ2002), children's book author and illustrator of Pamela Camel
- Madelyn Pugh, script-writer, I Love Lucy
- Booth Tarkington, Pulitzer Prize-winning author
- Kurt Vonnegut, author
- James Whitcomb Riley, poet
- Alice Wong, disability rights activist, founder of the Disability Visibility Project, and 2024 MacArthurs Fellow
Other
- Frank J. Anderson, former sheriff of Marion County, Indiana (2003âÂÂ2011)
- Dilley sextuplets, the first surviving set of sextuplets in North America
- Kent Brantly, physician, author, speaker, first American to be treated for the Ebola virus in 2014, TIME Person of the Year 2014
- Emmett I. Brown Jr., professional photographer, documented Indiana Avenue's jazz scene in the 1940s and 50s, editor Sepia magazine
- John P. Donohue, professor, doctor, pioneered treatments for testicular cancer
- Ruth M. Gardiner, first nurse killed in action during World War II
- Michael Graves, architect
- Margaret Yandes Holliday, Presbyterian missionary in Tabriz 1883âÂÂ1919
- Peter Kassig, aid worker, taken hostage and ultimately beheaded by the Islamic State
- Justin Knapp, Wikipedia editor
- John Morton-Finney, Buffalo soldier, lawyer, educator and civil rights leader
- Irvine Page, physiologist, former president of the American Heart Association (1956âÂÂ1957)
- Harriet Augusta Prunk (1840âÂÂ1911), educator and school founder
- John C. Rule, historian at Ohio State University
- Bill Shirk, escape artist, president of Hoosier Broadcasting Corp.
- Avriel Shull, architect
- William V. Wheeler, founder of Wheeler Mission Ministries of Indianapolis
- David A. Wolf, astronaut
- Evans Woollen III, architect, founder and principal of Woollen, Molzan and Partners
References