Biographical Records

Notable People from Louisiana

1,585 notable figures born in Louisiana, showing page 1 of 32, ranked by historical prominence.

Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
American jazz musician, trumpeter and singer (1901–1971)
1901 – 1971
orchestra leaderrecording artistjazz musician
Truman Capote
Truman Capote
American author (1924-1984)
1924 – 1984
autobiographernovelistjournalist
Richard Simmons
Richard Simmons
American fitness instructor and video producer (1948–2024)
1948 – 2024
professional fitness coachdancerradio personality
Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald
American former marine who assassinated John F. Kennedy (1939–1963)
1939 – 1963
laborer
Anne Rice
Anne Rice
American writer
1941 – 2021
novelistwriterscreenwriter
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
American rock 'n' roll musician (1935–2022)
1935 – 2022
recording artistbandleadersinger-songwriter
Bill Russell
Bill Russell
American basketball player (1934–2022)
1934 – 2022
high jumperbasketball coachbasketball player
Paul Morphy
Paul Morphy
US chess player (1837–1884)
1837 – 1884
chess theoreticianchess player
Fats Domino
Fats Domino
American pianist and singer (1928-2017)
1928 – 2017
jazz musiciansongwritermusician
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson
American gospel singer (1911–1972)
1911 – 1972
gospel singerreligious leadermusician
Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers
American actor and football player (1948–2024)
1948 – 2024
American football playerprofessional athleteCanadian football player
Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
American novelist and screenwriter (1925–2013)
1925 – 2013
prose writernovelistfilm producer
Madam C. J. Walker
Madam C. J. Walker
American entrepreneur (1867-1919)
1867 – 1919
philanthropistinventorentrepreneur
Lillian Hellman
Lillian Hellman
American dramatist and screenwriter (1905-1984)
1905 – 1984
autobiographerjournalistlibrettist
John Kennedy Toole
John Kennedy Toole
American novelist (1937–1969)
1937 – 1969
novelistjournalistmilitary personnel
Dorothy Lamour
Dorothy Lamour
American actress and singer (1914-1996)
1914 – 1996
beauty pageant contestanttelevision actorradio personality
Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet
American jazz musician
1897 – 1959
saxophonistjazz musicianbandleader
Huey Long
Huey Long
American politician, Governor of Louisiana, and United States Senator (1893-1935)
1893 – 1935
politician
King Oliver
King Oliver
American jazz cornet player and bandleader
1881 – 1938
cornetistjazz musiciantrumpeter
Jelly Roll Morton
Jelly Roll Morton
American ragtime and jazz pianist, bandleader and composer (1890–1941)
1890 – 1941
jazz pianistjazz musicianbandleader
Pat Carroll
Pat Carroll
American actress (1927–2022)
1927 – 2022
film actortelevision actorvoice actor
Lead Belly
Lead Belly
American folk and blues musician (1888–1949)
1888 – 1949
accordionist
Louis Prima
Louis Prima
American musician (1910–1978)
1910 – 1978
jazz musiciantrumpeterbandleader
P. G. T. Beauregard
P. G. T. Beauregard
Confederate general (1818–1893)
1818 – 1893
human rights defenderarmy officerartillerist
Huey P. Newton
Huey P. Newton
Co-founder of the Black Panther Party (1942-1989)
1942 – 1989
philosophersociologisthuman rights defender
Willis Reed
Willis Reed
American basketball player (1942–2023)
1942 – 2023
basketball coachbasketball player
Jeffrey Hunter
Jeffrey Hunter
American actor and producer (1926–1969)
1926 – 1969
film actortelevision actorfilm producer
Michael Ellis DeBakey
Michael Ellis DeBakey
American cardiac surgeon (1908–2008)
1908 – 2008
cardiac surgeonsurgeonuniversity teacher
Donna Douglas
Donna Douglas
American actress (1933-2015)
1932 – 2015
oratorbeauty pageant contestantfilm actor
Van Cliburn
Van Cliburn
American pianist (1934–2013)
1934 – 2013
recording artistmusicianpianist
Earl Holliman
Earl Holliman
American actor (1928–2024)
1928 – 2024
film actortelevision actoractor
Dr. John
Dr. John
American singer-songwriter (1941-2019)
1941 – 2019
film score composerjazz musiciankeyboardist
Ben Turpin
Ben Turpin
American actor (1869-1940)
1869 – 1940
film actorcomedian
Little Walter
Little Walter
American blues harmonica player (1930-1968)
1930 – 1968
blues musicianrecording artiststreet artist
Buddy Bolden
Buddy Bolden
American cornetist and jazz pioneer (1877–1931)
1877 – 1931
jazz musicianbandleadercornet
George Herriman
George Herriman
American cartoonist (1880-1944)
1880 – 1944
draftspersoncaricaturistcartoonist
Joseph Lawton Collins
Joseph Lawton Collins
United States Army general
1896 – 1987
military personnel
Kitty Carlisle
Kitty Carlisle
American stage and screen actress, singer, and spokesperson for the arts (1910–2007)
1910 – 2007
opera singertelevision actorfilm actor
Leatrice Joy
Leatrice Joy
American actress (1893-1985)
1893 – 1985
television actorfilm actorstage actor
Stanley "Tookie" Williamp
Stanley "Tookie" Williamp
American murderer (1953–2005)
1953 – 2005
gangster
Kathleen Blanco
Kathleen Blanco
American politician (1942–2019)
1942 – 2019
politicianteacher
Tony Joe White
Tony Joe White
American singer-songwriter and guitarist
1943 – 2018
singer-songwriterguitaristsongwriter
Memphis Minnie
Memphis Minnie
American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter (1897–1973)
1896 – 1973
recording artiststreet artistguitarist
Allen Toussaint
Allen Toussaint
American musician, songwriter and record producer (1938–2015)
1938 – 2015
jazz musicianmusic arrangersongwriter
Kid Ory
Kid Ory
American jazz trombonist (1886–1973)
1886 – 1973
jazz musicianbanjoistbandleader
Jimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Swaggart
American TV evangelist (1935-2025)
1935 – 2025
theologianpreacherpianist
Marie Laveau
Marie Laveau
American Voodoo practitioner
1801 – 1881
religious leaderoccultisthairdresser
Mary Miles Minter
Mary Miles Minter
American actress (1902-1984)
1902 – 1984
stage actorfilm actoractor
Jimmie Davis
Jimmie Davis
American singer, songwriter and 47th Governor of Louisiana (1899–2000)
1899 – 2000
songwritermusiciansinger-songwriter
Ernest Guiraud
Ernest Guiraud
French composer and music teacher (1837-1892)
1837 – 1892
music educatorchoreographeruniversity teacher
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