What Makes Famous Michiganians Famous
- President of Microsoft
- Use to do all of the hiring at Microsoft. Ballmer doesn’t know programming, but he has an unbelievable ability to understand how the company fits together.
- Architect
- His work ranges from San Francisco's Symphony Hall to the United States Embassy in Moscow.
- Born in Port Huron.
- Served in the Army in World War II and was wounded in Okinawa.
- Died at the age of 77.
- Famous for writing "The Old Rugged Cross."
- Attended Albion College.
- Raised in Reed City, Michigan.
- Race car driver
- Seven-time Late Model track champion at Berlin Raceway.
- During his career, he traveled throughout the Midwest and took several championships in the Supermodified series.
- Started racing in 1957 and concluded his career in 1981.
- Born on April 24, 1937 in Grand Rapids and has lived there his whole life.
- Nascar driver
- 1989 track champion at Berlin Raceway, ASA Champion, 1993, and Busch Grand National Champion, 1995.
- Currently competing in the highest ranks in Winston Cup Racing.
- Born June 27, 1963 in Grand Rapids and has lived in Michigan until 1994, when he moved to North Carolina to begin NASCAR racing.
- Famous for her one-woman Broadway show, "I'm Still Here . . . Damn It!"
- Born in Flint but lived in Michigan only until she was 10 years old, when her family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona.
- Over the years he has recorded several albums, including a pair of LPs for the Muse label.
- Born and raised in Detroit.
- Actor
- Has spent most of the last decade working on films with top directors: Say Anything with Cameron Crowe; Billy Bathgate with Robert Benton; and Apollo 13 with Ron Howard.
- Raised in Detroit.
- Wrote with Mae Boren Axton the lyrics to "Heartbreak Hotel," one of Elvis Presley's early hits. (Mr. Presley was also given writing credit, even though it was the work of Mr. Durden and Ms. Axton.)
- Continued to write and perform music, playing with singers like Johnny Cash and touring with Tex Ritter.
- Died October 17, 1999, at Houghton Lake, Michigan.
- Actor
- Twice-nominated for an Emmy for her role as the complex, no-nonsense Dr. Kerry Weaver on ER (one of the few prime-time characters with a physical disability–an unexplained limp).
- Born in Pontiac.
- Jazz vibraphonist
- One of the premier improvisers in jazz with a special genius for playing the blues.
- Member of the Modern Jazz Quartet for 40 years.
- Born in Detroit and became prominent Detroit musician by the middle of his teenage years.
- Out of high school, he almost joined Earl Hine's big band, but his draft notice intervened.
- In 1944, he returned to Detroit after two years of overseas military service and set up a jazz quartet called the Four Sharps. (Mr. Jackson admitted that he got his nickname, "Bags," from the temporary furrows under his eyes incurred by a drinking binge after his release from the Army).
- Died at the age of 76 at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in Manhattan.
- Rapper
- Home grown Detroiter.
- Recently won an MTV video award for “best new artist.”
- Actor
- Starred in Elvis Meets Nixon, and Hoop Life.
- Has had many roles on TV sitcoms.
- Was featured on Showtime's Showtime on Sunday and The Happy Face Murders.
- Actor
- Celebrated for role in Patton.
- Died at the age of 71.
- Player for the Atlanta Braves
- Became the career leader in post-season victories. Smoltz has an 11-3 record, which moved him past Whitey Ford and Dave Stewart.
- Born in Warren.
- Former slave who fought for freedom and women's rights.
- Raised in Battle Creek.
- Two years ago, Battle Creek celebrated the 200th anniversary of Truth's birth. Its historical society and the Sojourner Truth Institute of Battle Creek, a preservation and education group, have since raised $752,000 for a three-day party to honor Truth and a new amphitheater that will host a play about her life.
- Actor
- Accompanies Clint Eastwood into space in Space Cowboys, a movie about a former Air Force officer who gets a chance to command a space mission.
- Born in Detroit.
- Playwright and screenwriter
- Credits included the scripts for Saturday Night Fever and Serpico.
- Raised in Detroit in a blue-collar family.
- Died at the age of 73.