Famous actors from Kansas
Admiring and envying the world's biggest stars is easy to do on Instagram. From A-list movie stars and major musicians to pro ball players and comedians who landed their own sitcoms, there's no shortage of evidence of just how good the good life is. They post pictures of themselves with other big shots on rooftop bars, at exclusive clubs, at backstage parties, and at restaurants where regular people can't get a reservation.
But the vast majority of these celebrities were born and raised outside of Hollywood, finding their way to the bright lights and big money of superstardom from obscure beginnings in regular small towns or cities across the country.
Stacker compiled a list of actors that were born in Kansas from IMDb's most popular list. For each actor, we included a movie poster image from a film he is known for (all movie poster images from OMDb). Keep reading to see which favorite actors are from your home state.
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Dennis Hopper
- Born: Dodge City, Kansas (5/17/1936)
- Died: 5/29/2010
- Known for:
--- Billy in "Easy Rider" (1969)
--- Frank Booth in "Blue Velvet" (1986)
--- Howard Payne in "Speed" (1994)
Scott Foley
- Born: Kansas City, Kansas (7/15/1972)
- Known for:
--- Jake Ballard in "Scandal" (2013-2018)
--- Noel Crane in "Felicity" (1998-2002)
--- Bob Brown in "The Unit" (2006-2009)
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R. Lee Ermey
- Born: Emporia, Kansas (3/24/1944)
- Died: 4/15/2018
- Known for:
--- Gny. Sgt. Hartman in "Full Metal Jacket" (1987)
--- Police Captain in "Se7en" (1995)
--- Sheriff Hoyt in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003)
Eric Stonestreet
- Born: Kansas City, Kansas (9/9/1971)
- Known for:
--- Marty Landry in "The Loft" (2014)
--- Sheldon the Desk Clerk in "Almost Famous" (2000)
--- Cameron Tucker in "Modern Family" (2009-2020)
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Colton Haynes
- Born: Wichita, Kansas (7/13/1988)
- Known for:
--- Real Scotty in "Rough Night" (2017)
--- Joby O'Leary in "San Andreas" (2015)
--- Roy Harper in "Arrow" (2013-2020)
Gerry Bamman
- Born: Independence, Kansas (9/18/1941)
- Known for:
--- Uncle Frank in "Home Alone" (1990)
--- Uncle Frank in "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992)
--- Ray Court in "The Bodyguard" (1992)
Max Showalter
- Born: Caldwell, Kansas (6/2/1917)
- Died: 7/30/2000
- Known for:
--- Fred in "Sixteen Candles" (1984)
--- Ray Cutler in "Niagara" (1953)
--- Larry Evans in "Vicki" (1953)
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Travis Schuldt
- Born: Topeka, Kansas (9/18/1974)
- Known for:
--- Ethan in "The Boy Next Door" (2015)
--- Hal Baker in "The Giant Mechanical Man" (2012)
--- Deputy Harlan Bremmer Jr. in "The Hitcher" (2007)
Billy Drago
- Born: Hugoton, Kansas (11/30/1945)
- Died: 6/24/2019
- Known for:
--- Nitti in "The Untouchables" (1987)
--- Ramon Cota in "Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection" (1990)
--- Black Hand Kelly in "Tremors 4: The Legend Begins" (2004)
Joe Exotic
- Born: Garden City, Kansas (3/5/1963)
- Known for:
--- Joe Exotic in "Joe Exotic: Here Kitty Kitty" (2015)
--- Self - G.W. Zoo in "Tiger King" (2020-2021)
--- Actor in "I Saw a Tiger" (2013)
Todd Bosley
- Born: Overland Park, Kansas (7/29/1984)
- Known for:
--- Jake Berman in "Little Giants" (1994)
--- Edward in "Jack" (1996)
--- Howie in "Scrubs" (2009)
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Buster Keaton
- Born: Piqua, Kansas (10/4/1895)
- Died: 2/1/1966
- Known for:
--- Johnnie Gray in "The General" (1926)
--- Projectionist in "Sherlock Jr." (1924)
--- William Canfield Jr. in "Steamboat Bill, Jr." (1928)
Brandon Quintin Adams
- Born: Topeka, Kansas (8/22/1979)
- Known for:
--- Kenny DeNunez in "The Sandlot" (1993)
--- Fool in "The People Under the Stairs" (1991)
--- Jesse Hall in "The Mighty Ducks" (1992)
William Shockley
- Born: Lawrence, Kansas (9/17/1963)
- Known for:
--- Creep in "RoboCop" (1987)
--- Andrew Carver in "Showgirls" (1995)
--- Joe Tison in "The Last Rampage" (2017)
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Milburn Stone
- Born: Burrton, Kansas (7/5/1904)
- Died: 6/12/1980
- Known for:
--- Doc in "Gunsmoke" (1955-1975)
--- Skeeter Milligan in "Sky Patrol" (1939)
--- Skeeter' Milligan in "Stunt Pilot" (1939)
Hugh Beaumont
- Born: Lawrence, Kansas (2/16/1909)
- Died: 5/14/1982
- Known for:
--- Ward Cleaver in "Leave It to Beaver" (1957-1963)
--- Dr. Jud Bellamin in "The Mole People" (1956)
--- Michael Shayne in "Murder Is My Business" (1946)
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Dwight Frye
- Born: Salina, Kansas (2/22/1899)
- Died: 11/7/1943
- Known for:
--- Karl in "The Bride of Frankenstein" (1935)
--- Renfield in "Dracula" (1931)
--- Fritz in "Frankenstein" (1931)
Michael McMillian
- Born: Olathe, Kansas (10/21/1978)
- Known for:
--- Steve Newlin in "True Blood" (2008-2014)
--- Napoleon in "The Hills Have Eyes 2" (2007)
--- Tim in "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (2015-2019)
Lyle Waggoner
- Born: Kansas City, Kansas (4/13/1935)
- Died: 3/17/2020
- Known for:
--- Colonel Steve Trevor, Jr. in "Wonder Woman" (1975-1979)
--- Announcer in "The Carol Burnett Show" (1967-1978)
--- Ben in "Danger USA" (1989)
Darren E. Burrows
- Born: Winfield, Kansas (9/12/1966)
- Known for:
--- Ed Chigliak in "Northern Exposure" (1990-1995)
--- Cherry in "Casualties of War" (1989)
--- Milton Hackett in "Cry-Baby" (1990)
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Dennis Hayden
- Born: Girard, Kansas (4/7/1952)
- Known for:
--- Eddie in "Die Hard" 1988
Eric Edwards
- Born: Topeka, Kansas (8/24/1966)
- Known for:
--- Pearl in "Blade" (1998)
--- Harold in "Candyman" (1992)
--- Spanky's Dad in "The Little Rascals" (1994)
George Murdock
- Born: Salina, Kansas (6/25/1930)
- Died: 4/30/2012
- Known for:
--- God in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" (1989)
--- Bob Beugler in "Orange County" (2002)
--- Judge Joshua Trimmings in "Breaker! Breaker!" (1977)
Tom Kane
- Born: Overland Park, Kansas (4/15/1962)
- Known for:
--- Narrator in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008-2020)
--- Yoda in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008)
--- Dr. Loomis in "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later" (1998)
Bill Farmer
- Born: Pratt, Kansas (11/14/1952)
- Known for:
--- Goofy in "A Goofy Movie" (1995)
--- Goofy in "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" (2006-2016)
--- Sylvester in "Space Jam" (1996)
