Famous actors from Iowa

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July 21, 2022
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Famous actors from Iowa

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 Iowa 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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Brandon Routh

- Born: Des Moines, Iowa (10/9/1979)
- Known for:
--- Clark Kent in "Superman Returns" (2006)
--- Todd Ingram in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" (2010)
--- Daniel Shaw in "Chuck" (2010-2011)

Elijah Wood

- Born: Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1/28/1981)
- Known for:
--- Frodo in "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001)
--- Frodo in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003)
--- Frodo in "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002)

John Wayne

- Born: Winterset, Iowa (5/26/1907)
- Died: 6/11/1979
- Known for:
--- Rooster Cogburn in "True Grit" (1969)
--- Tom Doniphon in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962)
--- Ringo Kid in "Stagecoach" (1939)

Adam Devine

- Born: Waterloo, Iowa (11/7/1983)
- Known for:
--- Bumper in "Pitch Perfect" (2012)
--- Adam DeMamp in "Workaholics" (2011-2017)
--- Josh in "Isn't It Romantic" (2019)

Ashton Kutcher

- Born: Cedar Rapids, Iowa (2/7/1978)
- Known for:
--- Michael Kelso in "That '70s Show" (1998-2006)
--- Oliver Martin in "A Lot Like Love" (2005)
--- Jack Fuller in "What Happens in Vegas" (2008)

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Michael Mosley

- Born: Iowa City, Iowa (9/16/1978)
- Known for:
--- Mason Young in "Ozark" (2017-2018)
--- Joe 'Fish' Rinaldi in "Seven Seconds" (2018)
--- Johnny in "Sirens" (2014-2015)

Ron Livingston

- Born: Cedar Rapids, Iowa (6/5/1967)
- Known for:
--- Roger Perron in "The Conjuring" (2013)
--- Peter in "Office Space" (1999)
--- Marty Bowen in "Adaptation." (2002)

Robin Lord Taylor

- Born: Shueyville, Iowa (6/4/1978)
- Known for:
--- Administrator in "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum" (2019)
--- Abernathy Darwin Dunlap in "Accepted" (2006)
--- Oswald Cobblepot in "Gotham" (2014-2019)

Toby Huss

- Born: Marshalltown, Iowa (12/9/1966)
- Known for:
--- Kahn Souphanousinphone Sr. in "King of the Hill" (1997-2010)
--- John Bosworth in "Halt and Catch Fire" (2014-2017)
--- Spook in "Rescue Dawn" (2006)

Richard Beymer

- Born: Avoca, Iowa (2/20/1939)
- Known for:
--- Tony in "West Side Story" (1961)
--- Benjamin Horne in "Twin Peaks" (1989-1991)
--- Actor in "The Innerview" (1973)

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Riley Smith

- Born: Cedar Rapids, Iowa (4/12/1978)
- Known for:
--- Randy in "Eight Legged Freaks" (2002)
--- Les in "Not Another Teen Movie" (2001)
--- Johnny in "Radio" (2003)

Stephen Collins

- Born: Des Moines, Iowa (10/1/1947)
- Known for:
--- Rev. Eric Camden in "7th Heaven" (1996-2007)
--- Decker in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979)
--- Aaron Paradis in "The First Wives Club" (1996)

Michael Emerson

- Born: Cedar Rapids, Iowa (9/7/1954)
- Known for:
--- Ben Linus in "Lost" (2006-2010)
--- Harold Finch in "Person of Interest" (2011-2016)
--- Zep Hindle in "Saw" (2004)

Phil Morris

- Born: Iowa City, Iowa (4/4/1959)
- Known for:
--- Trainee Foster in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" (1984)
--- Messenger in "Meet the Spartans" (2008)
--- Saheed in "Black Dynamite" (2009)

Tom Arnold

- Born: Ottumwa, Iowa (3/6/1959)
- Known for:
--- Gib in "True Lies" (1994)
--- Stanley Stupid in "The Stupids" (1996)
--- Henry Wayne in "Exit Wounds" (2001)

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Hill Harper

- Born: Iowa City, Iowa (5/17/1966)
- Known for:
--- Sheldon Hawkes in "CSI: NY" (2004-2013)
--- Will Beckford in "The Skulls" (2000)
--- Coleman 'Booger' Sykes in "He Got Game" (1998)

Paul Rust

- Born: Le Mars, Iowa (4/12/1981)
- Known for:
--- Pfc. Andy Kagan in "Inglourious Basterds" (2009)
--- Denis Cooverman in "I Love You, Beth Cooper" (2009)
--- Gus Cruikshank in "Love" (2016-2018)

Jerry Mathers

- Born: Sioux City, Iowa (6/2/1948)
- Known for:
--- Arnie Rogers in "The Trouble with Harry" (1955)
--- The Beaver in "Leave It to Beaver" (1957-1963)
--- Beaver Cleaver in "The Love Boat" (1987)

John Getz

- Born: Davenport, Iowa (10/15/1946)
- Known for:
--- Sy in "The Social Network" (2010)
--- Ray in "Blood Simple" (1984)
--- Stathis Borans in "The Fly" (1986)

Christian Clemenson

- Born: Humboldt, Iowa (3/17/1958)
- Known for:
--- Younger Cop in "The Big Lebowski" (1998)
--- Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. in "United 93" (2006)
--- Dr. Chuck in "Apollo 13" (1995)

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George Reeves

- Born: Woolstock, Iowa (1/5/1914)
- Died: 6/16/1959
- Known for:
--- Clark Kent in "Adventures of Superman" (1952-1958)
--- Stuart Tarleton - Scarlett's Beau in "Gone with the Wind" (1939)
--- Superman in "Superman and the Mole-Men" (1951)

William Frawley

- Born: Burlington, Iowa (2/26/1887)
- Died: 3/3/1966
- Known for:
--- Fred Mertz in "I Love Lucy" (1951-1957)
--- Charlie Halloran in "Miracle on 34th Street" (1947)
--- Sheriff McGee in "The Bride Came C.O.D." (1941)

Bobby Driscoll

- Born: Cedar Rapids, Iowa (3/3/1937)
- Died: 3/30/1968
- Known for:
--- Peter Pan in "Peter Pan" (1953)
--- Johnny in "Song of the South" (1946)
--- Tommy in "The Window" (1949)

David Yost

- Born: Council Bluffs, Iowa (1/7/1969)
- Known for:
--- Billy in "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" (1995)
--- Billy Cranston in "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" (1993-1996)
--- Billy Cranston in "Power Rangers Zeo" (1996)

Stuart Margolin

- Born: Davenport, Iowa (1/31/1940)
- Known for:
--- Aimes Jainchill in "Death Wish" (1974)
--- Angel Martin in "The Rockford Files" (1974-1979)
--- Little Joe in "Kelly's Heroes" (1970)

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Neville Brand

- Born: Griswold, Iowa (8/13/1920)
- Died: 4/16/1992
- Known for:
--- Duke in "Stalag 17" (1953)
--- Lieutenant Kaminsky in "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970)
--- Chester in "D.O.A." (1949)

David Anthony Higgins

- Born: Des Moines, Iowa (12/9/1961)
- Known for:
--- Craig Feldspar in "Malcolm in the Middle" (2000-2006)
--- Harry in "Mike & Molly" (2011-2016)
--- Det. Arlen in "The Wrong Guy" (1997)

Don DeFore

- Born: Cedar Rapids, Iowa (8/25/1913)
- Died: 12/22/1993
- Known for:
--- Don Blake in "Too Late for Tears" (1949)
--- Michael Kent in "Romance on the High Seas" (1948)
--- Jim Bullock in "It Happened on Fifth Avenue" (1947)

Bill Daily

- Born: Des Moines, Iowa (8/30/1927)
- Died: 9/4/2018
- Known for:
--- Howard Borden in "The Bob Newhart Show" (1972-1978)
--- Major Roger Healey in "I Dream of Jeannie" (1965-1970)
--- Bob Griffen in "Flying High" (1978)

Hank Worden

- Born: Rolfe, Iowa (7/23/1901)
- Died: 12/6/1992
- Known for:
--- Mose Harper in "The Searchers" (1956)
--- Simms Reeves in "Red River" (1948)
--- Parson in "The Alamo" (1960)

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Fred Grandy

- Born: Sioux City, Iowa (6/29/1948)
- Known for:
--- Ship's Purser 'Gopher' Smith in "The Love Boat" (1977-1986)
--- Herman the German in "Death Race 2000" (1975)
--- Gopher Smith in "Charlie's Angels" (1979)

Gregory Alan Williams

- Born: Des Moines, Iowa (6/12/1956)
- Known for:
--- Coach Paul 'Doc' Hines in "Remember the Titans" (2000)
--- Martin Imari in "The Righteous Gemstones" (2019)
--- Britton Garrett in "The Banker" (2020)

Sean Schemmel

- Born: Waterloo, Iowa (11/21/1968)
- Known for:
--- Goku in "Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods" (2013)
--- Goku in "Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection "F"" (2015)
--- Goku in "Dragon Ball Z Kai" (2009-2015)

Ben Davis

- Born: Ames, Iowa (7/15/1975)
- Known for:
--- Papageno in "The Magic Flute" (2006)
--- Steve in "The Woman in the Window" (2021)
--- George Treadbury in "30 Rock" (2012)

Charles McGraw

- Born: Des Moines, Iowa (5/10/1914)
- Died: 7/30/1980
- Known for:
--- Marcellus in "Spartacus" (1960)
--- Lt. Matthews in "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (1963)
--- Sebastian Sholes in "The Birds" (1963)

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Michael Talbott

- Born: Waverly, Iowa (2/2/1955)
- Known for:
--- Cowboy in "National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983)
--- Detective Stan Switek in "Miami Vice" (1984-1989)
--- Mickey in "Used Cars" (1980)

Macdonald Carey

- Born: Sioux City, Iowa (3/15/1913)
- Died: 3/21/1994
- Known for:
--- Dr. Tom Horton in "Days of Our Lives" (1965-2018)
--- Jack Graham in "Shadow of a Doubt" (1943)
--- Jack Lindsay in "Suddenly It's Spring" (1947)

Tim Chiou

- Born: Iowa City, Iowa (11/23/1979)
- Known for:
--- Michael 'Thirty Mike' Chen in "SEAL Team" (2020-2021)
--- Nate in "Plus One" (2019)
--- AJ in "iZombie" (2015-2019)

Jon Foster

- Born: Fairfield, Iowa (8/3/1984)
- Known for:
--- Hutch in "Stay Alive" (2006)
--- Gas Station Cashier in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" (2003)
--- Graham Sloan in "The Informers" (2008)

Adam Aalderks

- Born: Waterloo, Iowa (3/2/1988)
- Known for:
--- Travis Mack in "Ballers" (2016)
--- Helmsman #2 in "Greyhound" (2020)
--- Randy Paulson in "The Passage" (2019)

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Frank Jenks

- Born: Des Moines, Iowa (11/4/1902)
- Died: 5/13/1962
- Known for:
--- Wilson in "His Girl Friday" (1940)
--- Doc Williams in "The Westland Case" (1937)
--- Eddie Porter in "Rogues Gallery" (1944)

Gordon Jones

- Born: Alden, Iowa (4/5/1911)
- Died: 6/20/1963
- Known for:
--- Alabama Smith in "Flying Tigers" (1942)
--- Britt Reid in "The Green Hornet" (1940)
--- The Wreck' Loomis in "My Sister Eileen" (1942)

Roger Perry

- Born: Davenport, Iowa (5/7/1933)
- Died: 7/12/2018
- Known for:
--- Major Christopher in "Star Trek: The Original Series" (1967)
--- Dr. James 'Jim' Hayes in "Count Yorga, Vampire" (1970)
--- Det. Sgt. Dan Kirby in "Arrest and Trial" (1963-1964)

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