They Came From Pennsylvania
Blair County
The following list of notable people were either born in , raised in or otherwise somehow associated with Blair County, PA. This list is far from being complete. We will be continuously updating it. If there is someone that you feel would make a good addition to our website, please visit our submissions page by clicking the button below.
Abe Ajay- Artist
Jacob Ake- Founder of Williamsburg
John Ake-Baseball Player
Randy Allen- Basketball Player
Michael Allison- Artist
John Anastasi MD- Playwright
Jared Angle- Actor
Tyler Angle- Dancer
Harry J Anslinger- 1st commissioner of The Federal Bureau of
Narcotics
Christian Appleman - College Tennis
Don Appleman- High School Basketball
Erin Appleman- College Volleyball
Jeff Appleman- High School Basketball coach
Elaini Arthur- singer **Featured Interview**
Steve Aungst- Singer, Music Promoter/Agent, Founder of Vicksburg
Quartet, Pennsylvania Southern Gospel Music Association HOF
**Featured Interview**
Elias Baker- Owned Allegheny Furnace
Mary Baker- High School Coach
Mary Replogle Baker- Javelin
Judge Thomas Baldridge- Pennsylvania Attorney General and
Pennsylvania Superior Court Judge
Daniel M Barre Jr- Founder of The Roaring Spring Paper Mill and
Roaring Spring Blank Book
Arlan Barkman- Pro Baseball
Billy Baron- Basketball Player
Addison Basenback- American Ninja Warrior Jr contestant
Dale Batzel- High School Coach
Candi White Beatty- Appeared in Ladies Home Journal with Michelle
Obama as a single mother female veteran
Donny Beaver- Entrepeneur
Leonard Beerman- Rabbi
Louis & Michael Beezer (aka The Beezer Brothers)- Architects
Michael Behe- Biochemist, Author and Intelligent Design advocate
Thomas Behe-Engineer/Scientist and Inventor **Featured Interview**
Jacob Belinda- Baseball Player
Charles Alvin Bell- Actor
Edward "Neddy" Bell- Founded Bellwood, Owned Elizabeth Furnace
Martin Bell- devised a system of using escaping gasses from the iron
furnace to give added power to the operation and secured a patent
for the process.
Brad Benson- Football Player
Troy Benson- Football Player
Marisa Bertani- Actress ***Featured Interview***
Andrew Jackson Bettwy- Politician
Steve Betza- Corporate Director for Lockheed Martin
Michael Biddle- Javelin
Dina Bilofsky- Dancer
Jennifer Black Reinhardt- Children's illustrator
Jeremiah S Black- State Supreme Court Judge
Dr. Maureen Black- Pediatric Psychologist
Black Coffee Productions-(consisting of Eli Austin, Nathan Larimer
and Josh Rimmey) - Video Production
Janet Blair- Actress ***Featured Profile***
Arthur Blake- Actor
Ron Blazier- Baseball Player
Jeanne Bolger- Singer/Entertainer
Charles Bonebreak- High School Coach
Rob Boston- Director of communications for Americans United for
Separation of church and state
Jeff Bower- Basketball General Manager
Danah Boyd- Social Media Scholar
Tim Boyles- Celebrity Photographer
Gregg Brandt- Actor and singer **Featured Interview**
Paul Revere Braniff- Airline Entrepeneur
Charlie Brenneman- Mixed martial artist ***Featured Interview***
Christian Bridenbaugh- Pro Baseball
Philip H Bridenbaugh- Football Player and Coach
Samuel Held Bridenbaugh- Clergy
Robert Broadwater- Author
Steven J Brown- Cinematographer
D Emmert Brumbaugh- US Congressman
John Brumbaugh- Pro Baseball
John Buchanan- Leading Presbyterian Editor/Publisher of
The Christian Century
Richard Buckley- High School Basketball Coach
Dave Burket and Burket Falls Farm- Dairy Farm-**Featured Interview
Elmer Burket - Photographer
Lowell Burket- Discovered Hybrid Bird (Burket's Warbler)
Bucky Bush- Baseball Player-
Edward And Rose Byers- Established Morrison Cove High School
Samuel Calvin- Us Congressman 1848-1851
Willard Campbell- Entrepreneur
Crystal Cameron- Christian singer ***Featured Interview***
Bill Campion- Basketball Player
Samuel Canan- Military and Politician
Susan Candiotti- journalist
Andrew Carnegie-Steel Magnate (lived in Altoona)
John A Casciotti- U.S Department of Defense
Bill Casper- High School Basketball Coach
Edward B Cassatt- Owner/Breeder of Thoroughbred horses
Mary Cassatt- Artist
Patrick Cassidy- Founded the borough Newry
John Castle- Spartan World Championships
Tech Sgt John A Chapman- Medal of HonorRecipient
Dr Robert Charles- MIT Graduate and Researcher
Marcella Cisney- Actress
Jim and Jane Claar- Country Music Duo
Matt Claar- C-Span
Harry Clarke- High Schooll Coach
Melinda Clarke- Peace Activist
Terry Clarke- Barbershop Quartet International Champion 1980
Sam Cohn- Talent Agent
Henry Colman- TV writer/Producer
Ripper Collins-Baseball Player
Dick Conlon- Boxer
Frank Conrad- Father of Radio Broadcasting
Robert C Cook- Founded software company "Systems Inc"
Mark Whitey Cooper- Actor and Musician ***Featured Interview***
Tom Corbo- Football Player
Kristin Cougar- Dancer
Frederick Counsel- Painter
Denny Cowher- Semi-Pro Baseball, Bedford County Sports HOF,
Pennsylvania American Legion HOF
Robert Edward Cox- Medal of Honor Recipient
Tomas C Creighton- Politician
Stan Crilly- Artist/ Photographer
Charlie Crist- Politician
Jim Curry- Football Player
Angela Dodson Daeger-Singer, Entertainment Executive ***Featured Interview
Carole D'Andrea- Actress
David A DeArmond- U.S. Congressman
Doug Decker- Civil War reenactor-**Featured Interview**
Gene Decker- Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame-**Featured Interview**
Robert Glen Decker- Actor
Kayla DeCriscio- College Basketball Coach
DelGrosso Family- DelGrosso Foods and Amusement Park
Sharon Sager Desch- Engineer
Lino Diaz- Baseball Player and Coach
Charles Dickson- Dancer
Karly Diebold- 4th place in National FFA Agriscience Fair
Paul C Donnelly- NASA
Gordon Dooley Actor
James Dugan- Historian, Author and screenwriter
Samuel Duncan- Founder of Duncansville
Jon Eardley- Jazz Trumpeter
Blaine Earon- Football Player
John Ebersole- Football Player
Orville Ebersole- Big Game Hunter
Helen Eby-Rock- Actress
Scott Edmiston- Theater and Educator
Josh Eggebeen- Film Industry
John Eichelberger- Politician
Janet Eldred- Award Winning Library Director- **Featured Interview**
Keith England- TV Personality/Adventurer- **Featured Interview**
Glenn H. English Jr- Medal of Honor recipient
Barry Ernest- JFK Assassination Expert
Jim Fall- Tv and Movie Director
Kenneth Ferry- Founder of WJSM Radio
Nick Finochio-Photographer
Ron Fiochetta- AAABA Hall of Fame
Leonard S Fiore- Construction and Real Estate
Ed Flanagan- Football Player- **Featured Interview**
Kaleb Fleck- Baseball Player
Samuel B Fluke- Photographer
Danny Fortson- Basketball Player
Rebecca Foust- Poet/ Writer
George L Fox- Member of the Four Chaplains on the USS Dorchester
Brian Franco- Football Player
Jared Frederick- Historian- **Featured Interview**
Jason Freehling- Actor
Jacob Karl Fries- Architect
Donald Fuoss- Football and Basketball Coach
Candace Futrell- Basketball Player
William F Gable- Founder Gables Department Store
H.B. Galbraith- Football Coach
Karen Gallagher- Tennis Player
Frank Gansz- Football coach
Christian Garber- Pennsylvania Senator and Congressman
James "Pike" Gardner- Founder of Gardner's Candy
Russell Garver- Co- Founder of Roaring Spring
Brian Gates-Martial Arts, Stunt Man and Bodyguard **Featured Interview*
Dean Gates- Pro Baseball
Lisa Gehret- Basketball Player
Wayne "Buddy" Geis- Football Coach
Richard Geist- Politician
Honorary Robert Gibson- Baseball Player, Federal Judge
Aaron Gilbert- Artist
Angie Gioiosa- Long Distance Running
Joseph A Giovinazzo-(stage name -Frank DeSal)-Actor, Dancer, Director
Kevin Givens- Football Player
Fred Glasgow- Fighter Pilot
Chris Glass- Semi-Pro Baseball Hall of Fame
John Gochnaur- Baseball Player
Jaysen Gold- Singer
Martin Goldberg- Tennis
Shirley Goldfarb- Painter and Writer
Bob Gordon- Pro Baseball
Shawn Gority- Irish Folk Musician
Gospel Sounds Duet- Christian singers ***Featured Interview***
Jim Gregory- Media Personality and Politician ***Featured Interview**
Galen Hall- Football Coach
Willard Lee Hall- Actor
Brian Hallinan- Boxer
Hugh Halpern- Recipient of The John W McCormick Award of
Excellence
Hugh Halpern- Director of the Government Publishing Office
Cpl Harry R Harr- WWII Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Caitlin Harshberger- National Inspiring Teen Magazine All-star
Cheerleader **Featured Interview**
Steve Hatfield- Football Player
John Hayes- Pennsylvania State Football Coaches Association
Hall of Fame
Samuel E Hayes Jr- PA Congressman
Tom Healy- Baseball Player
Frederick Heck- Actor
Autumn Helsel- High School Basketball
Hope Hibbard- Biologist, Cytologist, zoologist nd professor of zoology
John S Hickman- Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Josiah Duane Hicks- US Congressman
Col. Jacob Higgins- Military
Bernard E Hinish- Pro Baseball
Dave Hoenstine- Pro Baseball Player
Lynn Hoffner- Pro Baseball
Andrea Lee Hollen-First Female Graduate of West Point
Jared Hollingshead- model
Bryan Holly- actor
Doug Hoover- Biathalon champion
Brian A Hopkins- Writer
Hedda Hopper- Gossip Columnist and actress **Featured Article**
Vaugn Horton- Songwriter, Songwriter HOF
Avery Howsare- Football Player
Julian Howsare- Football Player
Abby Hoy- High School Basketball
Adam Huber- Actor
Dennie Huber- Entertainer- **Featured Article**
Ashley Hughes- Former Child Actress
Robert C Hunt- Painter
Maxwell Hunter- Aerospace Engineer
Harold L Ickes- Politician
Fredina Iffert- Racquetball Player
Fred Imler Sr and The Imler Family-Imler's Poultry **Featured Article**
Mike Irwin- Football Player
Pat Irwin- Volunteer for Mother's Merry Children's Center
Tom Irwin Jr- Bishop Guilfoyle Football Coach
Tommy Irwin- Baseball Player
Mike Iuzzolino- Basketball Player
William Jack- Financial Investor, Industrialist
Edwin A Jaggard- Jurist
Betty James- Business Person
Richard T James- inventor
Major General Vernon James- Military
TJ. Jefferson- TV Producer and Production Manager
Jerek- Actor
Erin Johnson Kelly- High School Basketball, Featured in Sports
Illustrated-**Featured Interview
Stan Jones- Football Player
John Joyce- Politician
Robert Jubelirer- Politician
Theodore H Kattouf- Diplomat
Courtney Kaup- Triathlete
Chester Keefer- Physician (Penicillin Czar)
Denny Kelly- Actor, Film Production
Michele Winkler Kennedy- Helped Decorate The White House for
Christmas 2017
George E Kensinger- Pro Baseball, PIAA Basketball Official
Dave Kerr Jr - Beagling Hall of Fame
Donn Kinzle- Olympic Track Coach
Brittany Kleiner- Reality Show Contestant
Henry Kloss- Audio Engineer and Entrepeneur
Otto Kneidinger- Football Player and Coach
Bill Koontz- Sea Farer transporting animals from America to Poland
Michael Koorman- Composer
Honorable Jolene Kopriva- First female judge in Blair County ***Featured Interview***
Lionel Kranitz- Playwright
Kenneth M Kuhn- Painter/ Jazz Drummer
Jason Kuntz- Wrestling Coach
Jacob Banks Kurtz- Politician
Laura Kustaborder- Mountain Climber
Steve Lach- Football Player
Sam Lafferty- Hockey Player
Dylan Lane- TV Game Show host
Vaughn O Lang- Lt General in US Army
Fred J. Lauver- Author and Actor- **Featured Interview**
Robert E. Laws- Medal of Honor Recipient
Thomas Leamer- College President
Ricky Lee- Singer
Denny Lingenfelter- Baseball Player
John Lingenfelter- Race Car Driver **Featured Article**
Walter Lingenfelter- Big Game Hunter
Brian, Greg and Terry Long- Winners of Junkyard Wars
Jeffrey Long- Construction and Real Estate
Eldin Lower- High School Baseball, Basketball and Football
Marion Lower- Military, Attorney
James Loy- US Secretary of Homeland Security
Bob and Joan Lozinak- Owners of The Altoona Curve
Michael Luckett- Baseball Player
Chad Luensmann- Baseball Player
Primo Lusardi- POW
Stephanie Lytle- TV and Movie Production Assistant
Dean Maddox- Musician and Tamburitzan ***Featured Interview***
James Madera- CEO of American Medical Association
Ronald Mallett- Theoretical Physicist, Academic and Author
Eric Malone- Watercraft Sports pioneer
Pat Malone- Baseball Player- **Featured Article **
Marvin Mangus- Geologist and Landscape Painter
William Abram Mann- Military
Anthony Mannino- Actor
Joe Martin- Baseball Player
Steve Mason- Broadcaster
Wallace McCamant- Jurist
Jon McClintock- Tv reporter, actor and Congressional Press Secretary
Ray J. McDonald- Received Purple Heart ***Featured Interview***
Bob McDonogh- Racecar Driver
Dean McGee- PA Football HOF, PIAA Official for Basketball, Baseball,
And Football
Bob McGregor- Golfer, Model
John J. McGuire- Sci-Fi Author
Tim McKelvey- Emmy Award for Outstanding Period Costumes
J. King McLanahan- Industrialist and Inventor
Ward McLanahan- Olympian ***Featured Profile***
Matthew McLoota & Kevin Shields- TV and Movie Production
**Featured Interview**
Tiffani McNelis- Wrestler
The Meadows Family- Meadows Frozen Custard
Gene " Pappy" Merritts- Nashville Swing Musician
Jim Merritts- Football Player
Kevin Metrocavage- International Space Station Operations Manager
Curtis Miller- Basketball Player
Reid Miller- Football Player
Grace Misera- Actress
Hannah Misera- Actress
Chuck Monts- Minister and Missionary- ***Featured Interview***
Johnny Moore- Basketball Player
John Moorehead Jr- Golfer
Brian Morden- Actor
Chris Morrison- Actor
Susan Wise Moses and Jacob Moses- Annie Oakley's parents
Jimmy Mowery- Singer ***Featured Interview***
C. Stowe Myers- Industrial Designer
William Myers Actor
Annette Nagle- Educator (Teaches students in China online)
George M Nagle- 2012 Presidential Candidate
Herman R Nagle- Author and Historian
Danny Napoleon- Baseball Player
W Albert Nason- Founded Nason Hospital
AJ Nastasi- High School Basketball
Joe Nastasi Jr- Pro Football
Pauline Neff- Actress
William Nesbit - Civil Rights Leader
Jeff Neuman- Basketball Player
Julie Nevel- Author and Singer
Ron Noel- International Businessman
Richard E. Nugent- Military
Leo J (Lee) O'Connor- Drummer
Dan Ott- Poker Player
Betsy Padamonsky- Actress and singer ***Featured Interview***
Jackie Paisley- Female bodybuilder
Helen ( Camp) Palmer- War Correspondent
Mark Panek- Drummer **Featured Interview
Bill Parsons- Tennis Player
Maury Patt- Football Player
Dave Patterson- Marathon Runner
George Patterson- Pennsylvania Congressman
Marion Patterson- Pennsylvania State Supreme Court
Georgina Pazcoguin- Ballet Dancer
John Pielmeier- Playwright and Author ***Featured Interview***
Mandi Pierce- College Basketball Coach
H. Beam Piper- Sci-Fi Author
Eugene Smokey Pleacher- Country Singer/Musician
Ashley Pletcher- Horse Trick Rider ***Featured Interview***
Matt Plowman- YouTube Personality
Rena Popp- Tv News Producer
Joe Port- TV Writer and Producer
Moses Port- TV Writer and Producer
Fish Pote- Artist
Duggie Potter- Singer
Ray Prosperi- Football Player
Steve Prosser- Musician
Brent Pry- Football Player and Coach
Patricia Pyuen- Actress
Kelly M Quintanilla- Academic
Bob Ramazzotti- Baseball Player ***Featured Article***
Mark Raugh- Football Player
Samuel Rea- President of the PRR
Matthew Reed- Actor
Nunzio Rehm- Price is Right Contestant
Mike Reid- Singer, songwriter and football Player
Kent Replogle- National Television Educator and Executive
Luther I Replogle- Ambassador to Iceland, Founder of The Replogle
Globe Co
Jim Restauri- Boxer
Luke Rhodes- Football Player
Renee Riccio McCutchan- Swimmer ***Featured Interview***
Dick Rice- Motorcycle excursion along The Oregon Trail
Hap Ritchey- WVAM, WJSM, Pennsylvania Southern Gospel Music
Association HOF
Oliver Ritchey- Founder of Ritchey's Dairy
Charles M. Robinson- Architect
Mike Rose- Educator
Austin Rosenberry- Football Player
Nate Ross- Price is Right Contestant **Featured Interview**
Jackie Russo- Pageant Director **Featured Interview**
Typhani Russo- Model ***Featured Interview***
Emme Rylan- Actress
Steve Saive- Musician
Bob Savine- Jazz Drummer
Wade Schalles- Wrestler **Featured Interview**
Tawney Nardozza Schmitt- Swimmer
Dr Peter Schoenberger- Iron Master
Charles M. Schwab- Steel Magnate **Featured Profile**
Eric Sciotto- Actor
Cecil Harmon Scott- WWII Ball Gunner "Memphis Belle"
Thomas Scott- President of The Pennsylvania Railroad
Jack Servello- Singer/Musician-Featured Interview
Joe Servello- Illustrator/Artist-Featured Interview
Susan Severson- Painter
Erika Shay- Casting Director
Scott Sheehan- Grammy nominated music teacher***Featured Interview***
Sheetz Family- Entrepeneurs
Steven Sherrill- Writer/Poet
Meghan Sinisi-Miss Pennsylvania 2021 **Featured Interview**
Sara E. Skrabalak- Academic
Tracey Slogik- Basketball Player
Smith Cobras- Softball Team that won The World Amateur Softball
Association Class A Championship in 1988
D. Brooks Smith- - US Court of Appeals Judge
Denver "Junie" Smith- Decathalon
George "Germany" Smith- Baseball Player
Larry Smith- Author and Historian
Margaret "Peg" Augusta McCartney Smith- Writer/Poet
Tyler Smith- Basketball Player
Jacob Snyder- singer, Vicksburg Quartet, missionary **Featured Profile**
D Raymond Sollenberger- Pennsylvania Congressman
Harry Edward Soyster- Military
Jerry Stern- Pennsylvania Congressman
Lynn Stewart- Country Singer
Ethan Stiefel- Dancer and Choreographer
Frederick Martin "Baldy" Stoehr- Baseball Player
John A Stormer- Author
Frank R Strayer- Movie Director
Earl Strohm- Football Coach
Wilmer Stultz- Aviator- **Featured Profile**
Don Swanson- Cinematographer
Tom Sweitzer- Playwright
Heather Taddy- Paranormal Researcher/TV Personality***Featured Interview***
Art Taneyhill- Nationally Recognized High School Basketball Coach
Steve Taneyhill- Football Player
Jill Tate- High School Basketball
Charles (Chuck) Taylor- Boxer
Harry Temple- Football Player
Allyson Tessin- Geologist/Oceanographer
Brian Tychinski- Band Director (part of The London New Years Day
Parade 2020
James E. Van Zandt- Politician
Andrew Kevin Walker- Screenwriter
Walkney- singer ***Feature Interview***
Tina Marie Walter- Singer
Jacob Walters Family and the Samuel Duncan family - Founders
of Walterstown and Duncansville- **Featured Article**
William B Walton- Politician
Fred Waring- Musician and Big Band Leader
Jennifer Lynn Warren- Actress
Rebecca Nori Wattenschaidt- Social Media Influencer/ Business person ***Featured Interview***
Jake Webb- Boxer
Doug West- Basketball Player
Army Cpl. Donald L Westley- Military/Purple Heart Recipient **Featured Profile
Kenneth Weyant- Big Game Hunter
Sam Weyant- Big Game Hunter
Mindy Weyer- Dancer
Red Whitaker- Roboticist
Cordelia White- First Female School Teacher in Altoona
Daniel Hale Williams- African American General Surgeon-**Featured Profile**
George C Wilson- Entrepreneur
Dr. James Thompson Wilson- Physician, Inventor
Dennis Wilt- Educator
Tom Wilt- Boxer
Paul Winter- Saxophonist, composer and bandleader
Alfie Wise- Actor
Don Witherspoon- NAACP President-**Featured Profile**
Aline Wolf- Writer and Leading Thinker on Education Methods
Charles E Wolf and the Wolf Family-Founder of Wolf Furniture **Featured Interview**
Jim Worthing-Singer with The Cumberland Boys at The Grand Ole Opry
Len Zandy- Basketball and Baseball Player
Shawn Zimmerman- Professional Bull Rider
Edwin Zoller- Painter
Jeff Zona- Pro Baseball