Famous People Born In Tacoma

Bing Crosby was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Widely regarded as the first multimedia star, Bing was a leader in motion picture grosses, radio ratings, and record sales from 1930 to 1954. His intimate singing style influenced several popular singers, such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, John Lennon, and Elvis Presley among others.

American author, newspaper-journalist, book-reviewer, lecturer, photographer, and ecological consultant Franklin Herbert is most noted for his 1965 sci-fi novel Dune and its five sequels. Dune won the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award and spearheaded the Dune franchise. The novel is cited as the best-selling sci-fi novel in history while the series is counted among the classics of the genre.

Gary Larson is an American environmentalist, cartoonist, and former musician. He is credited with creating a single-panel cartoon series titled The Far Side, which was syndicated for 15 years to over 1,900 newspapers around the world. In 1990 and 1994, Gary Larson was honored by the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) with the prestigious Reuben Award. 

Veteran actress, Elinor Donahue, is best known for her role in the 1950s American sitcom Father Knows Best. She began acting as a child and appeared in many dancing-chorus films. As a young woman, she acted in numerous films and TV shows and became an accomplished actress. She has had an extensive career spanning almost seven decades. 

Courtney Stodden gained fame as a model and singer, before she made headlines for marrying actor Doug Hutchison, 34 years her senior, at age 16, with her mother’s consent. She later appeared on reality shows such as Couples Therapy, Celebrity Big Brother, and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here.

Jeremy Meeks is an American convicted felon whose mug shot posted on Facebook by the police helped him land contracts as a fashion model. Dubbed the buff bad boy by Vogue magazine, Jeremy Meeks is a former member of a notorious gang called the Crips. He now serves as an inspiration to other convicted felons, thanks to his inspiring journey.

Rick Story is an American retired mixed martial artist. During his 19-fight tenure with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Story won a Submission of the Night as well as a Fight of the Night award. He also competed at the Professional Fighters League during his career as a martial artist.