University Of Chicago Notable Alumni

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Discover the notable alumni of University Of Chicago. The list includes people like Bernie Sanders, Bob Newhart, Satya Nadella, Larry Ellison & James Watson. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as intellectuals & academics, scientists, writers, media personalities and miscellaneous etc.
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 1 
Carl Sagan
(Astronomer and Planetary Scientist Best Known for His Scientific Contribution in Research on Extraterrestrial Life)
Carl Sagan
24
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: November 9, 1934
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: December 20, 1996
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 2 
Kurt Vonnegut
(Writer Known For His Satirical and Darkly Humorous Novels)
Kurt Vonnegut
20
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 11, 1922
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Died: April 11, 2007
 3 
Thomas Sowell
(Economist)
Thomas Sowell
23
Birthdate: June 30, 1930
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Gastonia, North Carolina
 4 
Milton Friedman
(American Economist & Nobel Prize Winner in Economic Sciences Who Extolled the Virtues of a Free Market Economic System)
Milton Friedman
18
Birthdate: July 31, 1912
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: November 16, 2006
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 5 
John Dewey
(Philosopher)
John Dewey
14
Birthdate: October 20, 1859
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Burlington, Vermont, United States
Died: June 1, 1952
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 6 
James Watson
(Molecular Biologist Who Co-discovered the Double Helix Structure of DNA With Francis Crick)
James Watson
5
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 6, 1928
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
 7 
Philip Roth
(One of the Most Awarded American Writers of His Generation)
Philip Roth
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 19, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: May 22, 2018
 8 
Satya Nadella
(Chairman & CEO of 'Microsoft')
Satya Nadella
23
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: August 19, 1967
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
 9 
Bernie Sanders
(United States Senator from Vermont)
Bernie Sanders
54
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 8, 1941
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 10 
Ed Asner
(Actor, played Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and gained prominence as a political activist.)
Ed Asner
20
Birthdate: November 15, 1929
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Died: August 29, 2021
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 11 
Katharine Graham
(American Newspaper Publisher and Heiress Who Led 'The Washington Post' (1963 - 1991))
Katharine Graham
4
Birthdate: June 16, 1917
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: July 17, 2001
 12 
Anna Chlumsky
(Actress)
Anna Chlumsky
12
Birthdate: December 3, 1980
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 13 
Roger Ebert
(Film Critic for the "Chicago Sun-Times")
Roger Ebert
10
Birthdate: June 18, 1942
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Urbana, Illinois, United States
Died: April 4, 2013
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 14 
Eliot Ness
(American Prohibition Agent Known for His Efforts to Bring Down Al Capone)
Eliot Ness
12
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 19, 1903
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: May 16, 1957
 15 
Misha Collins
(Best Known for His Role as ‘Castiel’ in the TV Series 'Supernatural')
Misha Collins
9
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 20, 1974
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 16 
Marilu Henner
(Actress Best Known for Her Role in the Sitcom 'Taxi')
Marilu Henner
8
Birthdate: April 6, 1952
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 17 
Harry Morgan
(Prolific Character Actor Who Starred in More Than 100 Films)
Harry Morgan
19
Birthdate: April 10, 1915
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died: December 7, 2011
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 18 
Don Shirley
(Former Classical and Jazz Pianist and Composer)
Don Shirley
10
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: January 29, 1927
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Pensacola, Florida, United States
Died: April 6, 2013
 19 
Mike Nichols
(Director Best Known for His Works 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' and 'The Graduate')
Mike Nichols
7
Birthdate: November 6, 1931
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: November 19, 2014
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 20 
Philip Glass
(Founder of the Philip Glass Ensemble)
Philip Glass
6
Birthdate: January 31, 1937
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 21 
Will Geer
(Actor, Musician and Social Activist Known for His Role as ‘Zebulon Walton’ in the TV Series ‘The Waltons’)
Will Geer
8
Birthdate: March 9, 1902
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Frankfort, Indiana, United States
Died: April 22, 1978
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 22 
David Rockefeller
(Investment Banker, Chairman and Chief Executive of ‘Chase Manhattan Corporation’)
David Rockefeller
22
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: June 12, 1915
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: March 20, 2017
 23 
Paul Samuelson
(Economist)
Paul Samuelson
4
Birthdate: May 15, 1915
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana, United States
Died: December 13, 2009
 24 
Lynn Margulis
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: March 5, 1938
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: November 22, 2011
 25 
David Brooks
(Journalist)
David Brooks
7
Birthdate: August 11, 1961
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Toronto
 26 
Tommy Douglas
(Canadian Politician Who was Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961)
Tommy Douglas
6
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 20, 1904
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Camelon, Falkirk, Scotland
Died: February 24, 1986
 27 
Samuel Reshevsky
(American Chess Grandmaster)
Samuel Reshevsky
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 26, 1911
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ozorkow, Poland
Died: April 4, 1992
 28 
David Suzuki
(Canadian Academic, Environmental Activist and Host of TV Program ‘The Nature of Things’)
David Suzuki
13
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: March 24, 1936
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Vancouver, Canada
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 29 
Liz Cheney
(Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming's At-Large District)
Liz Cheney
45
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: July 28, 1966
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Madison, Wisconsin, United States
 30 
Susan Sontag
(Writer and Filmmaker, Best Known for her Essay 'Notes on 'Camp')
Susan Sontag
10
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 16, 1933
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: December 28, 2004
 31 
Elaine May
(Actor, Film director, Screenwriter, Writer, Playwright)
Elaine May
5
Birthdate: April 21, 1932
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
 32 
Adam Silver
(Lawyer and 5th Commissioner of the NBA)
Adam Silver
14
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: April 25, 1962
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rye, New York, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 33 
Katherine Dunham
(One of the Most Successful Dancers of the 20th Century)
Katherine Dunham
2
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: June 22, 1909
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Glen Ellyn, Illinois, United States
Died: May 21, 2006
 34 
Eric Bogosian
(Actor and Playwright Known for His Play 'SubUrbia' and TV Series 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent')
Eric Bogosian
5
Birthdate: April 24, 1953
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Woburn, Massachusetts, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 35 
Gary Becker
(Economist)
Gary Becker
0
Birthdate: December 2, 1930
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Pottsville, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: May 3, 2014
 36 
Celeste Holm
(Actress)
Celeste Holm
6
Birthdate: April 29, 1917
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: July 15, 2012
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 37 
Stephen Leacock
(Canadian writer)
Stephen Leacock
6
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 30, 1869
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Swanmore, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Died: March 28, 1944
 38 
Ernest Lawrence
(Physicist)
Ernest Lawrence
1
Birthdate: August 8, 1901
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Canton, South Dakota, United States
Died: August 27, 1958
 39 
J. Allen Hynek
(Astronomer, Ufologist)
J. Allen Hynek
3
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: May 1, 1910
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: April 27, 1986
 40 
Ro Khanna
(Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 17th district)
Ro Khanna
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 13, 1976
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
 41 
Samuel P. Huntington
(American Political Scientist Best Known for His 1993 Theory, the 'Clash of Civilizations')
Samuel P. Huntington
3
Birthdate: April 18, 1927
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York City
Died: December 24, 2008
 42 
Saul Alinsky
(Community Organizer)
Saul Alinsky
4
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: January 30, 1909
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: June 12, 1972
 43 
Paul Butterfield
(Singer, Musician)
Paul Butterfield
3
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: December 17, 1942
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago
Died: May 4, 1987
 44 
James M. Buchanan
(Economist, University teacher)
James M. Buchanan
1
Birthdate: October 3, 1919
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Murfreesboro
Died: January 9, 2013
 45 
Nicholas Ray
(Director)
Nicholas Ray
4
Birthdate: August 7, 1911
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Galesville, Wisconsin, USA
Died: June 16, 1979
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 46 
John B. Goodenough
(Physicist)
John B. Goodenough
3
Birthdate: July 25, 1922
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Jena, Germany
 47 
Harvey Levin
(Lawyer)
Harvey Levin
5
Birthdate: September 2, 1950
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Los Angeles
 48 
Luis Walter Alvarez
6
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: June 13, 1911
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: San Francisco
Died: September 1, 1988
 49 
Frances Oldham Kelsey
(Canadian-American Pharmacologist Known for Preventing 'Thalidomide' From Being Marketed in the United States)
Frances Oldham Kelsey
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: July 24, 1914
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Canada
Died: August 7, 2015
 50 
Lawrence Kohlberg
(Psychologist best known for his theory of stages of moral development)
Lawrence Kohlberg
2
Birthdate: October 25, 1927
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bronxville, New York, United States
Died: January 19, 1987
The University of Chicago has often been ranked one of the best institutions in the world and is a favorite among many people around the world. Some of the world’s most preferred colleges have been affiliated to this famous university. This famous university started in 1890, thanks to a donation made by the billionaire business tycoon John D Rockefeller. These institutions are ‘Pritzker School Of Medicine’, ‘The Booth School of Business’ and ‘Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies’. According to a popular online source, more than 15,000 students join the university every year. Apart from its breathtaking campuses and providing great quality of education, the University is also known for its notable alumni. These personalities include scientists, politicians, writers, scholars, sportsmen and even artistes. Noted lawyer and current commissioner of the ‘National Basketball Association’, Adam Silver, is one such alumnus of this esteemed institution. Other famous ex-students of the University of Chicago are Katharine Graham, publisher of the newspaper ‘The Washington Post’, scientist James Watson, businessman David Rockefeller, as well as writer /filmmaker Susan Sontag. David Rockefeller, who is currently more than 100 years old, was the chairman of the multi-billion dollar financial enterprise ‘Chase Manhattan Corporation’. His net worth is estimated to be more than $ 1 Billion USD, if sources are to be believed. The list just doesn’t end here. There are many more noteworthy individuals who were once students of the ‘University Of Chicago’. Their success stories have been sources of inspiration for many youngsters of today.