List of people from Staten Island

This is a list of notable people who were either born or have lived in Staten Island, today a borough of New York City, New York, at some time in their lives. The list does not include people who were only in Staten Island as college students, military personnel, hospital patients, or prisoners. Approximately 800 people (or performing groups) are listed alphabetically under their primary vocations, which themselves are listed alphabetically.

Actors, actresses, dancers, models, film and TV

Past

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward
  • Phyllis Allen (1861–1938) – comedian who worked with fellow Staten Island native Mabel Normand and other silent-film stars
  • Arthur Anderson (1922–2016) – actor of radio, stage, film, and television; voice of Lucky Charms leprechaun
  • Leslie Barrett (1919–2010) – frequent actor in theater and television, especially 1950s–1960s
  • Maurice Barrymore (born Herbert Blythe, 1849–1905) – vaudeville actor; father of John, Lionel, and Ethel Barrymore; lived in Fort Wadsworth, with their grandmother Louisa Lane Drew
  • John Dehner (1915–1992) – television and movie actor; born on Staten Island
  • Raoul Pene Du Bois (1914–1985) – costume and scenic designer for stage and film; two-time Tony Award winner
  • David Dukes (1945–2000) – stage, television and movie actor; lived briefly in Brighton Heights, Staten Island
  • Joey Faye (born Joseph Antony Palladino, c.1909–1997) – comic actor in vaudeville, theater, films and television
  • David Froman (1938–2010) – portrayed twins Gunther and Bruno on The Edge of Night, and Lt. Bob Brooks on Matlock; once lived in Livingston
  • Ben Grauer (1908–1977) – longtime broadcaster on radio and television
  • Neal Hart (1879–1949) – actor and director of silent films
  • Allen Jenkins (born Alfred McGonegal, 1900–1974) – character actor, voice of cartoon Top Cat's Officer Dibble; born on Staten Island
  • Betsy Joslyn (born 1954) – Broadway actress, best known for Sweeney Todd
  • Thomas W. Keene (born Thomas R. Eagleson, 1840–1898) – Shakespearean actor
  • Guy Kibbee (1882–1956) – stage and film actor, father of CUNY Chancellor Robert Kibbee
  • Paul Land (born Paul Calandrillo, 1956–2007) – actor, Spring Break, The Idolmaker
  • Robert Loggia (1930–2015) – actor, Scarface, The Sopranos, Big; attended New Dorp High School and Wagner College
  • Allan Manings (1924–2010) – television producer and comedy writer, best known for Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Good Times, One Day at a Time
  • Paul Newman (1925–2008) – Academy Award winning actor; married to Joanne Woodward; lived in St. George, Staten Island[1]
  • Mabel Normand (1892–1930) – silent film actress, director, writer, producer; frequent collaborator with Fatty Arbuckle, Charlie Chaplin, Mack Sennett; grew up in New Brighton
  • Edward Platt (1916–1974) – actor who played "The Chief" on the 1960s TV show Get Smart; born on Staten Island
  • Frances Robinson (born Marion Frances Ladd, 1916–1971) – actress in early films
  • Ivy Scott (1886–1947) – actress on radio and Broadway
  • Raymond Serra (1936–2003) – actor in television and films, including Gotti and the first two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies
  • Don Stewart (1935–2006) – actor, best known for his long-running role as attorney Mike Bauer on Guiding Light
  • Robert Taber (1865–1904) – Shakespearean actor; brother of mathematician Henry Taber, both born on Staten Island
  • Joanne Woodward (born 1930) – Academy Award winning actress; married to Paul Newman; lived in St. George

Recent

Alyssa Milano

Architects

Frederick Law Olmsted

Artists

Francesco Scavullo

Business, labor, philanthropy

Cornelius Vanderbilt

Crime

Paul Castellano

Historical notables and early settlers

Inventors

Antonio Meucci

Military and government

Giuseppe Garibaldi

Musicians

Past

Roy Clark

Recent

Wu-Tang Clan
  • 9th Prince (born Terrance Hamlin, 1977) – co-founder of rap group Killarmy; brother of Wu-Tang Clan co-founder RZA
  • Christina Aguilera (born 1980) – Mouseketeer; pop singer; judge on NBC's The Voice; born on Staten Island[1]
  • Steve Augeri (born 1959) – former lead singer of the rock band Journey
  • Joan Baez (born 1941) – folk singer and activist; born on Staten Island; daughter of inventor and Wagner College professor Albert Baez
  • Eric Blackwood (born Eric Pastore, 1968) – guitarist and singer-songwriter for Edison's Children; brother of actor Garry Pastore and cousin of Vincent Pastore
  • Vito Bratta (born 1961) – guitarist for White Lion; lives on Staten Island
  • Cappadonna (born Darryl Hill, 1969) – rapper, Wu-Tang Clan member; born and raised on Staten Island
  • Richie Castellano (born 1980) – musician for Blue Öyster Cult
  • Lenny Cerzosie – lead singer of Staten Island hard rock band The Infinite Staircase
  • Ron Dante (born 1945) – lead singer for The Archies; number 1 song "Sugar Sugar"
  • Mark Delpriora – classical guitarist and composer; born and raised on Staten Island
  • Trife Diesel (born Theo Bailey, 1980) – rapper affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
  • Eamon Doyle (born 1983) – rapper; born and raised on Staten Island
  • Anthony Esposito – former bassist for Lynch Mob and Ace Frehley; film producer; born on Staten Island
  • Frankee (born Nicole Francine Aiello, 1983) – R&B singer-songwriter
  • Reeves Gabrels (born 1956) – rock guitarist and songwriter with David Bowie, Tin Machine, and The Cure
  • Sandy Gennaro (born 1951) – drummer; raised in South Beach; played with Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, The Monkees and Pat Travers
  • Ghostface Killah (born Dennis Coles, 1970) – rapper, Wu-Tang Clan member; born and raised on Staten Island
  • Billy Graziadei (born 1969) – guitarist and lead singer for rap-rock band Biohazard
  • GZA (born Gary E. Grice, 1966) – rapper, Wu-Tang Clan founding member, born on Staten Island
  • Haas G (born Carlos Evans, 1971) – rapper also known as Fantom of the Beat, half of the 1990s duo The UMC's
  • Hanz On (born Anthony Messado, 1974) – rapper affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
  • Inspectah Deck (born Jason Hunter, 1970) – rapper; Wu-Tang Clan member; born and raised on Staten Island
  • David Johansen (born 1950) – (also known as Buster Poindexter) of the New York Dolls
  • Blackie Lawless (born Steven Duren, 1956) – lead singer of the 1980s heavy metal band W.A.S.P.
  • Lil Suzy (born Suzanne Casale Melone, 1979) – freestyle singer
  • DJ Megatron (born Corey McGriff, 1978–2011) – hip-hop DJ on radio and television
  • Method Man (born Clifford M. Smith, 1971) – rapper; Wu-Tang Clan member; born in Hempstead, Long Island, and raised on Staten Island
  • Ingrid Michaelson (born 1979) – Indie-pop singer/songwriter; a Staten Island Technical High School graduate
  • Kevin Norton (born 1956) – jazz and contemporary percussionist, composer, teacher
  • NYOIL (born Kim Sharpton, 1971) – rapper also known as Kool Kim, half of the 1990s duo The UMC's
  • Jeannine Otis – singer and theater professional
  • David Park (born 1983) – rap producer and recording engineer
  • Vito Picone (born 1941) – with The Elegants, recorded #1 hit of 1959, "Little Star", in South Beach
  • John Pisano (1931–2024) – jazz guitarist, including long collaborations with Herb Alpert, Peggy Lee, Joe Pass
  • PS22 Chorus – prominent elementary-school chorus located in Graniteville; performed at the 83rd Academy Awards
  • Raekwon (born Corey Woods, 1970) – rapper, Wu-Tang Clan member; born in Brooklyn, raised on Staten Island
  • Vernon Reid (born 1958) – guitar player for Living Colour
  • Remedy (born Ross Filler, 1972) – rapper affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
  • Bebe Rexha (born 1989) – singer-songwriter, grew up on Staten Island
  • Keith Richards (born 1943) – Rolling Stones guitarist; his wife Patti Hansen was from Staten Island; in the 1980s they owned a home on the South Shore
  • Rockell (born Rachel Alexandra Mercaldo, 1977) – freestyle pop singer
  • Daniel Rodriguez (born 1964) – operatic tenor known as "The Singing Policeman" for his former work in NYPD's Ceremonial Unit
  • RZA (born Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, 1969) – rapper, Wu-Tang Clan founding member, Grammy Award-winning producer
  • Shyheim (born Shyheim Dionel Franklin, 1979) – rapper affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
  • Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz, later Eugene Klein, 1949) – Kiss bass player; attended Richmond College
  • Earl Slick (born 1952) – guitarist, Phantom, Rocker and Slick; played with John Lennon
  • Peter Steele (born Peter Ratajczyk, 1962–2010) – lead singer and bassist for the gothic metal band Type O Negative
  • Steve Stoll (born Stephen Stollmeyer) – drummer and techno producer
  • Streetlife (born Patrick Charles, 1972) – rapper affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
  • Kasim Sulton (born 1955) – bass player for Utopia, with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; now a member of The New Cars
  • Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (born Ronald Blumenthal, 1969) – guitar player for Guns N' Roses, raised in Bay Terrace
  • U-God (born Lamont Jody Hawkins, 1970) – rapper, Wu-Tang Clan member; born in Brooklyn, moved to Staten Island as a youth
  • Buz Verno (b. 1953) – bass guitarist, including for fellow Staten Islanders David Johansen and Cherry Vanilla
  • Kenny Washington (b. 1958) – jazz drummer
  • White Lionhard rock band
  • Rusty Willoughby (b. 1966) – rock musician in the Seattle area since the 1980s
  • Wu-Tang Clan – influential hip-hop group; most of its founding members were from Staten Island; credited with giving Staten Island the nickname "Shaolin"

Politicians

Past

Recent

Susan Molinari

Religion

Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton

Science, mathematics, medicine

John Peoples Jr.

Sports

Baseball

Bobby Thomson

Basketball

Elmer Ripley

Bowling

Boxing

Tony Canzoneri
  • Teddy Atlas (b. 1956) – boxing trainer and commentator; trained Michael Moorer and Mike Tyson; winner of the Sam Taub Award
  • Marcus Browne (b. 1990) – three-time Golden Gloves Champion; National PAL Champion; 2012 US Olympian
  • Tony Canzoneri (1908–1959) – three-time World Champion boxer
  • Frankie Genaro (born Frank DiGennaro, 1901–1966) – flyweight Gold Medalist at the 1920 Olympics
  • Oleg Maskaev (b. 1969) – heavyweight boxing champion
  • Bill Richmond (1763–1829) – British pugilist; born a slave in colonial Staten Island
  • Kevin Rooney (b. 1956) – former boxer and current trainer
  • Elijah Tillery (b. 1957) – cruiserweight and heavyweight professional boxer

Football

Adewale Ogunleye

Golf

Gymnastics

Hockey

Ice skating

Martial arts

Racket sports

Abel Kiviat

Soccer

Track and field

Wrestling

Randy Savage

Other

Loni Harwood

Writers

Past

Anna Leonowens

Recent

See also

  • Biography portal
  • Lists portal
  • flagNew York City portal

References

  1. ^ a b c d Cohen, Patricia. "He Sings the Borough Forgotten", The New York Times, June 26, 2007. Accessed October 18, 2007. "Austen isn't the only famous islander, Mr. Matteo notes. Christina Aguilera was born here; Steven Seagal and Paul Newman lived here, as did the exiles Garibaldi and Santa Anna"
  2. ^ "7 things you need to know about TV's new 'Mythbuster' from Staten Island". Staten Island Advance. March 9, 2017.
  3. ^ "Staten Island stays 'connected' to hit show". Staten Island Advance. March 7, 2009. Schirripa said he lived on Buel Avenue in Dongan Hills during the filming of "The Sopranos'" third season.
  4. ^ Wilson, Claire. "Living In | Rosebank, Staten Island: A Quiet Slice of New York Waterfront", The New York Times, March 12, 2006. Accessed November 3, 2007. "In July, the same group holds a picnic and concert with an 18-piece band on the grounds of Clear Comfort, the former home, now a museum, of Alice Austen, a native Staten Islander who was a pioneering female photographer."
  5. ^ Urban, Erin. Hulls and Hulks in the Tide of Time: The Life and Work of John A. Noble, 1993.
  6. ^ "The Noble Maritime Collection". Retrieved 2016-04-21.
  7. ^ Vecsey, Laura (June 30, 2014). "Staten Island Villa Was Home to Nabisco 'Nilla' Wafer Inventor". Zillow Porchlight. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  8. ^ Keil, Jennifer Gould; Rosenbaum, Sophia (February 26, 2015). "'Haunted' Staten Island mansion can be yours for $2 million". New York Post. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  9. ^ Matteo, Thomas (March 27, 2011). "The history of Todt Hill". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  10. ^ Wisconsin Blue Book 1885, Biographical Sketch of Edward Edwin Fitz Gibbon, pg. 429
  11. ^ "Caleb LYON". Infoplease.com. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
  12. ^ Martin, Douglas (September 25, 1998). "Albert V. Maniscalco, 90, a Staten Island Leader". The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  13. ^ Benanti, Carol Ann (May 12, 2015). "Background About Rev. Terry Troia". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  14. ^ "Bishop-Elect Edmund Whalen". Archdiocese of New York. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  15. ^ "Coyle and Menechino's paths to Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame paved with elbow grease". Silive.com. Retrieved 2016-04-21.
  16. ^ "Donovan Graduates". New York Times. May 19, 1987. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  17. ^ Grasso, John; Hartman, Eric R. (2014). Historical Dictionary of Bowling. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 45–46. ISBN 978-0810880221. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  18. ^ Volin, Ben (April 14, 2013). "Club's secret weapon is tough 'capologist'". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved June 7, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Flannagan, Tom (May 24, 2014). "Frank Esposito gives us someone to root for on tour". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  20. ^ "Frank Hannigan, USGA executive, dies at 82". SILive.com. Associated Press. March 23, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  21. ^ Decker, Brian (November 22, 2017). "Q&A: Sean Kelly". PGATour.com. PGA of America. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  22. ^ "Metropolitan Section - PGA Hall of Fame". Metropolitan Section PGA. PGA of America. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
  23. ^ a b c d e f Lee, Jerry (August 8, 2016). "A look back at Staten Island's Magnificent 7 Olympians". Staten Island Advance. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  24. ^ Klein, Jeff Z.; and Reif, Karl-Eric. "The Empire Skate: New York Producing Players", The New York Times, May 6, 2007. Accessed January 23, 2019. "In the past, the best players to come out of New York State tended to be products of playground roller hockey in New York City: Joey and Brian Mullen of Hell's Kitchen, and Nick Fotiu of Staten Island."