Actors, athletes and spies: These 72 people are the most 'famous' from each county in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has produced countless notable filmmakers, actors, sports heroes and authors. But serial killers, spies, con artists, and criminals have also called the state their home.

Who are the most famous (and infamous) people from each of Wisconsin's 72 counties?

It all depends on how you measure "fame."

More than 10,000 individuals associated with Wisconsin have Wikipedia pages. To measure their relative popularity, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel collected Wikipedia pageview data over the last five years to approximate public interest in each individual.

Convicted killers top Wisconsin's list of well-known figures

Of the top five most-viewed Wikipedia pages for people from Wisconsin in the last five years, three are convicted murderers. The top spot went to Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, whose profile rose thanks to a Netflix special in 2022. Christopher Scarver, who murdered Dahmer in prison in 1994, took the number two spot.

Ed Gein, another serial killer captured in 1957 and known for fashioning gruesome keepsakes of his victims, lived in Plainfield and is the fourth most famous Wisconsinite on our list.

Not all of Wisconsin's famous figures have such sordid reputations. Willem Dafoe, the four-time Academy Award nominee known for his roles in "Spider Man" and "Poor Things," hails from Appleton. He takes the third spot on our list. Milwaukee-born Colin Kaepernick, former 49ers quarterback and civil rights activist, rounds out the top five.

Some notable characters are not associated with Wisconsin in Wikipedia's categorization scheme and are therefore excluded from our list. Oprah Winfrey, who moved to Milwaukee from Mississippi at the age of six, tops this list of honorable mentions with almost a quarter-million annual pageviews.

Mattel's Barbie, born and raised in the make-believe town of Willows, Wisconsin, is the most famous fictional character on our list, with over 138,000 average pageviews per year.

We also took a look at the most well-known person from each individual county.

Each of these people was assigned a specific county by Wikipedia. In some cases, their associated county is the person's birthplace. In others, it's where they spent a significant amount of time.

Of the 72 people on the list, half are famous for their involvement in television, movies, or the music industry. Fourteen are from the sports world. Nine were politicians or veterans. Eight achieved fame through business or scientific advancement. And seven are primarily famous because of a criminal or espionage-related enterprise.

Read more about the most "famous" person from each county in our state:

Jump to: Adams — Green Lake | Iowa — Monroe | Oconto — Rusk | Sauk — Wood

Adams County: Belle Boyd (1844-1900)

Confederate spy

Dubbed one of the Confederacy’s most notorious spies, Belle Boyd, born in 1844, frequented Union camps to gather information, later providing information to Confederate General Stonewall Jackson in 1862. Later in life, she wrote memoirs and achieved success on stage before dying of a heart attack at age 56 while on tour in Kilbourn (now Wisconsin Dells), and is buried there, in Spring Grove Cemetery.

Ashland County: Rachel Campos-Duffy (1971-present)

Television host

First appearing on television in 1994 as a cast member of a MTV reality television series, Rachel Campos-Duffy was a guest host of the ABC talk show "The View" before joining Fox News where she became a co-host on "Fox & Friends Weekend". Campos is married to Sean Duffy, a former Republican member of Congress for the 7th district of Wisconsin who retired in 2019.

Barron County: Henry Ellenson (1997-present)

Professional basketball player

Henry Ellenson is a professional basketball player for Ibaraki Robots and the B.League. Ellenson played one season of college basketball at Marquette University and was drafted 18th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2016 NBA draft.

Bayfield County: Megan Gustafson (1996-present)

Professional basketball player

Professional basketball player Megan Gustafson plays for the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA and Olympiacos of the Greek Basketball League and Euroleague. Originally from Port Wing, Gustafson graduated from South Shore High School and finished her college career with the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2019.

Brown County: Zack Snyder (1966-present)

Film director and producer

Film director, producer and screenwriter Zack Snyder has produced "300," "Man of Steel," "Army of the Dead" and most recently, "Rebel Moon." Snyder was born in Green Bay, raised in Connecticut and later attended Art Center College of Design in Pasadena before making his feature film debut with the remake of the horror film "Dawn of the Dead."

Buffalo County: Tim Krumrie (1960-present)

Professional football player

Former professional football player Tim Krumrie was a nose tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals from 1983 to 1994, the entirety of his NFL career. Born in Mondovi, he played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers and was enshrined in the University of Wisconsin Hall of Fame in 1999.

Burnett County: Gus Johnson (1995-present)

YouTube star

YouTuber Gus Johnson, born in Grantsburg, started his channel in 2010 and is known for his comedic videos. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in 2018 with a degree in entertainment design with a focus on digital cinema.

Calumet County: Greta Van Susteren (1954-present)

Television news anchor

Previously on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, Greta Van Susteren is a television news anchor for Newsmax TV. Formerly a criminal defense and civil trial lawyer, she’s appeared as a legal analyst on CNN co-hosting "Burden of Proof." She was born in Appleton. Although she is often referred to as an Outagamie County native, Wikipedia associates her with Calumet.

Chippewa County: Mary Brunner (1943-present)

Charles Manson's first follower

Charles Manson’s first follower, Mary Brunner, moved from Wisconsin to California for a job at University of California, Berkeley, where she met Manson and took him in. She was present for the murder of Gary Hinman, a California musician and Ph.D. candidate. Brunner was arrested for credit card theft and armed robbery and served her sentence at the California Institution for Women before she moved back to the Midwest.

Clark County: Daulton Varsho (1996-present)

Professional baseball player

Daulton Varsho is a professional baseball outfielder and catcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. He attended Marshfield High School and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee before he made his MLB debut in 2020 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Columbia County: Gena Rowlands (1930-present)

Actress

Four-time Emmy and two-time Golden Globe winner, Gena Rowlands is known for her collaborations with her actor and director husband in ten films, including "A Woman Under the Influence" and "Gloria." Born in 1930 in Cambria, Rowlands is also known for her performances in Woody Allen's "Another Woman" and in her son Nick Cassavetes's film, "The Notebook."

Crawford County: Pat Bowlen (1944-2019)

Former owner of the Denver Broncos

Born in Prairie du Chien, Pat Bowlen was a executive and majority owner of the Denver Broncos, winning three Super Bowls. In 2019, he was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He served as the Broncos CEO from 1984 until 2014, when he stepped down due to the progression of Alzheimer's.

Dane County: Chris Farley (1964-1997)

Comedian and actor

Chris Farley was a member of Chicago’s Second City Theatre before becoming a cast member of NBC’s "Saturday Night Live" for five seasons between 1990 and 1995. Later in his film career, he appeared in several movies, including "Airheads," "Tommy Boy," and "Black Sheep," among others. Born in Madison, he grew up in Maple Bluff, and struggled with substance use disorder before dying of an overdose at 33 years old.

Dodge County: Ric Flair

Professional wrestler

Regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Ric Flair has numerous belts and titles with a career spanning over four decades. The student athlete attended Wayland Academy boarding school in Beaver Dam. In 1972, he made his debut in Rice Lake. Flair is recognized by the WWE as a 16-time world champion and two-time WWF Champion.

Door County: Jens Jensen (1860-1951)

Architect

The architect, a native of Denmark (the country, not the Wisconsin town), moved to Ellison Bay late in life and established a school for future architects. Though there's no evidence that Jensen was involved with the famous winding road of Door County, he's often credited with the design, potentially designing it uniquely as a means of maximizing conservation in its construction.

(Editor's note: The first version of this story mistakenly indicated Richard Bong for Door County; he does not have a tangible connection to the county.)

Douglas County: Otis (1991-present)

Professional wrestler

Nikola Bogojevic, also known under the ring name Otis, is a professional wrestler currently signed to the WWE. Before his professional wrestling career, he was an amateur wrestler, winning the 2008 Greco-Roman junior Nationals in his weight class, among other awards. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota and grew up in Superior, Wisconsin.

Dunn County: Neil Gaiman (1960-present)

Author of "Coraline"

Award-winning author Neil Gaiman wrote numerous novels, including "Good Omens," "Stardust," "Anansi Boys," "American Gods," "Coraline" and "The Graveyard Book." He moved to the Menomonie area in the '90s to be close to the family of his then-wife, with whom he has three children. Gaiman's awards include the Hugo, Nebula and Bram Stoker awards; he's the first author to win both the Newbery and the Carnegie medal for the same work. He has lived in Massachusetts since 2013.

Eau Claire County: Justin Vernon (1981-present)

Frontman of band Bon Iver

Singer-songwriter Justin Vernon founded the indie folk bank Bon Iver in 2006, debuting the album "For Emma, Forever Ago" the following year. The majority of the album was recorded while he spent three months in a cabin in western Wisconsin. The latest album, "I,I" was released in 2019 and was nominated at the 2020 Grammy Awards for the Album of the Year.

Florence County: Charles W. Whittlesey (1884-1921)

Led Lost Battalion during World War I

U.S. Army Medal of Honor recipient Charles Whittlesey led nearly 700 men under his command during World War I in the forests of northeastern France, where the Germans surrounded the ravine, cutting off their resources. Even though he was cut off for five days from the rest of his division, he maintained his position until a relief force arrived and the Germans retreated. He died by suicide after jumping from a ship en route to Havana in 1921, at age 37.

Fond du Lac County: Colin Kaepernick (1987-present)

Football quarterback and activist

Born in Milwaukee, former football quarterback and activist Colin Kaepernick lived in Fond du Lac until his family moved to California. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers. In 2016, he knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequity in the U.S., sparking other professional athletes to undertake various forms of silent protests during the anthem.

Forest County: Alexander H. Smith (1904-1986)

American mycologist

Born in Crandon, Alexander H. Smith was an American mycologist, which is a biologist who studies fungi. He was known for his contribution to the taxonomy and phylogeny of the higher fungi. During his 57 years of field work, Smith accumulated over 100,000 collections of fungal samples, and a library of photographs that are now located at the University of Michigan Herbarium.

Grant County: John Fiedler (1925-2005)

Voice of Winnie-the-Pooh's Piglet

Over a 55-year career, John Fiedler played nerdy characters and villains, but one of his longest roles was as the voice of Winnie the Pooh's Piglet. He voiced the character from 1968 to 2005. Born in Platteville, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served until the end of World War II before starting his career as an actor. He died of cancer in 2005 at the age of 80.

Green County: John Litel (1892-1972)

American film and television actor

Born in Albany, John Litel was an American film and television actor. In 1929, he started his film career as part of the “Warner Bros. Stock Company." Litel was in dozens of Warner Bros. films and over 200 films during his career. He usually played supporting roles, such as cops and district attorneys. He died in Los Angeles in 1972.

Green Lake County: Shannon Whirry (1964-present)

Actress

Shannon Whirry, who was born in Green Lake, moved to New York to become an actress in 1985. She appeared in erotic thrillers, such as "Animal Instincts" and "Body of Influence," among others. In the mid-90s, she moved away from the genre, appearing in action movies and television series. She lives in Phoenix.

Iowa County: Allen Ludden (1917-1981)

Television game-show host

Born and buried in Mineral Point, Allen Ludden was an actor and producer who rose to fame as the host of popular TV game show "Password." It's considered one of the greatest television game shows ever, with several iterations. He was married to star actress Betty White from 1963 until his death in 1981; she never remarried. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jump to: Adams — Green Lake | Iowa — Monroe | Oconto — Rusk | Sauk — Wood

Iron County: Frank Olson (1910-1953)

Scientist killed as result of CIA experiment

Born in Hurley and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Frank Olson worked with the U.S. military on the development of biological warfare in the 1940s and 1950s, often participating in clandestine experiments. He mysteriously plunged to his death from a New York hotel in 1953 at age 43. A 1975 commission uncovered details of a CIA project that involved dosing Olson with LSD without his knowledge. Family members maintain he was pushed, a controversy that was explored in Netflix documentary series "Wormwood" in 2017.

Jackson County: Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. (1925-1950)

U.S. Army war hero

Born in 1925 in Hatfield, Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions in the Korean War, where he was killed in 1950 at age 25. A member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, he served in World War II as a member of the Marine Corps and then joined the Army in 1948, where he spotted an imminent surprise attack by Chinese forces and held them off despite being shot eight times. He's credited with saving the rest of his company. He was first buried in Korea but then relocated to a cemetery in Black River Falls.

Jefferson County: Rosemary Kennedy (1918-2005)

Sister of former U.S. president

The sister of President John F. Kennedy lived for years and died in Fort Atkinson, where she received long-term care at St. Coletta School for Exceptional Children after a failed lobotomy procedure in 1941 at age 22 to counteract violent seizures and mood swings. The procedure left her incapacitated, and the Kennedy family did not publicly explain her absence from public appearances until 1961, after John F. Kennedy had been elected. Inspired by Rosemary, her sister Eunice founded the Special Olympics in 1968.

Juneau County: Kurtwood Smith (1943-present)

Actor on 'That 70s Show'

The New Lisbon-born actor is known to more recent audiences as Red Forman, the grumpy patriarch on long-running comedy "That 70s Show," plus its Netflix revival "That 90s Show." He also had a memorable turn as a villain in 1987 science fiction film "RoboCop" and has small roles in such movies as "Dead Poets Society," "A Time To Kill," "Girl," "Interrupted" and the TV show "24."

Kenosha County: Mark Ruffalo (1967-present)

Four-time Oscar-nominated actor

Whether you know him from his place in the Marvel universe as Bruce Banner and his alter ego, the Hulk, or as the four-time Oscar-nominated actor who's appeared in critically acclaimed films like "Zodiac" and "Spotlight," Mark Ruffalo has become a familiar Hollywood face who will soon receive a star on the Walk of Fame. Born in Kenosha before moving to Virginia, he's nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Poor Things."

Kewaunee County: James Lukaszewski (1942-present)

Crisis management consultant

The Kewaunee-born author and speaker has forged an impressive career in public relations, becoming president of his own Lukaszewski Group. Lukaszewski has won numerous awards for his work and published a number of books on communication subjects, with topics like publicity, media relations, crisis management and planning strategies.

La Crosse County: Sandra Lee (1966-present)

Television chef

Born Sandra Lee Waldroop and known professionally as Sandra Lee, she graduated from Onalaska High School and attended UW-La Crosse before moving to California. Her "Semi-Homemade Cooking" show on The Food Network was focused on combining fresh ingredients with store-bought items. She won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2012, and she was once married to Andrew Cuomo, who became governor of New York in 2011.

Lafayette County: Robert La Follette (1855-1925)

Senator, governor and representative from Wisconsin, presidential nominee

"Fighting Bob" is among the most familiar political figures in Wisconsin history, representing Wisconsin in both chambers of Congress and as governor from 1901 to 1906. In 1924, he ran for president as the nominee of the Progressive Party, winning his home state's electoral votes but nothing else in a race won by Calvin Coolidge. He was known for progressive reforms and frequent clashes with party leaders. He was born in Dane County but grew up in Argyle in nearby Lafayette County.

Langlade County: David Lee McInnis (1973-present)

Actor and producer

David Lee McInnis, born to a European father and Korean mother, is now an American actor based in Seoul, South Korea, who has appeared in several South Korean dramas. Raised in Antigo, he had a role in big-budget film "Typhoon" and starred alongside Vera Farmiga in the 2007 romance thriller "Never Forever."

Lincoln County: Mike Webster (1952-2002)

Pro Football Hall of Famer

On the shortlist of the greatest centers in NFL history, the Tomahawk native (and graduate of Rhinelander High School) attended the University of Wisconsin and became an essential cog for four Super Bowl triumphs with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His premature death at age 50 became a flashpoint in the research around head trauma in football players.

More: A look at the Green Bay Packers (and other Wisconsin connections) in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Manitowoc County: Steven Avery (1962-present)

Convicted murderer

The subject of immensely popular 2015 Netflix true crime docuseries "Making a Murderer," Steven Avery was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach, four years after he had been exonerated and released in 2003 for a separate sexual assault. "Making a Murderer" renewed discussion of the criminal justice system's flaws and came in the midst of a national obsession with true crime in narrative media.

Marathon County: Marissa Mayer (1975-present)

Tech executive and former CEO of Yahoo!

Born in Wausau and a graduate of Wausau West High School, Marissa Mayer became Google's first female engineer and later served as president and chief executive officer of Yahoo! from 2012 to 2017. She resigned from the post after the company was sold to Verizon in 2017. She was named to Fortune Magazine's list of America's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business seven times, starting at age 33 in 2008. In 2023, Forbes estimated her wealth in excess of $750 million.

Marinette County: Trixie Mattel (1989-present)

Drag queen and television personality

Beginning with her showing on "RuPaul's Drag Race" in 2015, Trixie Mattel became a pop culture phenomenon, pursuing ventures in music, comedy, reality television, business (founding a cosmetics brand), and even a New York Times bestseller. Born in Milwaukee, Brian Michael Firkus was raised near Crivitz and attended Wausaukee High School.

Marquette County: Arthur S. Champeny (1893-1979)

Decorated war hero

Born in Briggsville, the brigadier general Arthur Champeny is the only American to earn the Distinguished Service Cross in three different wars (World War I, World War II and the Korean War), in addition to a Silver Star, five Purple Hearts and numerous other distinctions.

Menominee County: Evelyn 'Billie' Frechette (1907-1969)

Associate of mobster John Dillinger

Born on the Menominee Indian Reservation, Evelyn Frechette met notorious mobster John Dillinger at age 26 in 1933 and began a relationship. She was arrested in 1934 for obstruction of justice and served two years in federal prison; she spent the rest of her life in Wisconsin and died in Shawano in 1969.

Milwaukee County: Jeffrey Dahmer (1960-1994)

Serial killer

The darkest chapter in Milwaukee's history was authored by Dahmer, who was arrested in 1991 and later admitted to killing 16 young men and boys (with 17 victims overall). Human remains were found in his apartment, where he lured the majority of his victims. His story garnered renewed national interest with a Netflix series in 2022.

Monroe County: Deke Slayton (1924-1993)

Astronaut

Born in Sparta, Deke Slayton now belongs to a number of aviation and space Hall of Fames after a lengthy career in space exploration. He served as NASA's first Chief of the Astronaut Office and director of flight crew operations when a heart condition disqualified him from the "Mercury Seven" — the seven initial astronauts ticketed for space. Slayton did eventually get to blast off in 1973, becoming the oldest astronaut at 51 years old when he participated in the Apollo-Soyuz test project, the first meeting between American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts in space.

Oconto County: Pee Wee King (1914-2000)

Country music Hall of Famer

Born in Abrams, Julius Frank Anthony Kuczynski took the stage name Pee Wee King and co-wrote country-music standard "The Tennessee Waltz." He's credited with bringing waltzes, polkas and cowboy songs into mainstream country music and also bringing the musicians union to the Grand Ole Opry. He served on the board of the Country Music Hall of Fame and was inducted in 1974. He also had radio shows and his own TV show, "The Pee Wee King Show," on ABC.

Jump to: Adams — Green Lake | Iowa — Monroe | Oconto — Rusk | Sauk — Wood

Oneida County: Justin O. Schmidt (1947-2023)

Entomologist

Born in Rhinelander, Justin Schmidt cultivated pop-culture fame for his study of bees and other venomous insects, and he's authored numerous studies and books on the topic. His work included the development of the vividly descriptive Schmidt sting pain index as a means of comparing the effects of insect venom. He's studied the chemical and behavioral defenses of ants, wasps and arachnids. In his New York Times obituary in February 2023, he was called the "King of Sting," having been stung himself hundreds of times.

Outagamie County: Willem Dafoe (1955-present)

Four-time Oscar nominated actor

Nominated five times for an Academy Award in acting, the Appleton-born actor has been part of superhero movies (such as supervillain Green Goblin in the Spider-Man films) and worked with famed auteurs, including Martin Scorsese in "The Last Temptation of Christ" and most recently with Yorgos Lanthimos in Best Picture nominee "Poor Things." He received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2024. Dafoe attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Ozaukee County: Dustin Diamond (1977-2021)

Television actor behind iconic Screech character

The actor moved to Port Washington in 2003, long after he rose to fame playing the strange and oblivious Samuel "Screech" Powers on the many iterations of wildly popular high-school comedy "Saved By the Bell." Diamond made a number of appearances on reality TV thereafter, and he had high-profile run-ins with law enforcement, serving three months in jail after misdemeanor weapons charges. He died in 2021 after a battle with cancer.

Pepin County: Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957)

Children's author

One of the most familiar names in American children's fiction, Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House" book series became a sensation in the 1930s and 1940s, bolstered by the popular television show "Little House on the Prairie" from 1974-83. Though she moved frequently, she was born near Lake Pepin. She began chronicling her childhood experiences after prompted by her daughter.

Pierce County: Frankie Rayder (1975-present)

International fashion model

Born in River Falls and a graduate of River Falls High School, Frankie Rayder has become a fixture on runways and in fashion magazines in the 1990s and 2000s, most notably four appearances at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and twice in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She has been the face of such brands as Givenchy and Chanel. She shares a child with Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, with whom she was engaged but never married.

Polk County: Carol Merrill (1941-present)

"Let's Make a Deal" gameshow model

Game show model Carol Merrill spent 14 years on the original "Let's Make a Deal" in the 1960s and 1970s as assistant to host Monty Hall, who often referred to her by her full name. This household name status led to talk-show guest appearances and small film and TV roles for Merrill. She was born in 1941 in Frederic, a small village in Polk County.

Portage County: Peter Weller (1947-present)

"RoboCop" actor

Actor, director and Stevens Point native Peter Weller is best known for his role as the titular character in the "RoboCop" franchise; he's reprised the role numerous times in everything from video games to KFC commercials. Weller has appeared in over 70 films and TV shows, including David Cronenberg's "Naked Lunch," "Sons of Anarchy" and the "Star Trek" franchise. In 2014, he earned a Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance Art History from UCLA.

Price County: Dennis Morgan (1908-1994)

Actor

Though perhaps not as famous as Humphrey Bogart or Cary Grant, Dennis Morgan was a quintessential 1940s leading man described as well-mannered and a handsome tenor. At the beginning of his career, Morgan was a sportscaster for the Green Bay Packers. He later starred opposite Ginger Rogers in "Kitty Foyle" and teamed up with fellow Wisconsinite Jack Carson in multiple films including "Two Guys from Milwaukee." Morgan was born Earl Stanley Morner in the village of Prentice and graduated from Carroll College, now Carroll University, in Waukesha.

Racine County: Tony Romo (1980-present)

NFL Pro Bowl quarterback

The alumnus of Burlington High School went undrafted in 2003 out of Eastern Illinois but became a staple of the Dallas Cowboys, making four Pro Bowls over his 14-year career and notching several Cowboys records along the way. In 2017, Tony Romo immediately transitioned from the field to the booth and became lead analyst for CBS football broadcasts, calling Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas in 2024.

Richland County: Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)

Architect

Born in Richland Center, Frank Lloyd Wright is probably the best-known American architect of all time. He designed over 1,000 structures over his seven-decade career and was strongly influenced by nature and was a leader in the Prairie style of architecture. Some of his most famous works include Chicago's Robie House, New York's Guggenheim Museum and southwestern Pennsylvania's Fallingwater, a house built over a waterfall. Today, Taliesin, Wright's home and studio in Spring Green, is a popular tourist site.

Rock County: Danica Patrick (1982-present)

Race car driver

Beloit-born Danica Patrick is probably the most successful female race car driver of all time. Her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300 made her the only woman to win an IndyCar Series race. In 2005, she became the first woman to lead laps and finish in the top five at the Indy 500, finishing in fourth. After seven years in IndyCar, Patrick spent six seasons in NASCAR. Following her retirement from racing in 2018, she dated former Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and currently hosts a successful podcast.

Rusk County: Ron Kovic (1946-present)

Anti-war activist and Vietnam veteran

Ron Kovic, who was born in Ladysmith, became one of the best-known Vietnam-era peace activists after he was paralyzed while serving as a Marine sergeant in the war. His activism work included a 17-day hunger strike with fellow wounded veterans and a speech at the Democratic National Convention. In 1989, Kovic's autobiography, "Born on the Fourth of July," was made into an award-winning film of the same name starring Tom Cruise. Kovic, along with Oliver Stone, won a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay for the film.

Jump to: Adams — Green Lake | Iowa — Monroe | Oconto — Rusk | Sauk — Wood

Sauk County: Agnes Moorehead (1900-1974)

"Bewitched" actress

Over a career in film, TV and radio that spanned five decades, Agnes Moorehead was probably best known for her role as Endora, the mother witch in the ABC sitcom "Bewitched." She also had roles in "Citizen Kane," "Pollyanna" and "Charlotte's Web." Moorehead received a Primetime Emmy, two Golden Globes and four Oscar nominations in her career. She grew up in Reedsburg and taught public school in Soldiers Grove for five years before becoming an actress.

Sawyer County: Sean Duffy (1971-present)

Former U.S. congressman and '90s reality TV star

Sean Duffy served as the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District from 2011 until 2019 when he retired due to health concerns with his ninth child. He is currently a co-host on Fox Business' "The Bottom Line." The Hayward native first became famous on MTV's "The Real World" in 1997 and "Road Rules: All Stars" in 1998, where he met his wife Rachel Campos (who is also on this list). Donald Trump urged Duffy to run for governor of Wisconsin in 2022, but he did not.

Shawano County: Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957)

Senator and proponent of the "Red Scare"

After working at a law firm in Shawano and serving in World War II, Joseph McCarthy became a Republican U.S. senator, serving from 1947 until his death in 1957. He is known for fueling public fears of communism during the "Red Scare" era and alleging that hundreds of government, university, film industry and other employees were communists. He was also a proponent of the "Lavender Scare," which targeted LGBTQ+ federal employees. In 1954, McCarthy was censured and stripped of his chairmanship of the Senate's Committee on Government Operations.

Sheboygan County: David Leitch (1975-present)

Director and stuntman

Stunt coordinator and performer turned director David Leitch grew up in Kohler and credits his "Wisconsin work ethic" with propelling his successful career. He's directed some of the most popular action movies in recent years — "John Wick," "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw" and "Deadpool 2," the third-highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. Earlier in his career, Leitch did stunts in "Fight Club," "The Matrix Reloaded," and many other films and TV shows.

St. Croix County: Aldrich Ames (1941-present)

CIA officer turned Soviet spy

Born in River Falls, Ames is a 31-year veteran of the CIA who, in 1994, was arrested and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for spying on behalf of the Soviet Union. Over the course of nine years, it is estimated that information Ames provided to the Soviets compromised at least 100 American intelligence operations and led to the execution of multiple human sources. In exchange, Ames received millions of dollars from the Soviets. However, this unexplained wealth ultimately spurred the investigation that led to his arrest.

Taylor County: Jeane Dixon (1904-1997)

Psychic who predicted the JFK assassination

Astrologer and psychic Jeane Dixon was born in Medford. She rose to prominence after reportedly predicting the assassination of John F. Kennedy. She wrote a popular syndicated newspaper astrology column and many books, including a best-selling autobiography, "My Life and Prophecies." Dixon advised Richard Nixon and Nancy Reagan. However, some of her predictions turned out to be false, including that World War III would begin in 1958 and that the Soviets would put men on the moon first.

Trempealeau County: Nicholas Ray (1911-1979)

"Rebel Without a Cause" director

Galesville-born director, writer and actor Nicholas Ray is best known for directing the 1955 film "Rebel Without a Cause" starring James Dean, which earned Ray an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Known for his careful attention to visual style and three-dimensional stories of "loners and outcasts," Ray is considered an auteur and cult-favorite director. His work from the 1940s to 1960s spanned nearly every genre, from film noir to Western to religious epic. However, he often butted heads with the Red Scare-era Hollywood establishment.

Vernon County: Butch Vig (1955-present)

Music producer

Viroqua native and UW-Madison grad Butch Vig earned the nickname "Nevermind Man" after he produced Nirvana's 1991 album "Nevermind," the band's most popular. Vig has produced for many well-known alt-rock bands, including the Smashing Pumpkins and Jimmy Eat World. He's also won three Grammy Awards, including for Green Day's "21st Century Breakdown" and the Foo Fighters' "Wasting Light." In addition to producing, Vig is the drummer in his own successful rock band, Garbage, which formed in Madison.

Vilas County: Jim Abrahams (1944-present)

Comedy filmmaker

Jim Abrahams is one-third of the trio that wrote and produced many cult-classic 1980s comedy films, including "Airplane!", "Top Secret!" and the "Naked Gun" series. Abrahams met the other members of the team, brothers David and Jerry Zucker, while growing up in Shorewood and attending Shorewood High School. Abrahams' association with Vilas County is due to a home in Eagle River where he's spent summers since his childhood.

Walworth County: Gary Burghoff (1943-present)

Actor

Delavan High School grad Gary Burghoff originated the role of Charlie Brown in the off-Broadway musical "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown," which ran for over 1,500 performances from 1967 to 1971. He went on to play the role of Radar O'Reilly in the 1970 film "M*A*S*H" and the subsequent, smash-hit "M*A*S*H" TV series, which ran from 1972 to 1983. Burghoff won an Emmy for this role in 1977.

Washburn County: James R. Cargill II (1949-present)

Billionaire

Billionaire heir James R. Cargill II, who lives in Birchwood, is Wisconsin’s fourth-richest resident as of 2023 and ranked 224th on Forbes' list of the "400 Richest Americans" last year. Cargill's great-grandfather founded the Cargill global food corporation, America's second-largest private company. The Minnesota-based company has been described as an "agribusiness giant" and did $177 billion in sales in 2023 across its food, agriculture, financial and industrial divisions.

Washington County: Alia Janine (1978-present)

Adult film star turned stand-up comedian

This former adult film star turned stand-up comedian was born in West Bend. After 10 years in the adult entertainment industry, Janine moved to New York City to attend college and pursue comedy. She was called "The Funniest Porn Star On Earth" by HuffPost and has performed at numerous high-profile comedy clubs, including the Comedy Cellar in New York, Gotham Comedy Club and Chicago Laugh Factory. Janine now hosts a podcast and owns a comedy production company.

Waukesha County: JJ Watt (1989-present)

Three-time NFL defensive player of the year

The future Pro Football Hall of Famer from Pewaukee High School played at the University of Wisconsin and then over 12 NFL seasons with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals, becoming the second player in league history to earn three Defensive Player of the Year awards. The five-time first-team All Pro defensive end twice led the league in sacks and was also acknowledged for his humanitarian work in the wake of Houston's Hurricane Harvey, for which he was named the 2017 Walter Payton Man of the Year.

Waupaca County: Tony Bennett (1969-present)

Basketball player and coach

Not to be confused with the late jazz singer of the same name, this former basketball player and current coach was born in Clintonville. He's been the head coach of the University of Virginia men's basketball team since 2009 and took the Cavaliers to NCAA Championship victory in 2019. In college, Bennett played for UW-Green Bay under his father, Dick Bennett. The younger Bennett later played professionally for the Charlotte Hornets from 1992 to 1995. He still holds the NCAA record for career three-point field goal accuracy at 49.7%.

Waushara County: Ed Gein (1906-1984)

Murderer

The "Butcher of Plainfield" became infamous in 1957, after it was discovered that he murdered two women and fashioned furniture, dishes, clothing and other horrific keepsakes from the skin and bones of his victims and the numerous bodies he exhumed from local graveyards. Gein's deeply disturbing behavior inspired thrillers like "Psycho" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and made him one of the most well-known killers in American history. Following his arrest, he lived out his days at a psychiatric facility in Madison until dying in 1984. His now-unmarked grave in the Plainfield Cemetery has become somewhat of an unofficial tourist attraction.

Winnebago County: Tyrese Haliburton (2000-present)

Budding NBA star

The Oshkosh North High School graduate just started for the Eastern Conference in his second NBA All-Star game. A first-round pick of the Sacramento Kings in 2020 out of Iowa State, he's in his second season with the Indiana Pacers and is on track to lead the league in assists, all while averaging more than 22 points per game. He's also begun to develop a rivalry with his home-state team, the Milwaukee Bucks.

Wood County: Bonnie Bartlett (1929-present)

Actress

This Wisconsin Rapids-born actress is best known for her roles as Ellen Craig in the 1980s medical drama "St. Elsewhere" and Grace in the 1970s series "Little House on the Prairie." She's been married to actor William Daniels of "Boy Meets World" fame for over 70 years and even appeared on the popular 1990s sitcom as the college dean, who marries her real-life husband's character Mr. Feeny.

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Andrew Hahn is a newsroom developer for the Journal Sentinel. Contact him at ahahn@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jeffrey Dahmer is among the most 'famous' people in Wisconsin