Bob Barker, Johnny Morris named among these 25 notable Drury University alumni

An estimated 45,000 students have graduated from Drury University during its 150-year history.

They have made their mark in Springfield, and beyond, in education, business, architecture, entertainment, politics, health care, and the nonprofit world.

There are many notable alumni. Here is just a sampling:

-Bob Barker, TV game show host. He was the host of "Truth or Consequences" and then "The Price is Right" from 1972 to 2007. He was also an animal rights advocate.

-Ernest R. Breech, automotive executive. He was chairman of Ford Motor Company and later inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

-Fred S. Clinton, medical doctor. He was one of the first medical doctors to practice in Oklahoma, when it was still part of Indian Territory. He also built the first hospital in Tulsa.

-Robert Cummings, film actor. He was in comedic films including "The Devil and Miss Jones" and two Alfred Hitchcock thrillers, "Saboteur" and "Dial M for Murder."

-Betty Cole Dukert, journalist. She spent more than 40 years with NBC's "Meet the Press," where she ultimately served as executive producer.

-Bob Dixon, politician. He is presiding commissioner of Greene County. He previously served in the state House of Representatives and Senate.

-Ilene K. Quade Gipson, scientist. She is a senior scientist at Schepens Eye Research Institute in Boston and professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School.

-Lauren Holtkamp, professional basketball referee. She was among first few full-time female referees in the National Basketball Association.

-Peter James Hudson, historian. A student from the Indian Territory, as Oklahoma was known at the time, he became a preeminent historian and educator who worked to preserve Choctaw history and traditions.

-Dorothy Van Dyke Leake, a pioneer environmentalist. She worked on water quality and set up data collection center on Crane Creek that served as a benchmark to measure against polluted streams.

-Robert "Dabbs" Greer, character actor. He appeared in hundreds of TV episodes on shows including "Gunsmoke" and "Little House on the Prairie" and many films including "The Green Mile."

-Michael Mallory, animation and film historian. He has written books including "X-Men: The Characters and Their Universe" and "Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror."

-Ralph Manley, developer and builder. He served in the 101st Airborne as a demolition specialist paratrooper during WWII. He was involved in D-Day, among other battles, and served on the Springfield City Council.

-Susan Montee, attorney and politician. She was state auditor of Missouri and chair of the Missouri Democratic Party.

-Kayce Morton, pediatric medical director for Jordan Valley Community Health Center. She has been active in public health initiatives.

-Johnny Morris, billionaire business owner. He is the founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops.

-Aven Nelson, American botanist. He specialized in the plants of the Rocky Mountains and was one of the founding professors of the University of Wyoming.

-C.H. "Chub" O'Reilly, Larry O'Reilly, David O'Reilly, Charlie and Mary Beth O'Reilly and others. The family behind the O'Reilly Auto Parts company and other business ventures.

-Si Siman, country music producer and executive. He helped discover Country Music Hall of Fame members Chet Atkins and Porter Wagoner and was a central figure behind "Ozark Jubilee," a TV series filmed in Springfield.

-Mark Walker, business owner. He is chairman and CEO of Springfield-based trucking company TransLand.

-Jay Wasson, politician and businessman. He was a member of the state House of Representatives and Senate.

-Charlotte "Lottie" Vetter, medical missionary. She and her husband founded the Camp Fire Girls.

-Paul Wilson, attorney and judge, appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court, where he serves as chief justice.

-Tom Whitlock, songwriter and lyricist. He is best known for "Take My Breath Away" and "Danger Zone," which were in the film "Top Gun." He won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for best song.

-Bill Virdon, professional baseball player and coach. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. He coached and managed other teams.

The information came from alumni and university websites, News-Leader archives and "Drury University, a campus history series by Drury archivist William Garvin.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: This list of 25 notable Drury University alumni includes Bob Barker