Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s the inner beauty that matters. I know, I know. So let me start off by saying that this is by no means a definitive or all encompassing list of all of the beautiful (inside and out) people who have been born in Missouri. This is just a fun list of people who happen to be beautiful and also were born in our state. Agree or disagree, let’s just have some fun shall we?
1. Chely Wright, Kansas City
Chely Wright is a country music singer and gay rights activist who was born in Kansas City, most known for the singles "Shut Up And Drive" and "Single White Female". She won Top New Female Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music in 1995. She is currently recording a new studio album. The yet to be titled album will be produced by Grammy Award winner Joe Henry.
2. Jon Hamm, St. Louis
Jon Hamm is an actor and producer who was born on March 10, 1971 in St. Louis, Missouri as Jonathan Daniel Hamm. He is most known for Mad Men (2007), The Town (2010) and Minions (2015).
3. Sheryl Crow, Kennett
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Her unique music style is a variation of pop, rock, folk, country and blues elements. She has sold more than 17 million albums in the U.S. and over 50 million albums worldwide, as well as won nine Grammy Awards and 32 nominations.
4. Ginger Rogers, Independence
Ginger Rogers was born Virginia Katherine McMath on July 16, 1911. She was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in films, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century. She made 73 films including 10 Hollywood musical films with Fred Astaire, and won Best Actress in 1940 for her performance in "Kitty Foyle". She died in 1995 at the age of 85.
5. Brad Pitt, born Shawnee Oklahoma, but raised in Springfield
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, but Missourians claim him as their own because he was mostly raised in Springfield, Missouri. He is an award winning actor and producer, getting his start as a sexy cowboy hitchhiker in Thelma & Louise. He has been a staple in the movie industry for the past couple of decades and is one of the most influential people in the entertainment industry. He has also been named the world’s most attractive man by several different media outlets.
6. Taylor Momsen, St. Louis
Taylor Michel Momsen is an actress and musician, known for her role as Cindy Lou Who in Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas in 2000, and later portraying Jenny Humphrey on the CW television series Gossip Girl starting in 2007. She currently fronts the rock band The Pretty Reckless.
7. Annie Wersching, St. Louis
Annie Wersching is an actress best known for her role as FBI special agent Renee Walker on the television series 24, and currently plays the mother of the Salvatore brothers on The Vampire Diaries. She was also seen in Bruce Almighty in 2003 and The Last of Us in 2013.
8. Riley Schmidt, St. Louis
Riley Schmidt is an actor from St. Louis who has appeared on television’s Passions, 7th Heaven, ER, Power Rangers: Time Force and Cold Case. In 2011, he was cast as the Rubber Man in American Horror Story, and currently appears as the Red Devil in Scream Queens. Before he became successful at acting, Riley supported himself with a bartending company he founded called Beauty and the Bar.
9. Josephine Baker, St. Louis
Josephine Baker was Born Freda Josephine McDonald in St. Louis in 1906, and led an extremely interesting life. She married at 15, left her husband and St. Louis behind by age 17, and made her way to Paris, France, where her career truly begain. The well-known "banana dance" was originally performed by her there in 1925, and she became a French citizen in 1937. Her career experienced many ups and downs, including being falsely accused of being a Communist, and as a result she was permanently kicked out of the U.S.
In 1961, Josephine was awarded the Legion of Honor, France's highest award. She was stricken with a cerebral hemorrhage while celebrating her half-century on stage in 1975, went into a coma, and died without regaining consciousness.
10. Laura LaPlante, St. Louis
Laura La Plante was an actress from the 1920’s who got her start at 15 years old in films as a Christie Comedy Bathing Beauty. She had steady roles in silent films, and even made the transition to sound films successfully playing a leading role in her first sound film, Show Boat and Hold Your Man in 1929. She spent some time in England in the early 30’s making films, returning to Hollywood by 1935, and eventually retired from films. She died at the age of 91 in Los Angeles.
11. Jane Wyman, St. Louis
Jane Wyman was an Academy Award winning actress, born Sarah Jane Mayfield in 1917 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Known as radio singer Jane Durrell in 1932, and later Warner Brother’s film actress, Jane Wyman by 1936. Her movie career continued well into the 50’s and 60’s, with her final film in 1969. She made several television appearances, perhaps best known for her role of nine years as Angela Channing Erikson Stavros Agretti in the 80’s prime time soap opera Falcon Crest. Jane Wyman died in her sleep at the age of 90, having long suffered from arthritis and diabetes.
12. Kimora Simmons, St. Louis
Kimora Lee Simmons had an exclusive contract modeling for Coco Chanel by the age of thirteen. She was born in 1975 in St. Louis, as Kimora Lee Perkins. She is a producer and actress, known for 2002’s Brown Sugar, 2004’s Def Jam Fight for NY and 2007’s Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane. Married to Tim Leissner since December 2013, and sharing a child, she was also previously married to Russell Simmons.
13. Don Johnson, Flat Creek
Don Johnson is an actor who is best known for his starring role as Detective Sonny Crockett on the hugely successful and iconic 1980’s TV series Miami Vice, winning a Golden Globe for his performance in 1986. He was born in Flat Creek, the son of a farmer and a beautician. After a few brushes with the law at a young age, he discovered acting. Although he worked as an actor and appeared in the sci-fi cult classic film A Boy and His Dog in 1975, he didn’t really become well known until Miami Vice. Working steadily through the years, he re-emerged into the spotlight in 1996 starring, creating and producing the hit show Nash Bridges for 6 seasons. After that show went off the air Johnson kept a low profile, but continues to appear in films and on television.
Who are some other beautiful people that were born in Missouri (other than your family members)? Have fun with this. What do you think of the list? Share in the comments below.
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