10 Hoosier Icons…Indiana Raised Them, the World Claimed Them

Each of the 50 states has multiple famous sons and daughters they can brag about, and that's a fun search. But let's narrow it down to the Hoosier State, and see what we come up with.

Larry Bird

The NBA legend from French Lick has three championship rings; was twice-named the NBA finals MVP--in 1984 and 1986; and, at the time of his retirement in 1992, held or shared 27 Boston Celtics records. He's also in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. I could go on, but we have more icons to cover. So let's take a look at the ultimate Bird "mixtape."

Florence Henderson

In 1969, Florence Henderson brought to life, arguably, the most popular "TV mom" in entertainment history. Could it be anyone other than Carol Brady? Of course, the classic sitcom wasn't the only part of the Dale native's resume, but it was certainly the most impactful, and Henderson embraced the notoriety from that role for the rest of her days; she died in 2016.

Cole Porter

The legendary songwriter and composer of countless Hollywood films and Broadway musical scores was a native of Peru, Indiana. Many of his compositions are American standards like "I've Got You Under My Skin," "You're the Top," and "Begin the Beguine." Porter passed away in 1964.

David Letterman

I've been a Letterman fan for more than 40 years, and I'm hardly alone. Popular hosts like Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers have always tipped their hats to the Indianapolis native. The tribute paid to David Letterman at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012 by his de facto "progeny" was hilarious.

Colonel Harland Sanders

One of the most "Kentuckian" humans who ever lived wasn't even born in the Bluegrass State. Despite the fact that the colonel's KFC empire began in Corbin, Kentucky, the man himself was born in Henryville, Indiana, in 1890.

James Dean

The late icon made such an impact that the only three films he completed (East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant) are all considered classics, and he picked up Oscar nominations for two of them, East of Eden and Giant. Sadly, James Dean never lived to see the releases of Rebel or Giant; he died in an automobile accident on September 30th, 1955. To date, he is the only actor to receive two posthumous Oscar nominations. James Dean, a native of Marion, is laid to rest at Park Cemetery in Fairmount, Indiana.

Hoagy Carmichael

Born in 1899 in Bloomington, Hoagy Carmichael essentially began his music career on the campus of Indiana University when he formed his own small jazz band in 1920. A mere seven years later--on Halloween--he would record his immortal composition "Stardust." Timeless classics like "Georgia on My Mind" and "Heart and Soul," among others, would follow. A renaissance man, Carmichael was also an actor and a lawyer. He died of a heart attack in 1981.

John Wooden

He's one of the greatest hoops coaches who ever lived. He guided the UCLA Bruins to 10 National Championships, including an unequalled seven in a row from 1967 through 1973, and it all started in the tiny township of Hall, Indiana. Talk about basketball in your veins. Wooden was born in hoops-crazy Indiana, played basketball at Purdue, and then made UCLA a college basketball blue blood. One of the all-time greats in the sport, John Wooden died in 2010 at the age of 99.

Red Skelton

This legendary entertainer from Vincennes seemingly did it all--pantomime (famously), vaudeville, burlesque, movies, nightclubs, and radio and TV shows from 1937 through 1971. He was also known for creating a litany of characters he'd portray in his shows, with Clem Kadiddlehopper being, perhaps, his most famous. Red Skelton passed away in 1997 due to complications from pneumonia. He was 84.

John Mellencamp

The Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer from Seymour is one of my all-time favorites. And there's little I can say that you don't already know, but I do have this tidbit that I find fascinating. The second singles from his massively successful albums American Fool, Uh-Huh, Scarecrow, and Lonesome Jubilee were all hits and were all about growing up in Seymour. Those songs, respectively, are "Jack and Diane," "Pink Houses," "Small Town," and "Cherry Bomb." It's something I didn't even notice until that last one came out. To my knowledge, he's never made mention of it, so I have no idea if it was deliberate or not. But it's a fun fact I enjoy, just like all of his wonderful music.

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Obviously, this is hardly a comprehensive list of Indiana A-listers, so do yourself a favor when you need to kill time. Search for all the famous people from your state; it might be a rabbit hole worth revisiting.