54 Iowa celebrities include John Wayne, Ashton Kutcher and Miss Piggy. Do you know them all?

Test your knowledge and see just how many famous Iowans you know. The first Iowan in space, the co-inventor of Rice Krispies Treats and a Nobel prize winner — if you don’t know their names, you will now.

Here’s some famous Iowans you ought to know, and some you probably do.

17 prominent Iowans of the past

It would be impossible to compile a list every earth-moving achievement accomplished by those who called Iowa their place of birth, but here are 17 highlights for the history books.

Herbert Hoover

Born: West Branch

Lifetime: 1874-1964

What he's known for: The 31st president of the United States

Less than three decades after Iowa became a state, Herbert Hoover was born in the eastern Iowa town of West Branch, the child of a blacksmith. Before his presidency, Hoover graduated from Stanford and witnessed the Boxer Rebellion in China. He served a single term as president from 1929 to 1933.

Otto Frederick Rohwedder

Born: Davenport

Lifetime: 1880-1960

What he's known for: The commercial bread-slicing machine

It would be inaccurate to say Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the best thing since sliced bread since, well, Rohwedder effectively did invent sliced bread. In 1928, despite being a jeweler by trade and losing some of his initial plans in a Monmouth factory fire, Rohwedder created a device that sliced and wrapped loaves of bread.

Harry Hopkins

Born: Sioux City

Lifetime: 1890-1946

What he's famous for: Advisor to Franklin D. Roosevelt

Born in Sioux City and a 1912 graduate of Grinnell College, Hopkins grew up to work on remedying the ripple effects of the Great Depression and become an advisor to Franklin D. Roosevelt. After Roosevelt became president in 1933, he named Hopkins the administrator of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and, when the United States entered World War II, Hopkins became a key figure in the efforts of the Allied powers. After surviving stomach cancer, Hopkins died due to liver failure months after receiving the Distinguished Service Medal from President Harry S. Truman.

Grant Wood

Born: Anamosa

Lifetime: 1891-1942

What he's known for: American painter who created "American Gothic"

Grant Wood studied various art forms in France and Germany through the 1920s and went on to display his most recognizable work, "American Gothic," in the Art Institute of Chicago in 1930. Wood went on to teach at the University of Iowa from 1935 to 1940, and during that time he instructed a young Elizabeth Catlett.

W. Edwards Deming

Born: Sioux City

Lifetime: 1900-1993

What he's famous for: Statistician and educator

Sioux City's William Edwards Deming made his way into the field of statistical analysis to achieve better industrial quality control. In the 1950s, Deming's skills helped Japan as the nation economically recovered from the fallout of World War II and became the namesake for The Deming Prize, an annual award given to Japanese corporations with exceptional quality control.

Meredith Willson

Born: Mason City

Lifetime: 1902-1984

What he’s famous for: Composer of “The Music Man”

Robert Meredith Willson was himself a music man from a young age when he began playing flute in the Mason City Municipal Band, setting him on track to begin his musical career. In 1958, Willson's musical "The Music Man," the most widely known of his works, was given a Tony Award for Best Musical.

Leon 'Bix' Beiderbecke

Born: Davenport

Lifetime: 1903-1931

What he's famous for: Jazz musician

Leon Beiderbecke is a Davenport-born musician more widely known under the name "Bix." As a jazz musician, Beiderbecke became known for the quality of his improvisation in his performances. He joined the Jean Goldkette group in Detroit in the latter half of the 1920s, but, only a handful of years later, died after suffering from lobar pneumonia at the age of 28.

Mildred Day

Born: Durham, a hamlet near Knoxville

Lifetime: 1903-1996

What she’s known for: Helping create Rice Krispies Treats

Mildred Day, born Harriet Mildred Ghrist, is an Iowan credited with helping to create Rice Krispies Treats after taking a job in Battle Creek, Michigan, with the Kellogg's cereal company. In that job, she and co-worker Malitta Jensen would develop the recipe for Rice Krispies Treats featured on boxes of the cereal in 1941.

Mildred Wirt Benson

Born: Ladora

Lifetime: 1905-2002

What she's known for: Penned many of the original Nancy Drew books

Mildred Wirt Benson is one of many authors who have taken on the pseudonym "Carolyn Keene" to write some of the earliest Nancy Drew mystery novels published since 1930. The University of Iowa graduate penned not only the first teen sleuth adventure "The Secret of the Old Clock," but was also responsible for 22 of the first 25 Nancy Drew books.

John Wayne

Born: Winterset

Lifetime: 1907-1979

What he's known for: Oscar-winning actor in American Westerns

Born Marion Michael Morrison, the actor and director we know as John Wayne only took up the name with his first starring role in the 1930 film "The Big Trail." His five-decade film career that spanned parts in Westerns and war films eventually led to Wayne's Oscar for the 1969 film "True Grit." Ten years later, the actor passed away after complications from stomach cancer.

Norman Borlaug

Born: Cresco

Lifetime: 1914-2009

What he’s famous for: Nobel Peace Prize-winning agronomist

Borlaug was educated at the University of Minnesota, studying to be a forester and eventually returning to study plant pathology and receive his doctorate. He spent a large portion of his professional life working to solve wheat production problems in Mexico. It was 1970 when Borlaug received the Nobel Peace Prize, recognized for years spent improving food production.

Virginia Christine

Born: Stanton

Lifetime: 1920-1996

What she's famous for: Radio and film actress

Originally named Virginia Kraft, Virginia Christine is perhaps best remembered as Mrs. Olson, a character who appeared in television advertisements for Folgers Coffee. Over the course of her career, she also appeared on television in "The Twilight Zone" and "The Lone Ranger" and in cinema in the 1956 "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," among other projects.

Donna Reed

Born: Dennison

Lifetime: 1921-1986

What she's known for: Oscar-winning actress who starred in "It's a Wonderful Life"

Born an Iowa farm girl, Donna Reed is most recognizable for her role as the leading lady in the 1946 Christmas classic "It's a Wonderful Life." She would later win an Academy Award in 1954 for Best Supporting Actress in the film "From Here to Eternity," and in 1957 launched the "Donna Reed Show." She died of pancreatic cancer just before her 65th birthday in 1986.

Johnny Carson

Born: Corning

Lifetime: 1925-2005

What he's known for: Known as the "king of late night"

Following his birth in Corning, Carson's family moved to Norfolk, Nebraska, while he was still young. After serving in World War II, Carson hosted NBC's "The Tonight Show" from 1962 to 1992 when he handed the reins over to Jay Leno. Carson is credited with creating the template of a guest couch and studio bands still seen in modern late-night talk shows. His 30-year tenure on the show makes him the program's longest-serving host since its creation in 1954 and earned him the reputation as "king of late night."

Cloris Leachman

Born: Des Moines

Lifetime: 1926-2021

What she's known for: Actress who won an Academy Award for her role in “The Last Picture Show”

Cloris Leachman had a vast and varied career that led her to star in multiple television shows from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" to "Malcolm in the Middle," and movies such as "Young Frankenstein" and her Oscar-winning role in "The Last Picture Show." The actress also became the namesake for The Cloris Leachman Excellence in Theater Arts Award, an honor given annually to recognize members of the Des Moines theater community.

R. Walter Cunningham

Born: Creston

Lifetime: 1932-2023

What he's famous for: The first Iowan in space

The idea to propel a human outside of Earth's atmosphere was still the stuff of science fiction when Cunningham, born Ronnie Walter Cunningham, came into the world in 1932. However, in 1968, he became the first Iowan in space aboard Apollo 7 — the first crewed Apollo space mission — on which he was the lunar module pilot. Cunningham died at 90 in 2023.

Halston

Born: Des Moines

Lifetime: 1932-1990

What he's famous for: Fashion designer known for his minimalistic looks.

American fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick went by Halston and created iconic looks for the who's who of the celebrity world. He became famous after designing the pillbox hat Jacqueline Kennedy wore to the 1961 inauguration of her husband, President John F. Kennedy. The designer shifted to womenswear and created streamlined looks for the likes of Greta Garbo, Anjelica Huston, Lauren Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor, Bianca Jagger and Liza Minnelli. He died in 1990 due to complications of AIDS.

29 famous people of the present

Michelle Monaghan

Born: Winthrop, 1976

What she’s known for: Film and television actress in “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and “True Detective”

After graduating East Buchanan High School in Winthrop, Michelle Monaghan left Iowa to pursue journalism, according to the Chicago Tribune. Her journey would lead her to roles including teacher Kimberly Woods in the early 2000s Fox show “Boston Public,” starring alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer in “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and Season 1 of HBO’s “True Detective” with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey.

Ron Livingston

Born: Cedar Rapids, 1967

What he’s known for: Film and television actor in “Band of Brothers” and “Office Space”

Whether you know him as Peter Gibbons in Mike Judge’s cult classic “Office Space,” the unfortunate family man living in a haunted home in “The Conjuring” or Carrie Bradshaw’s ex in “Sex and the City,” Ron Livingston has appeared in dozens of movies and TV shows over his 30-year career. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his work in the WWII miniseries “Band of Brothers.”

Sharon Needles

Born: Newton, 1981

What she’s known for: Drag performer who appeared in “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

Season 4 winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Sharon Needles, or Aaron Coady, is a drag performer and musician. Needles described that she “fled the cornfields of Iowa” for Pittsburgh, the city that would declare June 12, 2012, as Sharon Needles Day, Out Magazine reported.

David Anthony Higgins

Born: Des Moines, 1961

What he’s know for: Actor who appeared on “Ellen” and “Mike & Molly”

David Anthony Higgins, or “that one guy from ‘Mike & Molly,’ ‘Malcolm in the Middle,’ ‘Big Time Rush,’ and before that, ‘Ellen,’” according to his social media, is an actor best known for his roles in comedy. Higgins tried his hand at pizza-making at the Iowa State Fair in 2017.

Hailey Whitters

Born: Shueyville, 1989

What she’s known for: Country singer-songwriter

Hailey Whitters is a Grammy-nominated country artist behind songs like “Everything She Ain’t” and “Ten Year Town.” She nabbed New Female Artist of the Year at the ACM Awards in 2023 and has opened for country megastars Luke Bryan and Shania Twain.

Mary Beth Peil

Born: Davenport, 1940

What she’s known for: Opera singer and stage, film and TV actress

Mary Beth Peil is a Tony-nominated actress whose career on the stage includes “Anastasia” and “The King and I.” She graduated from Davenport Central High School as part of the class of 1958 and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Honor in 1989. Peil portrayed Evelyn Ryan, the grandmother of Jen, played by actress Michelle Williams, in the young adult drama “Dawson’s Creek.” She also appeared in the CBS legal drama “The Good Wife.”

Adam DeVine

Born: Waterloo, 1983

What he’s known for: Film and television actor

Some of Adam DeVine’s early work included Comedy Central’s “Workaholics” about three friends who work together as telemarketers. He portrayed Bumper, the leader of an antagonistic a capella group in the young adult comedy movies “Pitch Perfect” and “Pitch Perfect 2.” DeVine stars in the Emmy-nominated HBO series “The Righteous Gemstones.”

Tom Arnold

Born: Ottumwa, 1959

What he’s known for: Actor who appeared in “Roseanne” and “True Lies”

The Iowa native who attended the University of Iowa was a writer on the hit TV show “Roseanne” starring comedian and actress Roseanne Barr — later his first wife. He later appeared in James Cameron’s action movie “True Lies” and hosted “The Best Damn Sports Show Period” in the early 2000s. Arnold was open about his difficult childhood growing up in Iowa and reunited with his siblings in Ottumwa in 2020.

Hynden Walch

Born: Davenport, 1971

What she’s known for: Voice actress for film and animated television including “Teen Titans”

Starfire on Cartoon Network’s animated superhero series “Teen Titans.” Princess Bubblegum on the fantasy animated series “Adventure Time.” Penny Sanchez on the Nickelodeon children’s animated series “ChalkZone.” These are just some of the beloved animated characters Hynden Walch has lent her voice to. Born in Davenport, Walch graduated from UCLA and has voiced characters in video games, television and anime.

Ted Kooser

Born: Ames, 1939

What he’s known for: Poet and educator Ted Kooser was the U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004 to 2006. His acclaimed work includes “Delights & Shadows,” in which he was awarded the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in poetry. He graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree.

Sara Haines

Born: Newton, 1977

What she’s known for: Daytime talk show co-host

Turn on your TV to ABC and expect to see Newton native Sara Haines. “The View” co-host first joined the daytime talk show as a co-host in 2016, though she’d later depart and return to the show. Haines also co-hosted “GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke” on ABC and previously appeared on NBC’s “Today.”

Simon Estes

Born: Centerville, 1938

What he's known for: Internationally recognized opera singer

Born and raised in Centerville, Simon Estes went on to study at the University of Iowa and briefly at Juilliard in New York City. He has become an internationally known opera singer, performing with artists such as Ray Charles, Barry Manilow, Johnny Cash and Whitney Houston. In August 2019, Des Moines Area Community College created the Simon Estes School of Fine Arts to honor the renowned bass baritone.

Mary Beth Hurt

Born: Marshalltown, 1946

What she’s famous for: Film and television actress

According to the book "Cinema of Outsiders: The Rise of American Independent Film" by Emanuel Levy, when Mary Beth Hurt was growing up in Marshalltown, her babysitter was Jean Seberg, another Iowa-born actress from Marshalltown who became an icon of French New Wave cinema with the film "Breathless." Hurt would go on to play Seberg in the docudrama film "From the Journals of Jean Seberg." However, Hurt is more easily recognizable for appearing in the movie "The World According to Garp" with Robin Williams as well as multiple episodes of "Law & Order."

Max Allan Collins

Born: Muscatine, 1948

What he's famous for: A writer of comics, novels, and screenplays

Collins was born Max Allan Collins Jr. in Muscatine, where he continues to live today, writing with such fervor that he's published more than 230 works over the course of his career. These writings include frequent contributions to the "Dick Tracy" comic strip and several entries in his "Quarry" crime fiction series of novels, which has been adapted into a Cinemax series of the same name. His 1998 graphic novel "Road to Perdition" was the basis for the 2002 film featuring Tom Hanks and Daniel Craig.

Fred Grandy

Born: Sioux City, 1948

What he's known for: Actor in "The Love Boat" and politician in the U.S. House of Representatives

Before serving for eight years in Congress, Grandy was familiar to the nation as Gopher on "The Love Boat" and Walter in the 1976 series "Monster Squad." After losing an election for Iowa governor in 1994 to Terry Branstad, he co-hosted the radio program "The Grandy and Andy Show," and has appeared in film and television projects.

Ron Clements

Born: Sioux City, 1953

What he's known for: Animator and director of Disney films

Ron Clements is not the only Disney-film director born in Iowa (the same can be said for his Oscar-winning "Moana" co-director Don Hall, who hails from Glenwood) but he has arguably most impressive resume. Inspired at a young age by the animated film "Pinocchio," Clements helped animate "The Black Cauldron" before going on to co-directing classics such as "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin."

Michael Emerson

Born: Cedar Rapids, 1954

What he’s famous for: Film and television actor

Michael Emerson, born in Cedar Rapids, played a recurring character in the television show "Lost," where he first appeared as Benjamin Linus, one of the "the Others" on the island in the show. Since then, Emerson also appeared in the CBS show "Arrow" and the Amazon original series "Mozart in the Jungle." Over the course of his career, he's been nominated for five Emmys and a Golden Globe.

Lara Flynn Boyle

Born: Davenport, 1970

What she's known for: Actress in the television series "Twin Peaks"

Though born in Davenport, Lara Flynn Boyle was primarily raised in Chicago before going on to perform in film and television. She played Donna Hayward in David Lynch's cult classic television show "Twin Peaks." She's also appeared in "Men and Black II" and the ABC series "The Practice." Her most recent film, "Death in Texas," was released in 2020.

Tionne 'T-Boz' Watkins

Born: Des Moines, April 26, 1970

What she's famous for: Member of the hip-hop group TLC

Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins is a founding member of TLC, an R&B group that also included Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. The group — most popular through the 1990s and early 2000s for songs such as "Creep" and "No Scrubs" — formed in Atlanta, where Watkins' family moved when she was 9.

N.K. Jemisin

Born: Iowa City, 1972

What she’s known for: Science fiction/fantasy author

Among the most awarded science fiction writers of the modern era, N.K. Jemisin has penned novels such as "The Broken Earth Trilogy" to her recent "Far Sector" comic. Jemisin's recent urban fantasy novel "The City We Became" was nominated for Best Novel at both the Hugo Awards and the Nebula Awards.

Corey Taylor

Born: Des Moines, 1973

What he's known for: Lead vocalist for Slipknot

Though many members of Slipknot, the heavy metal band, have origins in Iowa, specifically Des Moines, Corey Taylor is the face of the band (as much as a group famous for wearing masks can have a face). Taylor is not only one of Slipknot's longest continuous members, he's also published multiple books about his life and time with the band.

Dave Keuning

Born: Pella, 1976

What he's known for: The guitarist with the rock band The Killers

Though born in Pella, it wasn't until Dave Keuning moved to Las Vegas that he placed an ad in the Las Vegas Weekly to form a band. That eventually led him to Brandon Flowers, with whom he co-founded the rock band The Killers. The band is behind the classic song "Mr. Brightside" and more recent hits such as "Caution." In 2021, Keuning released his latest solo outing, "A Mild Case of Everything."

Ashton Kutcher

Born: Cedar Rapids, 1978

What he's known for: Actor from "That '70s Show" and "Jobs"

Ashton Kutcher was too beautiful for the University of Iowa, or, perhaps more accurately, he was handsome enough as a student to stand out in the crowd. When a then-unknown Ashton Kutcher was enrolled at the UI, studying to become a biochemical engineer in the late ’90s, he was approached by a model scout while in Iowa City's The Airliner Bar. He dropped out of college, headed west and it wasn't long before Kutcher hit pay dirt as an actor. Inside of a decade, he appeared in "That ’70s Show" and picked up projects with comedy legends such as Bernie Mac ("The Bernie Mac Show") and Steve Martin ("Cheaper by the Dozen"). Since then, the actor led the 2013 Steve Jobs biopic "Jobs" and has more recently appeared in the Netflix show "The Ranch."

Danai Gurira

Born: Grinnell, 1978

What she's known for: Actress in "The Walking Dead" and "Black Panther"

Born in Grinnell to parents who immigrated from Southern Rhodesia, Danai Gurira has gone on to become a star of television and film. Her most recognizable screen roles are her portrayal of Michonne in "The Walking Dead" franchise and Okoye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she's also the playwright behind the 2010 Tony-nominated play "Eclipsed."

Brandon Routh

Born: Des Moines, 1979

What he's known for: Actor portraying Superman across DC properties

Despite being from Iowa and not Smallville, Kansas, Brandon Routh was tagged to play the titular figure of DC's "Superman Returns," which was released in 2006. Since then, the former University of Iowa student has appeared in movies such as "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" and the television shows like "Chuck." He recently donned the Superman cape again in CW's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" multi-program television event. Many Iowans will also know that Routh grew up playing soccer with his fellow DC superhero, Jason Momoa ("Game of Thrones," "Aquaman") who — while not born in Iowa — was high school friends with Routh when they were kids in Norwalk.

Nate Ruess

Born: Iowa City, 1982

What he's known for: Member of the band Fun

Nate Ruess was born in Iowa City before going on to become the lead singer in the indie rock band Fun, known for hits such as "We Are Young" and "Some Nights." The band won a Grammy in 2013 for Best New Artist. Currently, Ruess is fostering a solo career and released his solo album, "Grand Romantic" in 2015.

Ben Silbermann

Born: Des Moines, 1982

What he's known for: Creator of the website Pinterest

Growing up in Des Moines, Silbermann graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School before going on to attend Yale. In 2009, he co-founded Pinterest with Evan Sharp. The image-centric, social media website is a place to share mood boards, recipes, crafting ideas and the like and is valued at more than $20 billion.

Jefferson White

Born: Mount Vernon, 1987

What he's famous for: Actor on "Yellowstone"

Jefferson White is another actor on this list who has ventured into "The Twilight Zone," albeit in the 2019 reboot of the classic television program, several decades after Virginia Christine appeared in the original show. White is likely more familiar to audiences as Jimmy Hurdstrom in the show "Yellowstone," where he appears alongside Kevin Costner. White has been in other programs such as "The Americans" and "House of Cards."

Elijah Wood

Born: Cedar Rapids, 1981

What he's known for: Movie, television and video game actor

Undoubtedly most recognizable for his depiction of Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson's adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings," Elijah Wood is originally from Cedar Rapids, where he grew up and lived until age 7. From there, he began appearing in films including the 2001 release of "The Fellowship of the Ring."

8 fictional characters from Iowa

Iowans really are everywhere, not content to be constrained to the realm of the real. Individuals from the state are also scattered across fiction.

While certain characters, such as Ray Kinsella from "Field of Dreams" or Francesca Johnson from "Bridges of Madison County" are obvious picks as they are part of stories set in the state, the following seven characters all hail from the Hawkeye State.

James Francis Ryan

Born: Paton

What he's known for: The titular character of "Saving Private Ryan"

The critically acclaimed World War II movie directed by Steven Spielberg introduced audiences to a young Matt Damon, who portrayed James Francis Ryan. The soldier, who'd lost his brothers to the war, chose to stay in battle and refused orders to bring him home, remaining with "the only brothers that I have left."

Ron Burgundy

Born: Haggleworth, a fictional Iowa town, Feb. 28, 1938

What he's known for: Newsman of the 1970s from "Anchorman"

You won't find the birth city of Ronald Joseph Aaron Burgundy on a map. Haggleworth, according to Burgundy's autobiography, "Let Me Off At the Top!," is a small coal-mining town where Burgundy spent his early days. Burgundy would go on to become part of San Diego's Channel 4 News Team, as depicted the 2004 film "Anchorman" and its 2013 sequel.

Barry Allen

Born: Fallville

First appearance: January 1940

What he's known for: Member of the Justice League

The character of Barry Allen is perhaps better known as The Flash, "The Fastest Man Alive." The character has more than 80 years of history since appearing in "Flash Comics No. 1," and part of that history includes claiming the fictional Fallville, Iowa, as his place of birth before making the move to the more metropolitan Central City.

The character has appeared in a variety of incarnations across comic books, television and film. Perhaps his most prominent depictions include Grant Gustin's take on the character in the CW's "The Flash" and Ezra Miller's cinematic appearance in "Justice League."

Clint Barton

Born: June 18 in Waverly

What he's known for: Member of the Avengers

First appearance: 1964

Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, made his first appearance in the pages of Marvel Comics in 1964 as a rival to Iron Man. The archer would go on to team up with his former enemy in Avengers #16 a year later.

In the world of film, Clint Barton is portrayed by Jeremy Renner, who first appeared on screen in the role during the 2011 film "Thor" before joining the Avengers a year later as a founding member of the superhero group. In 2021, coinciding with the Hawkeye State's 175th anniversary, the avenging archer received a Disney Plus show titled after him.

Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly

Born: Ottumwa

What he's known for: Corporal in the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H.)

First appearance: 1970

Depicted in both the 1970 film "M.A.S.H." and its subsequent television series of the same name by Gary Burghoff, Walter "Radar" O'Reilly is known as a corporal in the U.S armed forces' Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. Prior to these iterations, the character appeared in the novel by Richard Hooker and W. C. Heinz. Radar's origins stretch even further back than the book through Don Shaffer, the real-life person who served with Hooker and on whom Radar is based. Shaffer served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars and, like Radar, Shaffer was born in Ottumwa, though, unlike Radar, Shaffer has no ESP to speak of.

Miss Piggy

Born: June 14, Keystone

What she's known for: A recurring cast member with Jim Henson's "The Muppets"

First appearance: 1974

On Oct. 13, 1974, Miss Piggy made her on-screen debut on "Herb Alpert and the TJB" and from there became a star known the world over. When "The Muppet Show" came calling just a few years later, Piggy answered the call and the Keystone-born celebrity has appeared in numerous theatrically released films and television specials over the course of her long career.

James Tiberius Kirk

Born: Riverside, March 22

Lifetime: 2233-2371

What he's known for: Seminal protagonist of the long-running "Star Trek" franchise

Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, James T. Kirk led the space fairing vessel on a five-year mission exploring various worlds yet unknown to the United Federation of Planets, founded in 2161. Though suspected dead in 2293, his death actually took place in 2371 on the planet Veridian III, where he was buried by his successor, Captain Jean-Luc Piccard. James T. Kirk was portrayed by actor William Shatner across multiple "Star Trek" television seasons and motion pictures as well as, more recently, actor Chris Pine playing an alternate universe version of the character.

Former Register reporter Isaac Hamlet contributed to this article.

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at PBarraza@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 54 famous people from Iowa you'll want to know