Star Struck in St. Louis
The Gateway City has always been a Galaxy of Great Entertainers
By Ryan Boman | August 5, 2025
When most people talk about Midwestern cities like St. Louis, it’s often referred to as it’s merely ‘flyover territory'. Which is a little more politically correct than calling it a cowtown - while still acknowledging that the most of the excitement in America is happening on either the East or West Coast.
St. Louis may not have all the offerings of metropolises like New York, Miami, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. It doesn’t generate nearly the economy of those outlets or the culture of the coasts. In recent years, the STL has even been labeled a “city in decline”.
However, the Gateway City has a bit more glitz and glamour than most might gather.
For decades, St. Louis acted as a hotbed of culture, with some of the most amazing talents being born and bred under the shadow of the Arch. Even today, there are several significant stars and Hollywood heavy-hitters who are from The Lou.
A veritable who’s-who in entertainment has emanated from the city’s sprawling collection of neighborhoods and suburbs. Names like Vincent Price, Kevin Kline, and John Goodman are all natives. Meanwhile, newer faces in film, like John Hamm and Jenna Fischer, and comedian Nikki Glaser, represent the Arch city now.
Musically? There aren’t a lot of places that can hold a candle to St. Louis. Perhaps the greatest jazz artist of all time, Miles Davis, was born here. If that wasn’t enough, legends like Scott Joplin, Tina Turner, and Chuck Berry fortify a huge musical lineup.
Lest we forget how Nelly burst onto the scene in 1999 and introduced us to Country Grammar and that Midwest Swing. Proudly acknowledging his roots, the rapper wore Cardinals and Blues gear while professing his love for his hometown in almost every song. Before long, fellow St. Louisans Chingy and J-Kwon were on the scene, as well.
In sports, we have Yogi Berra and Jayson Tatum, along with nearby East Side athletes like Jimmy Connors and Jackie Joyner-Kersee. Wanna have a good laugh? Well, thenthere’s always comedians Dick Gregory, Red Foxx, and Cedric the Entertainer to give you a chuckle.
Those are just a handful of impressive and entertaining individuals who hail from this little patch of flyover territory we call The Lou. The city has always been more than just the Arch and Forest Park.
So even though St. Louis might not have the bright lights and bustling business of its larger counterparts, it remains a hotbed of entertainment talent on many levels. And without a doubt, there are surely many more stars who will emerge in Gateway City going forward. There always has been.
In other words? We don’t need influence from either of the Coasts when it comes to culture. Because in many ways, we’ve got our own slice of Hollywood… right here at home.
Ryan K Boman is a freelance writer and the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays Looking at Like with Love & Laughter. His previous work has appeared at, MSN, Heavy, the Miami Herald, Screen Rant, FanSided, and Yardbarker. Follow him on X @RyanKBoman