Famous People of Niagara Region

 The Niagara Region has been home to many successful people in sports, entertainment and other walks in life. This is just a list of some. If you would like to suggest someone you think should be listed please e-mail us at: fundybayblogger@hotmail.com 

Adams, R. J.  AKA: Bob Shannon (Born September 20th, 1946 in St. Catharines, Ont) Actor, acting coach and radio personality. He was cast in a variety of shows like: “The Monkees”, “Hotel”, The Practice”, “Archie Bunker’s Place”, “General Hospital”, “Kojak” and “Hill Street Blues”. Throughout the 80’s and 90’s to the present, Adams has appeared in dozens of film and television projects like: “Rocky IV”, “The “Execution”, “Falling Through”, “Murder She Wrote” and as a series regular on “Riptide”.

Alexisonfire (pronounced "Alexis on fire") Was a five-piece, Juno-winning post-hardcore band that formed in St. Catharines, Ontario in 2001. The band consisted of George Pettit (vocals), Dallas Green (guitar, piano, vocals), Wade MacNeil (guitar, backing vocals), Chris Steele (bass guitar), and Jordan Hastings (drums, percussion). Most of the members of Alexisonfire hail from St. Catharines.

Bauer, Sara (Born May 11, 1984 in St Catharines, Ont) Women's hockey player for the NCAA Division I Wisconsin th, Badgers who won the 2006 Patty Kazmaier Award as the top women's college hockey player in the United States.

Bauer, Steve (Born June 12th, 1959 in St. Catharines, Ont) Former professional road bicycle racer. He is an Olympic medalist and winner of several professional races. He is the winner of the first Olympic medal in road cycling for Canada.

Beaver, Mike (Born November 28th, 1983 in St. Catharines, Ont) Comic actor and writer. He has appeared in numerous films and TV shows such as Billable Hours, Sorority Boys, NCIS, The In-Laws and Queer As Folk.

Bellows, Brian (Born September 1st, 1964 in St Catharines, Ont) Retired professional ice hockey player. He played nearly 1200 games in the National Hockey League with the Minnesota North Stars, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Washington Capitals. He was a member of the 1993 Stanley Cup-winning Montreal Canadiens.

Berger, Wes (Born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ontario) Actor TV and movie.

Borden, Gary (Born in Thunder Bay, Ont) Guitarist. Resides in St. Catharines. Gary has played live with artists such as Helix, Ray Lyell and the Storm and most recently Sass Jordan. He has also shared the stage with Jonny Lang, Tanya Tucker, Humble Pie, Rascal Flatts, Barbara Mandrell, Loverboy, Eddie Money, Gowan, Lonestar ,Brian White, LeAnn Rimes, April Wine, Peter Frampton, Honeymoon Suite, Headpins, Stampeders, Doc Walker, Grand Funk, Lee Aron, Lighthouse, Harlequin, The Kings and Phil Naro.
In 2009 Gary started recording songs in his home studio. Gary continues to be an in demand studio and live musician and is currently recording and writing for numerous projects.

Boone, Daneen (Born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actress that is best known for playing the role of "Justine" in the comedy/erotic/adventure series The Adventures of Justine.

Bradley, Harold  (Born May 4th, 1906 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Classical pianist and founder and Principal of the Bradley Institute for Music Education Research.

Bridenbaker, Joy (Born in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actress. Classically trained in Dance, Vocal, and Modeling, Joy has achieved a performance portfolio that comprises beauty pageants, radio, live theater, television, film, recording studio, concert and modeling venues, encompassing the U.S., Canada, England, and France. Joy has U.S. and Canadian citizen ships, and she has residences in Manhattan, Toronto, and Niagara Falls. Acting in an award-winning art-film in Toronto, modeling in Paris, France, and doing television appearances, principally in several "Law and Order" series, as well as acting in major motion pictures produced in NYC.

Bruce 3rd, William J  American author and publicist best known for his work with former NFL players as well as former wrestler Ted DiBiase.

Buchanan, Cathy Marie (Born May 23rd, 1963 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Author. Cathy Marie's stories have appeared in some of Canada's most respected literary journals: The Antigonish Review, The Dalhousie Review, Descant, The New Quarterly and Quarry. She has been awarded grants by the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council.
The Day the Falls Stood Still, her debut novel, was published in North America in 2009 and Italy and the UK in 2010. It immediately became a New York Times bestseller. The novel was chosen as a Barnes & Noble Recommends selection, a Barnes & Noble Best of 2009 book, an American Booksellers Association Indie Next pick and a CBC Canada Reads Top 40 Essential Canadian Novel of the Decade. Inspired by the life of Niagara's most famous river man, William "Red" Hill, the novel chronicles early hydroelectric development on the Niagara River.

Burtyrsky, Edward (Born February 22nd, 1955 in St Catharines, Ont) Is an internationally recognized and critically acclaimed photographer known for his large-format photographs of industrial landscapes. His work is housed in more than 50 museums including the Guggenheim Museum, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Bibliophile Nationals, Paris.

Bye, Chris (Born in St Catharines, Ont) Professional  race-car driver, author and businessman. Chris has competed in almost every type of race car including Formula Vee, Formula Ford, Formula 2000, Players GM and Porsche. Chris most recently drove the factory supported Brumos Racing Porsche powered Daytona Prototype at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. Bye is president of Franczak Enterprises Ltd., a product marketing company serving the automotive sector, based in Toronto and St. Catharines, in Ontario, and in Troy, Michigan. He is also author of Crash Test : My Brother's Accident and the Race of Our Lives. A true-life story of his brother Rick's nearly fatal highway accident in North Carolina and epic struggle to recover from severe brain damage. It’s also his own story of helping his brother recover, every step of the way. Set in the North American racing world, this book shows how two men’s tenacity, tested on the race track, helped bring them through what became the race of their lives. Crash Test is also an inside look at making a living in the world of professional sports car racing, with thrilling flashbacks to races that the brothers participated in, including winning the Toronto Star 24 Hours of Mosport with Porsche.

Bye, Rick (Born in St Catharines, Ont) A 30-year veteran of professional motorsports, Bye has experience in all levels of the racing business as a driver, team owner, series administrator and instructor. His past victories include races and championships at several North American tracks and race series including the highly competitive NASCAR Busch Grand National Series, the Daytona Rolex 24, D.I.R.T. Modified Stock Car Championship, Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship, and Rothman's Turbo Cup. Bye is twice Canadian Endurance Racing Champion in Porsches. From 1990 to 1994, he was among the top 15 Porsche racers worldwide in the Porsche Cup Championship and was instrumental in establishing the Porsche Advanced Driving School. He is one of the most sought-after high performance driving instructors in North America.

Cadieux, Jason  A Canadian film, television and stage actor. He is best known for his performance in the 1996 film Lilies, for which he was nominated for the Genie Award for Best Actor at the 17th Genie Awards. Originally from Toronto, Cadieux moved to Niagara Region in 1998. He and actor and playwright Stephanie Jones co-founded and continue to run the Essential Collective Theatre company in St. Catharines.

Cameron, James (Born August 16th, 1954 in Kupuskasing, Ont) Film Director, film producer, deep-sea explorer, screenwriter, and editor. Cameron grew up in Chippawa, Ont. He attended Stamford Collegiate School in Niagara Falls. He first found success with the science-fiction hit The Terminator (1984). He then became a popular Hollywood director and was hired to write & direct Aliens (1986) and three years later followed up with The Abyss (1989). He found further critical acclaim for his use of special effects in the action packed blockbuster Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991).  After his film True Lies (1994) Cameron took on his biggest film at the time, Titanic (1997), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and him the Academy Award for Best Director and Film Editing.
After Titanic, Cameron began a project that took almost 10 years to make: his science-fiction epic Avatar (2009), for which he was nominated for Best Director and Film Editing again. In the time between making Titanic and Avatar, Cameron spent several years creating many documentary films (specifically underwater documentaries) and co-developed the digital 3D Fusion Camera System. Described by a biographer as part-scientist and part-artist, Cameron has also contributed to underwater filming and remote vehicle technologies. On March 26, 2012, Cameron reached the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean, in the Deepsea Challenger submersible. He is the first person to do this in a solo descent, and is only the third person to do so ever.

Cheevers, Gerry (Born December 7th, 1940 in St Catharines, Ont) Former goaltender in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association between 1961 and 1980, most famous for his two stints with the Boston Bruins, where he backstopped the team to Stanley Cup wins in 1970 and 1972. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985.

Chitty, Elizabeth (Born 1963 in St Catharines, Ont) Is an interdisciplinary artist who makes performances, installations and constructed photographs.

Conn, Craig (Born November 16th, 1983 in St Catharines, Ont) A professional lacrosse player who plays for the Washington Stealth in the National Lacrosse League. Conn made headlines in 1998 when he played with the St. Catharines Jr. B Spartan Warriors at only the age of 14 (the team's head coach was his father, Morris Conn). Conn played 72 games for the St. Catharines Athletics in the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League from 1999 to 2003. In 1999, he was given the Joey Nieuwendyk Award for Rookie of the Year. From 2001 to 2003, Conn lead the Athletics to three straight League championships and two Minto Cup National championships (2001, 2003). He was also a member of the 2004 Minto Cup Champion Burnaby Lakers of the British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse League. He is one of the few players in CLA history to win 3 Minto Cups in 4 years, and is only one of three players (the other being Shawn Evans and Mark Matthews) to win a Minto Cup title in two consecutive years with two different teams.

Cottringer, Anne (Born May 28th, 1952 in Niagara Falls, Ont) After university in Canada, Anne moved to England to do post-graduate work in film and television.Based in London, she worked in television as a lighting/camera woman and as director, shooting documentary films in England and abroad - travelling to Africa, South America, India, and many places in Europe. After her first son was born, she took a children's writing course and tried her hand at writing children's books. Her first picture book, Ella And The Naughty Lion, was published in 1996. Since then she has had a number of picture books published.

Coutts, Duncan (Born February 4th, 1969 in St Catharines, Ont) Musician, best known for being the bassist for Our Lady Peace since 1995.

Crawford, Ralston (Born September 5th, 1906 in St Cathrines, Ont) Was a critically acclaimed painter, printmaker, and photographer.

Crossingham, John Juno Award-winning drummer. He performs with the bands Raising the Fawn and Broken Social Scene. He is a native of St. Catharines and continues to spend a significant amount of the time in the city when not touring with the bands.

Dancevic, Frank (Born September 26th, 1984 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Professional tennis player. He first became the country's top singles player, according to ATP rankings, on February 10, 2003, as an eighteen-year old, and remained so from January 30, 2006 until June 20, 2010. He is now the no. 4 Canadian in singles.

Dett, Robert Nathaniel (Born October 11th, 1882 in Niagara Falls, Ont) A composer in the United States and Canada. During his lifetime he was one of the most successful black composers, known for his use of folk songs and spirituals for choral and piano compositions in the romantic style.
He was among the first Black composers during the early years of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. His works often appeared among the programs of Will Marion Cook's New York Syncopated Orchestra. Dett himself performed at Carnegie Hall and at the Boston Symphony Hall as a pianist and choir director.

Dickinson, Paul (Raised in St. Catharines) Guitarist for Bullrush and The Hunt.

Dimou, Maria (Born in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actress

Dionne, Marcel (Born August 3rd, 1951 in Drummondville, Que) NHL Hall of Fame member. 1969, Dionne departed Quebec to play in the Ontario Hockey Association spending three seasons with the St. Catharines Black Hawks. He became the league's preeminent star, winning scoring titles in 1970 and 1971 and adding a record 122 points in 43 playoff games. Dionne's scoring feats were marred by one of the most infamous events in Canadian junior hockey during the 1971 Richardson Cup finals against the Quebec Remparts. Following a riot in Quebec City after the penalty-filled fourth game of the series in which Dionne's Black Hawks' team bus was attacked by the mob, the fifth game was played at a neutral site, and the remainder of the series was not played due to fears of further violence. Dionne finished his junior career by shattering the OHA's career scoring record, which was not broken until Dale McCourt did so in the 1977 season. He was subsequently drafted in the first round (second overall, behind Rempart rival Guy Lafleur) by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft. Dionne played his first four seasons with the Red Wings, before being traded to the LA Kings. During his first season for Detroit in 1972, he set an NHL record for scoring by a rookie with 77 points.
 During his time with the Los Angeles Kings, he played eleven and one-half seasons and formed the famed "Triple Crown Line", centering Charlie Simmer and Dave Taylor. His best season was 1979–80 when he had 137 points. That season, he was tied for the league lead in points with Wayne Gretzky. Dionne was awarded the Art Ross Trophy for scoring two more goals than Gretzky. Dionne also won the Ted Lindsay Award (formally called the Lester B. Pearson Award) in 1979 and 1980, and the Lady Byng Trophy in 1975 and 1977. 
 Despite Dionne's production during the regular season, he was frustrated with the Kings' lack of playoff success; they made the postseason from 1976–82 but only advanced to the second round three times for a total of 43 playoff games. During the 1986–87 season he was traded to the New York Rangers playing his remaining two and a half seasons there, where the Rangers lost in the first round of the playoffs and missed the next two. He retired in 1989. One consolation was that he would finally have Guy Lafleur as his teammate to mark the beginning of the 1988–89 NHL season.
 Dionne was the third of six men to reach the 700-goal plateau, and currently ranks fourth among all-time goal scorers, with 731. He is ranked fifth in points, with 1771. He is ninth in career assists with 1,040. Marcel was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.
Dionne currently resides in Niagara Falls and owns Marcel Dionne Enterprises.

Dipasquale, Peppi  AKA:Dino Nero (Born April 14, 1937 in Abruzzi, Italy) Professional wrestler. Moved to Canada when he was 13 years old. Never planned on professional wrestling as a career -- in fact it was only really a part-time job for him, as he worked the furnaces at General Motors in St. Catharines, Ontario. It wasn't unusual for Dipasquale to work a couple of times a night, once as Dino Nero, and another time under a mask, having changed his boots and tights. The masked names he used were The Ram, the Masked Marvel,  Ares, and the Godfather. He was able to change his size even, as the 5'9-1/2" Dipasquale would wear boots with lifts in to make him 6'1". A real injury happened in 1988, and he had a bad fall at work, hurting his neck and back. But injuries themselves weren't a big deal to Dipasquale, who is still known around the Golden Horseshoe as one of the top hockey trainers. He has served as a medical trainer on the bench in Junior A, Junior B, in the AHL for the Hershey Bears, and the Chicago Black Hawks asked him to work for them, but he turned them down. Dipasquale also ran minor hockey in Port Colborne for many years. 

Eagleson, Alan (Born April, 24th, 1933 in St Catharines, Ont) Disbarred Canadian lawyer, convicted criminal in two countries, former politician, hockey agent and promoter. Clients that he represented included superstars Bobby Orr and Darryl Sittler, and he was the first executive director of the NHL Players Association, which was initially lauded for improving the bargaining power of National Hockey League players. He is also well known for providing the opportunity for professional players to compete in international hockey, by promoting the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union, and the Canada Cup. However, Eagleson was convicted of fraud and embezzlement and briefly imprisoned, after it was revealed that he had abused his position for many years by defrauding his clients and skimming money from tournaments. After his convictions, he was removed as a member of the Order of Canada and resigned from the Hockey Hall of Fame where he had been inducted in the builder category.

Elliott, Krys (Born 1960 in St Catharines, Ont) Visual Artist and co-founder of Art-Hive Studio.

Elliott, Mark (Born 1955 in St. Catharines, Ont) Visual Artist and co-founder of Art-Hive Studio.

Evangelista, Linda (Born May 10th, 1965 in St Catharines, Ont) Supermodel. She has been featured on over 600 magazine covers. She holds the record for her multiple appearances on the cover of Vogue Italia, all of which were photographed by Meisel. Evangelista began modelling when she was discovered by an agent from Elite Model Management at the 1978 Miss Teen Niagara beauty pageant.

Favell, Doug (Born April 5th, 1945 in St Catharines, Ont) A retired professional ice hockey goaltender who played for several teams in the National Hockey League. He was also a box lacrosse player. Favell, along with future Flyers' teammate Bernie Parent, played his junior hockey for the Niagara Falls Flyers in the OHA. After the club won the Memorial Cup in 1965, both goalies began their professional careers in the Boston Bruins organization, who held their rights. Over the next two seasons, Favell played in the Bruins' farm system. With the arrival of the six new expansion clubs for the 1967–68 NHL season, Favell and Parent were drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers. The goalies split the work that first season and led the Flyers to a first place finish in the NHL's Western Division. Favell had a stellar 2.27 GAA with four shutouts. Both goalies toiled for the Flyers until Parent was dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs in February 1971.
 Before the next season, Favell was traded to the Maple Leafs for none other than Bernie Parent. The Leafs had three veteran goalies but Favell played the most games in the regular season and playoffs. He recorded a strong win-loss record with a solid 2.71 GAA in 32 games. The following season saw the Leafs rely on two goalies, but Favell struggled in 39 games with the poorest goals against (4.05) of his career. His third season with the team was his last with only three games played and extended time on the injury list.
 Favell's NHL rights were sold to the Colorado Rockies for the 1976–77 NHL season. After appearing in 30 games that season, Favell became the Rockies #1 goalie the following year, appearing in 58 games and leading the team into the playoffs. His final NHL season saw him appear in only seven games, and he finished the season with the Philadelphia Firebirds of the American Hockey League.
Colorado exposed him to the expansion draft in 1979. Selected by the Edmonton Oilers, he opted to retire instead of start fresh with a new franchise.
 While Bruin goaltender Gerry Cheevers  was the first goaltender to have artwork on his mask, Favell was the first to use a painted design, just before Halloween 1970.
 Favell also played lacrosse professionally for the Philadelphia Wings. Favell was inducted into the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2005.

Fisher, Frederick (Born August 3rd, 1894 in St Catharines, Ont) A Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the first Canadian-born man to win the Victoria Cross while serving in the Canadian Army.

Floyd, Neil (Born June 16th, 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Movie and TV. Graphic artist and Art Director.

Frerotte, Ryan (Born March 28th, 1983 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Production assistant "Prepped for Life"

Fragnito, Bruno (Born March 9th, 1984 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Producer "Eva's Alien" & "Fables from the Dollhouse"

Gagnon, Brian Music producer and former bass, singer for Bullrush, Frank Soda & the Imps, and The Hunt.

Garson, Stuart (Born Dec 1st, 1898 in St Catharines, Ont) A Canadian politician and lawyer. He served as the 12th Premier of Manitoba from 1943 to 1948, and later became a federal cabinet minister.

Giauque, William (Born May 12th, 1895 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Recipient of 1949 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Gratto, Glen (Raised and lives in St. Catharines, Ont) Drummer of Lee Aaron, Frank Soda, Bullrush and The Mad Cats.Opened for Rush (seven Times), Bob Segar, Joe Perry, Levon Helm, Rick Derringer.

Greenhalgh, Sean (Born July 15th, 1982 in St Catharines, Ont) A professional lacrosse player for the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. Greenhalgh had a very successful junior career with the St. Catharines Athletics of the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League. In 2000, he was awarded the "Joey Nieuwendyk Award" for Rookie of the Year. The following year, he would win the "Gaylord Powless Sportsmanship Award", and would help lead would lead the Athletics to their first Minto Cup in 10 years.

Greenspan, Brian (Born March 14th, 1947 in Niagara Falls, Ont) He is one of the most prominent and well-regarded defence lawyers in Canada, owing to several high-profile clients and to his record in both trial and appellate law.

Greenspan, Eddie (Born February 28th, 1944 in Niagara Falls, Ont) He is one of the most famous defence lawyers in Canada, owing to numerous high-profile clients and to his national exposure on the popular Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio series, The Scales of Justice (1982–1989) and television series (1990-1994).

Honeymoon Suite (Formed in 1981 Niagara Falls, Ont) Canadian rock band formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls. The band's name was a nod to the fact that Niagara Falls is the unofficial honeymoon capital.

Jeanneret, Rick (Born July, 1942 in St Catharines, Ont) The television and radio play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network. Having started with the team on radio during the 1971–72 season, he is the longest-tenured play-by-play announcer in NHL history. He moved to television during the 1995–96 season and began doubling both television and radio play-by-play duties during the 1997–98 season. He is known as "RJ" within the Sabres organization and by close associates.

Juliar, Marc (Born October 21st, 1977 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Production Manager. TV and movie.

Kaczkan, Krys (Born 1960 in St. Catharines, Ont) Visual Artist and co-founder of Art-Hive Studio.

Kaufman, Sean (Born October 17th, 1971 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actor

Klassen, Jon (Born 1981 in Winnipeg, Man) A Canadian writer and illustrator of children's books and an animator. He won the 2013 Caldecott Medal for illustration, recognizing This Is Not My Hat, which he also wrote. He is also well known for his 2011 picture book "I Want My Hat Back."
Klassen was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and grew up in Niagara Falls, Ont. He studied animation at Sheridan College, graduated in 2005, and moved to Los Angeles. In 2006, he made an animated short with Dan Rodriques, An Eye for Annai. He worked on the animation for Kung Fu Panda and Coraline and he was art director for the animated music video of I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" by U2.

Kok, Melanie (Born November 4th, 1983 in Thunder Bay, Ont) A women's rower who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in the lightweight women's double in Beijing, China. The first Olympic medal for Canada ever in this event. Kok was named the City of St. Catharines Athlete of the Year in 2005, and again in 2008, as a co-winner with Olympic wrestler Tonya Verbeek.

Leveille, Daultan (Born August 10th, 1990 in St Catharines, Ont) A pro hockey player drafted 29th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2008.

Lessard, Josh AKA: The Hacker (Born in Welland, Ont) Pro Wrestler & Actor.

Lloyd, Ian (Born  June 9th, 1983 in St Catharines, Ont) Is a professional lacrosse player.

Losier, Derek (Born August 9th, 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ont) TV production assistant

Lypka, Judy (Born July 12th, 1954 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Began her musical and compositional career early in life. She began singing in school choirs from the age of six and piano lessons at age 10 and, continuing her studies, obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Carleton University in 1978 and the Associate Diploma in Piano Pedagogy from Western University in 1982. Throughout her educational career, Judy has composed accompaniments to a variety of songs for school choirs. Her interest in composing a piece for Canadian veterans led to an opportunity to record and perform her song "See With Your Heart" featured in the film "Lest They Be Forgotten - Canada", a documentary on Canadian War Veterans. She continued to write music and choral arrangements honouring Canadian veterans, as well as composition works for film and school productions up until her death in 2012.

Makubuya, Keith (Born January 26th, 1993 in St Catharines, Ont) A professional soccer player.

Matechuk, Matt (Born March 18th, 1986 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actor, Writer and Director. In 2009, Mark co-founded Random At Best, an online comedic web series which has garnered much attention and praise, seeing a nomination for "best short film" at the Friar's Club NYC Film Festival in 2011, for their parody video BBC Human Planet: The Douche (2010). Mark is starring in Year (2012), a post-apocalyptic zombie web series.

Mateiasevich, Petar (Born April 27th, 1986 in Niagara Falls, Ont) TV and Movie.

McCabe, Brian (Born June 8th, 1975 in St Catharines, Ont) A retired NHL defenceman. Drafted out of the Western Hockey League 40th overall by the New York Islanders in 1993, McCabe competed in the 1995 Memorial Cup and was named to back-to-back WHL First All-Star Teams during his major junior career. He began his NHL career with the Islanders before stints with the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks. In 2000–01, McCabe began a seven-season tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he played the majority of his career. Internationally, McCabe competed for Team Canada, winning gold medals at the 1997 World Championships, 1994 and 1995 World Junior Championships and the 1992 Pacific Cup. He is also a one-time Olympian, having represented Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

McCollum, James (Born December 26th, 1982 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) of The Philosopher Kings and Prozzak is a native of St. Catharines.

McCready, Pat (Born October 18th, 1974 in St Catharines, Ont) A retired Canadian lacrosse player who played most of his National Lacrosse League career for Rochester Knighthawks and Buffalo Bandits. As of 2013, he ranks third in NLL history in loose balls (1,593), second in penalty minutes (468), and seventh in games played (219).

Medic, Nenad (Born December 21st, 1984 in Serbia) A professional poker player with a World Series of Poker bracelet and World Poker Tour Championship title. He resides in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Medic plays online poker under the alias Serb2127.

Metcalfe, Ronn (Born July 20th, 1930) Was a Canadian big band leader from St. Catharines and music industry leader. Club owner of the Castle, hosted many great bands of the mid 60's, Ronn was known as the 'king' of The Castle, Leader of "The Ronn Metcalfe Orchestra" which had moderate success and a single called "Twistin' at the Woodchopper's Ball". It charted in both the States and Canada. It was the first all Canadian song to top international charts. Ronn Metcalfe died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 38 while on a business/family trip to Ottawa. At the time he was securing a deal with Polydor Records. 

Mikita, Stan (Born May 20th, 1940 in Sokolce, Slovakia) Raised in St. Catharines. After three starring junior seasons with the St. Catharines Teepees of the Ontario Hockey Association Makita went on to a long career with the Chicago Black Hawks of the NHL (22 seasons). Mikita led the league in scoring four times. Is a  member of the Hockey Hall of Fame since 1983, the Slovak Hockey Hall of Fame since 2002, Hart Trophy (MVP) winner,  Art Ross Trophy winner,  and long-time captain of the Chicago Black Hawks and member of Team Canada. In his early years, Mikita was among the most penalized players in the league, but he then decided to play a cleaner game and went on to win the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanlike conduct twice.

Miil, Paul (Born in St Catharines, Ont) Author and film maker. Produced and directed "The Big Story of Small Potatoes". Subtitled Niagara's Rock Music History, 1964-74, the recently completed documentary takes a look at the local music scene that included bands like The Modbeats, The Looking Glass and The Morticians, all of which Piccirillo was a part.  

Miller, Ashley (Born March 18th, 1980 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Producer.

Moccio, Stephan (Born October 20th, 1972 in St Catharines, Ont)  A pianist, composer, producer, arranger, conductor and recording artist. He co-wrote the Miley Cyrus' single "Wrecking Ball" from her 2013 studio album Bangerz. He also co-wrote Celine Dion's 2002 hit "A New Day Has Come" with Aldo Nova, which reached and held the number one spot on the Billboard AC Chart for a record breaking 21 weeks. For the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, Moccio co-wrote the theme song “I Believe” performed by Nikki Yanofsky. Moccio was one of the three judges on the 2012 season of Canada's Got Talent, alongside comedian Martin Short.

Moore-Towers, Kristen  (Born July 1st, 1992 in St Catharines, Ont) A pairs figure skater who spent her early career training at the Winter Club of St. Catharines before moving to Waterloo. She is the 2011 Canadian Figure Skating Champion

Morrison, Bob keyboardist for Bullrush, raised in St. Catharines.

Mosca, Angelo "King Kong" (born February 13, 1937 in Waltham, Mass) A former Canadian Football League player and professional wrestler. Mosca attended the University of Notre Dame and was drafted by the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles in 1959 in the 30th round (350th overall.) He had already decided to play in the CFL, in 1958 for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was traded to the Ottawa Rough Riders for Hardiman Cureton on August 15, 1960, and played for the Rough Riders in 1960 and 1961 before joining the Montreal Alouettes in 1962. He played his remaining years, 1963 to 1972 in Hamilton. He was a 5-time all star. Angelo played in 9 Grey Cup games, more than any other player in CFL history, tied with his teammate John Barrow. Mosca's teams won 5 Grey Cup games, one with the Ottawa Rough Riders and four with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
 He began wrestling in the off-season, and became a full-time wrestler after his retirement from football. He wrestled all across North America, always at or near the top of the card, and almost always as a heel, even in Toronto until the late 1970s, then he became a face, and in the early 1980s, the lead face. He often used a sleeper as his finisher in later years.
 Mosca has lived in and around Hamilton for many years, and currently lives in St. Catharines, Ont.

Nablo, James Benson (Born July 23rd, 1910 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Writer

Neufeld, Kevin (Born November 6th, 1960 in St. Catharines, Ont) A Canadian rower, who was a member of the Canadian men's eights team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles,

Nicholson, Rob (Born April 29th, 1952 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Is the Minister of National Defence of Canada. He is a current member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the riding of Niagara Falls for the Conservative Party and the former Minister of Justice and Government House Leader.

Olson, Anna - Pastry chef and host of Food Network Canada's Sugar and Kitchen Equipped operates a bakery in Port Dalhousie. Currently resides in Welland, Ont.

Olson, Ken C (Born September 4th, 1950 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actor. In 1990 he was asked to host a television show on Global TV in Canada featuring entrepreneurs. From there he went on to host numerous other television shows, eventually moving into acting and voice-over work.

O'Reilly, Terry (Born June 7th, 1951 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Retired  hockey player who played for the NHL's Boston Bruins, and one of the most effective enforcers in NHL history. O'Reilly was picked by the Boston Bruins in the 1st round as the 14th pick overall in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft. O'Reilly spent his entire career in Boston, serving as the captain of the Bruins during the 1983–84 and 1984–85 seasons before his retirement. The Bruins retired his #24 on October 24, 2002.

Ostranek, Walter (Born April 20th, 1935 in Duparquet, Quebec) Grammy Award-winning musician and Canada's Polka King, is a St. Catharines resident. He was the owner of the popular music store "Ostanek's" until April 1, 2013, when the store was converted to a Long & McQuade's. Walter Ostanek is a member of Canada's Walk of Fame as well as the Polka Halls of Fame in Cleveland and Chicago.

Peart, Neil (Born September 12th, 1952 in Hamilton, Ont) Drummer of the band Rush, was raised in St. Catharines. The song "Lakeside Park" is based on the area of Port Dalhousie where he lived.

Peters, Andrew (Born May 5th, 1980 in St Catharines, Ont) Was drafted 34th overall by the Sabres in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. Played for Buffulo & New Jersey of the NHL. Besides the NHL, Peters has also played for the Rochester Americans in the AHL, as well as the OHL's Oshawa Generals and Kitchener Rangers.

Pietrangelo, Frank (Born December 17th, 1964 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Retired NHL goalie. Pietrangelo started his National Hockey League career with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1988, winning the Stanley Cup in 1991. He also played for the Hartford Whalers. He left the NHL after the 1994 season. He played several more years in the IHL with the Minnesota Moose, Italy with HC Bolzano and Asiago Hockey AS, Germany in the DEL with Kaufbeuren Eagles, and England in the BISL with the Manchester Storm before retiring after the 2001 season. He was named the Sekonda Face to Watch while playing for Manchester in December 1998.

Plato, Burr (Born 1844 into slavery in Virginia, USA) Politician. Burr succeeded in moving to Canada in 1856 after an arduous journey culminating in a swim to freedom across the Niagara River to the Canada, where he settled . With a reputation locally for his honesty in business affairs, Plato became a prominent property owner and served from 1886 to 1901 in Niagara Falls as an elected Councillor.Plato died in 1905.

Ponikvar, Micheal (Born December 26th, 1979 in St Catharines, Ont) Former world-class high jumper, 2-time Olympic qualifier, 2-time Canadian Junior National champion, NCAA medalist and 3-time All-American. Currently holds the Canadian High School high jump record.

Popovich, Shae (Born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actress

Pound, Dick (Born March 22nd, 1942 in St Catharines, Ont) Was a swimming competitor at the 1960 Summer Olympics. He finished sixth in the 100 metre freestyle and was also on Canada’s fourth place relay team. He would later win a number of medals at the 1962 Commonwealth Games. Retiring from swimming, he accepted a role with the Canadian Olympic Committee and eventually became its president. A Canadian lawyer, partner of the law firm Stikeman Elliott, the former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) based in Montreal, and former chancellor of McGill University. He is a former vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was a one-time candidate for the presidency of that organization.

Pugliese,  Antonio AKA: Tony 'Cannonball' Parisi  Pro Wrestler. Born in Italy, Pugliese moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario when he was nine years old, but soon moved to Niagara Falls, Ontario. He joined the YMCA in Niagara Falls and began amateur wrestling at the age of 16. He operated the Niagara Family Inn and Big Anthony's Restaurant in Niagara Falls with his family until he died from a heart attack on August 19, 2000.
Primarily a tag team wrestler, and he won tag team titles in several organizations, including the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). He held the WWWF World Tag Team Championship from 1975 to 1976. As a singles wrestler, he also won the WWF International Heavyweight Championship.

Ratzlaff, Jenica (Born and raised in Niagara-on-the-Lake , Ont) Model. She was discovered in high school while selling fruit at a fruit stand. She is now married and continues to model.

Robbins, Garry (Born in St Catharines, Ont) Also known as the Tallest man in Canada, is a Canadian actor and professional wrestler under the ring names of "The Paul Bunyan of the North" and "Canadian Giant".

Russelo, Lynda AKA: Carter (Born January 30th, 1967 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actress. Spent her early years pursuing many aspects of the media industry including acting, media writing, broadcasting, and advertising art. Her educational background includes studies at the Canadian Actor Study of Toronto (CAST), Radio & TV Broadcasting (Centennial College, Toronto), The Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto), and The University of Western Ontario (London).

Sabia, Micheal (Born September 11th, 1953 in St Catharines, Ont) Businessman. He is the current CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Sabia formerly served as CEO of Bell Canada from 2002 through 2008.

Sampson, John (Born September 24th, 1958 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actor

Sanderson, Derek (Born June 16th, 1946 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Pro hockey player. Sanderson played junior hockey in his hometown with the Niagara Falls Flyers of the Ontario Hockey Association. His time with the Flyers saw him being named to the Second All-Star Team in 1965-66, to the First All-Star Team in 1966-67 and winning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the top scorer in the OHA also in 1966-67. In 1964-65, Sanderson helped the Flyers reach the Memorial Cup finals where they would face off against the Edmonton Oil Kings. The Flyers would defeat the Oil Kings in five games to become the champions.
 In 1967-68, Sanderson joined the Boston Bruins full-time in the NHL. He played in 71 games, contributing 24 goals and 49 points. Sanderson also collected 98 PIM in his rookie season, establishing himself as a "tough guy" in the league. At season's end, Sanderson was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year, an honor that Orr won the previous year, giving the Bruins their second consecutive Calder Memorial Trophy. In 1969-70, the Boston Bruins made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they faced off against the St. Louis Blues. The series went to a fourth game where Boston was leading the best-of-seven series three games to none. After three periods, the teams were tied 3-3, and the fourth game would need overtime. After only 40 seconds of overtime, Bobby Orr scored the game winning goal clinching the Bruins' first Stanley Cup in 29 years. Bobby Orr's goal went on to become one of the most famous goals in hockey history. Often overlooked though was that Sanderson was the player who passed the puck to Bobby Orr for that goal.
 During his time in Boston, Sanderson became a celebrity. Sanderson received much publicity for his flamboyant "mod" lifestyle as seen by his owning a Rolls-Royce car. Named by Cosmopolitan Magazine as one of the sexiest men in America, he was the subject of gossip columns, a frequent guest on television talk shows, and regularly photographed in the company of numerous beautiful women.
 Sanderson would help the Bruins finish first in the league the next two seasons (1970-71 and 1971-72). He also helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 1971-72 against the New York Rangers.
 In the summer of 1972, Sanderson made headlines around the world of sports when he signed what was back then the richest contract in professional sports history. The Philadelphia Blazers of the rival league World Hockey Association had signed Sanderson to a 2.6 million dollar contract, making him the highest-paid athlete in the world at the time] However his time with the Blazers was a disastrous one. Plagued with injuries, Sanderson appeared in only eight games, recording six points. The Blazers management team had had enough and at the end of the season, Sanderson was paid one million dollars to return to his previous team, the Boston Bruins. The Bruins, seeing no future for Sanderson, sent him down to the American Hockey League with the Boston Braves for three games before trading him to the New York Rangers in 1974-75. It was with the Rangers that his alcoholism started. This would start a downward spiral in which Sanderson would bounce from team to team, never being able to stay with a team for more than two full seasons because mainly of his addiction to alcohol.
 During his career, Sanderson made many bad investments, losing millions of dollars which led him to be quite broke upon his retirement. Along with his substance abuse problems, Sanderson wound up penniless, one time sleeping on a New York City park bench. He was also in poor health, and crippled to the point he had to get around on crutches. Sanderson entered rehab in 1979 and beat his addictions and took a job as a professional sports broadcaster. He worked for ten years in broadcasting with NESN. Wanting to make sure that other hockey players would not follow his dark path, Sanderson, with the help of Bobby Orr, organized State Street Global Advisors, where he was Director of the Sports Investment Group that provided professional financial advice to athletes in the 90s.
 Sanderson is currently Managing Director of The Sports Group with Baystate Wealth Management in Boston. His team works with athletes and high net worth individuals. He is involved with a variety of charitable organizations and makes a number of guest appearances at charitable events to help raise awareness and funding for their cause.

Sexsmith, Ron (Born January 8th, 1964 in St Catharines, Ont) A Juno Award-winning singer/songwriter, Sexsmith started his own band when he was fourteen years old and released recordings of his own material in 1985 at age 21. Was the subject of a 2010 documentary called Love Shines.

Sheahan, Riley (Born December 7th, 1991 in St Catharines, Ont) A Canadian ice hockey centre who currently plays for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (21st overall)

Sihvon, Brad (Born January 29th, 1971 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actor. Sihvon is in the Cinema of Canada, and has made appearances in American films. Brad's career began in 1999, and he first made his movie debut in the Sci-Fi/Thriller movie The Man Who Used to Be Me which was released in 2000, then sometime in the 2000s, Sihvon had appeared in television series and movies including Halloween: Resurrection, The Snow Walker, White Noise, Severed: Forest of the Dead and finally Scary Movie 4. Sihvon has recently appeared in a film called Whisper and was released in 2007 and played the role of an 'tow truck driver'. It is known that Brad had minor roles in a few of his movies.

Slade, Bernard (Born May 2nd, 1930 in St. Catharines, Ont) Playwright and screenwriter.  He was a head writer for Bewitched on ABC, developed the Flying Nun, and created the Partridge Family.

Small, Corey (Born March 23rd, 1987 in St Catharines, Ont) A professional lacrosse player for the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League.

Smith, Billy Dee (Born June 30th, 1982 in St Catharines, Ont) A professional lacrosse player for the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. He was also a member of the gold medal winning Canadian lacrosse team at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship.

Smith, Roger (Born May 21, 1951 in St Catharines, Ont) Journalist. Since 1994, he has been a reporter for CTV Ottawa primarily focusing on federal politics. Smith began his career in journalism as a print reporter with The Canadian Press, then joined CTV Ottawa in 1984 and took over the Beijing bureau in 1985. His career has landed him in Europe, Asia as well as Africa. He is married to writer Denise Chong, with whom he has two children.

Spittle, Rod (Born July 18th, 1955 in St Catharines, Ont) A professional golfer. He won the Canadian Amateur in 1977 and 1978. Spittle turned professional in 2004, shortly before turning 50. He began playing on the Champions Tour in 2005. His best finish in his first four years was a T-2 at the 2007 Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn. He did not play the Champions Tour at all in 2009. In 2010, he Monday-qualified into the AT&T Championship, and won the event in a one-hole sudden-death playoff over Jeff Sluman.

Stante, Lydia (Born April 18th, 1963) in Niagara Falls, Ont) TV and Movie

Steenhuis, Mark (Born December 3rd, 1980 in St Catharines, Ont) A professional lacrosse player for the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League.

Storin, Gary - Drummer of The Stampeders, was raised and lives in St. Catharines.

Telbert, Russell (Born December 22nd, 1992 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Pro soccer player.

Thiessen, Matt (Born August 12th, 1980 in St Catharines, Ont) A Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released seven full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that peaked in the top twenty on the Billboard 200. Outside of his work with Relient K, Thiessen maintains a low-profile side project called Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes. In 2009, he co-produced and collaborated on Owl City's album Ocean Eyes.

Thomas, Dave  (Born May 20th, 1949 in St Catharines, Ont) A Canadian comedian, actor and television writer. He is best known for portraying Doug McKenzie on SCTV as well as in the films Bob & Doug and Strange Brew, which he also directed.

Toffolo, Matthew (Born September 10th, 1977 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Producer, Director and Writer. Films have played at most of the top film festivals in the United States but rarely do they play in Canada.

Toll, Steve (Born June 16th, 1974 in St Catharines, Ont) A former lacrosse player and current executive in the Canadian Lacrosse League. In his 14-year National Lacrosse League career, Toll won four NLL Championships with the Toronto Rock and one with the Rochester Knighthawks. He was a transition specialist, and in 2007 was awarded the first ever National Lacrosse League Transition Player of the Year Award.

Triano, Jay (Born September 21st, 1958 in Tilsonburg, Ont) Raised in Niagara Falls he is a retired Canadian professional basketball player, a former head coach of the NBA's Toronto Raptors, and currently an assistant coach with the Portland Trail Blazers and, for a second time, head coach of the Canadian men's national team. He is also a former national team player, who competed in two Olympics, starting in 1984.

Vanity (Born Denise Katrina Matthews, January 4th, 1959 in Niagara Falls, Ont, Canada) Vanity is a glamorous Canadian ex-model and lead singer of the all-girl group "Vanity 6".

Verbeek, Tonya (Born August 14th, 1977 in Grimsby, Ont) The first woman to win a wrestling medal for Canada when she took silver in 2004, she added to that with a bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics and a second silver at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She has also won two bronze and a silver at the world championships and has a bronze and silver from the Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games respectively.

Vinc, Matt (Born June 9th, 1982 in St Catharines, Ont) A professional lacrosse goaltender. He was a member of Team Canada during the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship. He is also a teacher and lacrosse coach at Denis Morris Catholic High School in St. Catharines.

Wanless, Dave  Lead Vocal of the band Sven Gali and currently "The Betty Ford Band". Owns a Beauty Salon at the Pen Centre.

Wave (Originated in Niagara Falls, Ont) Pop rock band. The band members were Dave Thomson and Paul Gigliotti. The story has been often told how, although Dave and Paul went to the same high school in Niagara Falls, it wasn't until after they had graduated that they joined the same band and began working together. A chance meeting with producer/songwriter Ben Dunk at a Stereophonics show in Toronto led to a four-song demo that immediately caught the ear of Warner Music Canada execs. Within minutes of completing a live acoustic showcase in the label's offices, Wave was offered a record deal. In March 2001, Warner Music Canada released "California" to radio and the song instantly became a top requested track. Video channels spun the single's accompanying clip in heavy rotation. Wave toured from coast to coast and Paul and Dave started to get recognized everywhere they went. After Wave went their separate way, Paul Gilligoti continues to make music as a solo artist. Dave Thomson now lives in Nashville, Tennessee who is now an songwriter for artists such as Jake Matthews.

Welch, Bob (Born in St Catharines, Ont) Former Deputy Premier of Ontario (1977–1985), served several cabinet postings under Premiers John Robarts, Bill Davis and Frank Miller, was a lifelong St. Catharines resident. He retired from politics to live in Niagara-on-the-Lake and practice law in St. Catharines.

Williams, Buffy-Lynn (formerly Buffy Alexander) (Born in St Catharines, Ont) A Canadian rower who won the Bronze Medal at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in the Women's Eight event.

West, Rachel (Born March 29th, 1982 in Niagara Falls, Ont) TV and Movie

Woodward, Joe (Born September 12th, 1959 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Actor, Production manager. Movie and TV.

Wright, Richard B  (Born March 4th, 1937 in Midland,Ont) Resides in St. Catharines. Wright won the Giller Prize, the Trillium Book Award and the Governor General's Award in 2001 for his novel Clara Callan. Wright's published works deal with the lives of ordinary people, with a profound balance of depth and sensitivity.

Ykema, Jennifer AKA: Jennifer Blake (Born September 16th, 1983 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Professional wrestler often referred to by her nickname "Girl Dynamite". Blake made her first wrestling appearance in 2004 as a ring announcer. Following this, she transitioned into a managerial role and began acting as a valet for Derek Wylde and Cody Deaner while receiving training from Cody.

Zaritsky, John (Born 1943 in St Catharines, Ont) Documentarian film maker.His films have won awards at the New York Film Festival, the American Film Festival, Banff Television Festival, Houston International Film Festival, Columbus Ohio Film Festival, and the John Muir Medical Film Festival. Three films, “Broken Promises”, “Born in Africa”, and “Romeo and Juliet in Sarajevo” were nominated for Emmy Awards. In addition, Zaritsky has won six Geminis, Canada’s national television award. In 1995-96, he was an artist-in-residence at the graduate school of journalism, University of California at Berkeley.

Zavadil, Ralph (Born in St Catherines, Ont) Television actor, creator of "Cap N Video". A former GM shift worker, Zavadil gave it all up to reinvent himself as Cap'n Video, the gonzo star of a no-budget cable access show in which he would destroy TVs, perform wild stunts and generally hurt himself for the amusement of his audience.

Zavitz. Sherman - He is the Official Historian of the City of Niagara Falls, and has written widely about local Niagara history and made extensive radio broadcasts. Drawing on his historical knowledge, Zavitz has also served as a tour guide to visitors to Niagara Falls.

Zimmerman, Joel AKA: deadmau5  (Born January 5th, 1985 in Niagara Falls, Ont) Electronic musician and Producer