The Most Famous Person from Every St. Louis High School

For every high school in St. Louis — and lord knows there are a zillion high schools in St. Louis — there is a celebrity. That celebrity may define the image of the school or in some essential way defy it. Who knew, for example, that before tech overlord Jack Dorsey began to dabble in […]

Written by RFT Writers
05/17/2024

RFT Writers
RFT Writers are a collective of independent journalists contributing original reporting to RFT. They report on a wide range of topics including music, news, gaming, cannabis, and the creator economy.

RFT Writers

For every high school in St. Louis — and lord knows there are a zillion high schools in St. Louis — there is a celebrity. That celebrity may define the image of the school or in some essential way defy it. Who knew, for example, that before tech overlord Jack Dorsey began to dabble in Buddhist techniques, he went to a Catholic high school in a decidedly unglamorous part of south city? Or that MICDS is loaded with big-name celebrity alumni — but highly ranked Cor Jesus Academy falls a bit short on star power?

Read on for our picks for the most famous people to come from each and (nearly) every St. Louis high school. Sorry, Brentwood High … We literally couldn’t even find a single one!

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Clayton High School Andy Cohen Producer/personality Bravo boss Andy Cohen graduated from Clayton High School way back in 1986, and we can’t wait for the coming-of-age TV show he’s working on depicting his teenage years. Cohen has said he got in a lot of trouble in high school for (what else?) talking too much — and even got kicked off the water polo team for it.

Screengrab from YouTube
Clayton High School
Andy Cohen
Producer/personality
Bravo boss Andy Cohen graduated from Clayton High School way back in 1986, and we can’t wait for the coming-of-age TV show he’s working on depicting his teenage years. Cohen has said he got in a lot of trouble in high school for (what else?) talking too much — and even got kicked off the water polo team for it.
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Nerinx Hall High School Jenna Fischer Actor Best known for The Office, the lovable Jenna Fischer grew up in St. Louis County and graduated from all-girls Catholic school Nerinx Hall in 1991. “I personally feel my education at Nerinx shaped my life,” she has said. “Nerinx empowered me, gave me a voice, and I loved the education I got there.

PHOTO BY TINSELTOWN / SHUTTERSTOCK
Nerinx Hall High School
Jenna Fischer
Actor
Best known for The Office, the lovable Jenna Fischer grew up in St. Louis County and graduated from all-girls Catholic school Nerinx Hall in 1991. “I personally feel my education at Nerinx shaped my life,” she has said. “Nerinx empowered me, gave me a voice, and I loved the education I got there.
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St. Louis-native Jack Dorsey.

PHOTO BY TOM HELLAUER
Bishop DuBourg High School
Jack Dorsey
Tech entrepreneur
This one might surprise you. Jack Dorsey, a coding protege who invented Twitter (now X) and co-founded Square, didn’t go to a high school known for its high tuition or tech-focused classes. Instead, he attended Bishop DuBourg High School, the co-ed Catholic school in deep south city.
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@edrost88 / Flickr

@edrost88 / Flickr
Chaminade College Preparatory School
Jayson Tatum
Athlete
Failed north St. Louis developer Paul McKee may be the most infamous Chaminade graduate, but NBA star Jayson Tatum has the fame thing down. The Boston Celtics forward was a standout even during his days at the Catholic boys’ school in St. Louis County.
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Saint Louis University High School James Gunn Director/studio executive Before he was a prolific Hollywood director and the CEO of the DC Universe (yes, that’s an actual title), James Gunn was just a kid growing up in Manchester, Missouri, and attended St. Louis University High School, class of 1984. For further proof of his St. Louis bonafides, you need only look to the fact that Gunn used to be married to Nerinx graduate Jenna Fischer because that’s what SLU High graduates do — marry girls from Nerinx.

FLICKR/GAGE SKIDMORE
Saint Louis University High School
James Gunn
Director/studio executive
Before he was a prolific Hollywood director and the CEO of the DC Universe (yes, that’s an actual title), James Gunn was just a kid growing up in Manchester, Missouri, and attended St. Louis University High School, class of 1984. For further proof of his St. Louis bonafides, you need only look to the fact that Gunn used to be married to Nerinx graduate Jenna Fischer because that’s what SLU High graduates do — marry girls from Nerinx.
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McCluer High School Michael McDonald Musician Famously a key member of both Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, Ferguson-area native Michael McDonald got his start at McCluer High School, where he graduated in the class of 1970. He was discovered soon after while playing a club in Illinois — and the rest is music history.

COURTESY PHOTO
McCluer High School
Michael McDonald

Musician
Famously a key member of both Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, Ferguson-area native Michael McDonald got his start at McCluer High School, where he graduated in the class of 1970. He was discovered soon after while playing a club in Illinois — and the rest is music history.
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Marquette High School Michael Johnson MMA Fighter If the name Mike Johnson isn’t familiar to you, you need to pay more attention to mixed martial arts. Johnson was a three-sport athlete at Marquette High School before becoming the MMA standout known as the Menace.

SCREENSHOT VIA YOUTUBE
Marquette High School
Michael Johnson
MMA Fighter
If the name Mike Johnson isn’t familiar to you, you need to pay more attention to mixed martial arts. Johnson was a three-sport athlete at Marquette High School before becoming the MMA standout known as the Menace.
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Rosati-Kain High School Margie Imo Pizza entrepreneur Is there any more instantly recognizable last name in St. Louis than “Imo”? Sure, Margie Imo’s fame doesn’t really translate outside the metro area, but she’s still arguably more famous locally than actress/singer Ellen Foley, who appeared on Night Court and (fun fact) sings the female part in “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.” Foley is notable, yes, and we’re proud to claim her, but it’s hard to beat a name seen on thousands of pizza boxes from here to Wentzville. (That's Marge and Ed Imo in the photo with granddaughter Emily.)

COURTESY OF EMILY IMO
Rosati-Kain High School
Margie Imo
Pizza entrepreneur
Is there any more instantly recognizable last name in St. Louis than “Imo”? Sure, Margie Imo’s fame doesn’t really translate outside the metro area, but she’s still arguably more famous locally than actress/singer Ellen Foley, who appeared on Night Court and (fun fact) sings the female part in “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.” Foley is notable, yes, and we’re proud to claim her, but it’s hard to beat a name seen on thousands of pizza boxes from here to Wentzville.

(That’s Marge and Ed Imo in the photo with granddaughter Emily.)

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Saint Louis Priory School Kevin Kline Actor Best known for A Fish Called Wanda, Kevin Kline has won an Academy Award and three Tony Awards, which makes him one of the most acclaimed actors of his era. He’s also a proud graduate of Priory, class of 1965.

Devon Christopher Adams / Flickr
Saint Louis Priory School
Kevin Kline
Actor
Best known for A Fish Called Wanda, Kevin Kline has won an Academy Award and three Tony Awards, which makes him one of the most acclaimed actors of his era. He’s also a proud graduate of Priory, class of 1965.
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DFree / Shutterstock

DFree / Shutterstock
MICDS
Sterling K. Brown
Actor
OK, so U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) might be the more powerful alumnus currently — her blistering rebukes of Republican colleagues have earned her a following well beyond her district. But when it comes to pure fame, we have to go with Sterling K. Brown, a 1994 graduate who’s gone on to do huge things in TV and film (This Is Us, American Fiction) and picked up several Primetime Emmys along the way.

However, there’s more to the MICDS story…

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Mary Institute Betty Grable Actor Before MICDS was MICDS, it was two separate schools: the Mary Institute (a girls’ school) and St. Louis Country Day School (a country day school). They merged in 1992, but before that, they had their own separate histories, and Mary Institute’s involved Betty Grable, class of 1934 and the most famous pinup of World War II. St. Louis Country Day School could also boast famous alumni, including Vincent Price.

Paul R. Jones / Shutterstock
Mary Institute
Betty Grable
Actor
Before MICDS was MICDS, it was two separate schools: the Mary Institute (a girls’ school) and St. Louis Country Day School (a country day school). They merged in 1992, but before that, they had their own separate histories, and Mary Institute’s involved Betty Grable, class of 1934 and the most famous pinup of World War II. St. Louis Country Day School could also boast famous alumni, including Vincent Price.
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Oakville High School Pat Maroon Hockey star The “Big Rig” hasn’t played for the Blues since 2018, but he’s a three-time Stanley Cup champion — and his one and only year with the Blues was the season where they went all the way. Coincidence? Surely not.

FLICKR/FRED ORTLIP
Oakville High School
Pat Maroon
Hockey star
The “Big Rig” hasn’t played for the Blues since 2018, but he’s a three-time Stanley Cup champion — and his one and only year with the Blues was the season where they went all the way. Coincidence? Surely not.
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Kirkwood High School Nikki Glaser Comedian The hilariously raunchy Nikki Glaser is arguably the biggest celebrity living in St. Louis — and she owes it all to Kirkwood High School, where she graduated in the class of 2002.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN DONOVAN/EXPLORE ST. LOUIS
Kirkwood High School
Nikki Glaser
Comedian
The hilariously raunchy Nikki Glaser is arguably the biggest celebrity living in St. Louis — and she owes it all to Kirkwood High School, where she graduated in the class of 2002.
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Cleveland High School Phyllis Smith Actor St. Louis Public Schools closed south city’s Cleveland High School in 2006, but we’ll always have graduate Phyllis Smith, famous for playing Phyllis on The Office and voicing Sadness in Inside Out. Her background is about as south city as they come: She grew up in Lemay, the second of nine kids.

via Cardinals Facebook
Cleveland High School
Phyllis Smith
Actor
St. Louis Public Schools closed south city’s Cleveland High School in 2006, but we’ll always have graduate Phyllis Smith, famous for playing Phyllis on The Office and voicing Sadness in Inside Out. Her background is about as south city as they come: She grew up in Lemay, the second of nine kids.

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