Midwesterners who inspired the world

I've had the privilege to live and work in the Twin Cities for a total of 34 years. As a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native who lived his high school years in New York City, I was one of those Easterners who never sneered down his nose at anyone from West of the Hudson or Allegheny rivers. My mother instilled in me a universal ethic, and at this advanced age (now 74), i thought it might be germane to recall some of which my adopted home, the Twin Cities and the Midwest, can certainly be proud. Even though some people refer to the Midwest as "fly-over" country, there are numerous world-famous people who were born in "fly-over" country who made significant impacts on the remainder of the world. There are several notable examples, to wit: I'm certain people in New York City who enjoy seeing the bronze gilded statue of the Greek legend Prometheus adjacent to Rockefeller Center's ice skating rink (where I learned to ice skate as a teenager), would be surprised to learn that statue was designed by St. Paul, Minnesota's Paul Manship. It's New York City's second most famous landmark, with the Statue of Liberty taking top honors. New York City's Chrysler Building was named after automobile magnate Walter P. Chrysler, a native of Wamego, Kansas, who, of course, founded the Chrysler Corporation. Nebraska natives who enchanted us with their talents (and still do, thanks to film and television's ability to make their artistry live forever) include Fred Astaire, Henry Fonda and Marlon Brando, all born in Omaha. MGM film star Robert Taylor was born in Wahoo, Nebraska. His birth name was Spangler Arlington Brugh. The studio executive who extracted the name Taylor from Brugh must surely have received a bonus that year! (Taylor and I shared the same birthday, August 5^th, and as anyone who knows me is aware, I look exactly like him.) (Uh-huh!) (Time for my meds.) Wisconsin can claim, among many others, actors Orson Welles (Kenosha), Willem Dafoe (Appleton) and the Ameche brothers, Don and Jim (also born in Kenosha). Milwaukee's native son, Liberace, did very well for himself, as did Milwaukee's "incomparable" Hildegard. "Hildy" was a big star on radio in the 1920s through 1950s, in case you just stated "who?" Illinois can claim my longtime close and dear friends, Quincy Jones and Bob Newhart, the latter of whom was responsible for my initial work on Channel 5 here in the Twin Cities; musicians and bandleaders Miles Davis and Benny Goodman; comedian Jack Benny (whose real name was Benjamin Kubelsky); authors Ernest Hemingway, Ray Bradbury and Edgar Rice Burroughs; actors, actresses and entertainment luminaries Charlton Heston, Gloria Swanson (with whom I was also honored to have a good relationship having nothing to do with show business), Bill Murray. McLean Stevenson, Burl Ives and Florenz Ziegfeld, who, of course created the Ziegfeld Follies; and born in Tampico, illinois, the late actor and President Ronald Reagan. In my opinion, any people not from "fly-over" land who wish to sniff down condescending noses at the Midwest, perhaps should consider their lives to be much richer, thanks to Midwest progeny. Thank you for taking the time to read this. (Thanks, also, for viewing my "Senior Moment" webcasts at www.startribune.com/video, whenever you're able!)