Famous People Who Had and Have Polio
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2017/11/10 - Updated: 2023/05/13
Topic: Famous Disabled People - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Explanation of the disease Polio and resource list of famous people living and deceased who had polio in their lives. The word poliomyelitis originates from the Greek word "polio" meaning "grey" and "myelon" meaning "marrow."
Introduction
Poliomyelitis (Polio or Infantile Paralysisis) is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, a member of the genus Enterovirus, belonging to the Picornaviridae family. The word poliomyelitis originates from the Greek word "polio" meaning "grey" and "myelon" meaning "marrow." The spread of the disease is through the fecal-oral route.
Main Item
There is currently no cure for polio. The focus of modern treatment has been on providing relief of symptoms, speeding recovery and preventing complications. The polio vaccines developed by Jonas Salk in 1952 and Albert Sabin in 1962 are credited with reducing the annual number of polio cases from many hundreds of thousands to around a thousand. Today, only 3 countries in the world have never stopped transmission of polio; Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria - (WHO).
Famous People Who Had and Have Polio
- A. H. Almaas
- Adrian Adepitan
- Alan Alda
- Alan Marshall
- Alex Cord
- Alice Roosevelt Longworth (Possibly Had Polio)
- Allen B. DuMont
- Anthony Royle
- Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon
- Apolinario Mabini (Possibly Had Polio)
- Arthur C. Clarke
- Arthur Guyton
- Ash Atalla
- Bapsi Sidhwa
- Benjamin C. Bradlee
- Bert Flugelman
- Bert Massie
- Bhagwat Chandrasekhar
- Bill Cullen
- Bill Gadsby
- Bob Blackman
- Boyd K. Packer
- Brooks Stevens
- Brownie McGhee
- Bud Grant
- Carey Blyton
- CeDell Davis
- Charles Dail
- Charles E. Bennett
- Charlie Haden
- Chavela Vargas
- Christopher Anne Templeton
- Claudius (Possibly Had Polio)
- Colin Banks
- Connee Boswell
- Daisy Richards Bisz
- Daniel J. Kremer
- David Dore
- David Onley
- David Sanborn
- David Starkey
- Dennis Washington
- Dinah Shore
- Dmitri Shostakovich (Possibly Had Polio)
- Doc Pomus
- Don Owen
- Donald Sutherland
- Donald Tyerman
- Donald Wade, Baron Wade
- Donovan
- Dorothea Lange
- E. W. Swanton
- Ed Roberts
- Edward Max Nicholson
- Elizabeth Edmondson
- Elmer L. Andersen
- Elsie MacGill
- Emmett Till
- Emmett Watson
- Ethelda Bleibtrey
- Fitz Henry Lane (Possibly Had Polio)
- Florence B. Seibert
- Francis Cardinal George
- Francis Ford Coppola
- Franklin Clarence Mars
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (Possibly Had Polio)
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Fred Lawrence Whipple
- Frida Kahlo
- Garth Drabinsky
- Garth Drabinsky
- Gavin Woods
- Geoffrey Ward
- Gianni Russo
- Grace Padaca
- Guy Crescent
- Gwen Verdon
- H. Ramakrishnan
- Hans-Georg Gadamer
- Harlan E. Boyles
- Harold Brooks-Baker
- Harold Weston
- Henriette Wyeth
- Hildegard Knef
- Horace Parlan
- Hugh Gallagher
- Ian Dury
- Ida Lupino
- Ike Skelton
- Israel Vibration
- Itzhak Perlman
- J. D. Beresford
- J. G. Farrell
- Jack Nicklaus
- James DePreist
- James Drury
- James Glenn Beall
- James H. Scheuer
- James McGregor Stewart
- Jean Chrétien (Possibly Had Polio)
- Jessie Sampter
- Joe Bob Briggs
- Joe Dante
- Joe Soares
- Joh Bjelke-Petersen
- John Creasey
- John F. Collins
- John H. Hager
- John Hamman
- John Herbert Quick
- John Konrads
- John Laws
- John Porter East
- Johnny Weissmuller
- Joni Mitchell
- Joseph Goebbels (Possibly Had Polio)
- Judith Heumann
- Judy Collins
- Julian Critchley
- Justin Whitlock Dart, Jr.
- Katherine Jackson
- Kerry Packer
- Kim Beazley
- Landis Gores
- Larry Hinson
- Laurent Schwartz
- Leonard Kriegel
- Leslie Waller
- Lillian Rogers Parks
- Lis Hartel
- Lois Marshall
- Louis Auguste de Bourbon (Possibly Had Polio)
- Marc Shell
- Margarete Steiff
- Marion Davies
- Marjorie Lawrence
- Martha Mason
- Martha Ware
- Matthew Fox
- Maud Lewis
- Max Noether
- Mel Ferrer
- Mia Farrow
- Michael Flanders
- Michael R. McNulty
- Milton H. Erickson
- Mitch McConnell
- Neil Young
- Norma Paulus
- Odette L. Shotwell
- Owen Roizman
- Paola Fantato
- Patrick Cockburn
- Patrick Nuttgens
- Paul Edgar Philippe Martin
- Paul Joseph James Martin
- Paul Winchell
- Paulo Autuori
- Peg Phillips
- Pete Dawkins
- Peter Levi
- Peter Preston
- Philip Morrison
- Phyllis Kirk
- Phyllis Thaxter
- Pierre Fournier
- Ray Ewry
- Ray Peterson
- Red Steagall
- Renata Tebaldi
- Richard B. Fisher
- Richard N. Cabela
- Richmal Crompton
- Robert Anton Wilson
- Robert McNamara
- Robin Cavendish
- Roger Youderian
- Ronny Yu
- Rosalind Miles
- Rosemary Rue
- Rosemary Tonks
- Ruskin Spear
- Satendra Singh
- Seán Mac Diarmada
- Senarath Attanayake
- Shelley Mann
- Sherman Skolnick
- Siptah (Possibly Had Polio)
- Sir John Slessor
- Sir Ken Robinson
- Sir Walter Scott (Possibly Had Polio)
- Spike Breakwell
- Stacy Smith
- Steve Cohen
- Sylvia Syms
- Tanaquil Le Clercq
- Tanaquil LeClercq
- Ted Landsmark
- Tenley Albright
- Theresa Ducharme
- Thomas Midgley, Jr.
- Tim Rooney
- Vic Wertz
- W. Harry Davis
- Wah Chang
- Waldren Joseph
- Walt Davis
- William Foote Whyte
- William John Little
- Wilma Rudolph
- Yit Foong Hee
NOTE: If you notice any inaccuracies in this list, please reach out to us so we can correct it. Additionally, if you believe someone should be added to this list, please provide us with their name and any information to verify their disability. We value your help, and you can contact us here.
You can also view our other lists of famous and well-known people with various disabilities and conditions, including actors, politicians, and writers who contributed to society.
Author Credentials: Ian was born and grew up in Australia. Since then, he has traveled and lived in numerous locations and currently resides in Montreal, Canada. Ian is the founder, a writer, and editor in chief for Disabled World. Ian believes in the Social Model of Disability, a belief developed by disabled people in the 1970s. The social model changes the focus away from people's impairments and towards removing barriers that disabled people face daily. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and achievements, check out his bio.