List of stutterers

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Stuttering (alalia syllabaris), also known as stammering (alalia literalis or anarthria literalis), is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, and involuntary silent pauses or blocks during which the person who stutters is unable to produce sounds.^[1] The exact etiology of stuttering is unknown; both genetics and neurophysiology are thought to contribute.^[2] There are many treatments and speech-language pathology techniques available that may help increase fluency in some people who stutter to the point where an untrained ear cannot perceive stuttering; however, there is essentially no cure for the disorder at present.^[3][4]

Greek orator Demosthenes practicing oratory at the beach with pebbles in his mouth

People who stutter include British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, orator Demosthenes, King George VI, actor James Earl Jones, US President Joe Biden, and country singer Mel Tillis. Churchill, whose stutter was particularly apparent to 1920s writers,^[5] was one of the 30% of people who stutter who have an associated speech disorder—a lisp in his case—and led his nation through World War II.^[6][7] Demosthenes stammered and was inarticulate as a youth, and, through dedicated practice using methods such as placing pebbles in his mouth, became a great orator of Ancient Greece.^[8] King George VI hired speech therapist Lionel Logue to enable him to speak more easily to his Empire, and Logue effectively helped him accomplish this goal.^[9] This training and its results are the focus of the 2010 film The King's Speech.^[10] James Earl Jones has stated he was mute for many years of his youth, and he became an actor noted for the power of his voice.^[11][12] Mel Tillis stutters when talking but not when singing.^[13] Many people had their speech impairment only during childhood.^[14]

Actors

Actor James Earl Jones in 2013

Emily Blunt in 2014

German silent film actor Bruno Kastner circa 1920

Actress Marilyn Monroe in 1953's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Actors with stutters

Name	Lifetime	Comments	Reference(s)
Rowan Atkinson	1955–present	English comedian, screenwriter, and actor who incorporates his stuttering into his work by using over-articulation	[15][16]
Emily Blunt	1983–present	English actress who won a Golden Globe Award in 2007	[17]
Peter Bonerz	1938–present	American actor and producer who played Jerry the orthodontist on The Bob Newhart Show	[18]
Wayne Brady	1972–present	American actor, comedian, TV host, and singer	[19]
Nicholas Brendon	1971–present	American actor	[20]
Jaik Campbell	1973–present	British comedian who won British Stammering Association Writing Award in 2006	[21][22]
Hugh Grant	1960–present	English actor who won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe Award in 1995	[23]
Steve Harvey	1957–present	American television and radio presenter, actor, author, businessman, and former stand-up comedian.	[24]
Dieter Thomas Heck	1937–2018	German actor and TV producer; started stuttering after being trapped under a staircase after a bombing raid in World War II	[25][26]
James Earl Jones	1931–2024	American actor noted for his powerful voice	[11][23][27]
Samuel L. Jackson	1948–present	American actor who has appeared in over 100 films; active in Civil Rights Movement	[23]
Javivi	1961–present	Spanish actor who has appeared in films and TV series, usually in comical roles	[28]
Bruno Kastner	1890–1932	German film actor and producer; died by suicide with the advent of sound films	[29]
Harvey Keitel	1939–present	American stage and movie actor	[30]
Nicole Kidman	1967–present	Australian actress and film producer	[31]
Daniel Kitson	1977–present	English comedian winner of the Perrier Comedy Award in 2002	[23][32]
Peggy Lipton	1946–2019	American actress who played "Julie Barnes" on The Mod Squad	[30]
Drew Lynch	1991–present	American comedian; brother of Stephen Lynch and Season 10 runner-up on America's Got Talent	[33]
John Melendez	1965–present	American radio personality known as "Stuttering John"	[34]
Ezra Miller	1992–present	American actor	[35]
Marilyn Monroe	1926–1962	American actress, singer, model, and sex symbol; Golden Globe Award nominee in 1956	[23][27]
Sam Neill	1947–present	New Zealand actor	[36]
Austin Pendleton	1940–present	American actor, playwright, theatrical director, and instructor	[18]
Rosie Perez	1964–present	Puerto Rican-American actress	[37]
Anthony Quinn	1915–2001	Mexican-American actor, painter, and writer	[30]
Hrithik Roshan	1974–present	Indian Bollywood actor who won numerous Best Actor awards	[30][38]
Eric Roberts	1956–present	American actor, Golden Globe Award nominee in 1978; brother of actress Julia Roberts	[30]
Julia Roberts	1967–present	One of the highest paid American actresses in terms of box office receipts; sister of actor Eric Roberts	[30][39]
Tom Sizemore	1961–2023	American actor and producer	[30]
Cole Sprouse	1992–present	American actor, twin of Dylan Sprouse	[30][40]
James Stewart	1908–1997	American film and stage actor whose stutter was a signature trait of his work	[41][42][43][44]
Bruce Willis	1955–present	American actor, producer, and musician	[23]
Claude Rains	1889–1967	British actor whose career spanned nearly 7 decades, Tony Award winning actor	[45]
Bob Newhart	1929–2024	American actor and comedian, known for his stammer	[46]
Jeanne Little	1938–2020	Australian entertainer, comedienne and television personality	[47]
Joe Dougherty	1898–1978	American actor, provided the original voice of Porky Pig	[48][49]
David Tomlinson	1917–2000	English actor and comedian	[50][51]
Frankie Howerd	1917–1992	English actor and comedian	[52][53]
Louis Jouvet	1887–1951	French actor, theatre director and filmmaker	[54]
Nicholas Parsons	1923–2020	English actor, and radio and television presenter	[55]
Thane Bettany	1929–2015	English actor and dancer	[56]
Boris Karloff	1887–1969	English actor, voice of Grinch	[57]
Philip Lowrie	1936–present	English actor	[58]
Kenneth Colley	1937–present	English actor	[59]
Don Fellows	1922–2007	American actor in British theater and television	[60]

Athletes

Basketball player Wilt Chamberlain in 1959 while a Harlem Globetrotter

Golfer Sophie Gustafson in 2008

Athletes with stutters

Name	Lifetime	Comments	Reference(s)
Kelly Brown	1982–present	Scottish rugby union player	[61]
Rubin Carter	1937–2014	American boxer known as "The Hurricane"	[18]
Wilt Chamberlain	1936–1999	American basketball player, holds numerous official NBA all-time records	[62]
Johnny Damon	1973–present	American baseball outfielder	[63]
Sophie Gustafson	1973–present	Swedish golfer	[18]
Ron Harper	1964–present	American basketball player	[18]
Lester Hayes	1955–present	American football cornerback	[64]
Ben Johnson	1961–present	Canadian sprinter	[18]
Bo Jackson	1962–present	American baseball and football player, 1985 Heisman Trophy winner	[65]
Tommy John	1943–present	American baseball pitcher	[18]
Ivo Karlović	1979–present	Croatian tennis player	[66]
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist	1993–present	American basketball player	[67]
Ellis Lankster	1987–present	American football cornerback	[68]
Greg Louganis	1960–present	American diver	[18]
Bob Love	1942–2024	American basketball player	[69]
Mason Massey	1997–present	American racing driver	[70][71]
Junior Ortiz	1959–present	Puerto Rican baseball player	[72][73]
Kenyon Martin	1977–present	American basketball player	[18]
Kenndal McArdle	1987–present	Canadian hockey player	[18]
Adrian N. Peterson	1979–present	American football running back	[18]
Wilfredo Rivera	1969–present	Puerto Rican boxer	[18]
Michael Spinks	1956–present	American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions (1981–1988)	[18]
George Springer	1989–present	American baseball outfielder	[74]
Darren Sproles	1983–present	American football running back	[75]
Jake Steinfeld	1958–present	American actor and fitness personality who had a fitness line "Body by Jake" and TV show called Body by Jake	[76]
Duane Thomas	1947–2024	American football running back	[18]
Dave Taylor	1955–present	American ice hockey player	[18]
Ken Venturi	1931–2013	American golfer and golf broadcaster	[77]
Bill Walton	1952–2024	American Basketball Hall of Famer	[78]
Tiger Woods	1975–present	American golfer, formerly ranked World No. 1 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)	[79]
James Rodríguez	1991–present	Colombian soccer player	[80]
Robert DiPierdomenico	1958–present	Australian rules footballer	[81]
Jumbo Elliott	1915–1981	American track and field coach	[82]
Josh Hines-Allen	1997–present	American football linebacker	[83]
Al Hostak	1916–2006	American boxer	[84]

Politicians

Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1942

President Joe Biden in 2021

Politicians with stutters

Name	Lifetime	Comments	Reference(s)
Ed Balls	1967–present	British Labour politician; former Member of Parliament (2005–2015)	[85]
Antonio Bassolino	1947–present	Mayor of Naples (1994–1998); President of Campania (2000–2010); member of Italian Communist Party	[18]
François Bayrou	1951–present	French politician; Prime Minister of France since December 2024	[86]
Joe Biden	1942–present	United States Senator from Delaware (1973–2009), 47th Vice President of the United States (2009–2017), 46th President of the United States (2021–2025)	[18][87][88]
Winston Churchill	1874–1965	Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1940–1945, 1951–1955); Nobel Prize in Literature recipient in 1953	[23][27]
Claudius	10 BC – 54 AD	Emperor of Rome (41–54), exaggerated his ailment in youth amid fratricidal dynastic conflicts	[89][90]
Demosthenes	384 – 322 BC	Ancient Greek orator and politician	[8]
Proinsias De Rossa	1940–present	Irish Labour Party politician; Member of the European Parliament (1989–1992, 1999–)	[91]
Eduardo de Pedro	1976–present	Argentine Peronist politician; Minister of the Interior (2019–)	[92]
Thomas Kean	1935–present	American politician, 48th Governor of New Jersey (1982–1990)	[93]
Joacine Katar Moreira	1982–present	Portuguese politician, Member of the Assembly of the Republic (2019–)	[94]
E. M. S. Namboodiripad	1909–1998	Indian communist politician; Chief Minister of Kerala (1957–1959, 1967–1969)	[95]
Matti Vanhanen	1955–present	Prime Minister of Finland (2003–2010)	[96]
John Wilson Croker	1780–1857	Anglo-Irish Member of Parliament	[97]
Nicolae Ceaușescu	1918–1989	Romanian communist leader	[98]
William Dennison	1905–1981	Canadian politician and City of Toronto mayor	[99]
Honório Hermeto Carneiro Leão, Marquis of Paraná	1801–1856	Brazilian politician, diplomat, judge, and monarchist	[100]
John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough	1781–1847	British Whig politician	[101]

Musicians

Blues guitarist John Lee Hooker

Country singer Mel Tillis in 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry

Singers and musicians with stutters

Name	Lifetime	Comments	Reference(s)
Marc Almond	1957–present	English singer and songwriter	[102]
Hugo Cole	1917–1995	English composer, cellist and music critic	[103]
Sean Dunphy	1937–2011	Irish singer, who represented Ireland at the 1967 Eurovision song contest	[104]
Noel Gallagher	1967–present	English singer, guitarist, and vocalist	[105]
Gareth Gates	1984–present	English singer and songwriter	[106]
John Lee Hooker	1912–2001	American blues guitarist	[107]
Scatman John	1942–1999	American scat singer	[108]
Jim Kerr	1959–present	Scottish singer and songwriter	[23]
Alvin Lucier	1931–2021	American music professor and composer of experimental music	[18]
Chris Martin	1977–present	English singer, songwriter, and pianist	[23]
Kylie Minogue	1968–present	Australian singer, songwriter, and actress	[23]
Peter Murphy	1957–present	English singer, songwriter, and actor	[109]
Notker the Stammerer	c. 840 – 912	Frankish composer, poet and scholar	[110]
Ozzy Osbourne	1948–2025	English singer, songwriter and television personality	[111]
Elvis Presley	1935–1977	American rock and roll singer	[27]
Carly Simon	1945–present	American singer, songwriter, musician, and children's author; recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award; member of Grammy Hall of Fame	[18][112]
Rory Storm	1938–1972	English musician and vocalist	[113]
Mel Tillis	1932–2017	American country singer, spokesman and honorary chairman of the Stuttering Foundation of America in 1998	[13][114]
Chris Trapper	1971–present	American musician	[18]
Bill Withers	1938–2020	American singer, songwriter, and musician	[18][115][116]
Cui Jian	1984–present	Chinese singer, songwriter, and musician	[117]
Megan Washington	1986–present	Australian singer, songwriter and musician	[118]
Andraé Crouch	1942–2015	American gospel singer, songwriter, record producer and pastor	[119]
Adil Omar	1991–present	Pakistani rapper, songwriter, record producer and filmmaker	[120]
Robert Merrill	1917–2001	American operatic baritone and actor	[121]
Chris Rainbow	1946–2015	Scottish pop rock singer and musician	[122]
Dave Barker	1947–present	Reggae and rocksteady singer	[123]
Maxine Feldman	1945–2007	American folk singer-songwriter, comedian	[124]
Victoria Hanna	present	Israeli multi-disciplinary artist, singer and musician	[125]
Harrison Craig	1994–present	Australian singer who won the second series of The Voice	[126]
Ann Wilson	1950–present	American singer and songwriter, lead singer of Heart (band)	[127]

Writers

Writer W. Somerset Maugham in 1934

Writer Machado de Assis circa 1896

Sonia Sanchez in 1998

Writers with stutters

Name	Lifetime	Comments	Reference(s)
Arnold Bennett	1867–1931	English journalist and novelist	[18]
Michael Bentine	1922–1996	British comedian, script-writer, and reader of children's books	[18]
Elizabeth Bowen	1899–1973	Irish novelist and short story writer	[18]
Lewis Carroll	1832–1898	English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer	[23][27]
Jim Davis	1945–present	American cartoonist	[128]
Machado de Assis	1838–1908	Brazilian novelist, short story writer, poet, and literary critic	[129]
Margaret Drabble	1939–present	English novelist, biographer, and literary critic	[130]
Han, FeiHan Fei	280 BC – 233 BC	Chinese philosopher and writer	[18]
Edward Hoagland	1932–present	American nature and travel writer	[131]
Henry James	1843–1916	American-born writer and critic who spent most of his life in England	[18]
Dylan Jones	1960–present	British journalist and editor	[132][133]
Somerset Maugham	1874–1965	English novelist, playwright, and short story writer	[23][27]
Michael McCurdy	1942–2016	American illustrator, author, and publisher	[18]
David Mitchell	1969–present	English novelist	[134]
John Montague	1929–2016	Irish poet	[18]
Budd Schulberg	1914–2009	American screenwriter, television producer, novelist and sports writer	[18]
David Seidler	1937–present	British screenwriter; BAFTA and Academy Award-winning writer of The King's Speech	[135]
David Shields	1956–present	American writer of fiction and nonfiction	[18]
Nevil Shute	1899–1960	British novelist and aeronautical engineer	[18]
Peter Straub	1943–2022	American author and poet	[18]
Kenneth Tynan	1927–1980	English theater critic and writer	[18]
John Updike	1932–2009	American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic	[23]
Katharine Preston	present	British writer and public speaker	[136]
Jordan Scott	1978-	Canadian poet	[137]
Armin Steigenberger	1965–present	German poet, novelist, writer, literary editor, and musician	[138]
Audre Lorde	1934–1992	American author, poet, professor, activist	[139]
Paul Brickhill	1916–1991	Australian author, screenwriter, and fighter pilot	[140]
Nicholas Mosley	1923–1917	English author	[141][142]
Robert Hugh Benson	1871–1914	English Catholic priest and writer, popular preacher	[143]
Machado de Assis	1839–1908	Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright	[144]
David G. Compton	1930–2023	British author, mostly science fiction, but including a nonfiction book about stuttering	[145]
Desmond Bagley	1923–1983	English journalist and thriller novelist whose stutter initially exempted him from military conscription	[146]
Marcus Buckingham	1966–present	English author	[147]
Charles Lamb	1775–1834	English essayist and poet	[148]
Homer W. Smith	1895–1962	American physiologist and science writer	[149]
Jimmy McGovern	1949–present	English screenwriter and producer	[150]
Sonia Sanchez	1934–present	American poet, writer, and professor	[151][152][153]

Others

Charles Darwin

King George VI of the United Kingdom circa 1940–1946

Zoologist Alan Rabinowitz

Mathematician Niccolò Tartaglia later in life

Alan Turing at age 16

Other people with stutters

Name	Lifetime	Comments	Reference(s)
Deng Ai	197–264	Three Kingdoms period general, Grand Commandant	[154]
Prince Albert II	1958–present	Prince of Monaco	[18][87]
Terry Allen	1888–1969	United States Army Major General during World War II	[155]
Walter Annenberg	1908–2002	Publisher, philanthropist, and diplomat	[156]
Aristotle	384 BC – 322 BC	Greek philosopher and writer	[23][27]
Homer Bigart	1907–1991	American newspaper reporter who won two Pulitzer Prizes for combat reporting—one each during World War II and the Korean War	[157]
Howard Bingham	1939–2016	American photographer and biographer of Muhammad Ali	[18]
Arthur Blank	1942–present	American businessman, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons	[18]
Charles Sidney Bluemel	1884–1960	British-American psychiatrist; researcher on stuttering	[158]
Patrick Campbell	1913–1980	3rd Baron Glenavy, Irish-born British journalist, humorist and television personality	[18]
Lord Carver	1915–2001	British Field Marshal, tank commander in World War II; Chief of the Defence Staff	[159]
Lord David Cecil	1902–1986	British biographer, historian and professor	[18]
King Charles I	1600–1649	King of England (1625–1649)	[160]
Charles Darwin	1809–1882	English naturalist	[30]
Harley Earl	1893–1969	American car designer, first vice president of design at General Motors	[18]
Jake Eberts	1941–2012	Canadian movie producer, director, and financier	[161]
King Francis I	1494–1547	King of France (1515–1547)	[162]
Malcolm Fraser	1903–1994	American philanthropist and businessman	[163][164]
Philip French	1933–2015	Film critic and BBC radio producer	[165]
King George VI	1895–1952	King of the United Kingdom (1936–1952)	[23]
Annie Glenn	1920–2020	Wife of astronaut and United States Senator John Glenn; She was inducted into the National Stuttering Association Hall of Fame.	[166][167]
David Goggins	1975–present	Navy SEAL, athlete, and motivational speaker	[168]
Sidney Gottlieb	1918–1999	American chemist who worked with the Central Intelligence Agency	[18]
Vernon Hill	1945–present	American banker	[18]
King James II	1633–1701	King of England (1685–1688)	[169]
Wendell Johnson	1906–1965	American psychologist, stutter research	[170]
King Louis the Stammerer	846–879	King of Aquitaine and West Francia	[171]
Emperor Michael II	770–829	Byzantine emperor, founder of the Amorian (Phrygian) dynasty	[172]
Adam Michnik	1946–present	Polish editor, historian, essayist, and political commentator	[18]
Isaac Newton	1642–1727	English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian	[23]
Bruce Oldfield	1950–present	British fashion designer	[18]
Jerzy Owsiak	1953–present	Polish journalist, social campaigner	[173]
King Peter I	1320–1367	King of Portugal (1357–1367)	[174]
Alan Rabinowitz	1953–2018	American zoologist, conservationist, field biologist, and President and CEO of Panthera	[18][175]
Alfred Rehder	1863–1949	German-American botanist, Harvard professor	[23]
John Stossel	1947–present	American consumer reporter, investigative journalist, author, and libertarian columnist	[176]
Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia	1499–1557	Italian mathematician, engineer, and surveyor	[18]
Alan Turing	1912–1954	British mathematician	[177]
Charles Van Riper	1905–1994	American speech pathologist	[170]
Jack Welch	1935–2020	American chemical engineer, businessman, and author	[18]
Ludwig Wittgenstein	1889–1951	Austrian philosopher	[23]
Charles Kingsley	1819–1875	Priest, historian, novelist, poet	[178]
Gertrude Tompkins Silver	1911–1944	American Women Airforce Service Pilots member, disappeared during World War II	[179]
John William MacKay	1831–1902	Irish-American industrialist	[180]
Harold Ridley	1906–2001	English ophthalmologist who invented the introcular lens	[181]
Keith Lindsay Stewart	1896–1972	Professional soldier in New Zealand Military Forces	[182]
José Antonio Urquiza	1904-1938	Mexican integrist	[183]
Eduards Volters	1856–1941	German linguist, ethnographer, and archeologist	[184]
Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf	1933–present	British barrister and judge	[185]
Charlotte, Princess Royal	1766–1828	Queen of Württemberg	[186]
Dekanawida	12th or 15th Century	Founder of the Iroquois Confederacy, also known as Great Peacemaker	[187]
Alison Marjorie Ashby	1901–1987	Australian botanical artist	[188]
William R. Travers	1819–1887	American lawyer and socialite. Called "the most popular man of New York"	[189]
Ezekiel Merritt	1812–1886	American fur trapper and explorer known as the leader "Ezekiel 'Stuttering Zeke' Merritt"	[190]
Juh	1825–1883	Warrior and a leader of the Nednhi band of the Chiricahua Apache	[191]