Notable Residents of Hollis
The people who made Hollis — statesmen and jazz legends, pioneers of hip-hop, civil rights leaders, educators, artists, athletes, writers, and neighbors whose stories help explain why Hollis matters.
MC
Ketcham House
May Callahan & Frederick Flores
The original Gibson Girl and her builder husband — residents of the Ketcham House for 30 years.
AB
Arts & Letters
Art Buchwald
Pulitzer Prize–winning humorist and columnist who spent part of his youth in Hollis, Queens.
CP
Public Service
Colin Powell
U.S. Secretary of State and four-star general; his family home was on Elmira Avenue in Hollis.
LR
Journalism
Layhmond Robinson Jr.
Among the first Black reporters at The New York Times; a true Hollis game-changer.
EG
Civil Rights
Ewart & Eugenia Guinier
Son of Jamaican immigrants who founded Harvard’s Afro-American Studies; wife Geni integrated their Hollis block. Moved to Hollis in 1956.
LG
Law & Civil Rights
Lani Guinier
First Black woman tenured at Harvard Law School; Clinton nominee for Assistant Attorney General; voting rights scholar.
KA
Sports
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Basketball Hall of Famer whose family lived in Hollis. NBA’s all-time leading scorer for nearly five decades. His father performed at MSG the night Marilyn Monroe sang Happy Birthday to JFK.
DM
Hip-Hop
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels
Founding member of Run-DMC and a pioneer of hip-hop, forever linked with Hollis pride.
GO
Food & Culture
Garrett Oliver
Born in Hollis, Queens; grandson of a Barbados immigrant. Brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery for 30 years, James Beard Award winner, and editor of The Oxford Companion to Beer — one of the world’s great authorities on the craft.
ST
Blues
Sonny Terry
Blind blues harmonica legend; a Hollis resident from 1973 to 2007.
TM
Stage & Screen
Theresa Merritt
Acclaimed stage and screen actress and singer; part of a remarkable Hollis performing family legacy.
MC
Public Service
Mario Cuomo
Three-term Governor of New York and celebrated orator, part of Hollis’ public-service story.
HS
Architecture
Herbert W. Schmidt
Landscape architect of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, with roots in Hollis.
NW
History
Nathaniel Woodhull
Revolutionary War general and early American patriot remembered in Hollis history.
JG
Law
Jeannie Suk Gerson
Harvard Law professor and the first Asian-American woman tenured there.
RI
Sports
Royal Ivey
NBA player and professional basketball coach who grew up in Hollis.
YA
Scholarship
Yves Louis Auguste
Haitian historian, diplomat, professor, and UN representative; a Hollis resident.
AS
Education
Adelaide Sanford
Revered educator and lifelong civil rights leader with deep Hollis ties.
AS
Civil Rights
Rev. Al Sharpton
Civil rights leader and minister; spent his Hollis childhood preaching in a basement chapel.
NM
Music
Noreia Mueckay-Carlier
First Ecuadorian woman to solo at Carnegie Hall; chess champion and pianist.
YP
Music
Yarik Panko
Pianist who performed at Carnegie Hall at age seven; a young Hollis talent.
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IB
Music & Songwriting
Irving Burgie (Lord Burgess)
Brooklyn-born, Hollis-rooted songwriter who wrote “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” and seven songs on Belafonte’s Calypso — the first album to sell a million copies. Also wrote the National Anthem of Barbados.
DJ
Fashion & Business
Daymond John
Raised in Hollis, Queens, where he started FUBU in his mother’s house in 1992. The brand grew to $6 billion in global sales; now a Shark Tank star and Presidential Ambassador for Entrepreneurship.
RS
Music & Business
Russell Simmons
Co-founded Def Jam Records in Hollis — the label that launched LL Cool J, Public Enemy, the Beastie Boys, EPMD, Slick Rick, and Run-DMC, changing the course of American music.
LC
Music
LL Cool J
A Hollis native who became one of the first rap superstars. His friendship with fellow Hollis native Daymond John helped launch FUBU. Born James Todd Smith, he grew up on 203rd Street.
GV
Journalism
George Vecsey
Grew up in Hollis where both parents were journalists. One of America’s most respected sports columnists at The New York Times; co-wrote Loretta Lynn’s autobiography — basis for the Oscar-winning film.
DH
Stage & Screen
Dennis Hines
Son of Theresa Merritt; the Hines family lived on 110th Road in Hollis for many years. Dennis followed in his mother’s footsteps, performing with Sidney Poitier and other stars.
MD
Stage & Screen
Marie Dressler
One of the earliest stars to purchase property at Hollis Terrace in the early 1900s. Won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Min and Bill (1931); Hollywood’s top box-office star two years running.
LH
Stage & Screen
Lillian Hayman
Tony Award–winning actress and singer who lived in Hollis, Queens.
PM
Hip-Hop Pioneer
Pauline Mimms
From Hollis, Pauline Mimms co-founded RUSH Productions alongside Russell Simmons and Kurtis Blow — the forerunner of Def Jam. A central figure in the hip-hop jam scene from its very earliest days.
DK
Local History
David Ketcham
The patriarch who purchased the Ketcham House farm c. 1849. Highway commissioner for 20 years, Jamaica land assessor, School Board secretary, founding member of St. Gabriel’s — a Hollis civic pillar for over 60 years.
DW
Local History
David Warren Ketcham
Grandson of the patriarch, born and raised on the Ketcham farm. Chairman of the United Hospital Fund in the 1930s; honored by civic, social, and fraternal organizations for a lifetime of community service.
BC
Sports
Bob Cousy
Boston Celtics legend — “The Houdini of the Hardwood.” Before the NBA, he played for the Hollis-based St. Pascal Baylon CYO team, leading them to Queens County and Long Island championships.
JMJ
Hip-Hop
Jam Master Jay
Born Jason Mizell, Jam Master Jay moved to Hollis in 1975 and remained there his entire life. The DJ of Run-DMC, he helped bring hip-hop to the world. Run-DMC JMJ Way — 205th St & Hollis Avenue — is named in his memory.
AY
Public Service
Ambassador Andrew Young
Civil rights leader, close ally of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., U.S. Congressman, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and Mayor of Atlanta — with roots in Hollis.
DS
Arts & Letters
Danny Simmons
Visual artist and co-founder of Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation with brother Russell Simmons. His work spans painting, activism, and building arts access in underserved communities.
Elle Johnson
Television writer and executive producer; author of The Officer’s Daughter.
SS
Sports & Media
Stephen A. Smith
Born and raised in Hollis — ESPN’s most recognized voice. Jam Master Jay was best friends with his late brother. His parents are from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
RL
Public Service
Robert O. Lowery
The first Black Fire Commissioner of New York City. Joined the FDNY in 1941 and rose to command the world’s largest fire department — a civil rights trailblazer in uniform.
AB
Public Service
Augustus A. Beekman
The second Black Fire Commissioner of NYC and a 30-year anchor of Hollis community life. Phi Beta Kappa scholar, WWII veteran, and dedicated leader of St. Pascal Baylon Church.
IG
Hip-Hop
Irv Gotti
Born in Hollis, Queens in 1970. Co-founder of Murder Inc. Records, which sold 30 million albums worldwide. Launched Ja Rule and Ashanti; helped sign DMX and Jay-Z to Def Jam. Died February 2025.
AS
Comedy & Television
Anne Meara & Jerry Stiller
Anne Meara grew up in Hollis, Queens — the Queens Chronicle confirmed it. One half of the legendary Stiller & Meara comedy duo; wife of Jerry Stiller; mother of Ben Stiller.
WB
Latin Jazz
Willie Bobo
Latin jazz percussion legend who raised his family in Queens. His son Eric “Bobo” Correa was born in Queens and became percussionist for Cypress Hill. The arc from Tito Puente to hip-hop runs through this family.
EB
Percussion & Hip-Hop
Eric “Bobo” Correa
Born in Hollis, Queens — his own words on NPR. Son of Willie Bobo; lived around the corner from the Ketcham House. Brought Latin percussion into hip-hop’s mainstream with the Beastie Boys and Cypress Hill.
AC
Politics
Andrew Cuomo
56th Governor of New York, 2011–2021. Son of Mario Cuomo, raised in Hollis.
MC
Arts
Margaret Cuomo
Radiologist, author, and physician. Daughter of Mario Cuomo, raised in Hollis.
MCC
Arts
Maria Cuomo Cole
Documentary film producer and chair of HELP USA. Daughter of Mario Cuomo, raised in Hollis.
MDC
Arts
Madeline Cuomo
Attorney who practiced law in New York. Daughter of Mario Cuomo, raised in Hollis.
CC
Arts
Christopher Cuomo
Broadcast journalist, formerly ABC and CNN. Son of Mario Cuomo, raised in Hollis.
DH
Hip-Hop
DJ Hurricane
Hollis-bred DJ and longtime touring DJ for the Beastie Boys, later a solo hip-hop artist.
GC
Civil Rights
Gloster Current
Pioneering NAACP director of branches and longtime civil rights organizer with Hollis ties.
JR
Hip-Hop
Ja Rule
Multi-platinum rapper and actor who came up in the Southeast Queens hip-hop scene around Hollis.
LS
Hip-Hop
Larry Smith
Pioneering hip-hop producer behind early Run-DMC and Whodini records, central to the Hollis sound.
LO
Hip-Hop
Lee O'Denat
Founder of WorldStarHipHop, the influential media platform; a Hollis, Queens native.
YM
Hip-Hop
Young MC
Grammy-winning rapper of “Bust a Move” fame, born in Hollis, Queens.
BR
Music
Black Rock Ron
Hollis-rooted musician and community figure in the neighborhood’s music history.
DA
Journalism
David Asman
Broadcast journalist and television anchor with roots in the Hollis area.
AF
Hip-Hop
Apani B. Fly
Pioneering female emcee from Queens, respected voice in underground hip-hop with Hollis ties.
BB
Public Service
Byron Brown
Mayor of Buffalo and New York political leader with family roots in Hollis, Queens.
BH
Music
Brian Hardgroove
Bassist and music director for Public Enemy, connected to the Queens music community.
HG
Magic & Performance
Horace Goldin
The “Royal Whirlwind Illusionist” purchased land at Hollis Terrace in the early 1900s. Performed for King Edward VII four times and invented the iconic sawing-a-woman-in-half illusion.
DP
Law
Diane Patrick
Attorney and former First Lady of Massachusetts, raised in Hollis, Queens.
DE
Arts & Letters
Deborah Egerton
Author and speaker on belonging and inclusion, with roots in the Hollis community.
PV
Journalism
Peter Vecsey
Influential NBA columnist and broadcaster from the Vecsey family of Hollis.
GV
Journalism
George Vecsey Sr.
Writer and patriarch of the Vecsey journalism family rooted in Hollis, Queens.
MV
History
May Vecsey
Member of the Vecsey family whose long history is woven into the story of Hollis.
JT
Stage & Screen
John Turturro
Acclaimed actor and filmmaker who spent his early childhood in Hollis before his family moved to Rosedale.
LM
Stage & Screen
Loften Mitchell
Tony-nominated playwright of “Bubbling Brown Sugar” and historian of Black theatre, a longtime Hollis resident.
AD
Music
André DeBourg
World-class recording and live-sound engineer on Hollis Avenue, with Gold, Platinum, and Ampex Golden Reel awards for work with Salt-N-Pepa, Kid ‘n Play, Busta Rhymes, Destiny’s Child, and more.
FT
History
Fred Trump
Real estate developer who built his early empire while rooted in Hollis, Queens, shaping the borough's residential landscape for generations.
Jazz Greats of Hollis
For decades, Hollis was a jazz neighborhood — a place where giants of the music lived quietly on ordinary blocks, raising families between tours. These are some of the legends who called Hollis home.
RH
Jazz Drums
Roy Haynes
Legendary jazz drummer described as one of the greatest of all time. He lived on Hollis Avenue near the Glattis Warren Triangle.
RE
Jazz Trumpet
Roy Eldridge
The crucial bridge between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Lived at 194-19 109th Avenue — honored on a Queens Jazz Greats street sign.
MJ
Jazz Vibraphone
Milt Jackson
One of the defining vibraphonists in jazz, founding pillar of the Modern Jazz Quartet. His Hollis home was at 192-12 105th Avenue.
JB
Jazz Piano
Jaki Byard
Perhaps the most versatile pianist in jazz — ragtime to free jazz with equal fluency. He lived and died at 192-54 Hollis Avenue.
LT
Jazz Piano
Lennie Tristano
Pioneer of cool jazz; his Hollis studio on Palo Alto Street was a site of musical innovation. He lived just 150 yards from young Phil Schaap.
BW
Jazz Saxophone
Benny Waters
Veteran saxophonist who brought nearly a century of jazz history to Hollis. The New Yorker described him leaving a Hollis porch to play a club on his 94th birthday.
PS
Jazz History
Phil Schaap
Born in Hollis in 1951 in “the jazz bedroom community.” Grammy-winning jazz historian whose childhood neighbors included Roy Eldridge and Lester Young; Papa Joe Jones was his babysitter.
BC
Jazz Trumpet
Buck Clayton
Swing-era trumpet giant with the Count Basie Orchestra. Named by Phil Schaap as a Hollis neighbor alongside Lester Young, Milt Hinton, and Wendell Marshall.
WM
Jazz Bass
Wendell Marshall
Duke Ellington’s bassist from 1948 and cousin of the legendary Jimmy Blanton. His family was part of the Hollis jazz community named by Phil Schaap.
JJ
Jazz Drums
Papa Joe Jones
Count Basie’s legendary drummer and architect of swing drumming — and Phil Schaap’s babysitter in Hollis. Perhaps the most extraordinary detail in the whole Hollis jazz story.
MG
Jazz Drums
Marcus Gilmore
Raised in Hollis, grandson of Roy Haynes. His 2025 debut reached #1 on the NYT Best Jazz Albums list. The Haynes-Gilmore family is three generations of Hollis jazz royalty.
CHH
Jazz
Craig Holiday Haynes
Son of jazz legend Roy Haynes, Craig Holiday Haynes continued the family’s musical legacy as a drummer and percussionist rooted in Hollis.
GH
Jazz
Graham Haynes
Son of Roy Haynes, Graham Haynes is a cornetist and composer who grew up in the Hollis jazz household and went on to bridge jazz, hip-hop, and electronic music.
SK
Latin Jazz
Steve Kroon
Master Latin jazz percussionist raised in the Southeast Queens jazz world and a familiar presence at Hollis Presbyterian Church, with decades alongside Luther Vandross, Ron Carter, and Aretha Franklin.
CW
Jazz
Clarence Williams
Early New Orleans jazz pianist, composer, and music publisher who became a central figure in the jazz world and had deep roots in the Queens community.
Suggest a Notable Resident
These pages are curated as a public archive — but the conversation continues inside The Ketcham House community. Have a memory, a correction, a photo, or a lead about someone who shaped Hollis? Join with a free profile and add your voice.
Continue in the Notable Residents Forum →Photo Credits
The Hollis Preservation Association gratefully acknowledges the sources of all photographs and illustrations used on this page. Images licensed under Creative Commons are used in accordance with their terms.
Arts & Letters: Art Buchwald — Ted Dinsmore, 1962, Toronto Star Photograph Archive, courtesy Toronto Public Library. Public domain; Garrett Oliver — David Shankbone, via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.5. Public Service: Colin Powell — Russell Roederer, U.S. Dept of Defense, 1989. Public domain; Mario Cuomo — New York Red Book, 1975, State of New York. CC BY 3.0; Andrew Cuomo — via Wikimedia Commons; Maria Cuomo Cole — Montclair Film Festival, via Wikimedia Commons; Christopher Cuomo — Senator Chris Coons / Flickr. Public domain; Robert O. Lowery — 1952, via Wikimedia Commons; Stephen A. Smith — January 2023, via Wikimedia Commons; Danny Simmons — via Wikimedia Commons; Byron Brown — Naeemnixon. CC BY-SA 4.0; Diane Patrick — Eric Haynes / Office of the Governor of Massachusetts. Public domain. Jazz: Roy Haynes — Brian McMillen. CC BY-SA 4.0; Jaki Byard — Brian McMillen. CC BY-SA 4.0; Roy Eldridge — William P. Gottlieb, Spotlite Club, New York, November 1946. Public domain (Library of Congress / Gottlieb Collection); Milt Jackson — William P. Gottlieb, New York, c. 1946–48. Public domain (Library of Congress / Gottlieb Collection); Lennie Tristano — William P. Gottlieb, August 1947. Public domain (Library of Congress / Gottlieb Collection); Milt Hinton — Brian McMillen, Half Moon Bay CA, 1987. CC BY-SA 4.0; Lester Young — Ojon Mili, Life magazine, September 1944. Public domain; Buck Clayton — William P. Gottlieb Collection, Library of Congress, c. 1938–48. Public domain; Papa Joe Jones — via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0; Marcus Gilmore — Mossburg79, Vijay Iyer Trio, Paris, 2009. CC BY-SA 2.0. Sports: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — Malcolm W. Emmons, 1969, The Sporting News Archives. Public domain; Bob Cousy — Unknown author, Sport Magazine Archives, c. 1959–63. Public domain. Hip-Hop & Fashion: Darryl “DMC” McDaniels — Luigi Novi. CC BY 3.0; Daymond John — Philip Romano, PaleyFest 2023. CC BY-SA 4.0; Russell Simmons — David Shankbone, Tribeca Film Festival 2012. CC BY 3.0; LL Cool J — Philip Romano, Broadway, 2016. CC BY-SA 4.0; Ja Rule — via Wikimedia Commons; Irv Gotti — Houston, June 2004, via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0; Run-DMC / Beastie Boys — 1987 press photo, via Wikimedia Commons; Young M.C. — Super Festivals, Ft. Lauderdale. CC BY 2.0; Willie Bobo — Brian McMillen, 1979, via Wikimedia Commons; Eric “Bobo” Correa — Nova Rock, 2016, via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Blues & Music: Sonny Terry — Official Nambassa Photographer, 1981, Nambassa Trust and Peter Terry (nambassa.com). CC BY 2.5. Education: Adelaide Sanford — Adjoajo. CC BY-SA 4.0. Civil Rights: Rev. Al Sharpton — David Shankbone, 2007. CC BY-SA 3.0. Ketcham House: May Callahan & Frederick Flores — Newspaper photograph, c. 1920s. Public domain; Fred Trump — Brooklyn Eagle portrait, 1941. Public domain. Stage & Screen: Theresa Merritt — Original illustration by Waltercolor, 2023; digitally modified for clarity and presentation by HPA. CC BY-SA 4.0; Marie Dressler — MGM publicity photograph, 1930. Public domain; Horace Goldin — From It’s Fun To Be Fooled, New York: Magico Magazine, 1937. Public domain; John Turturro — David Shankbone, via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0; Anne Meara — 1975, via Wikimedia Commons. Law & Civil Rights: Ewart Guinier — The Guardian, 10 October 1949. Public domain; Lani Guinier — John Mathew Smith, August 1993. CC BY-SA 2.0; Jeannie Suk Gerson — Courtesy of Harvard Law School. Institutional press photo. Scholarship & Diplomacy: Yves Louis Auguste — Courtesy of the Auguste family.