We Knew Them When

Some had stardom written all over them; others you never would have guessed would become famous. But all these alums from area high schools hit it big

By Carolyn Murphy and Lynn Stander

What do actors Sylvester Stallone, Goldie Hawn, Ben Stein, NBA star Steve Francis and Watergate buster Carl Bernstein have in common? They all went to Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring. What about authors Tracy Chevalier and Laura Hillenbrand? They're Bethesda-Chevy Chase alums. And Yankees' GM Brian Cashman, U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd and Arizona Cardinals' owner William Bidwell? They're all graduates of Georgetown Prep.

Virtually every high school—public and private—in the Bethesda area has spawned numerous grads who have gone on to attain fame (and in many cases fortune) in the worlds of entertainment, sports, media, literature, politics, business or academia.

Here, listed by school they attended, are the names of many of those alumni:


Public High Schools

Bethesda-Chevy Chase

Dean Beeman, '56, served as commissioner of the PGA Tour from 1974-94, following his tour as a professional golfer from 1967-73.

David. L. Boren, '59, is a former U.S. senator from Oklahoma and current president of the University of Oklahoma.

Tracy Chevalier, '80, is the author of Girl with a Pearl Earring and The Lady and the Unicorn.

Tommy Davidson had a leading role on "In Living Color" (1990-94) and acted in "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls" (1995).

Laura Hillenbrand, '85, is the author of Seabiscuit.

Daniel Stern, who attended B-CC in the 1970s, is an actor who has performed in "Very Bad Things" (1998), "City Slickers" I and II (1991, '94) and "Home Alone" I and II (1990, '92).


Montgomery Blair

Carl Bernstein, '61, is a journalist best known for exposing the Watergate scandal as a Washington Post reporter.

Connie Chung, '64, is a broadcast journalist who hosted the newsmagazine "20/20" on ABC (1998-2002) and has had several other prominent television news positions.

Matt Drudge, '84, writes The Drudge Report, a news and gossip Web site.

Steve Francis, '96, is a point guard for the Orlando Magic and in 2003-04, joined Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Grant Hill as the only players in NBA history to average 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in each of their first five seasons. Named the 1999-2000 NBA Co-Rookie of the Year, he also was a star player for the University of Maryland. He started just one game at Blair, and only played his sophomore year.

Stan Greenberg, '63, is a Democratic political strategist and former adviser to President Bill Clinton.

Goldie Hawn, '63, is an actress who has starred in numerous films, including "The Banger Sisters" (2002), "The First Wives Club" (1996), "Overboard" (1987), "Wildcats" (1986) and "Private Benjamin" (1980). She won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her work in "Cactus Flower" (1969).

Nora Roberts is a popular romance novelist with more than 280 million books in print. Her most recent book, Origin in Death, published under the pen name, J.D. Robb, is book number 159 for the prolific novelist.

Sylvester Stallone is an actor who counts the "Rocky" series among his many starring screen appearances.

Ben Stein played a monotone professor in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986) and co-hosted the television game show "Win Ben Stein's Money" (1997-2002).


Winston Churchill

Mike Barrowman, '87, won the gold medal in the 200-meter breaststroke with a world record at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. He broke the world record in that event six times. He currently produces underwater educational videos in the Cayman Islands.

Ben Feldman will star opposite Hillary Duff in "The Perfect Man" (2005) and in the WB series "Life with Fran."

Brian Holloway, was an All-American football player in high school and at Stanford University. A first-round draft pick, Holloway played nine seasons in the NFL, mostly with the New England Patriots, and was a vice president of the NFL Players Association. Today he is a popular motivational speaker and lives with his wife and eight children on a 200-acre horse farm in upstate New York.

Joe Jacobi, '87, won gold in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona in the white-water canoe slalom competition.

Dhani Jones,'96, is a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jeff Kemp played quarterback for four NFL teams from 1981-91.

Paul Palmer was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1986 and played three years in the NFL.

Eric Smith, '78, was a star basketball player at Georgetown University who was drafted in the fourth round by the Portland Trail Blazers but never played in the NBA.

Darren Star is the writer and producer of "Sex and the City" (1998-2004) and select episodes of "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place."


Gaithersburg

Dominique Dawes, '94, received a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics for gymnastics, and two bronzes in 1992 and '96.

Hank Fraley, '96, is a Philadelphia Eagles offensive linesman.

Anthony Greene played as a defensive back for the Buffalo Bills (1972-79).

Guy Prather played on the line for the Green Bay Packers (1981-85).


Walter Johnson

Colleen Haskell, '94, was a "Survivor: Borneo" cast member in 2000, who made it to episode 11.

Matt McCoy has acted in such movies as "L.A. Confidential" (1997) and "The Hand that Rocks the Cradle" (1992), and has made guest appearances on "The West Wing," "Six Feet Under," "NYPD Blue," "Seinfeld" and "L.A. Law."

Patricia B. O'Neill, '68, serves as Montgomery County Public Schools board president.


Magruder

Chris Carmack, '99, played Luke Ward on the WB's teen drama "The OC" (2003-04).

Jason Kravitz, '89, played an assistant district attorney on "The Practice" (1999-2001), and appeared in "The Stepford Wives" (2004) and "Major League II" (1994).

Courtney Kupets, '05, was a 2004 silver medalist in the women's team gymnastic competition and a bronze medalist in the uneven bars.

Milt Thompson, '77, played for the Atlanta Braves (1984-85), St. Louis Cardinals (1989-92) and other teams.

Jerome Williams, '91, is a forward/center for the New York Knicks and played for Georgetown University.


Richard Montgomery

Mike Curtis, '61, was a four-time Pro Bowl linebacker in the NFL. He played 10 years with the Baltimore Colts and two with the Washington Redskins.

Jim Riggleman, '70, is a one-time manager of the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs, and is currently a coach with the Cleveland Indians.


Walt Whitman

Patrick M. Byrne, '81, founded Overstock.com and serves as chairman and president.

Mia Chung, '82, is among the top ranks of America's pianists and has performed with major orchestras around the world.

Anthony Dilweg, '84, was the 1988 ACC player of the year from Duke University, and is a former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers (1989-91) and the L.A. Raiders (1992).

David Dobkin, '87, directed "Wedding Crashers" (2005) with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, and "Shanghai Knights," among other movies.

Spike Jonze, '87, directed "Being John Malkovich" (1999) and co-wrote "Jackass: The Movie." Jonze's real name is Adam Spiegel.

Ryan Kuehl, '90, is a defensive tackle with the N.Y. Giants (2003-present).

Steven and Mitchell Rales, '69 and '74, respectively, are entrepreneurial brothers who rank #321 on Forbes magazine's "World's Richest People" 2005 list. The company they founded, Danaher, reportedly named after a favorite trout stream in Montana, is a U.S.-based manufacturer with a worldwide workforce of approximately 37,000 and $6.8 billion in revenue. The Rales brothers are each listed by Forbes as being worth $2 billion.

Eric Steinberg, '87, has appeared in movie roles including "This Beautiful Life" (2002) and "Star Trek: First Contact" (1996).

Jeff Tremaine, '85, co-wrote and directed "Jackass: The Movie" (2002) and the MTV show by the same name. Hugh Wolff has guest conducted nearly every major symphony in the United States and many abroad.


Wootton

Steve Coll, '76, is the Pulitzer-winning author of Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001. He formerly was managing editor of the Washington Post for six years.

Christopher Culos, '97, Richard On, '97, Marc Roberge, '97, and Benjamin Gershman, '98, are members of the contemporary rock band O.A.R. (Of a Revolution).

Tom Friend, '79, is a senior writer at ESPN Magazine, an on-air contributor to ESPN "SportsCenter," and formerly covered the Washington Redskins for the Washington Post.

Mathias Nkwenti, '96, is a former tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.

Dick Scanlan, '77, is writer and lyricist for the revival of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (2002) on Broadway, which won two Tony Awards.

Private Schools

Georgetown Preparatory School

Dylan Baker, '76, is an actor who has appeared in "Spiderman II" (2004), "Kinsey" (2004) and "Road to Perdition" (2002).

William Bidwill, '49, owns the Arizona Cardinals.

Brian Cashman, '85, is the general manager of the New York Yankees.

John Dingell, '44, is a congressman representing Michigan (1955-present).

Chris Dodd, '62, is a U.S. senator from Connecticut (1974-present).

Frank LoBiondo, '64, is a congressman representing New Jersey (1994-present).

Dennis Murphy, '65, is an NBC correspondent for NBC's "Dateline," the "Today" show and "NBC Nightly News," and is a four-time Emmy winner.

Maurice "Mo" Rocca, '87, served as a correspondent for "The Daily Show" (1998-2003), and is an author and comedian.

A.J. Wood, '91, played on the U.S. Olympic soccer team and for D.C. United and the (New York/New Jersey) Metrostars.


Holton-Arms School

Shelley Moore Capito, '71, is a congresswoman from West Virginia (2000-present).

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, '79, is an actress best known for her role as the leading female character of Elaine on the NBC sitcom "Seinfeld" (1990-98).

Susan Ford, '75, is the daughter of President Gerald Ford and head of the Betty Ford Center in California.

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis is former first lady of the U.S. (attended but did not graduate from Holton).

Mary Jane Sears Parks, '57, won bronze in the 100-meter butterfly in the 1956 Olympics.

Patricia Richardson, '68, is an actress who played Jill Taylor in "Home Improvement," a television sitcom.

Ann Schein, '57, is a renowned concert pianist (and accompanist to Jessye Norman).

Margaret Warner, '67, is a senior correspondent and back-up anchor on the "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" (on PBS).


Landon School

Joseph Bailey, '64, serves as CEO of Miami Dolphins Enterprises.

Alan Brinkley, '67, is the Columbia University provost, a history professor and author of several American history books including Voices of Protest: Huey Long, Father Coughlin, and the Great Depression (1982), which won the 1983 National Book Award; and The End of Reform: New Deal Liberalism in Recession and War (1995). He is the son of the late newscaster David Brinkley.

Ahmet Ertegun, '40, co-founded Atlantic Records. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which he helped found.

Rush Holt, '66, has served as a New Jersey congressman since 1999, and is a five-time Jeopardy winner.

Knight Kiplinger, '65, is president of Kiplinger Washington Editors, which publishes Kiplinger Magazine and Kiplinger Newsletter.

Maury Povich, '57, hosts the syndicated talk show, "Maury."

John Jacob Rhodes III, '61, served as an Arizona congressman (1987-93).

Tom Scott, '85, co-founded Nantucket Nectars, makers of natural fruit-juice drinks, with former roommate Tom First as a "floating" convenience store during the summer of 1988, serving yachts in Nantucket.


St. Andrew's Episcopal School

Tom Brown, '59, started as a first baseman on opening day for the Washington Senators in 1963 and went on to a career as a defensive back for the Green Bay Packers (1964-68).

Seth Davis, '88, joined the staff of Sports Illustrated in 1995. He covers college basketball for the magazine and pens its "Inside College Basketball" column during the season.

John Diehl, '54, played four years on the Baltimore Colts defensive line and one year with the Oakland Raiders.

Doug Moe, '57, currently serves as an assistant coach for the Denver Nuggets. The winningest head coach in Nuggets history from 1980-90, Moe led the Nuggets to the postseason for nine straight years and was named Coach of the Year during the 1987-88 season. Moe previously served as a head coach for the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia '76ers. He was a former player in the ABA, an All-Star for three of those seasons, but injuries shortened his playing career to just five years.

John Phillips, '54, was a member of '60s legendary singing group, The Mamas & The Papas.

Pierre M. Omidyar, '84, a philanthropist, is the founder and chairman of eBay.


Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart

Andrea Koppel, '81, is an Emmy-winning State Department correspondent for CNN and daughter of Ted Koppel.

Cokie Boggs Roberts, '60, is a political commentator for ABC News and a news analyst for National Public Radio. She is the former co-anchor of "This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts" and has written Founding Mothers and We are Our Mothers' Daughters.

Mary Williams Schaller, '61, (aka Tori Phillips) writes Harlequin historical novels.

Maria Shriver, '73, is the first lady of California, a former correspondent for NBC's "Dateline" and the author of books offering advice for young adults, and on understanding disease and death.

Frederica von Stade, '63, an opera singer, has appeared with many major American opera companies and symphonies. She sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend,'69, served as lieutenant governor of Maryland from 1995-2003, and ran for governor unsuccessfully in 2002.

Freelance writer Carolyn Murphy lives in Bethesda. Lynn Stander is a freelance writer/editor living in Potomac.