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Notable Alumni & Staff (Graduates and Instructors.)

Business


Nicholas Pissios (1997) Partner. Cinespace Chicago Studios.
Dean Pissios (1993) Vice President-Production. Cinespace Chicago Studios.
Alex Pissios (1990) President, CEO of Cinespace Chicago Studios.
David Hiller (1971) publisher, president and CEO of the Chicago Tribune and subsequently the Los Angeles Times
James E. Challenger (1943) the founder, President, and CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Stanton Cook (1943) publisher of the Chicago Tribune and Chairman of the Chicago Cubs.

Sports

John Sebastian (Staff-Instructor-Maine East 1957-1965) Known as Mr. Two Hands. Saluki Hall of Fame 1980 Men's Basketball. Sebastian led the IIAC in scoring three times and was an All-Conference selection on SIU’s 1947 conference championship team. He played professionally with a touring team that played against the Harlem Globetrotters. Sebastian set a world record in 1972 when he sank 63 free throws while blindfolded. He also coached/trained the Harlem Glodetrotters. He was featured on various TV shows in the 60's.
Dave Bergman (1971 Maine South) is a former MLB player (New York Yankees, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers)
Steve Smith (1962) an American football player (1966, 1968–74)
Ivan Chukarov (2013) drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Writing and journalism


Robert Appelbaum (1970) a professor of English literature at Uppsala University, Sweden, and the author of many articles and books on literary history and contemporary culture.
Marc Hempel (1975) a cartoonist and author.
Charles Hillinger was a journalist with the Los Angeles Times for 46 years.
Daniel S. Libman (1985) writer, author of Married But Looking, a collection of stories which won the Pushcart Prize for fiction and The Paris Review Discovery Prize.
Richard Maxwell (1986) a playwright who won a Special Citation Obie Award in 1999 for his play House.[citation needed]
Marshall Seese (1960) a meteorologist with The Weather Channel.
Jay Smith (1985) News Director/Executive Producer for WTTW News.
Roz Varon (1975) a Chicago television news reporter for ABC-7.
Scott Cohn (1978) a senior correspondent at CNBC.

The arts

Bob Abrahamian (1995) a soul music deejay, historian, archivist and record collector.
Karen Black (1957) an Oscar–nominated and two–time Golden Globe-winning actress (5 Easy Pieces, Easy Rider).[citation needed]
Hugh Brannum (1927) an actor best known for his portrayal of Mr. Green Jeans on the children's show Captain Kangaroo.
Harrison Ford (1960) an Oscar and Golden Globe–nominated actor best known for playing roles such as Indiana Jones, Han Solo and Jack Ryan.
Jami Gertz (1983) an Emmy–nominated actress (The Lost Boys, Twister).
Steve Goodman (1965) a two–time Grammy Award–winning folk singer-songwriter best known for writing "City of New Orleans" and "Go, Cubs, Go".
Dorothy Gregory (1940) a radio actress at WGN. Graduated Maine at 16, starred in several soap operas before dying of leukema at age 18. Article
Jim Hager (1960) a singer; Hager Brothers and The Hagers, a duo of American country music singers and comedians who first gained fame on the TV series Hee Haw. They were identical twin brothers. 
Jon Hager (1960) a singer; Hager Brothers and The Hagers,
Rich Koz (1970) a Chicago born radio and television personality best known for playing the Son of Svengoolie.
Scott Mutter (1961) An internationally acclaimed artist, his photo-montages were exhibited in galleries around the world, featured in calendars and as posters, and collected in the best-selling book, 'Surrational Images.' His papers are part of the permanent archives at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
Bruce "Buzz" Podewell (1961) assistant on Watch Mr. Wizard 1951. Professor of Theater History, Tulane U.
Bruce Lindgren (1957) assistant on Watch Mr. Wizard 1951-
Carrie Snodgress (1963) an Oscar–nominated and Golden Globe–winning actress (Diary of a Mad Housewife).

Politics and government service



Gordon Fornell (1954) was a Lt. General in the United States Air Force, and served as senior military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger.
James B. Loken (1958) has served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit since 1990, and has been its Chief Judge since 2003.
Ameya Pawar (1998) currently serves as the alderman for the 47th Ward of the City of Chicago. Pawar is the first Indian American and Asian American in Chicago City Council history. In 2017 he was a candidate for the Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois for the 2018 election.
Philip Tone (1940) was a U.S. District Court judge who from 1974–80 served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He helped investigate Billy Carter's involvement with the government of Libya.

(Page updated March 2024)

Notable Alumni (Graduates and former students.)

Business


Nicholas Pissios (1997) Partner. Cinespace Chicago Studios.
Dean Pissios (1993) Vice President-Production. Cinespace Chicago Studios.
Alex Pissios (1990) President, CEO of Cinespace Chicago Studios.
David Hiller (1971) publisher, president and CEO of the Chicago Tribune and subsequently the Los Angeles Times
James E. Challenger (1943) the founder, President, and CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Stanton Cook (1943) publisher of the Chicago Tribune and Chairman of the Chicago Cubs.

Writing and journalism


Robert Appelbaum (1970) a professor of English literature at Uppsala University, Sweden, and the author of many articles and books on literary history and contemporary culture.
Marc Hempel (1975) a cartoonist and author.
Charles Hillinger was a journalist with the Los Angeles Times for 46 years.
Daniel S. Libman (1985) writer, author of Married But Looking, a collection of stories which won the Pushcart Prize for fiction and The Paris Review Discovery Prize.
Richard Maxwell (1986) a playwright who won a Special Citation Obie Award in 1999 for his play House.[citation needed]
Marshall Seese (1960) a meteorologist with The Weather Channel.
Jay Smith (1985) News Director/Executive Producer for WTTW News.
Roz Varon (1975) a Chicago television news reporter for ABC-7.
Scott Cohn (1978) a senior correspondent at CNBC.

The arts

Bob Abrahamian (1995) a soul music deejay, historian, archivist and record collector.
Karen Black (1957) an Oscar–nominated and two–time Golden Globe-winning actress (5 Easy Pieces, Easy Rider).[citation needed]
Hugh Brannum (1927) an actor best known for his portrayal of Mr. Green Jeans on the children's show Captain Kangaroo.
Harrison Ford (1960) an Oscar and Golden Globe–nominated actor best known for playing roles such as Indiana Jones, Han Solo and Jack Ryan.
Jami Gertz (1983) an Emmy–nominated actress (The Lost Boys, Twister).
Steve Goodman (1965) a two–time Grammy Award–winning folk singer-songwriter best known for writing "City of New Orleans" and "Go, Cubs, Go".
Dorothy Gregory (1940) Radio actress at WGN. Graduated Maine at 16, starred in several soap operas before dying of leukema at age 18. Article
Jim Hager (1960) a singer; Hager Brothers and The Hagers, a duo of American country music singers and comedians who first gained fame on the TV series Hee Haw. They were identical twin brothers. 
Jon Hager (1960) a singer; Hager Brothers and The Hagers,
Rich Koz (1970) a Chicago born radio and television personality best known for playing the Son of Svengoolie.
Scott Mutter (1961) An internationally acclaimed artist, his photo-montages were exhibited in galleries around the world, featured in calendars and as posters, and collected in the best-selling book, 'Surrational Images.' His papers are part of the permanent archives at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
Bruce "Buzz" Podewell (1961) assistant on Watch Mr. Wizard 1951. Professor of Theater History, Tulane U.
Bruce Lindgren (1957) "Willie Watson" on Mr. Wizard...U of Iowa..Broadcast Marketing Consultant.
Carrie Snodgress (1963) an Oscar–nominated and Golden Globe–winning actress (Diary of a Mad Housewife).

Sports


Dave Bergman (1971 Maine South) is a former MLB player (New York Yankees, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers)
Steve Smith (1962) an American football player (1966, 1968–74)
Ivan Chukarov (2013) drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Politics and government service


Hillary Clinton (Maine South 1965) was First Lady of the United States (1993–2001), a United States Senator from New York (2001–09), U.S. Secretary of State (2009-13), and a candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States (2007–08) and (2015-16). Clinton attended Maine East from 1961–1964, but transferred to the newer Maine South.
Gordon Fornell (1954) was a Lt. General in the United States Air Force, and served as senior military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger.
James B. Loken (1958) has served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit since 1990, and has been its Chief Judge since 2003.
Ameya Pawar (1998) currently serves as the alderman for the 47th Ward of the City of Chicago. Pawar is the first Indian American and Asian American in Chicago City Council history. In 2017 he was a candidate for the Democratic primary for Governor of Illinois for the 2018 election.
Philip Tone (1940) was a U.S. District Court judge who from 1974–80 served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He helped investigate Billy Carter's involvement with the government of Libya.