by Michael Frissore

Created on: July 24, 2008

There is a rich and varied tradition of famous names and faces when it comes to Nebraska. Chiefs Crazy Horse and Red Cloud, both of the Oglala Sioux, were from the Cornhusker State, as was Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca tribe. Fast forward a few years, and some of our great leaders still come from this great state, leaders like former President Gerald Ford and Vice President Dick Cheney. Our Academy Awarding-winning actors, such as Marlon Brando and Hilary Swank, often come from the "Equality before the law" state. And hurlers? Two of baseball's greatest all-time pitchers, Grover Cleveland Alexander and Bob Gibson, were born right in Nebraska.

But in this list I want to count down the five greatest human beings that Nebraska has had to offer. Men who changed our world. Men who made a difference.

5. Ted "The Million Dollar Man" DiBiase

Omaha's Ted DiBiase was one of the great professional wrestlers of the 1980s, beginning with his Universal Wrestling Federation days, and moving on into his time as "The Million Dollar Man" in the WWE. Though never a World Champion, DiBiase was a tremendous wrestler with a lot of money, apparently. He is now retired and is a Christian minister and counselor. His son, a third generation wrestler, now wrestles somewhere.

4. Larry the Cable Guy

Born Daniel Lawrence Whitney in Pawnee City, Nebraska, Larry the Cable Guy is one of the most successful stand-up comics working today. It's true. I don't know how it happened, but it's true. He made the phrase, "Git-R-Done" known throughout the land. He is one of the stars of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. His trademark attire is jeans, sleeveless shirt and camouflage hat.

3. "Gorgeous George" Wagner

The most colorful man in ye oldern days of professional wrestling, Gorgeous George was born in Butte, Nebraska in 1915. He had a very flamboyant style, which included his manager spraying hair spray around the ring. He retired and, after much financial trouble, died in 1963 of a heart attack at age 48.

2. L. Ron Hubbard

Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, of Tilden, Nebraska, was the founder of the Church of Scientology. He was a science fiction author and God to the likes of Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and Kirstie Alley. You would think H.G. Wells or Jules Verne would be worshipped just as much, or even more. But no.

1. Charles Starkweather

Starkweather was the inspiration of many later films, including "Badlands," "Kalifornia," and "Natural Born Killers." With his girlfriend in tow, he murdered 11 people in the Midwest in the mid-1950s, and had the honor of being one of the things mentioned in Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire." ("Starkweather homicide, Children of Thalidomide")

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