Greek orator Demosthenes practicing oratory at the beach with pebbles in his mouth
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. The exact etiology of stuttering is unknown; both genetics and neurophysiology are thought to contribute. 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 identify a problem; however, there is essentially no cure for the disorder at present.
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, was one of the 30% of people who stutter who have an associated speech disorder—a lisp in his case—yet led his nation through World War II. Demosthenes stammered and was inarticulate as a youth, yet, through dedicated practice, using methods such as placing pebbles in his mouth, became a great orator of Ancient Greece. King George VI hired speech therapist Lionel Logue to enable him to speak to his Empire, and Logue effectively helped him accomplish this goal. This training and its results are the focus of the 2010 film The King's Speech. James Earl Jones has stated he was mute for many years of his youth yet he became an actor noted for the power of his voice. Mel Tillis stutters when talking but not when singing. Many people had their speech impairment only as a child and have overcome their condition.
Actors
Actress Marilyn Monroe in 1953's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
| 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 to overcome problematic consonants | |
| Emily Blunt | 1983–present | English actress who won a Golden Globe Award in 2007 | |
| Peter Bonerz | 1938–present | American actor and producer who played Jerry the orthodontist on The Bob Newhart Show | |
| Nicholas Brendon | 1971–present | American actor who serves with the Stuttering Foundation of America | |
| Jaik Campbell | 1973–present | British comedian who won British Stammering Association Writing Award in 2006 | |
| Hugh Grant | 1960–present | English actor who won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe Award in 1995 | |
| Steve Harvey | 1957–present | American television and radio presenter, actor, author, businessman, and former stand–up comedian. | |
| 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 | |
| James Earl Jones | 1931–present | American actor who overcame stuttering to become noted for his powerful voice | |
| Samuel L. Jackson | 1948–present | American actor who has appeared in over 100 films; active in Civil Rights Movement | |
| Javivi | 1961–present | Spanish actor who has appeared in films and TV series, usually in comical roles | |
| Bruno Kastner | 1890–1932 | German film actor and producer; committed suicide with the advent of sound films because of his speech impairment | |
| Harvey Keitel | 1939–present | American stage and movie actor | |
| Nicole Kidman | 1967–present | Australian actress and film producer | |
| Daniel Kitson | 1977–present | English comedian winner of the Perrier Comedy Award in 2002 | |
| Peggy Lipton | 1946–2019 | American actress who played "Julie Barnes" on The Mod Squad | |
| Drew Lynch | 1991–present | American comedian who often uses his stutter as the punchline of his jokes; brother of Stephen Lynch and Season 10 runner-up on America's Got Talent | |
| John Melendez | 1965–present | American television writer and radio personality known as "Stuttering John" | |
| Marilyn Monroe | 1926–1962 | American actress, singer, model, and sex symbol; Golden Globe Award nominee in 1956 | |
| Sam Neill | 1947–present | New Zealand actor | |
| Austin Pendleton | 1940–present | American actor, playwright, theatrical director, and instructor | |
| Rosie Perez | 1964–present | Puerto Rican-American actress | |
| Anthony Quinn | 1915–2001 | Mexican-American actor, painter, and writer | |
| Hrithik Roshan | 1974–present | Indian Bollywood actor who won numerous Best Actor awards | |
| Eric Roberts | 1956–present | American actor, Golden Globe Award nominee in 1978; brother of actress Julia Roberts | |
| Julia Roberts | 1967–present | One of the highest paid American actresses in terms of box office receipts; sister of actor Eric Roberts | |
| Tom Sizemore | 1961–2023 | American actor and producer | |
| Cole Sprouse | 1992–present | American actor, twin of Dylan Sprouse | |
| James Stewart | 1908–1997 | American film and stage actor whose stutter was a signature trait of his work | |
| Bruce Willis | 1955–present | American actor, producer, and musician |
Athletes
Basketball player Wilt Chamberlain in 1959 while a Harlem Globetrotter
| Name | Lifetime | Comments | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly Brown | 1982–present | Scottish rugby union player | |
| Rubin Carter | 1937–2014 | American boxer known as "The Hurricane" | |
| Wilt Chamberlain | 1936–1999 | American basketball player, holds numerous official NBA all-time records | |
| Johnny Damon | 1973–present | American baseball outfielder | |
| Sophie Gustafson | 1973–present | Swedish golfer | |
| Ron Harper | 1964–present | American basketball player | |
| Lester Hayes | 1955–present | American football cornerback | |
| Ben Johnson | 1961–present | Canadian sprinter | |
| Bo Jackson | 1962–present | American baseball and football player, 1985 Heisman Trophy winner | |
| Tommy John | 1943–present | American baseball pitcher | |
| Ivo Karlović | 1979–present | Croatian tennis player | |
| Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | 1993–present | American basketball player | |
| Ellis Lankster | 1987–present | American football cornerback | |
| Greg Louganis | 1960–present | American diver | |
| Bob Love | 1942–present | American basketball player | |
| Junior Ortiz | 1959–present | Puerto Rican baseball player | |
| Kenyon Martin | 1977–present | American basketball player | |
| Kenndal McArdle | 1987–present | Canadian hockey player | |
| Adrian N. Peterson | 1979–present | American football running back | |
| Wilfredo Rivera | 1969–present | Puerto Rican boxer | |
| Michael Spinks | 1956–present | American boxer who was a world champion in the light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions (1981–1988) | |
| George Springer | 1989–present | American baseball outfielder | |
| Darren Sproles | 1983–present | American football running back | |
| Jake Steinfeld | 1958–present | American actor and fitness personality who had a fitness line "Body by Jake" and TV show called Body by Jake | |
| Duane Thomas | 1947–present | American football running back | |
| Dave Taylor | 1955–present | American ice hockey player | |
| Ken Venturi | 1931–2013 | American golfer and golf broadcaster | |
| Bill Walton | 1952–present | American Basketball Hall of Famer | |
| Tiger Woods | 1975–present | American golfer, formerly ranked World No. 1 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) | |
| James Rodríguez | 1991–present | Colombian soccer player |
Politicians
| Name | Lifetime | Comments | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ed Balls | 1967–present | British Labour politician; former Member of Parliament (2005–2015) | |
| Antonio Bassolino | 1947–present | Mayor of Naples (1994–1998); President of Campania (2000–2010); member of Italian Communist Party | |
| 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–present) | |
| Winston Churchill | 1874–1965 | Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1940–1945, 1951–1955); Nobel Prize in Literature recipient in 1953 | |
| Claudius | 10 BC – 54 AD | Emperor of Rome (41–54), exaggerated his ailment in youth amid fratricidal dynastic conflicts | |
| Demosthenes | 384 – 322 BC | Ancient Greek orator and politician | |
| Proinsias De Rossa | 1940–present | Irish Labour Party politician; Member of the European Parliament (1989–1992, 1999–) | |
| Eduardo de Pedro | 1976–present | Argentine Peronist politician; Minister of the Interior (2019–) | |
| Thomas Kean | 1935–present | American politician, 48th Governor of New Jersey (1982–1990) | |
| Joacine Katar Moreira | 1982–present | Portuguese politician, Member of the Assembly of the Republic (2019–) | |
| E. M. S. Namboodiripad | 1909–1998 | Indian communist politician; Chief Minister of Kerala (1957–1959, 1967–1969) | |
| Matti Vanhanen | 1955–present | Prime Minister of Finland (2003–2010) |
Musicians
Country singer Mel Tillis in 2007 at the Grand Ole Opry
| Name | Lifetime | Comments | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marc Almond | 1957–present | English singer and songwriter | |
| Noel Gallagher | 1967–present | English singer, guitarist, and vocalist | |
| Gareth Gates | 1984–present | English singer and songwriter | |
| John Lee Hooker | 1912–2001 | American blues guitarist | |
| Scatman John | 1942–1999 | American scat singer | |
| Jim Kerr | 1959–present | Scottish singer and songwriter | |
| Alvin Lucier | 1931–2021 | American music professor and composer of experimental music | |
| Chris Martin | 1977–present | English singer, songwriter, and guitarist | |
| Kylie Minogue | 1968–present | Australian singer, songwriter, and actress | |
| Peter Murphy | 1957–present | English singer, songwriter, and actor | |
| Notker the Stammerer | c. 840 – 912 | Frankish composer, poet and scholar | |
| Ozzy Osbourne | 1948–present | English singer, songwriter and television personality | |
| Elvis Presley | 1935–1977 | American rock and roll singer | |
| 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 | |
| Rory Storm | 1938–1972 | English musician and vocalist | |
| Mel Tillis | 1932–2017 | American country singer, spokesman and honorary chairman of the Stuttering Foundation of America in 1998 | |
| Chris Trapper | 1971–present | American musician | |
| Bill Withers | 1938–2020 | American singer, songwriter, and musician | |
| Sean Dunphy | 1937–2011 | Irish singer, who represented Ireland at the 1967 Eurovision song contest | |
| Megan Washington | 1986–present | Australian singer, songwriter and musician |
Writers
| Name | Lifetime | Comments | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arnold Bennett | 1867–1931 | English journalist and novelist | |
| Michael Bentine | 1922–1996 | British comedian, script-writer, and reader of children's books | |
| Elizabeth Bowen | 1899–1973 | Irish novelist and short story writer | |
| Lewis Carroll | 1832–1898 | English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer | |
| Jim Davis | 1945–present | American cartoonist | |
| Machado de Assis | 1838–1908 | Brazilian novelist, short story writer, poet, and literary critic | |
| Margaret Drabble | 1939–present | English novelist, biographer, and literary critic | |
| Han Fei | 280 BC – 233 BC | Chinese philosopher and writer | |
| Edward Hoagland | 1932–present | American nature and travel writer | |
| Henry James | 1843–1916 | American-born writer and critic who spent most of his life in England | |
| Dylan Jones | 1960–present | British journalist and editor | |
| Somerset Maugham | 1874–1965 | English novelist, playwright, and short story writer | |
| Michael McCurdy | 1942–present | American illustrator, author, and publisher | |
| David Mitchell | 1969–present | English novelist | |
| John Montague | 1929–2016 | Irish poet | |
| Budd Schulberg | 1914–2009 | American screenwriter, television producer, novelist and sports writer | |
| David Seidler | 1937–present | British screenwriter; BAFTA and Academy Award-winning writer of The King's Speech | |
| David Shields | 1956–present | American writer of fiction and nonfiction | |
| Nevil Shute | 1899–1960 | British novelist and aeronautical engineer | |
| Peter Straub | 1943–2022 | American author and poet | |
| Kenneth Tynan | 1927–1980 | English theater critic and writer | |
| John Updike | 1932–2009 | American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic |
Others
| Name | Lifetime | Comments | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deng Ai | 197–264 | Three Kingdoms period general, Grand Commandant | |
| Prince Albert II | 1958–present | Prince of Monaco | |
| Walter Annenberg | 1908–2002 | Publisher, philanthropist, and diplomat | |
| Terry Allen | 1888–1969 | United States Army Major General during World War II | |
| Aristotle | 384 BC – 322 BC | Greek philosopher and writer | |
| 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 | |
| Howard Bingham | 1939–2016 | American photographer and biographer of Muhammad Ali | |
| Arthur Blank | 1942–present | American businessman, co-founder of The Home Depot and owner of the National Football League's Atlanta Falcons | |
| Patrick Campbell | 1913–1980 | 3rd Baron Glenavy, Irish-born British journalist, humorist and television personality | |
| Lord Carver | 1915–2001 | British Field Marshal, tank commander in World War II; Chief of the Defence Staff | |
| Lord David Cecil | 1902–1986 | British biographer, historian and professor | |
| King Charles I | 1600–1649 | King of England (1625–1649) | |
| Charles Darwin | 1809–1882 | English naturalist | |
| Harley Earl | 1893–1969 | American car designer, first vice president of design at General Motors | |
| Jake Eberts | 1941–2012 | Canadian movie producer, director, and financier | |
| King Francis I | 1494–1547 | King of France (1515–1547) | |
| Malcolm Fraser | 1903–1994 | American philanthropist and businessman | |
| Philip French | 1933–2015 | Film critic and BBC radio producer | |
| King George VI | 1895–1952 | King of the United Kingdom | |
| Annie Glenn | 1920–2020 | Wife of astronaut and United States Senator John Glenn; She was inducted into the National Stuttering Association Hall of Fame. | |
| Sidney Gottlieb | 1918–1999 | American chemist who worked with the Central Intelligence Agency | |
| Vernon Hill | 1945–present | American banker | |
| King James II | 1633–1701 | King of England (1685–1688) | |
| Wendell Johnson | 1906–1965 | American psychologist, stutter research | |
| King Louis the Stammerer | 846–879 | King of Aquitaine and West Francia | |
| Emperor Michael II | 770–829 | Byzantine emperor, founder of the Amorian (Phrygian) dynasty | |
| Adam Michnik | 1946–present | Polish editor, historian, essayist, and political commentator | |
| Isaac Newton | 1642–1727 | English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian | |
| Bruce Oldfield | 1950–present | British fashion designer | |
| Jerzy Owsiak | 1953–present | Polish journalist, social campaigner | |
| King Peter I | 1320–1367 | King of Portugal (1357–1367) | |
| Alan Rabinowitz | 1953–2018 | American zoologist, conservationist, field biologist, and President and CEO of Panthera | |
| Alfred Rehder | 1863–1949 | German-American botanist, Harvard professor | |
| John Stossel | 1947–present | American consumer reporter, investigative journalist, author, and libertarian columnist | |
| Niccolò Fontana Tartaglia | 1499–1557 | Italian mathematician, engineer, and surveyor | |
| Alan Turing | 1912–1954 | Mathematician | |
| Jack Welch | 1935–2020 | American chemical engineer, businessman, and author | |
| Ludwig Wittgenstein | 1889–1951 | Austrian philosopher | |
| Charles Van Riper | 1905–1994 | speech pathologist |