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 perceive stuttering; 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—and led his nation through World War II. Demosthenes stammered and was inarticulate as a youth, and, 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 more easily 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, and 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 during childhood.

Actors

Actors with stutters

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 radio personality known as "Stuttering John"
Ezra Miller	1992–present	American actor
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
Claude Rains	1889–1967	British actor whose career spanned nearly 7 decades, Tony-award winning actor
Bob Newhart	1929–Present	American actor and comedian, known for his intentional stammer (that is real)
Jeanne Little	1938–2020	Australian entertainer, comedienne and television personality
Joe Dougherty	1898–1978	American actor, provided the original voice of Porky Pig
David Tomlinson	1917–2000	English actor and comedian
Frankie Howerd	1917–1992	English actor and comedian
Louis Jouvet	1887–1951	French actor, theatre director and filmmaker
Nicholas Parsons	1923–2020	English actor, and radio and television presenter
Thane Bettany	1929-2015	English actor and dancer
James Nutcombe Gould	1849-1899	English stage actor
Boris Karloff	1887-1969	English actor, voice of Grinch
Philip Lowrie	1936-Present	English actor
Kenneth Colley	1937-Present	English actor
Don Fellows	1922-2007	American actor in British theater and television

Athletes

Athletes with stutters

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
Mason Massey	1997–present	American racing driver
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	1952–2024	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
Robert DiPierdomenico	1958–present	Australian rules footballer
Jumbo Elliott	1915-1981	American track and field coach
Josh Allen	1997-Present	American football linebacker
Al Hostak	1916-2006	American boxer

Politicians

Politicians with stutters

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)
John Wilson Croker	1780–1857	Anglo-Irish Member of Parliament
Nicolae Ceaușescu	1918–1989	Romanian communist leader
William Dennison	1905–1981	Canadian politician and City of Toronto mayor
Honório Hermeto Carneiro Leão, Marquis of Paraná	1801-1856	Brazilian politician, diplomat, judge, and monarchist
John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough	1781-1847	British Whig politician

Musicians

Singers and musicians with stutters

Name	Lifetime	Comments	Reference(s)
Marc Almond	1957–present	English singer and songwriter
Hugo Cole	1917–1995	English composer, cellist and music critic
Sean Dunphy	1937–2011	Irish singer, who represented Ireland at the 1967 Eurovision song contest
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 pianist
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
Megan Washington	1986–present	Australian singer, songwriter and musician

Writers

Writers with stutters

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, FeiHan 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	1942–2016	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
Katharine Preston	Living	British writer and public speaker
Jordan Scott	Living	Canadian poet
Armin Steigenberger	1965-Present	German poet, novelist, writer, literary editor, and musician

Others

Other people with stutters

Name	Lifetime	Comments	Reference(s)
Deng Ai	197–264	Three Kingdoms period general, Grand Commandant
Prince Albert II	1958–present	Prince of Monaco
Terry Allen	1888–1969	United States Army Major General during World War II
Walter Annenberg	1908–2002	Publisher, philanthropist, and diplomat
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
Charles Sidney Bluemel	1884–1960	British-American psychiatrist; researcher on stuttering
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 (1936-1952)
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	British mathematician
Charles Van Riper	1905–1994	American speech pathologist
Jack Welch	1935–2020	American chemical engineer, businessman, and author
Ludwig Wittgenstein	1889–1951	Austrian philosopher
Charles Kingsley	1819–1875	Priest, historian, novelist, poet
Ezekiel Merritt	1812–1886	American fur trapper and explorer known as the leader "Ezekiel 'Stuttering Zeke' Merritt"
Gertrude Tompkins Silver	1911–1944	American Women Airforce Service Pilots member, disappeared during World War II
John William MacKay	1831–1902	Irish-American industrialist
Harold Ridley	1906-2001	English ophthalmologist who invented the introcular lens
Keith Lindsay Stewart	1896-1972	Professional soldier in New Zealand Military Forces
José Antonio Urquiza	1904-1938	Mexican integrist
Eduards Volters	1856-1941	German linguist, ethnographer, and archeologist
Harry Woolf, Baron Woolf	1933-Present	British barrister and judge
Charlotte, Princess Royal	1766-1828	Queen of Württemberg
Dekanawida	12th or 15th Century	Founder of the Iroquois Confederacy, also known as Great Peacemaker
Alison Marjorie Ashby	1901-1987	Australian botanical artist
William R. Travers	1819-1887	American lawyer and socialite. Called "the most popular man of New York