Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman made headlines recently for his sizable $1 million contribution to a pro-Obama super PAC, but he's hardly the only celebrity who cut a check in support of a presidential hopeful.
Members of the entertainment industry have a long history of sending money to their preferred presidential candidates, usually but not exclusively to Democrats. Below is a non-comprehensive list of some of the celebrities past and present who made a donation in May or June to the major political committees involved in the 2012 race for the White House.
OBAMA CAMPAIGN:
Actors & Actresses
Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights"): $3,250 in June, $5,000 to date
Sam Waterston ("Law and Order"): $2,250 in June, $5,000 to date
Ian Somerhalder ("Lost," "Vampire Diaries") : $2,500
Olivia Wilde ("House MD," "Cowboys & Aliens") : $2,500
Johnny Galecki ("Roseanne," "Big Bang Theory"): $2,500
Maria Bello ("Prime Suspect"): $2,500
Ronald Guttman ("Mad Men"): $2,075 in June, $4,825 to date
Tyne Daly ("Cagney & Lacey"): $2,000
Susan Saint James ("Kate & Allie," "McMillan & Wife"): $2,000
Holland Taylor ("Two and a Half Men"): $1,000 in June, $2,000 to date
Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"): $1,850
Chris Pratt ("Parks and Recreation"): $1,000
Aisha Tyler ("The Talk" co-host): $1,000
Directors
Rob Minkoff ("The Lion King"): $2,500
Musicians
Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz: $2,500
Peter Frampton: $2,500 to Obama campaign
Toni Tennille of The Captain and Tennille: $1,000 in June, $2,000 to date
Yvonne Staples of The Staples Singers: $1,000 in June, $2,000 to date
OBAMA VICTORY FUND:
Bette Midler: $50,000 in June, $60,000 to date
Martin Von Haselberg (actor, Midler's husband): $50,000
Billy Crystal: $40,000
Kirk Douglas: $40,000
Robert Downey, Jr.: $40,000
Eddie Murphy: $40,000
Tom Hanks: $35,800 (in May)
Rita Wilson: $35,800 (in May)
Connie Britton ("Friday Night Lights"): $27,500
Anne Hathaway ("The Dark Knight Rises"): $25,000
Jamie Lee Curtis ("Halloween," "Trading Places"): $2,000 in June, $14,000 to date
Wendie Malick ("Hot in Cleveland"): $2,500
Marsha Mason ("The Goodbye Girl"): $1,500 in June, $2,500 to date
Bridget Fonda ("Jackie Brown"): $600 in June, $2,000 to date
Tate Donovan ("Damages," "The O.C."): $125 in June, $1,622 to date
Jason Sudeikis ("Saturday Night Live"): $500
Kristin Chenoweth ("Wicked," "GCB"): $500
Topher Grace ("That 70s Show"): $500
Bernadette Peters ("The Jerk"): $250
PRIORITIES USA (pro-Obama super PAC):
Morgan Freeman ("The Dark Knight Rises," "Million Dollar Baby"): $1 million
ROMNEY CAMPAIGN:
John Rich (Country singer, "Celebrity Apprentice" winner): $2,500
ROMNEY VICTORY FUND:
Film producer Jerry Bruckheimer and wife: $25,000
Scott Baio ("Arrested Development, ""Happy Days") and wife: $12,500
Vince McMahon (Professional wrestling executive) & Linda McMahon (Conn. Senate hopeful): $9,910
RESTORE OUR FUTURE (pro-Romney super PAC):
Vince McMahon (Professional wrestling executive) & Linda McMahon (Conn. Senate hopeful): $150,000
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