Take a look around the neighborhood and there just might have been an amazing someone that walked down the same streets, forming the talents, skills and personalities that one day would make them a sparkle in the public eye.

A new book, "Pittsburgh Born, Pittsburgh Bred," profiles 500 Pittsburgh area people who have significantly impacted American culture. Readers might be surprised perusing the pages, reading how Pittsburgh affects pop culture -- whether it be natives nearly inventing Hollywood, making sports history or creating the jazz music scene.

The endless list includes the well known -- Art Rooney, Demi Moore, Christina Aguilera. It also details the not-so-well-known, from Jay and Alan Livingston of McDonald, who, respectively, wrote theme songs for TV's Mr. Ed and Bonanza, and signed The Beatles to Capitol Records, to the Mr. Yuk poison sticker and famous photographer Regina Fisher.

"The book reflects two things about Pittsburghers: One, There is a foundation of hard work, so many of these people came from nothing and worked very hard for what they did," said co-author Abby Mendelson, 60, of Squirrel Hill. "Two, our guys establish excellence by wanting to do more than enough. By and by, they established a level of excellence for a town this size unmatched in America."

Mendelson joined Prentiss Orr and Tripp Clarke in selecting, researching and writing the profiles. Orr, 52, of Fox Chapel, conceived the idea for the city's 250th anniversary celebration.

Narrowing down the original list of more than 650 significant people proved to be more difficult than thought.

"We had a criteria of being born or bred or, for sports, beginning a career as a rookie. And being geographically close to Pittsburgh, meaning no further east that Holidaysburg, where Hedda Hopper (silent film actress and famed columnist) originated," Orr said.

The book doesn't just include kings of industry and creators of all things mechanical. It doesn't showcase engineers, lawyers, doctors or other professionals, but more of the artistic type -- the Andy Warhol-esque (yes, a Pittsburgher) characters that may even have been behind the scenes.

Cutting down lists

"It was a struggle we faced, cutting down those names," Mendelson said. "It was like fitting Moby Dick in a sardine can when we were writing about these people."

Those who worked hard at perfecting their skills were included, such as inventors John Brashear and George Westinghouse, who Andrew Carnegie is quoted as discussing when he said, "It is ... astonishing how many of the world's foremost men have begun as manual laborers."

"These people cut their teeth working hard in Pittsburgh," Clarke, of Aspinwall, said. "These are people that you might not know who they are, but you surely remember what they did."

Pittsburgh even helped invent Hollywood. A number of silent actors appeared on-screen, and have been award nominees (Oscar included). Others stood behind the scenes, signing talent and launching companies. Sharon Stone; Amadeus and Star Trek star F. Murray Abraham, and production company greats The Warner Bros. hailed from Pittsburgh area.

Pittsburghers also have heavily impacted the sports scene, including record-setters and medal-winners Central Catholic High School student Dan Marino (affectionately referred to as 'Danny' by the authors), University of Pittsburgh running back and NFL star Tony Dorsett and boxer Billy Conn.

It took about a year and a half to complete the book, which is published through the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.

"Perhaps more than any other city or region, Pittsburgh shaped the commerce, industry and artistry of our world," said Andrew Masich, president and CEO of Heinz history center. "This book is a celebration of those people and this place."

Clarke also produced 22 profiles, including some featured in the book, for radio station WYEP. They will air during May.

Purchase this book at Aspinwall Book Shoppe on Brilliant Avenue, Borders in The Waterworks and on-line at www.pghhistory.org or www.pgh250.net.