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List of people from Colorado facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Colorado in United States
The location of the State of Colorado in the United States

This is a list of some notable people who have lived in the U.S. State of Colorado. It includes people who were born, raised, or have significant relations with the state.

Coloradans have been prominent in many fields, including literature, entertainment, art, music, politics, and business. This list attempts to maintain biographical notability of significant Coloradans, and to organize historically important men and women hailing from Colorado.

Actors

Jake Lloyd
Jake Lloyd (a.k.a. young Anakin Skywalker)
  • Amy Adams (raised in Castle Rock, alumnus of Douglas County High School) – actress, nominated five times for an Oscar for performances in Junebug, Doubt, The Fighter, The Master and American Hustle
  • Tim Allen (born in Denver) – film and television actor, comedian, winner of a Golden Globe Award (1993, nominated six times); star of The Santa Clause, Toy Story and the television series Home Improvement and Last Man Standing
  • Baby Marie (real name Marie Osborne; born in Denver) – film actress and costumer, starred in numerous silent films as a child
  • Roseanne Barr (lived in Denver) – film and television actress, comedian; Golden Globe Award winner, and a Primetime Emmy Award winner; starred in Roseanne and was host of The Roseanne Show
  • Earl W. Bascom (cowboyed in Northwest Colorado) – film and television actor in Hollywood western The Lawless Rider and in television commercials with Roy Rogers
  • Barbara Bates (born in Denver) – actress, featured in such films as All About Eve and The Caddy
  • Melissa Benoist (born in Houston, Texas; raised in Littleton, Colorado – actress and singer, star of 2015 television series Supergirl
  • Jessica Biel (born in MN and lived in Boulder) – film and television actress, starred in 7th Heaven and films including Easy Virtue, The Illusionist and Playing for Keeps
  • Julie Bishop (born in Denver) – actress featured in many 1930s and 1940s films
  • Kelly Bishop (born in Colorado Springs; raised in Denver) – film and television actress, played Emily Gilmore on Gilmore Girls
  • Michael Boatman (born in Colorado Springs) – film and television actor, co-starred in such TV shows as Spin City, China Beach, Arliss
  • Frank Bogert (born in Mesa, Colorado) – rodeo announcer, actor, author, Mayor of Palm Springs California, Walk of Stars honoree
  • Sierra Boggess (born in Denver) – actress and singer; Laurence Olivier Award and Drama Desk Award-nominated Broadway and West End soprano; originated parts of Christine Daae in Love Never Dies and Ariel in The Little Mermaid
  • Tom Bower (born in Denver) – film and television actor, played Dr. Curtis Willard on The Waltons
  • Jason Brooks (born in Colorado Springs) – film and television actor, played Sean Monroe on Baywatch Hawaii and Peter Blake on Days of Our Lives
  • Zachery Ty Bryan (born in Aurora) – film and television actor, starred in Home Improvement
  • Molly Burnett (born in Denver) – television actress, starred on Days of Our Lives
  • Spring Byington (born in Colorado Springs) – actress, star of many films and television series; December Bride
  • Mary Jo Catlett (born in Denver) – film and television actress, played Pearl Gallagher, the housekeeper, on Diff'rent Strokes and does the voice of Mrs. Puff on SpongeBob SquarePants
  • Kristin Cavallari (born in Denver) – reality television personality and actress best known for appearing in MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and The Hills
  • Lon Chaney (born in Colorado Springs) – actor in films of 1910s and 1920s, subject of biographical film Man of a Thousand Faces
  • "Baby" Lyssa Chapman (born 1987 Denver) – bounty hunter and television personality
  • Beth Chapman (born in Denver) – bounty hunter and television personality
  • Duane "Dog" Chapman (born 1953 in Denver) – bounty hunter and television personality
  • Don Cheadle (alumnus of East High School) – actor, Oscar nominee and two-time Golden Globe Award winner, four-time Emmy Award nominee and Grammy winner; known for films Boogie Nights, Hotel Rwanda, Ocean's Eleven, The Rat Pack and Iron Man 2
  • Ken Curtis (born in Las Animas; attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs) – actor, musician; starred in TV series Gunsmoke and in western films The Searchers and The Alamo
  • Kristin Davis (born in Boulder) – actress, star of Sex and the City television series and films
  • Brian Dietzen (lived in Boulder; attended University of Colorado Boulder) – actor, co-star of NCIS as the young Dr. Jimmy Palmer
  • Thomas Doerr (lives in Boulder, Colorado) – architect, author, and educator at the University of Colorado Boulder
  • Big Jack Earle (born in Denver) – silent film actor, sideshow performer and tall man
  • Ralph Edwards (born in Merino) – television host and producer known for This Is Your Life and Truth or Consequences
  • Chris Eigeman (born in Denver) – actor best known for Whit Stillman films Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco; starred in ABC's It's Like, You Know... and played Jason Stiles on Gilmore Girls
  • Douglas Fairbanks (born in Denver, attended East High School and the Colorado School of Mines) – film actor, first president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (1927–1929), posthumous winner of an honorary Academy Award (1940) and star of numerous films during the 1910s and 1920s
  • David Fincher (born in Denver) – director of such films as Zodiac, Fight Club, Seven and Gone Girl
  • Joel Geist (born in Denver) – film and television actor
  • Jacque Georgia (lives in Aurora) – actress, author, Mrs. Colorado United States 2019
  • Pam Grier (attended East High School in Denver) – actress, star of films including Foxy Brown and Jackie Brown
  • Devon Gummersall (born in Durango) – film television actor, played Brian Kraków on ABC's teen drama My So-Called Life
  • Jon Heder (born in Fort Collins) – actor, played title character in Napoleon Dynamite
  • Michael "Ffish" Hemschoot (born in Parker) – director, animator and visual effects artist in films
  • Kelo Henderson (born in Pueblo) – co-starred in 1957–1959 syndicated western television series 26 Men, based on case files of Arizona Rangers law-enforcement team
  • Gregg Henry (born in Lakewood) – film and television actor, known for his roles in Guardians of the Galaxy, Payback, Body Double and Slither, as well as playing Hollis Doyle on Scandal
  • Neil Hopkins (lived in Aurora; attended Regis Jesuit High School) – film and television actor
  • Steve Howey (lived in Lakewood); attended Green Mountain High School – film and television actor, played Van on Reba television show and has been in various films, including Bride Wars
  • Olin Howland (born in Denver) – film and television actor
  • Matt Iseman (born in Denver) – comedian, actor, television host, and winner of The New Celebrity Apprentice
  • Daniel Junge (lives in Denver) – Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker
  • Brandy Ledford (born in Denver) – actress, model
  • Sheryl Lee (grew up in Boulder, alumnus of Fairview High School) – film and television actress, played Laura Palmer and Maddy Ferguson on Twin Peaks and Dr. Sarah Church on L.A. Doctors
  • Jake Lloyd (born in Fort Collins) – film actor, played young Anakin Skywalker on Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
  • Scott Lowell (born in Denver) – film and television actor, starred in Queer as Folk
  • John Carroll Lynch (born in Boulder) – actor, starred in films including Zodiac and The Founder
  • Ross Marquand – born in Fort Collins, Colorado; attended University of Colorado Boulder) – actor, recurring main character of TV series The Walking Dead
  • Hattie McDaniel (lived in Fort Collins and Denver, attended East High School) – film and television actress, winner of an Academy Award (1940) for Gone with the Wind
  • T. J. Miller (born in Denver) – actor and stand-up comedian, voice of Tuffnut in How to Train Your Dragon and Ranger Jones in Yogi Bear, played Hud in Cloverfield
  • Bill Murray (attended Regis University in Denver) – film and television actor, comedian, starred in Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, Rushmore, and Lost in Translation
  • Tracey Needham (grew up in Denver) – film and television actress, appeared as Paige Thatcher on Life Goes On, Lt. Meg Austin on JAG, and as Inspector Candace "C. D." DeLorenzo on The Division
  • Cyrus Nowrasteh (born in Boulder) – screenwriter and director for theatrical films, television films and shows.
  • Stephen Thomas Ochsner – actor, director, musician, artist, translator and producer
  • Peter O'Fallon (born in Denver) – film and television director
  • Debra Paget (born in Denver) – actress, star of films including The Ten Commandments and Love Me Tender
  • Trey Parker (born in Conifer, alumnus of Evergreen High School, attended University of Colorado Boulder) – actor, animator, director, producer, musician, screenwriter; nominated for an Academy Award (2000) and winner of two Emmy Awards (2005 and 2007, nominated seven times); co-creator of South Park
  • Antoinette Perry (born in Denver) – stage actress and director, co-founder of the American Theatre Wing, posthumous namesake of the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, better known as the Tony Awards
  • Amanda Peterson (born in 1971 in Greeley) – film and television actress, starred in Can't Buy Me Love
  • Cassandra Peterson (also known as Elvira; lived in Colorado Springs, alumnus of Palmer High School) – film and television actress, starred in Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
  • Joseph C. Phillips (born in Denver) – actor, played Lt. Martin Kendall on The Cosby Show
  • Denver Pyle (born in Bethune) – actor featured in films including Bonnie and Clyde and on television; played Uncle Jesse in The Dukes of Hazzard
  • Brandon Quinn (born in Aurora) – actor, starred as Tommy Dawkins in Big Wolf on Campus
  • Kelly Reno (born in Pueblo) – actor, starred in film The Black Stallion and its sequel
  • Kristen Renton (born in Denver) – actress, played Morgan Hollingsworth on Days of Our Lives
  • AnnaSophia Robb (born and lives in Denver) – film and television actress, starred in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Bridge to Terabithia
  • Mark Roberts (born in Denver) – actor who appeared in over 100 films
  • Karly Rothenberg (born in Denver) – film and television actress
  • Barbara Rush (born in Denver) – actress, star of films including The Young Philadelphians, The Young Lions, Bigger Than Life, Robin and the 7 Hoods and Hombre
  • Kristen Schaal (born in Longmont) – actress and comedian, played Mel on Flight of the Conchords and Louise on Bob's Burgers
  • Charity Shea (born in Denver) – actress, starred as Samantha Best on teen drama The Best Years
  • Matt Stone (lived in Denver and Littleton, alumnus of Heritage High School and the University of Colorado Boulder) – actor, musician, producer, writer; winner of two Emmy Awards (2005 and 2007, nominated seven times); co-creator of South Park
  • Sherry Stringfield (born in Colorado Springs) – actress, starred in TV series ER
  • Tom Tully (born in Durango) – film and television actor, nominated for an Academy Award in 1955 for The Caine Mutiny, starred in CBS's police drama, The Lineup and co-starred in ABC's western TV series Shane in 1966
  • Jan-Michael Vincent (born in Denver) – film and television actor, played helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke on 1980s series Airwolf (1984–1986)
  • Frank Welker (born in Denver) – voice actor, played Fred in Scooby-Doo and Nibbler in Futurama
  • David White (born in Denver) – film and television actor, featured in TV series Bewitched
  • Sheree J. Wilson (lived in Boulder) – actress, played Alex Cahill in TV series Walker, Texas Ranger

Artists, photographers

Astronauts

Athletes

GooseGossage 8 2007
Goose Gossage
Bobby Unser - 2015 Indianapolis 500 - Sarah Stierch
Bobby Unser

Business and community leaders

  • William Bent (lived near present-day La Junta) – with his brothers, Bent established Bent's Fort trading post; became a peace negotiator between settlers and Native Americans
  • Norman E. Brinker (born in Denver; died in Colorado Springs) – restaurateur responsible for new business concepts in the restaurant field, such as the salad bar
  • Margaret Brown (lived in Colorado) – socialite, philanthropist, and activist who became famous in the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"
  • James C. Collins (born in Boulder) – business consultant, author, and lecturer on the subject of company sustainability and growth
  • Adolph Coors (lived in Golden) – based in Golden, established what is now the nation's third largest brewing company; his family has been active in Colorado politics and philanthropy
  • Charles Gates Jr. (born in Denver) – longtime president of the Gates Corporation, the world's largest maker of automotive belts and hoses
  • Elliot Handler (raised in Denver) – co-founder of Mattel; helped develop some of the biggest-selling toys in American history, including Barbie dolls, Chatty Cathy, Creepy Crawlers and Hot Wheels
  • Ruth Handler (born in Denver) – businesswoman and inventor; served as the president of the toy manufacturer Mattel and is remembered for her role in designing and marketing the Barbie doll
  • Margaret Isely (1921–1997) – peace activist and co-founder of WCPA and Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
  • Philip Isely (1915–2012) – peace activist, writer and co-founder of WCPA-GREN and Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
  • Daniel M. Lewin (born in Denver) – mathematician and entrepreneur, known for co-founding the internet company, Akamai Technologies
  • James Smith McDonnell (1899–1980) (born in Denver) – aviation pioneer and founder of McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
  • Otto Mears (born in Russia, lived in Silverton) – entrepreneur, financier, and railroad builder; founder of the Rio Grande Southern and the Silverton railroads
  • David Halliday Moffat (1839–1911) – banker, financier, industrialist, and inspiration for the Moffat Tunnel, the world's-longest railway tunnel upon its completion
  • Texas Jack Omohundro (lived and died in Leadville) – frontier scout, actor, and cowboy
  • General William Jackson Palmer (lived in Colorado Springs) – founder of Colorado Springs, developed the first narrow gauge railroad system, the Denver and Rio Grande, owned the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company in Pueblo
  • Winfield Scott Stratton (lived in Victor and Colorado Springs) – prospector, businessman and philanthropist; became a millionaire after he discovered and developed the Independence Mine; when he died he left all of his wealth for the construction of the Myron Stratton Home, for homeless and poor people
  • Horace Tabor (lived in Leadville) – prospector, businessman, and politician
  • Gertrude Vaile (1878–1954) – social worker
  • Stanley M. Wagner (1932–2013) – academic and longtime congregational rabbi of Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol-Beth Joseph

Literary figures

Military figures

Musicians

  • 3OH!3 (formed in Boulder) – electronica group; song "Don't Trust Me" from the album Want certified platinum by the RIAA
  • Laurie Anderson (lived in Boulder) – avant garde performer and musician, communications expert, writer
  • The Astronauts (formed in Boulder) – surf rock; first album along with the song "Baja" was number sixty-one in May 1963 on the Billboard 200 album chart
  • Philip Bailey (attended East High School in Denver) – singer/musician, Earth, Wind and Fire
  • Ginger Baker (lived in Parker during the 1990s – English drummer, member of Cream
  • Jello Biafra (real name Eric Boucher; born in Boulder; lived in Denver) – singer, songwriter, owner of Alternative Tentacles record label, member of the punk band Dead Kennedys
  • Big Head Todd and the Monsters (formed at the University of Colorado Boulder) – rock band; two of the band's albums have reached Billboard's Top 40 Album charts (1993, 1994), with one (Sister Sweetly) certified platinum by the RIAA
  • Tommy Bolin (lived in Boulder) – guitarist of Zephyr, James Gang, and Deep Purple
  • Breathe Carolina (born and raised in Denver) – electronica/screamo group; band consists of David Schmitt, Tommy Coops, Luis Bonet, Eric Armenta
  • Antonia Brico (lived in Denver) – conductor and pianist; was conductor of the Brico Symphony Orchestra and the Denver Symphony Orchestra
  • Chris Broderick (lived in Lakewood; attended University of Denver) – lead guitarist for thrash metal band Megadeth
  • Jesse Carmichael (born in Boulder) – keyboardist for the rock group Maroon 5
  • John Denver (real name Henry Deutschendorf Jr.; lived in Aspen) – singer, guitarist, songwriter; winner of a Grammy Award (1997) and a posthumous Grammy Hall of Fame Award (1998); inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (1996); named the official Poet Laureate of the State of Colorado (1977), with his song "Rocky Mountain High", which was named as one of the state's official songs
  • DeVotchKa (formed in Denver) – rock band, nominated for a Grammy Award (2006), assisted in composing and performing the score for the film Little Miss Sunshine
  • Larry Dunn (attended East High School in Denver) – musician/keyboards, Earth, Wind and Fire
  • Bryan Erickson (lives in Westminster) – singer, producer; member of the bands Velvet Acid Christ and Toxic Coma
  • R5
  • Flobots (formed in Denver) – Hip hop band known for the song "Handlebars" from their album Fight with Tools; board members on the non-profit organization Flobots.org, a community organization; Flobots.org was founded before the band attained any fame
  • The Fluid (formed in Denver) – grunge band
  • Dan Fogelberg – folk/soft rock/pop singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist; recorded material for some albums at Nederland, Colorado; built a recording studio, Mountain Bird Studio, in the Pagosa Springs area
  • Josephine Foster (from Fort Collins) – singer-songwriter
  • The Fray (formed in Denver) – rock band; nominated for two Grammy Awards (2007); album How to Save a Life has been certified double platinum by the RIAA; members Dave Welsh and Ben Wysocki attended Ralston Valley High School in Arvada
  • Bill Frisell (attended East High School in Denver) – jazz musician/guitarist
  • Don Grusin (born 1941 in Denver, lives in Boulder) – songwriter, producer and keyboardist
  • India.Arie (born as India Arie Simpson in Denver) – singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer; winner of two Grammy Awards (2003, nominated sixteen times); three released albums have all hit Billboard's Top 40 Albums chart and have been certified by the RIAA as either platinum or multi-platinum sellers
  • Itchy-O (formed in Denver) – electronica experimental group; approximately 40 band members performing in the audience, with marching-band drums, taiko drums, electronics, dancers, and a Chinese lion; all while masked, covered in LED lights, often with fireworks and other props such as giant puppets and flame throwers
  • Ronnie Lane (lived and died in Trinidad) – singer, songwriter, bass guitarist; member of the bands Small Faces and Faces, and founder of his own backing band Slim Chance
  • Lecrae (lived in Denver) – Christian hip hop recording artist, songwriter, record producer, and actor; president, co-owner and co-founder of the independent record label Reach Records
  • The Lumineers (based in Denver) – folk rock band
  • C.W. McCall (lived in Ouray) – country singer known for the song "Convoy" in 1975; served six years as mayor of Ouray in 1986
  • Ron Miles (attended East High School in Denver) – musician/trumpet, jazz
  • Glenn Miller (full name Alton Glenn Miller; lived in Fort Morgan and Boulder; alumnus of Fort Morgan High School and the University of Colorado Boulder) – trombonist, band leader, leader of the Glenn Miller Orchestra and the United States Army Air Force Band; at the time of his death, one fifth of all music played on jukeboxes was a Glenn Miller creation
  • Ronnie Montrose (born in Denver) – rock guitarist who led a number of his own bands as well as performing with a variety of musicians
  • Jaye P. Morgan (born in Mancos) – singer and television personality
  • OneRepublic (formed in Colorado Springs) – rock band; album Dreaming Out Loud has been certified platinum by the RIAA
  • Günther Johannes Paetsch (born in Germany, lived in Colorado Springs) was a cellist and co-founder of the Paetsch Family Chamber Music Ensemble in Colorado Springs
  • Pretty Lights (from Fort Collins)
  • The Samples (formed in Boulder) – reggae-influenced rock/pop group
  • Tickle Me Pink (formed in Fort Collins) – signed to Wind-Up Records; debut album Madeline
  • Townes Van Zandt (lived in Boulder; briefly attended the University of Colorado) – country singer and songwriter
  • Velvet Acid Christ (based in Denver) – electro-industrial band
  • Chuck E. Weiss (grew up in Denver) – musician and subject of the 1979 Rickie Lee Jones song "Chuck E.'s in Love"
  • Paul Whiteman (born in Denver) – considered by some the "King of Jazz"; after selling two million records with the song "The Japanese Sandman", Whiteman added to his fame by being one of the first nationally broadcast jazz musicians; remembered for his ability to fuse jazz and classical in hits like Rhapsody in Blue and "Whispering"
  • Kip Winger (born in Denver) – singer and bassist for the 1980s hair metal band Winger, which had hit songs such as "Seventeen" and "Headed for a Heartbreak"; since band's breakup in 1994, Winger has continued as a solo artist
  • Andrew Woolfolk (attended East High School in Denver) – musician/alto saxophone, Earth, Wind and Fire
  • Yonder Mountain String Band (based in Nederland) – bluegrass jam band whose fan base has been fueled primarily through live performances since their inception in 1998; self-titled 2006 studio album was the band's first release with a major label
  • Ace Young (born and raised in Denver) – American Idol finalist

Politicians

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

Other notable people

Judge Gorsuch official portrait
Justice Neil Gorsuch

See also

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List of people from Colorado Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.