List of people from Colorado

This is a list of people from the state of Colorado, whether they lived, were born, or were raised there.

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 and entertainers

• Amy Adams (raised in Castle Rock, alumnus of Douglas County High School) – Film and television actress. Nominated for an Academy Award (2005), a Screen Actors Guild Award (2006), and a Golden Globe Award (2008). Starred in Junebug and Enchanted.^[1]

• Tim Allen (born in Denver) – Film and television actor, comedian. Winner of a Golden Globe Award (1993, nominated five times) and nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award (1993).^[2] Starred in Home Improvement.

• 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. Winner of a Golden Globe Award (1993, nominated five times), nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award (1995), winner of a Primetime Emmy Award (1993, nominated four times), and nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award (1999).^[3] Starred in Roseanne and was the host of The Roseanne Show.

• Jessica Biel (lived in Boulder) – Film and television actress. Starred in 7th Heaven.

• 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, and The Jackie Thomas Show.

• Sierra Boggess (born in Denver) A Laurence Olivier Award and Drama Desk Award nominated Broadway and West End soprano. Originated the parts of Christine Daae in "Love Never Dies" and Ariel in " The Little Mermaid" and also starred in The Phantom of the Opera 25th Annivery performance.

• Tom Bower (born in Denver) – Film and TV 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.

• Matthew Carey (born in Denver) – Film and TV actor

• Mary Jo Catlett (born in Denver) – Film and TV 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 tv 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) – Late film actor. Starred in numerous films of the 1910s and 1920s.

• Duane "Dog" Chapman (born 1953 in Denver) – Bounty hunter and television personality.

• Beth Chapman (Born 1967 Denver) – Bounty hunter and television personality.

• 'Baby' Lyssa Chapman (Born 1987 Denver) – Bounty hunter and television personality.

• Don Cheadle (lived in Denver, Colorado, alumnus of East High School) – Film and television actor. Nominated for an Academy Award (2005), winner of a Golden Globe Award (1999, nominated twice), winner of two Screen Actors Guild Awards (2001 and 2006, nominated seven times), and nominated four times for an Emmy Award.^[4] Starred in Devil in a Blue Dress, Boogie Nights, Traffic, Hotel Rwanda, and Crash.

• Gil Christner (born in Aurora) – Film and TV actor.

• Ken Curtis (Born in Las Animas, Colorado attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs) – Actor, musician. Starred in Gunsmoke

• Brian Dietzen (lived in Boulder; attended University of Colorado in Boulder) – Actor. Co-stars on NCIS as the young Dr. Jimmy Palmer.

• Big Jack Earle (born in Denver) – American silent film actor, sideshow performer and tall man.

• Ralph Edwards (born in Merino) – Late television host and producer. Long-time host and producer of Truth or Consequences.

• Chris Eigeman (born in Denver) – Actor best known for his roles in the Whit Stillman films Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco. He has also 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) – Late film actor. First president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (1927–1929), and posthumous winner of an honorary Academy Award (1940).^[5] Starred in and produced numerous films during the 1910s and 1920s.

• David Fincher (born in Denver) – Director of such films as Zodiac and Fight Club.

• Joel Geist (born in Denver) – Film and TV actor

• Pam Grier (attended East High School in Denver) – American actress. Known for roles in Foxy Brown and Jackie Brown.

• Devon Gummersall (born in Durango) – TV and film actor. Played Brian Kraków on ABC's teen drama My So-Called Life

• Kelo Henderson (born in Pueblo) – Co-starred in the 1957-1959 syndicated western television series 26 Men, based on case files of the Arizona Rangers law-enforcement team.

• Neil Hopkins (lived in Aurora; attended Regis Jesuit High School) – Film and TV actor

• Steve Howey (lived in Lakewood, Colorado); attended Green Mountain High school. Film and TV actor. Played on Reba television show and has been in various films, including Bride Wars.

• Olin Howland (born in Denver) – Late film and television actor.

• Brandy Ledford (born in Denver) – Actress, model, former Penthouse Pet of the Year. Played Dawn Masterton on Baywatch and Doyle on Andromeda.

• 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.

• Hattie McDaniel (lived in Fort Collins and Denver, attended East High School) – Late film and television actress. Winner of an Academy Award (1940). Starred in Gone with the Wind.

• T. J. Miller (born in Denver) – Actor and stand-up comedian, best known as playing the voice of Tuffnut in How to Train Your Dragon, Ranger Jones in Yogi Bear, and Hud in Cloverfield.

• Bill Murray (attended Regis University in Denver) – Film and television actor, comedian. Starred in Saturday Night Live, Ghostbusters, Rushmore, and Lost in Translation.

• Tracey Needham (grew up in Denver) – Film and television actress, best known 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, TV shows and made-for-TV movies. His notable works include the controversial miniseries The Path to 9/11, the drama film The Stoning of Soraya M., and the made-for-TV film The Day Reagan Was Shot.

• Peter O'Fallon (born in Denver) – Film and television director. Created the NBC sci-fi/drama series Mysterious Ways. Directed such films as Suicide Kings and A Rumor of Angels.

• Amanda Peterson (born in 1971 in Greeley) – Film and television actress. Starred in Can't Buy Me Love.

• Trey Parker (born in Conifer, alumnus of Evergreen High School, attended University of Colorado at 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).^[6] Co-creator of South Park.

• Antoinette Perry (born in Denver) – Late 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.^[7]

• 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, played Uncle Jesse in The Dukes of Hazzard.

• Brandon Quinn (born in Aurora) – actor, starred as Tommy Dawkins in Big Wolf on Campus.

• Kristen Renton (born in Denver) – actress, played Morgan Hollingsworth on Days of our Lives

• AnnaSophia Robb (born and currently lives in Denver) – Film and television actress. Starred in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Bridge to Terabithia.

• Mark Roberts (born in Denver) – Film and television actor who appeared in over 100 films.

• Mike Rosen (Colorado resident for 30 years); prominent Colorado political talk show host; has often subbed for nationally syndicated talk show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh.

• Karly Rothenberg (born in Denver) – Film and TV actress.

• Kristen Schaal (born in Longmont) – actress and comedienne, played Mel on Flight of the Conchords and Louise on Bob's Burgers

• Charity Shea (born in Denver) – actress. Starred as Samantha Best on the teen drama, The Best Years

• Matt Stone (lived in Denver and Littleton, alumnus of Heritage High School and the University of Colorado at Boulder) – Actor, musician, producer, writer. Winner of two Emmy Awards (2005 and 2007, nominated seven times).^[8] Co-creator of South Park.

• Sherry Stringfield (born in Colorado Springs) – Actress. Starred in ER.

• Tom Tully (born in Durango) – Late film and television actor. Nominated for an Academy Award in 1955. Starred in CBS's police drama, The Lineup and co-starred in ABC's western TV series, Shane in 1966.

• Frank Welker (born in Denver) – voice over artist for various cartoons and films.

Artists

• Robert Adams (lived in Colorado) – Photographer of the western landscape. Uses the images to express the relationship between Man and the environment. Has received two John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowships, the McArthur Foundation's "genius" Grant, and has worked on the permanent collections of several museums including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.^[9]
• Earl W. Bascom (lived in Colorado) – Artist, sculptor known as the "Cowboy of Cowboy Artists", a cousin to western artist Frederic Remington, lived and worked in Northwest Colorado during the late 1920s.
• John Fabian Carlson (lived in Colorado Springs) – Late painter. Director and an instructor at the Broadmoor Academy, a precursor to the current Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.^[10] Also founder of the John F. Carlson School of Landscape Painting.^[11]
• Tomory Dodge born in Denver; alumnus of South High School (Denver) with paintings in public collections including The Whitney Museum of American Art and Smithsonian American Art Museum.
• Jess E. DuBois born in Denver; passionate about Indian art
• John Fielder Landscape photographer and nature writer
• William Henry Jackson (lived in Denver) – Starting as photographer for the United States Geological Survey and Union Pacific Railroad, he created one of the largest and most expansive western photographic collections in the world. He opened his own private photo gallery in 1879, and died Colorado’s preeminent photographer.^[12]
• David Burroughs Mattingly (born in Fort Collins); illustrator and painter best known for his numerous book covers of science fiction and fantasy literature.
• Arthur Roy Mitchell (born in Trinidad; alumnus of Grand Central School of Art in New York City, specialized in western paintings and religious sculpture.
• Robert Reid (lived in Colorado Springs) – Late painter. Instructor at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Cooper Union, and the Broadmoor Academy.^[10]

Astronauts

• George Love (born 1936) Mission Specialist on STS-51-F.
• Jeffrey Ashby (born 1954) Pilot of STS-93 and STS-100; Commander of STS-112.
• Patrick Baudry (born 1946) Payload Specialist on STS-51-G.
• John E. Blaha (born 1942) Pilot of STS-29 and STS-33; Commander of STS-43 and STS-58; Mission Specialist on STS-79 and STS-81 with 4-month flight aboard Mir space station (1996–1997).
• Michael J. Bloomfield (born 1959) Pilot of STS-86 and STS-97; Commander of STS-110 .
• Karol J. Bobko (born 1937) Pilot of STS-6; Commander of STS-51-D and STS-51-J.
• Eric A. Boe (born 1964) Pilot of STS-126.
• Vance D. Brand (born 1931) Mercury astronaut; Apollo Docking Module Pilot on the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project; Commander of STS-5, STS-41-B, and STS-35.
• Roy D. Bridges, Jr. (born 1943) Pilot of STS-51-F; Director of the Kennedy Space Center (1997–2003); Director of Langley Research Center (2003–2005).
• Curtis Brown (born 1956) Pilot of STS-47, STS-66, and STS-77; Commander of STS-85, STS-95, and STS-103.
• Scott Carpenter (born 1925) Pilot of Mercury-Atlas 7 (Aurora 7); fourth human to orbit the Earth (1962).
• Gerald P. Carr (born 1932) Commander of Skylab 4 (1973–1974).
• John Casper (born 1943) Pilot of STS-36; Commander of STS-54, STS-62, and STS-77.
• Kalpana Chawla (1961–2003) Mission Specialist on STS-87 and STS-107; killed on February 1, 2003, on the reentry of the Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-107.
• Kevin P. Chilton (born 1954) Pilot of STS-49 and STS-59; Commander of STS-76.
• Mary L. Cleave (born 1947) Mission Specialist on STS-61-B and STS-30.
• Gordon Cooper (1927–2004) Pilot of Mercury-Atlas 9 (Faith 7); Command Pilot of Gemini V.
• Richard O. Covey (born 1946) Pilot of STS-51-I and STS-26; Commander of STS-38 and STS-61.
• Takao Doi (born 1954) Mission Specialist on STS-87.
• B. Alvin Drew (born 1962) Mission Specialist on STS-118.
• Brian Duffy (born 1953) Pilot of STS-45 and STS-57; Commander of STS-72 and STS-92.
• Samuel T. Durrance (born 1943) Payload Specialist on STS-35 and STS-67.
• James Dutton (born 1968) Pilot of STS-131.
• Martin J. Fettman (born 1956) Payload Specialist on STS-58.
• Dale Gardner (born 1948) Mission Specialist on STS-8 and STS-51-A.
• Guy Gardner (born 1948) Pilot of STS-27 and STS-35.
• Ronald J. Grabe (born 1945) Pilot of STS-51-J and STS-30; Commander of STS-42 and STS-57.
• Frederick D. Gregory (born 1941) Pilot of STS-51-B; Commander of STS-33 and STS-44.
• William G. Gregory (born 1957) Pilot of STS-67.
• Sidney M. Gutierrez (born 1951) Pilot of STS-40; Commander of STS-59.
• James D. Halsell (born 1956) Pilot of STS-65 and STS-74; Commander of STS-83, STS-94, and STS-101.
• L. Blaine Hammond (born 1952) Pilot of STS-39 and STS-64.
• Susan J. Helms (born 1958) Mission Specialist on STS-54, STS-64, STS-78, STS-101, STS-102, and STS-105; Flight Engineer of International Space Station Expedition 2 (2001).
• Terence T. Henricks (born 1952) Pilot of STS-44 and STS-55; Commander of STS-70 and STS-78.
• John Herrington (born 1958) Mission Specialist on STS-113.
• Richard Hieb (born 1955) Mission Specialist on STS-39, STS-49, and STS-65.
• James Irwin (1930–1991) Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 15; eighth human to walk on the moon (1971).
• Marsha Ivins (born 1951) Mission Specialist on STS-32, STS-46, STS-62, STS-81, and STS-98.
• Gregory H. Johnson (born 1962) Pilot of STS-123 and STS-134.
• Thomas D. Jones (born 1955) Mission Specialist on STS-59, STS-80, and STS-98; Payload Commander on STS-68.
• James M. Kelly (born 1964) Pilot of STS-102 and STS-114.
• Kevin R. Kregel (born 1956) Pilot of STS-70 and STS-78; Commander of STS-87 and STS-99.
• Mark C. Lee (1952) Mission Specialist on STS-30, STS-64, and STS-82; Payload Commander of STS-47.
• Steven W. Lindsey (born 1960) Pilot of STS-87 and STS-95; Commander of STS-104 and STS-121.
• John M. Lounge (born 1946) Mission Specialist on STS-51-I, STS-26, and STS-35.
• Donald R. McMonagle (born 1952) Mission Specialist on STS-39; Pilot of STS-54; Commander of STS-66.
• Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger (born 1975) Mission Specialist on STS-131.
• George Nelson (1950-) Mission Specialist on STS-41-C, STS-61-C, and STS-26.
• Ellison Onizuka (1946–1986) Mission Specialist on STS-51-C and STS-51-L; killed on January 28, 1986, on the ascent of the Space Shuttle Challenger during STS-51-L.
• William A. Pailes (born 1952) Payload Specialist on STS-51-J.
• Scott E. Parazynski (born 1961) Payload Specialist on STS-66; Mission Specialist on STS-86, STS-95, STS-100, and STS-120.
• Charles J. Precourt (born 1955) Mission Specialist on STS-55; Pilot of STS-71; Commander of STS-84 and STS-91.
• Kent Rominger (born 1956) Pilot of STS-73, STS-80, and STS-85; Commander of STS-96 and STS-100.
• Stuart Roosa (1933–1994) Command Module Pilot on Apollo 14; eleventh human to orbit the moon (1971).
• Richard A. Searfoss (born 1956) Pilot of STS-58 and STS-76; Commander of STS-90.
• Ronald M. Sega (born 1952) Mission Specialist on STS-60 and STS-76.
• Loren Shriver (born 1944) Pilot of STS-41-B; Commander of STS-31 and STS-46.
• Robert L. Stewart (born 1942) Mission Specialist on STS-41-C and STS-51-J.
• Steven Swanson (born 1960) Mission Specialist on STS-117 and STS-119.
• Jack Swigert (1931–1982) Command Module Pilot on the imperilled Apollo 13 mission; ninth human to orbit the moon (1971); recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom; elected to the United States Congress, but died before taking office.
• Joseph R. Tanner (born 1950) Mission Specialist on STS-66, STS-82, STS-97, and STS-115.
• James van Hoften (born 1944) Mission Specialist on STS-41-C and STS-51-I.
• Charles L. Veach (born 1944) Mission Specialist on STS-39 and STS-52.
• Terry W. Virts (born 1967) Pilot of STS-130.
• James Voss (born 1949) Mission Specialist on STS-44, STS-53, STS-69, STS-101, STS-102, and STS-105; Flight Engineer of International Space Station Expedition 2 (2001).

Athletes

• David Aardsma (lived in Greenwood Village; alumnus of Cherry Creek High School) – Major League Baseball player, currently the closer for the Seattle Mariners.

• Louis Amundson (grew up in Boulder; alumnus of Monarch High School) – NBA power forward/center for the Indiana Pacers.

• Tom Ashworth (born in Denver; alumnus of Cherry Creek High School and the University of Colorado at Boulder) – Player in the National Football League, most recently as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. Member of three NFL Super Bowl champion teams (Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX, all with the New England Patriots).

• Josh Bard (born in Ithaca, New York but would move to Greenwood Village; alumnus of Cherry Creek High School) – Catcher for the Seattle Mariners.

• Earl W. Bascom (lived in Colorado) – Rodeo champion and Hall of Famer, invented and made rodeo's first hornless bronc saddle and rodeo's first one-hand bareback rigging, called the "Father of Modern Rodeo," lived on the White Bear Ranch in Northwest Colorado in the late 1920s, married a cousin of Jack Dempsey.^[13]

• Chauncey Billups (born and raised in Denver; alumnus of George Washington High School and the University of Colorado at Boulder) – Player in the National Basketball Association, formerly a member of the Denver Nuggets, currently a member of the Los Angeles Clippers. Member of the NBA Finals champion Pistons team (2004). Selected as MVP of the NBA Finals (2004) and three times for the NBA All-Star Game (2006, 2007 and 2008).

• Jeremy Bloom (born in Loveland; alumnus of Loveland High School and the University of Colorado at Boulder) – Olympic and World champion freestyle moguls skier. Played football for the University of Colorado and former player in the National Football League, drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles.

• Ronnie Bradford (lived in Commerce City; alumnus of Adams City High School and the University of Colorado at Boulder) – Former player in the National Football League (1993–2002) as a member of the Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings. Currently the special teams coach of the Broncos.

• E.H. "Dutch" Clark (born in Fowler); alumnus of Pueblo Central High School and Colorado College; Colorado's first All-American football player; player and coach for the Detroit Lions in the 1930s; charter member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

• Jon Cooper (born in Fort Collins; alumnus of Fort Collins High School) – Center for the Minnesota Vikings.

• Jesse Crain (lived in Boulder; alumnus of Fairview High School) – Relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.

• Mason Crosby (alumni of The University of Colorado at Boulder) – Currently plays in the National Football League as a member of the Green Bay Packers.

• Joe DeCamillis (born in Arvada) – Special Teams coach for the Dallas Cowboys.

• Jack Dempsey (born in Manassa) – Late professional boxer. Nicknamed "the Manassa Mauler". Regarded as boxing's World Heavyweight Champion from 1919 to 1926.^[14] Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (1990). Author of two books relating to hand-to-hand combat.

• Joel Dreessen (lived in Fort Morgan; alumnus of Fort Morgan High School) – Tight end and long snapper for the Houston Texans.

• Justin Drescher (born in Colorado Springs) – Long snapper for the New Orleans Saints.

• John Elway (lives in Englewood) – Former player in the National Football League (1984–1999) as a member of the Denver Broncos. Currently part-owner of the Colorado Crush, a team in the Arena Football League. Member of two NFL Super Bowl champion teams (Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII). Selected as the NFL MVP (1987), the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII, twice as the UPI AFC Offensive Player of the Year (1987 and 1993), five times for the AP NFL All-Pro team, and nine times for the NFL Pro Bowl. Inducted into the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame (1999), College Football Hall of Fame (2000), and the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2004).

• Alex English (lived in Denver) – Former player in the National Basketball Association (1976–1991) as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks. Currently an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors. Selected seven times for the NBA All-Star Game. Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame (1997).

• Brian Fisher (born in Denver, lives in Aurora. Former Major League Baseball pitcher with New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates.

• Richard "Goose" Gossage (born in Colorado Springs, lives in Highlands Ranch) – Former Major League Baseball player (1972–1994) as a member of the Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners. Nicknamed "Goose". Member of the MLB World Series champion Yankees team in 1978. Selected twelve times for the MLB All-Star Game. Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame (2008).

• Roy Halladay (born in Denver, raised in Arvada) – Starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Won the AL Cy Young Awardin 2003, and the NL Cy Young Award in 2010. Selected seven times for the All-Star Game

• Matt Hasselbeck (born in Boulder) – Quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Selected three times to the Pro Bowl.

• Luke Hochevar (born in Denver) – Starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals.

• Vincent Jackson (born and raised in Colorado Springs; attended Widefield High School and the University of Northern Colorado) – Wide Receiver for the San Diego Chargers

• Dirk Johnson (raised in Montrose, graduate of Montrose High School and the University of Northern Colorado) Punter for the Philadelphea Eagles and Arizona Cardinals.

• Mark Knudson (born in Denver), alumnus of Colorado State University, Major League Baseball pitcher, first Colorado native to play for the Colorado Rockies.

• Kevin Kouzmanoff (lived in Evergreen, alumnus of Evergreen High School) – Major League Baseball player, currently a member of the Colorado Rockies.

• Buddy Lazier (born in Vail) – Auto racing driver. Winner of the Indy Racing League championship (2000) and the Indianapolis 500 (1996). Awarded the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Scott Brayton Trophy (2003).

• Brad Lidge (attended Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village and lives in Englewood) – Relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies, formerly of the Houston Astros.

• Phil Loadholt (lived in Fountain; alumnus of Fountain-Fort Carson High School) – Offensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings.

• Dave Logan (attended Wheat Ridge High School and the University of Colorado) he was drafted to three professional sports (football, basketball and baseball); choosing to play wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns for eight years and for the Denver Broncos the final year of his NFL career. He became a radio personality on KOA. Logan also coaches high school football. He has led the football teams for Arvada West High School, Chatfield Senior High School, and Mullen High School to state championships. He currently coaches for Mullen.

• Brian Matusz (born in Grand Junction) – Starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles.

• Brandon McCarthy (lived in Colorado Springs, attended Cheyenne Mountain High School) – Starting pitcher for the Oakland A's.

• Darnell McDonald (born in Fort Collins) – attended of Cherry Creek High School) – Outfielder for the Boston Red Sox.

• Mark Melancon (born in Wheat Ridge, attended Golden High School) – Relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.

• Bill Musgrave (Raised in Grand Junction, Graduate of Grand Junction High School and the University of Oregon. Played for the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49'ers and Denver Broncos of the NFL. Current Offensive Coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.)

• Jesse Nading (born in Highlands Ranch; alumnus of ThunderRidge High School) – Defensive end for the Houston Texans.

• David Pauley (born in Longmont) – Relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, formerly with the Boston Red Sox.

• Tyler Polumbus (born in Denver) – Offensive tackle for the Seattle Seahawks.

• Gijon Robinson (born in Denver) – Tight end and fullback for the Detroit Lions

• Kevin Russo (born in West Babylon, New York but would move to Boulder, Colorado; attended Fairview High School) – Utility player for the New York Yankees

• Bob Sapp (Born In Colorado Springs) American kickboxer. He attended Mitchell High School

• Daniel Schlereth (born in Anchorage, Alaska but would move to Highlands Ranch; alumnus of Highlands Ranch High School) – Relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers

• Brian Schottenheimer (born in Denver) – Offensive coordinator for the New York Jets

• Aaron Smith (born and raised in Colorado Springs; attended Sierra High School and the University of Northern Colorado) – Defensive End for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Won two Super Bowls as a member of the Steelers (2005, 2008); Selected to the NFL Pro Bowl (2004); Named to Sports Illustrated's All-Decade Team (2000's).

• Alex Smith (born in The Bahamas but would move to Denver; attended J. K. Mullen High School) – Tight end for the Cleveland Browns; also played with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

• Jason Smith (born in Kersey) – Power forward for the New Orleans Hornets.

• Nate Solder (born in Denver) – Offensive tackle for the New England Patriots.

• Kory Sperry (born in Pueblo) – Tight end for the San Diego Chargers.

• Bobby Unser (born in Colorado Springs) – Auto racing driver. Two-time winner of the USAC/CART Indy Car championship (1968 and 1974), three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (1968, 1975 and 1981) and thirteen-time winner of the Open-Wheel Class at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1990), the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1994), and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1997).

• Jerry Unser (born in Colorado Springs) – Late auto racing driver. Winner of the USAC Stock Car championship (1957).

• Amy Van Dyken (born in Denver, alumnus of Cherry Creek High School) – Competitive swimmer. Winner of six Olympic gold medals (four in 1996, two in 2000), three FINA World Championship gold medals (1998) and three Pan American Games gold medals (1995).

• LenDale White (born and raised in Denver, attended South High School and Chatfield Senior High School) – Running back for the Denver Broncos.

• Eve Torres (born in Denver, WWE Diva, Former WWE Divas Champion.

Business and community leaders

• William Bent (lived near present-day La Junta) – Along with his three brothers, William Bent developed the first trade empire in the Colorado Region at Bent's Fort in 1833. As tensions grew between white settlers and Native Americans Bent became a peace negotiator for both sides as his wives were Indian and he befriended the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes.^[15]

• Norman E. Brinker (born in Denver; died in Colorado Springs) – Prominent restaurateur who was responsible for the creation of new business concepts within the restaurant field, such as the salad bar.

• Margaret Brown (lived in Colorado) – an American socialite, philanthropist, and activist who became famous in the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, after getting lifeboat 6 to return to look for survivors.

• Adolph Coors (lived in Golden) – Based out of Golden, Coors established his now famous brewery in 1873 using the region’s famous mountain spring water. Coors is presently the nation’s third largest brewer, and the family has been active in Colorado politics and philanthropy.^[16]

• 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.

• Daniel M. Lewin (born in Denver) – Mathematician and entrepreneur, best known for co-founding the internet company, Akamai Technologies. Lewin was one of the murdered passengers on American Airlines Flight 11.

• 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 the Town of Colorado Springs, developed the first narrow gauge railroad system, the Denver and Rio Grande. Also owned the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company in Pueblo.^[17]

• Horace Tabor (lived in Leadville) – American prospector, businessman, and politician.^[18]

Literary figures

• Robert Baer (raised in Aspen) – Author and a former CIA case officer assigned to the Middle East. Wrote the books See No Evil and Sleeping with the Devil.

• Neal Cassady (born in Salt Lake City, Utah, raised in Denver) – Important figure of the Beat Generation, known for being characterized as Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road.

• Clive Cussler (lives in Golden) – Best-selling novelist known for his Raise the Titanic and Deep Six.^[19]

• Eugene Field (lived in Denver) – Poet and journalist known for his work in children’s literature, wrote such poems as Little Boy Blue and Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.

• Allen Ginsberg (lived in Boulder) – Beat poet, author of Howl and Kaddish, co-founder of the Naropa Institute’s Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics in Boulder.^[20]

• Helen Hunt Jackson (lived in Colorado Springs) – wrote about the relationship between Coloradans and the Native Indian Tribes, and is often remembered for her brave stance in novels such as A Century of Dishonor and Ramona.^[21]

• Ken Kesey (born in La Junta, Colorado) – Author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

• James Albert Michener (attended college in Greeley) – worked as a professor at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley where his archives are presently held. His novel Centennial, is about Colorado history.

• Sayyid Qutb (1906–1966) author, poet, educator, and Islamic political theorist who described his stay in Greeley in the censorious article The America that I Have Seen that aroused Anti-American Sentiment among many Muslims. Executed by Egypt.

• Marguerite Roberts (born in Greeley, Colorado) – Screenwriter.

• Lowell Thomas (born in Woodington, Ohio, but raised in Victor, Colorado) – writer, journalist, broadcaster and traveler best known as the man who made Lawrence of Arabia famous.

• Hunter S. Thompson (lived in Woody Creek, Colorado, creator of Gonzo Journalism and important literary figure.

• Dalton Trumbo (born in Montrose, Colorado; lived in Grand Junction, Colorado; attended the University of Colorado at Boulder) – author of Johnny Got His Gun and Academy Award winning screenwriter for his work in The Brave One. He also wrote the scripts for Spartacus, Exodus, Hawaii, and Papillon. He was blacklisted during the 1950’s with the "Hollywood 10."^[22]

• Elmo Scott Watson (Lived in Colorado Springs and Denver) – journalist who specialized in the American West^[23]

• Connie Willis (Lives in Greeley, Colorado) – One of the most honored science fiction writers of the 1980s and 1990s.

Military leaders

• Erwin J. Boydston (enlisted in Colorado) – Recipient of the United States Navy Medal of Honor for his service during the Boxer Rebellion.

• Arleigh Burke (born in Boulder) – An admiral of the United States Navy during World War II along with the Korean War. Later the Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.

• Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson (1809–1868) frontiersman, commander of Fort Garland (1866–1867), and negotiator of the 1867 peace treaty between the United States and the Ute tribe.

• Louis H. Carpenter – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for meritorious service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• Francis S. Dodge – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• Dwight David Eisenhower (married in Denver) – organized the temporary location of Lowry Air Force Base, Denver for a new service academy United States Air Force Academy. In 1954 Colorado Springs won the location for the new USAFA site. As President, his official airplanes, Lockheed Constellation were 'The Columbine', Colorado's state flower. Several times President Eisenhower was treated for cardiac events at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital.

• Edward P. Grimes – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• William R. Grove (enlisted in Colorado) – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service during the Philippine-American War.

• William P. Hall – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• Henry Johnson – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service as a "Buffalo Soldier" in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• John S. Lawton – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• John Merrill – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for gallant service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• George Moquin – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for gallant service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• Edward F. Murphy – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for gallant service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• Wilhelm O. Philipsen – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• John A. Poppe – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for gallant service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• Hampton M. Roach – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

• George W. Wallace (enlisted in Colorado) – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service during the Philippine-American War.

• Jacob Widmer – Recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars.

Musicians

• 3OH!3 (formed in Boulder) – Electronica group. Their song Don't Trust Me from the album Want has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.

• Laurie Anderson (lived in Boulder) Avant Gard performer/musician, communications expert, published author.

• The Astronauts (formed in Boulder) – surf rock. Their first album along with the song "Baja" was #61 in May 1963 on the Billboard 200 album chart.^[24]

• Ginger Baker (lived in Parker during the 1990s^[25]) – English drummer known as a member of Cream.

• Jello Biafra (real name Eric Boucher, born in Boulder, lived in Denver) – Singer, songwriter. Current owner of Alternative Tentacles record label. Former member of the punk band Dead Kennedys.^[26]

• Big Head Todd and the Monsters (formed at the University of Colorado at 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.^[27]

• Tommy Bolin (lived in Boulder) – Late guitarist. Former member of Zephyr, James Gang, and Deep Purple.

• Breathe Carolina (born and raised in Denver) Their music is described as electronica/screamo. The band consists of two frontmen, Kyle Even and David Schmitt.

• Chris Broderick (lived in Lakewood attended University of Denver) – Current lead guitarist for thrash metal outfit Megadeth.

• Antonia Brico (lived in Denver) – Late conductor and pianist. Former conductor of the Brico Symphony Orchestra and the Denver Symphony Orchestra.^[28]

• Jesse Carmichael (born in Boulder) – keyboardist for the rock group Maroon 5

• Cephalic Carnage (Formed in Denver, Colorado– Death Metal group, currently signed to Relapse Records. Known for the song Endless Cycle Of Violence.

• John Denver (real name Henry Deutschendorf Jr., lived in Aspen) – Late 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.^[29]

• 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.

• Bryan Erickson (lives in Westminster) – Singer, producer. Member of the bands Velvet Acid Christ and Toxic Coma.

• Flobots (formed in Denver) – Hip hop band. Best known for the song Handlebars from their album Fight With Tools. The Flobots also serve as board members on the non-profit organization Flobots.org, a community organization that encourages participation in voter registration, community projects, encouraging children to develop musical skills, bringing music to the public schools, and more. Flobots.org was founded before the band attained any fame.^[30]

• The Fluid (formed in Denver) – Grunge band.

• The Fray (formed in Denver) – Rock band. Nominated for two Grammy Awards (2007). Their album How to Save a Life has been certified Double-Platinum by the RIAA.

• India.Arie (born as India Arie Simpson in Denver) – Singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer. Winner of two Grammy Awards (2003, nominated sixteen times). Her 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.

• Ronnie Lane (lived and died in Trinidad) – Late singer, songwriter, bass guitarist. Member of the bands Small Faces and Faces, and founder of his own backing band Slim Chance.

• Glenn Miller (full name Alton Glenn Miller, lived in Fort Morgan and Boulder, alumnus of Fort Morgan High School and the University of Colorado at Boulder) – Late 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.^[31]

• Ronnie Montrose (born in Denver) – Rock guitarist who led a number of his own bands as well as performing with a variety of musicians.

• OneRepublic (formed in Colorado Springs) – Rock band. Their album Dreaming Out Loud has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.

• Pretty Lights Fort Collins Colorado

• The Samples (formed in Boulder) Their music is described as reggae influenced rock/pop.^[32]

• Tickle Me Pink (Formed in Fort Collins) currently signed to Wind-Up Records. Debut album Madeline .

• Townes Van Zandt (lived in Boulder in his youth and briefly attended The University of Colorado at Boulder) – Country singer and legendary songwriter.

• Velvet Acid Christ An electro-industrial band based in Denver.

• Chuck E. Weiss (grew up in Denver) – American musician and subject of the 1979 Rickie Lee Jones hit "Chuck E.'s in Love."

• Paul Whiteman (born in Denver) – Considered the "King of Jazz." After selling two million records with "The Japanese Sandman", Whiteman added to his fame by being one the first nationally broadcast jazz musicians. Whiteman is remembered for his ability to fuse jazz and classical in hits like Rhapsody in Blue and Whispering . After founding the Whiteman Award competition, he was made music director of the NBC Blue Network (now referred to as ABC).^[33]

• Kip Winger (born in Denver) Lead singer/bass player for the 80's hair metal band Winger. Winger had hit songs such as "Seventeen" and "Headed for a Heartbreak". Since Winger's break up in 1994, Kip Winger has carried on as a solo artist. Since then he has released 4 solo albums.

• Yonder Mountain String Band (based in Nederland, Colorado) – Bluegrass jam band whose fan base has been fueled primarily through live performances since their inception in 1998. Their fourth, and self-titled, 2006 studio album is their first release with a major label.^[34]

• Ace Young (born and raised in Denver) – American Idol finalist.^[35]

Politicians

• William B. Ebbert (lived in Rocky Ford, Pueblo, and Cortez) – Served in Colorado General Assembly, 1889–1890 (Republican); 1907–1908 (Democrat); 1911–1912 (Democrat). Rancher, farmer, poet, and Civil War veteran.
• Gerald Ford (lived in Vail); President of the United States.
• Trent Franks (born in Uravan) – Current U.S. Representative for Arizona's 2nd congressional district.
• John Kerry (born in Aurora) – Current United States Senator from Massachusetts. Ran as the Democratic nominee for President in 2004.^[36]
• Golda Meir (spent part of her adolescence in Denver) – Fourth prime minister of Israel.
• Chief Ouray (lived in Colorado) – A Native American leader of the Uncompahgre band of the Ute Tribe of southwestern Colorado.^[37]
• Dana Perino (grew up in Denver) – White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush from September 14, 2007 to January 20, 2009. Graduate of Colorado State University-Pueblo.
• Karl Rove (born in Denver) – Deputy Chief of Staff to President George W. Bush.
• Condoleezza Rice She attended St. Mary's Academy in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado. After studying piano at the Aspen Music Festival and School, Rice enrolled at the University of Denver.
• Kenneth R. Rutherford - co-founder of the Landmine Survivors Network
• Scott Walker (born in Colorado Springs) – Current Governor of Wisconsin.
• Byron R. White (born and raised in Denver; graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder) – Appointed by President John F. Kennedy as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court; served from 1962 until retiring to senior status in 1993.^[38] Also famed as a football player, both in college (with the CU Buffaloes) and professionally in the NFL (with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Lions).

See also:

• List of Governors of Colorado
• List of United States Senators from Colorado
• List of United States Representatives from Colorado
• List of mayors of Denver

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics

• Maurice L. Albertson (1918–2009) civil engineer and educator.
• Sidney Altman (born 1939) molecular biologist and 1989 Nobel laureate in Chemistry for the discovery of catalytic properties of ribonucleic acid.
• Albert Allen Bartlett (1923-) physicist and opponent of the concept of sustainable growth.
• Arden Lee Bement, Jr. (1932-) metallurgical engineer, scientist, and Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
• Lewis M. Branscomb (born 1926) physicist, Director of the National Bureau of Standards, and founder of the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics.
• Thomas Robert Čech (1947-) biochemist and 1989 Nobel laureate in Chemistry for the discovery of catalytic properties of ribonucleic acid.
• Edward Uhler Condon (1902–1974) nuclear physicist, Director of the National Bureau of Standards, and President of the American Physical Society.
• Eric Allin Cornell (born 1961) physicist and 2001 Nobel laureate in Physics for creating the first Bose–Einstein condensate in 1995.
• George Gamow (Георгий Антонович Гамов) (1904–1968) theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author.
• John Lewis "Jan" Hall (1934-) physicist and 2005 Nobel laureate in Physics for precision spectroscopy and the optical frequency comb technique.
• Deborah S. Jin (born 1968) physicist who created the first fermionic condensate in 2003.
• Herbert Kroemer (born 1928) physicist, electrical engineer, and 2000 Nobel laureate in Physics for developing semiconductor heterostructures used in high-speed- and opto-electronics.
• Margaret Mary Murnane (1959-) physicist and creator of ultra-high-speed lasers.
• Frank Friedman Oppenheimer (1912–1985) nuclear physicist and educator.
• Nikola Tesla (Никола Тесла) (1856–1943) inventor and engineer whose pioneering work with electromagnetism formed the basis of modern alternating current (AC) electric power systems.
• Carl Edwin Wieman (1951-) physicist and 2001 Nobel laureate in Physics for creating the first Bose–Einstein condensate in 1995.

Other prominent or notable people

• Anwar al-Awlaki (1971–2011) earned BSCE degree from Colorado State University before becoming a militant Qutbist and Al Qaeda spokesman. Assassinated by the United States in Yemen.
• Emily Gibson Braerton (1884–1966) historian, V.P. Daughters of the American Revolution (1950–53), Denver, Colorado.
• Mary "Mamie" Geneva Doud Eisenhower (lived in Denver) – Married West Point graduate Dwight David Eisenhower in 1916 in her Lafayette St home. She was a military wife, becoming First Lady 1953–1961.
• Brison D. Gooch (born 1925) historian, former town council member and mayor pro tempore in Silverton.
• Lars Grimsrud (19??-) aerospace engineer and performance automobile enthusiast.
• Marvin Heemeyer (1951–2004) automobile muffler repair shop owner killed in a rampage in Granby.
• Talcott Parsons (1902–1979) prominent sociologist who founded the concept of action theory.
• Jon Scott (born 1958) news anchor for Fox News.
• James Q. Wilson (1931–2012) academic, political scientist, and an authority on public administration.

See also

• List of people from Denver
• State of Colorado
• Wikimedia Commons: People of Colorado

References

External links

• The State of Colorado

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