List of people from Colorado
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This is a list of people from the state of Colorado, whether they lived, were born, or were raised there. Residents of the state refer to people from Colorado as "Coloradoans." Coloradoans have been prominent in many fields, including literature, entertainment, art, music, politics, and business. This list attempts to maintain biographical notability of significant Coloradoans and organize historically important men and women hailing from Colorado.
Contents
Literature
- Clive Cussler (lives in Golden) – Best-selling novelist known for his work Raise the Titanic, Night Probe, and Deep Six. His shipwreck themed texts often are an extension of his National Underwater and Marine Agency’s shipwreck expeditions.
- 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 in 1969.
- Horace Greeley (lived in Greeley) – Publisher & Editor of the New York Tribune. Greeley organized the Utopian Union Colony at Greeley in 1869.
- Helen Hunt Jackson (lived in Colorado Springs) – In 1873, Jackson began writing about the relationship between Coloradans and the Native Indian Tribes. Jackson is often remembered for her brave stance in novels like A Century of Dishonor and Ramona.
- 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 1,000 plus page novel, Centennial, is about Colorado history.
- Dalton Trumbo (born in Montrose, Colorado) – 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 Papillion. His reputation was marred when he was blacklisted during the 1950’s McCarthy trials with the "Hollywood 10."
Entertainment and theater
- Amy Adams (raised in Castle Rock) – An Oscar-nominated film and television actress who appeared in Catch Me If You Can and Cruel Intentions 2. She is an alumnus of Douglas County High School.
- Tim Allen (born in Denver) – A comedian and actor best known for his significant role in Home Improvement and Disney films including Toy Story and The Santa Clause. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Roseanne Barr (lived in Denver) – Internationally known comedian who got her start in Denver in 1983 where she was recognized as the "Queen of Denver Comedy." Her show Roseanne in 1988 became the most watched show in America within one year of its inception. She has also won numerous awards including the Emmy, Golden Globe, and People’s Choice.
- Lon Chaney (born in Colorado Springs) – Famous silent screen actor known for his work in early horror movies, best remembered for his work in the Hunchback of Notre Dame and Phantom of the Opera.
- Don Cheadle (high school in Denver) – Award-winning actor in such films as Hamburger Hill (1987) and Devil in a Blue Dress (1995). While born in Kansas City, he moved to Denver and graduated from East High School.
- Ralph Edwards (born in Merino) – Master of Ceremonies for the classic television shows This is Your Life, Truth or Consequences, and the People’s Court.
- Douglas Fairbanks (born in Denver) – Famous silent screen star often cast as the swashbuckling hero in such classics as the Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and Three Musketeers.
- Hattie McDaniel (born in Denver) – First African American to win the Academy Award for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind.
- Antoinette Perry (born in Denver) – Namesake of the Tony Award for excellence in theater, Director and President of Experimental Theatre, Chairperson of American Theater Wing, and actress.
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.
- 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 1920's.
- 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.
Musicians
- Big Head Todd and the Monsters (based in Colorado) – Band that has developed a sizeable live following after releasing a number of albums since 1989. With their 1993 album Sister Sweetly going platinum in the US.
- Antonia Brico (lived and died in Denver) – As a symphony director she was the first woman to be admitted into the prestigious Berlin Academy. She founded the Women’s Orchestra of New York and Denver Businessman's Orchestra. She conducted the Brico Symphony from 1947 until shortly before her death in 1989.
- John Denver (lived in Aspen) – Internationally known folk and pop musician. Wrote numerous songs about the western lifestyle. Best known for his song Rocky Mountain High . Governor Roy Romer named Denver "Poet Laureate of Colorado", and Rocky Mountain High has become the unofficial state anthem.
- Glenn Miller (college in Boulder) – One of the preeminent "Big Band" swing orchestra conductors. The Glenn Miller Orchestra produced such hits as Moonlight Serenade, In the Mood, and Chattanooga Choo-Choo. At the time of his death, one fifth of all music played on jukeboxes was a Glenn Miller creation.
- 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 NBS’s Blues Network (now referred to as ABC).
- Ace Young (born and raised in Denver) – American Idol finalist.
Athletics
- David Aardsma (lived in Greenwood Village) – A prominent major-league player for the Chicago Cubs and an alumnus of Cherry Creek High School.
- Tom Ashworth (born in Denver) – A Seattle Seahawk offensive lineman in the NFL. While signed with the New England Patriots, Ashworth appeared in a Visa commercial alongside several of his teammates.
- 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, lived on the White Bear Ranch in Northwest Colorado in the late 1920s, married a cousin of Jack Dempsey.
- Jack Dempsey (born in Manassa) – Starting his career as the "Manassa Mauler", he became the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion from 1910 to 1926.
- John Elway (lives in Commerce City) – Quarterback for the Denver Broncos from 1984 to 1999. Known for his last-minute, game-winning scoring drives Elway led the Broncos to three Super Bowls before back-to-back wins in Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII. Elway was also the 1987 NFL MVP, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, and one of only two quarterbacks in National Football League history to throw for over 3,000 yards in 12 seasons.
- Alex English (lived in Denver) – After playing basketball for the Bucks and Pacers, English came to the Denver Nuggets. As a Nugget he became the leading scorer of the National Basketball Association, and played in the NBA All-star games several times.
Politics
- Alva Adams (born in Del Norte) – A Democratic Party senator who represented Colorado from 1923 to 1941 in the United States Senate.
- Wayne Aspinall (lived in Colorado) – Colorado Congressional Representative for 24 years, and acted as Chairman of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee for 14 years. Aspinall was a power broker representing Colorado and the West’s use of public lands, water rights, and mineral resources. His most important single piece of legislation was the Colorado River Storage Project Act which provided many of the reservoir and dam projects after World War II.
- Casimo Barela (lived in Colorado) – Known as a highly respected legislator whose career in the State Senate spanned 25 continuous years. Casimo Barela also was a member of Colorado’s Constitutional Convention of 1875. Elected from Las Animas County, Barela was instrumental in ensuring the bi-lingual printing of Colorado laws.
- John Evans (lived in Denver) – The second governor of the Colorado Territory from 1862-1865, and founder of the prestigious University of Denver and Northwestern University in Evansville, Illinois.
- John Kerry (born in Aurora) – Popular United States Senator from Massachusetts, and Democratic nomination for President in 2004.
- Benjamin Lindsey (lived in Denver) – Pioneer of the Juvenile Court System, and child welfare advocate. Lindsey served as a Denver Judge from 1900 to 1927 promoting controversial views like juvenile rehabilitation, trial marriage, and sex education. He was almost disbarred during the 1920s by the Ku Klux Klan political machine when he spoke against their organization.
- Chief Ouray (lived in Colorado) – A Native American leader of the Uncompahgre band of the Ute tribe of southwestern Colorado.
- Federico Peña (lives in Denver) – City and County of Denver Mayor from 1983 to 1991. Held Presidential Cabinet positions in Transportation and Energy during the Clinton Administration. Advocated large civic projects, like Denver International Airport and the Denver Convention Center, to boost local economy. While much of Peña's work was underscored in the 1980s, today he's seen as one of Denver's great icons in politics and history.
- Robert Speer (lived in Denver) – City and County of Denver Mayor from 1904 - 1912 and 1916 - 1918. Speer had an ambitious vision of Denver's civic and environmental resources. Through his influence, the Denver Mountain Parks System was developed, Civic Center Park was created, parks were added, trees lined the streets, and the history and arts were funded.
- Byron R. White (born and raised in Denver) – White became a famous Coloradoan during his youth as a star football player for the Buff's at CU Boulder. Studying law, he went on to serve as a Justice on the United States Supreme Court, appointed by President Kennedy. White presided over such landmark cases as Brown v. Board of Education, and later retired home to the Cenntenial State.
Business
- 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.
- Charles Boettcher (lived in Colorado) – Made his initial fortune during the Leadville silver boom by providing miners with supplies. He took his money and made various fortunes in many Colorado industries such as meatpacking, sugar, and railroads. His name lives on through the philanthropic work of the Boettcher Foundation.
- 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.
- Bob Magness (lived in Denver) – Founder of Tele-Communications Incorporated (TCI), and by doing so made Denver a telecommunication hub. Also remembered as a generous philanthropist in his numerous donations to the University of Colorado, Boy Scouts of America, and the underprivileged.
- General William Jackson Palmer (lived in Colorado Springs) – Founder of the Town of Colorado Springs (today one of the top fifty American cities in terms of population). One of the railroad pioneers. Developed the first narrow gauge railroad system, the Denver and Rio Grande. Also owned the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, which for several decades was the economic center of Pueblo.
- Horace Tabor (lived in Leadville) – Horace Austin Warner Tabor a.k.a. "Silver Dollar Tabor'" and "The Bonanza King of Leadville", was an American prospector, businessman, and politician.
References
See also
External links
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