The following is a list of prominent people who were born in the American state of Maine, live in Maine, or for whom Maine is a significant part of their identity.
A
Angela Adams (born 1965), designer; born in North Haven Paul André Albert (1926–2019), scientist; born in Van Buren Harold Alfond (1914–2007), businessman; founded the Dexter Shoe Company Tom Allen (born 1945), politician, congressman (1997–2009); born in Portland Daniel B. Allyn (born 1959), vice chief of staff of the United States Army, 2014–2017 Adelbert Ames (1835–1933), military officer, politician, governor of Mississippi (1868–1870; 1874–1876), United States senator from Mississippi (1870–1874); born in Rockland Benjamin Ames (1778–1835), politician, governor of Maine (1821–1822); lived in Houlton Erin Andrews (born 1978), sportscaster, Dancing With the Stars contestant and co-host; born in Lewiston
B
John Baldacci (born 1955), politician, governor of Maine (2003–2011), congressman (1995–2003); born in Bangor, lives in Portland Charles P. Barnes (1869–1951), 17th chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and 67th speaker of the Maine House of Representatives; born and died in Houlton Christopher Daniel Barnes (born 1972), actor, voice actor, The Little Mermaid film, Spider-Man television series; born in Portland Trevor Bates (born 1993), former professional football player; born in Portland Marie Battiste (born 1949), indigenous scholar; born in Houlton Leon Leonwood Bean (1872–1967), founder of L.L. Bean Inc., a large private retail company in Freeport Linda Bean (1941–2024), businessperson and political candidate, granddaughter of Leon Leonwood Bean; lived in Freeport Corey Beaulieu (born 1983), musician, guitarist in Trivium; born in Brunswick Anna Belknap (born 1974), actress, Lindsay Monroe on CSI: NY; born in Damariscotta Shenna Bellows (born 1975), politician, secretary of state of Maine; lives in Manchester Rick Bennett (born 1963), politician, former president of the Maine Senate; lives in Norway Joan Benoit (born 1957), first women's Olympic marathon champion; born in Cape Elizabeth Louisa Dow Benton (1831–1895), linguist, translator; born in Portland Jacques Berlinerblau (born 1966), religious scholar, Georgetown University professor; born in Portland Carroll Thayer Berry (1886–1978), printmaker, woodcut engraver, painter and photographer; born in New Gloucester Albert S. Bickmore (1839–1914), naturalist, originator and principal founder of the American Museum of Natural History; born in St. George Del Bissonette (1899–1972), professional Major League Baseball player and coach; born in Winthrop Nina Blackwood (born 1955), radio and television personality, actor, model; lives in Mid Coast region James G. Blaine (1830–1893), United States representative from Maine, senator from Maine, and secretary of state, Republican presidential candidate in 1884; lived in Augusta Dennis Blair (born 1947), US director of National Intelligence (2009–2010), four-star U.S. Navy admiral; born in Kittery Cindy Blodgett (born 1975), former professional basketball player and coach; born in Clinton Tim Boetsch (born 1981), mixed martial artist; born in Lincolnville Gordon Bok (born 1939), folk singer-songwriter; born in Camden Dan Bolduc (born 1953), former professional NHL hockey player; born in Waterville Ralph Botting (born 1955), pitcher for the California Angels; born in Houlton William B. Bradbury (1816–1868), musician, teacher, composer, piano manufacturer, entrepreneur; born in York Milton Bradley (1836–1911), board game manufacturer with the Milton Bradley Company; born in Vienna Joseph E. Brennan (1934–2024), politician, governor of Maine (1979–1987), congressman (1987–1991); born in Portland Contessa Brewer (born 1974), news anchor for MSNBC; born in Parsonsfield Styles Bridges (1898–1961), politician, governor of New Hampshire (1935–1937) and U.S. senator from New Hampshire (1937–1961); born in Pembroke James Brooks (1807–1873), congressman from New York; born in Portland Brett Brown (born 1961), professional NBA basketball coach and executive; born in South Portland Harry Brown (1917–1986), poet, novelist, screenwriter; born in Portland Scott Brown (born 1959), U.S. senator from Massachusetts (2010–13); born in Kittery Ashley Bryan (1923–2022), writer and illustrator; resided in Islesford Chet Bulger (1917–2009), professional NFL football player; born in Rumford John Bunting (born 1950), former professional NFL football player; born in Portland John Jay Butler (1814–1891), minister and professor; born in Berwick Marisa Butler (born 1994), model, singer and beauty pageant title holder; Miss Maine USA 2016, Miss World America 2018, and Miss Earth USA 2021 Brian Butterfield (born 1958), professional Major League Baseball coach; born in Bangor
C
Nik Caner-Medley (born 1983), former professional basketball player; raised in Portland Al Carbee (1914–2005), outsider artist; born in Portland, lived in Saco Robert Card, US Army reserve sergeant first class (E-7) and mass murderer John Cariani (born 1969), actor, Law & Order; grew up in Presque Isle Tom Caron (born 1963), sportscaster and soccer executive; born in Lewiston Howie Carr (born 1952), journalist, author, radio talk-show host; born in Portland Michael E. Carpenter (born 1947), Maine attorney general and state legislator; born in Houlton Bill Carrigan (1883–1969), professional baseball player and manager; born in Lewiston Rachel Carson (1907–1964), author; lived in Southport Shepard Cary (1805–1866) US congressman; died in Houlton Walter Case Jr., harness racer Elisabeth Cavazza (1849–1926), author, journalist; born in Portland Joshua Chamberlain (1828–1914), Civil War major general, governor of Maine (1867–1871) Thomas Davee Chamberlain (1841–1896), Civil War lieutenant colonel, brother of Major General Joshua Chamberlain Conrad Chase (1965–2024), actor, singer; born in Portland Oren Burbank Cheney (1816–1903), student, teacher, principal Parsonsfield Seminary; Free Will Baptist clergyman; abolitionist; founding president of Bates College Yvon Chouinard (born 1938), founder of Black Diamond Equipment and Patagonia; born in Lewiston Cody Christian (born 1995), actor; Pretty Little Liars, Teen Wolf; born in Portland and grew up on a Penobscot reservation Frank Churchill (1901–1942), Oscar-winning composer for many Disney animated films; born in Rumford Carolyn Chute (born 1947), novelist, populist political activist; born in Portland; lives in Parsonsfield Nathan Clifford (1803–1881), associate justice of the United States Supreme Court, attorney general of the United States; lived in Newfield Eunice Hale Cobb (1803–1880), writer, activist; born in Kennebunk Frank M. Coffin (1919 –2009), politician and federal judge William Cohen (born 1940), U.S. congressman (1973–1979), senator (1979–1997), US secretary of defense (1997–2001); born in and mayor of Bangor (1971–1973) Susan Collins (born 1952), U.S. senator from Maine; born in Caribou Samuel Colman (1832–1920), artist, writer, interior designer; born in Portland Jennie Maria Drinkwater Conklin (1841–1900), author, activist; born in Portland Ernie Coombs (1927–2001), children's entertainer, known for Mr. Dressup; born in Lewiston Michelle Coombs, geologist currently working in Alaska, originally from Maine Thurlow Cooper (1933–2008), professional football player; born in Augusta William Coperthwaite (1930–2013), educator and yurt advocate; born in Monticello Ron Corning (born 1971), TV host at WFAA in Dallas, Texas; raised in Calais Mike "Fluff" Cowan (born 1947), PGA Tour golf caddy; born in Winslow Ricky Craven (born 1966), ESPN broadcaster, NASCAR driver; born in Newburgh Laura Creavalle (born 1959), Guyanese-born Canadian/American professional bodybuilder; lives in Old Orchard Beach Ian Crocker (born 1982), three-time Olympic champion in swimming; born in Portland Effie Crockett (1856–1940), actress, wrote and composed the lullaby "Rock-a-bye Baby"; born in Rockland John Crowley (born 1942), author of fantasy, science fiction and mainstream fiction; born in Presque Isle Earl Cunningham (1893–1977), folk artist; born in Edgecomb Dick Curless (1932–1995), country singer; born in Fort Fairfield Ron Currie Jr. (born 1975), author; lives in Portland
D
Robert L. Dale (1924–2020), pilot in Antarctica and namesake of the Dale Glacier; lived in Brunswick Sarah D'Alelio (born 1980), professional mixed martial artist; born in Belfast Frances Brackett Damon (1857–1939), poet, writer; born in Dexter Olive E. Dana (1859–1904), writer, poet; born in Augusta Bette Davis (1908–1989), two-time Oscar-winning actress; born in Massachusetts and lived in Cape Elizabeth Marcus Davis (born 1963), mixed martial arts fighter with the Ultimate Fighting Championship; born in Houlton Nate Davis (born 1996), professional football player; born in York Owen Davis (1874–1956), Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist; born in Portland Howie Day (born 1981), singer; born and raised in Brewer Everett De Roche (1946–2014), screenwriter; born in Lincoln William Deering (1826–1913), businessman and philanthropist, co-founder of International Harvester; born in South Paris Grace DeGennaro (born 1956), artist; resides in Yarmouth Claude Demetrius (1916–1988), songwriter; born in Bath Patrick Dempsey (born 1966), actor; born in Lewiston Nelson Dingley Jr. (1832–1899), governor of Maine (1874–1876), member of US House of Representatives (1881–1899), responsible for the Dingley Tariff Rick DiPietro (born 1981), former professional hockey player; born in Lewiston Dorothea Dix (1802–1878), pioneering advocate for treatment and care of the handicapped and mentally ill; born in Hampden George Dole (1885–1928), Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling at the 1908 Summer Olympics; born in Michigan and lived in Bath Jeff Donnell (1921–1988), actress; born in Windham Alice May Douglas (1865–1943), poet, author, editor; born in Bath Paul Douglas (1892–1976), economist and Illinois senator (1949–1967); partly raised in Onawa Cornelia M. Dow (1842–1905), philanthropist, temperance activist; born and died in Portland William Dufris (1958–2020), original voice of Bob the Builder in North America; born in Houlton; died in South Portland Brian Dumoulin (born 1991), professional hockey player; born in Biddeford Emma B. Dunham (1826–1910), poet, teacher; born in Minot; died in Deering
E
Kevin Eastman (born 1962), comic book artist and writer; co-created Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; born in Portland Stanley Boyd Eaton (born 1938), radiologist, one of the originators of the concept of Paleolithic nutrition; born in Old Town Gertrude Elliott (1874–1950), actress on stage and in silent movies; born in Rockland Maxine Elliott (1868–1940), stage actress; born in Rockland Robbie Ellis (1943–2025), professional wrestler who was featured in Sports Illustrated; born in Portland Ellen Russell Emerson (1837–1907), author, ethnologist; born in New Sharon George Barrell Emerson (1797–1881), educator; born in Kennebunk
F
Myrna Fahey (1933–1973), actress, Father of the Bride; born in Carmel Hannah Tobey Farmer (1823–1891), philanthropist, writer, social reformer; born in Berwick; died in Eliot Terry Farnsworth (born 1942), Canadian Olympic judoka; born in Portland Wallace Rider Farrington (1871–1933), journalist and government administrator, territorial governor of Hawaii (1921–1929); born in Orono Billy Bob Faulkingham, Minority Leader of the Maine House of Representatives Parker Fennelly (1891–1988), actor; born in Northeast Harbor William Pitt Fessenden (1806–1869), politician, secretary of the treasury (1864–1865); congressman (1841–1843); senator (1854–1864; 1865–1869); lived in Portland Greg Finley (born 1984), actor, The Secret Life of the American Teenager; born in Portland