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 people hailing from Colorado.
Actors
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);Tim Allen (I) – Awards. 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;Roseanne – Awards. 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 2Don Cheadle – Awards. 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)Douglas Fairbanks – Awards. 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, 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 John Carroll Lynch (born in Boulder) – actor, starred in films including Zodiac and The Founder Ross Lynch – born in Littleton, Colorado: actor and singer, recurring character on TV series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina 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; notable works include the miniseries The Path to 9/11, the drama The Stoning of Soraya M., and the television film The Day Reagan Was Shot Stephen Thomas Ochsner – actor, director, musician, artist, translator and producer Peter O'Fallon (born in Denver) – film and television director, created NBC sci-fi/drama series Mysterious Ways, directed such films as Suicide Kings and A Rumor of Angels 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);Trey Parker (I) – Awards. 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 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