List of people from Utah
The following is a list of prominent people who were born in the U.S. state of Utah, live in Utah, or for whom Utah is a significant part of their identity.
A
- Maurice Abravanel – music director of the Utah Symphony for over 30 years[1]
- Maude Adams – Broadway stage actress of late 19th and early 20th centuries, noted for title role in Peter Pan
- Florence Ellinwood Allen – first woman to serve on a state Supreme Court, second to serve as a federal judge
- Quinn Allman – guitarist for The Used
- John Amaechi – American-English NBA player for the Utah Jazz (2001–2003), sports broadcaster, political activist
- Rocky Anderson – former mayor of Salt Lake City
- David Archuleta – singer-songwriter, runner-up on the seventh season of American Idol
- Leonard J. Arrington – historian[2]
- Hal Ashby – director; films include Being There, The Last Detail, Harold and Maude
B
- Simon Bamberger – first Democratic governor of Utah; only Jewish governor of Utah[2]
- Lee Barnes (1906–1970) – pole vaulter, gold medalist in 1924 Olympics
- Roseanne Barr – comedian, television actress, writer, talk-show host
- Earl W. Bascom (1906–1995) – rodeo champion, inventor, artist, sculptor, Utah Sports Hall of Fame inductee
- Bruce Bastian – computer programmer, co-founder of the WordPerfect software company, philanthropist, member of the board of directors of the Human Rights Campaign
- Zane Beadles – lineman for the Jacksonville Jaguars
- Linda Bement (born 1942) – Miss USA and Miss Universe 1960
- Robert Foster "Bob" Bennett – Republican United States Senator from Utah
- Ezra Taft Benson – 13th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1985 to 1994; United States Secretary of Agriculture under Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Jaime Bergman – actress, model, 1999 Playboy Playmate
- Arnie Beyeler – first base coach for the Boston Red Sox
- Don Bluth (born 1937) – animator
- Frank Borzage – film director and actor
- Reva Beck Bosone – Utah's first woman member of Congress[1]
- Elaine Bradley – musician; member of rock band Neon Trees
- Shawn Bradley – former NBA center, considered one of the tallest players in NBA history
- Stewart Bradley – linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Juanita Brooks – historian and author[2]
- John Moses Browning (1855–1926) – firearms designer
- Val Browning (1895–1994) – business magnate, philanthropist, and third-generation gun innovator
- John Buck (born 1980) – catcher for the Miami Marlins
- Ted Bundy – serial killer who attended the S. J. Quinney College of Law (not born in Utah, but lived there)
- Nolan Bushnell (born 1943) – video game designer, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's
- Jerry Buss (1933–2013) – businessman, real estate investor and chemist, owned the Los Angeles Lakers
C
- Ben Cahoon – slotback for the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, member of two Grey Cup championship teams in 2002 and 2009
- Mario Capecchi (born 1939) – recipient, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2007
- Orson Scott Card (born 1951) – science fiction author
- Neal Cassady – writer; major figure of the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the psychedelic and counterculture movements of the 1960s; inspiration for the character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road
- Butch Cassidy (1866 – c. 1908) – outlaw, born Robert LeRoy Parker in Beaver, Utah
- K. C. Clyde (born 1980) – actor, narrator on Secret Millionaire
- Nick Clooney (born Nicholas Joseph Clooney, 1934) – journalist, anchorman, and television host; brother of singers Rosemary Clooney and Betty Clooney; father of actor and film director George Clooney
- Stephen Covey (1932–2012) – author, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
- Reed Cowan (born Darrin Reed Cowan, 1972) – television news anchor, philanthropist, and documentary filmmaker
- Melvin A. Cook (born 1911) – explosives expert, chemist
- Chris Cooley (born 1982) – NFL tight end
D
- Matthew Davis – actor, The Vampire Diaries, What About Brian, Legally Blonde
- Laraine Day – actress, Foreign Correspondent, Mr. Lucky, The High and the Mighty
- Jordan Devey – offensive guard for the San Francisco 49ers
- Paul W. Draper – anthropologist, mentalist, educator
- Christine M. Durham – Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court since 2002
E
- David Eccles – industrialist
- Marriner Eccles – banker, economist, Chairman of the Federal Reserve during Roosevelt and Truman Administrations
- Spencer Eccles – bank executive for First Security and Wells Fargo
- Lily Eskelsen García – vice president of National Education Association
- Richard Paul Evans – author, known for novel The Christmas Box
- Henry Eyring – theoretical chemist who proposed theories on which future Nobel Prize winners based their work
F
- Philo T. Farnsworth (1906–1971) – inventor of the electronic television
- John D. Fitzgerald – author of The Great Brain series of children's books and Papa Married a Mormon
- John F. Fitzpatrick – publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune from 1924 to 1960[2]
- Harvey Fletcher – physicist, invented the hearing aid and audiometer; called "the father of stereophonic sound"
- Brandon Flowers – singer for the rock band The Killers[3]
- Jim Fosgate – inventor of first car amplifier, Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound, founder of Rockford Fosgate electronics
- Jimmer Fredette – professional basketball player
- Patrick Fugit (born 1982) – actor, known for lead role of Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous
- Gene Fullmer (1931–2015) – middleweight boxer and world champion
G
- John W. Gallivan – publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune from 1960 to 1984
- Kendall D. Garff – founder of Ken Garff Automotive Group
- Jake Garn – former U.S. Senator and astronaut, the first member of Congress in space
- Anthony Geary – actor in several daytime television series
- John Gilbert – silent film star
- Tyler Glenn – musician; member of rock band Neon Trees
- Robert Gore – co-inventor of Gore-Tex fabrics
- Wilbert L. Gore – co-inventor of Gore-Tex fabrics
- Heber J. Grant (1856–1945) – 7th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Tom Green – Mormon fundamentalist and practicer of plural marriage
- Riley Griffiths – actor, known for Super 8
H
- Gregg Hale – guitarist for British band Spiritualized
- Tracy Hall (born 1919) – scientist
- Jacob Hamblin – peace maker with Native Americans
- Orrin Hatch (born 1934) – U.S. Senator
- Dan Hausel (born 1949) – martial-arts grandmaster, exploration geologist and author
- Stanley Havili (born 1987) – fullback for the Philadelphia Eagles
- Katherine Heigl -Actress (Greys Anatomy, 27 Dresses)
- Gary R. Herbert (born 1947) – Governor of Utah
- Jared and Jerusha Hess (born 1979, 1980) – filmmakers (Napoleon Dynamite)
- Tracy Hickman – writer, co-creator of the D&D campaign setting Dragonlance and associated novels
- Esther Hicks – inspirational speaker and best-selling author
- Chelsie Hightower – professional ballroom dancer on So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars
- Joe Hill – socialist, radical labor activist, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World
- Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) – 15th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1995 to 2008
- Allison Holker – jazz dancer
- Derek Hough and Julianne Hough – professional ballroom dancers on Dancing with the Stars
- Jeph Howard (born 1979) – bassist for The Used
- Jon Huntsman, Jr. (born 1960) – Governor of Utah 2005–2009; ambassador to the People's Republic of China
- Jon Huntsman, Sr. – businessman, philanthropist, founder of Huntsman Corporation
I
- Brian Ibbott – creator of the Coverville podcast
J
- Daniel C. Jackling – founded the Utah Copper Co. in 1903, starting what became the world's largest open-pit mine[1]
- Ken Jennings – 74-time Jeopardy! champion
- Jewel (born Jewel Kilcher, 1974) – singer-songwriter, guitarist, actress, and poet
- Scott Johnson – creator of Extralife webcomic and podcast network Frogpants Studios
- Megan Joy – singer, American Idol Season 8 finalist
K
- Thomas Kearns – U.S. Senator from Utah (1901–1905), owned the Silver King Coalition Mine in Park City and the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah's largest newspaper
- Bryan Kehl – linebacker for the Washington Redskins
- Brett Keisel – defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- David M. Kennedy (1905–1996) – Treasury Secretary under President Nixon
- Spencer W. Kimball – 12th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; LDS President who ended the ban on priesthood for African-Americans in 1978[1]
- John F. Kinney – Chief Justice of the Utah Territory Supreme Court from 1853 to 1857, and the Territory of Utah's Delegate in the House of Representatives of the 38th Congress
- Raymond Knight – rodeo organizer, son of mining magnate Jesse Knight
- Steve Konowalchuk – NHL forward for Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche
- Paul Kruger – linebacker for Cleveland Browns
L
- Carnell Lake (born 1967) – former NFL professional football player, football coach
- Paul Langton – actor
- Joi Lansing – model, actress
- Mike Leavitt – former Governor of Utah, Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Harold B. Lee – 11th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- John D. Lee – early LDS Church leader, the only man convicted in the Mountain Meadows massacre
- Trevor Lewis – forward for NHL's Los Angeles Kings
- Don L. Lind – astronaut
- Star Lotulelei – defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers
- Brandon Lyon – relief pitcher for MLB's Toronto Blue Jays
M
- Maddox – Internet satirist and author of The Best Page in the Universe and The Alphabet of Manliness
- Karl Malone – professional basketball player (retired); two-time NBA MVP and Hall of Famer
- John Willard Marriott – founder of worldwide hotel business Marriott International, Inc.
- Mark Maryboy – politician and a former Navajo Nation Council Delegate
- Scott M. Matheson – Governor of Utah
- Ned Mathews – running back for Detroit Lions and Boston Yanks
- Bert McCracken – lead singer of the band The Used
- Roger I. McDonough – Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1947 to 1948 and 1954 to 1959
- David O. McKay – 9th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- James B. McKean – congressman, Chief Justice of the Utah Territory Supreme Court from 1870 to 1875
- Jim McMahon – NFL football player (retired); businessman, motivational speaker, part owner of the Chicago Slaughter
- Kieth Merrill – Academy Award-winning producer and director
- Johnny Miller – former professional golfer, won 25 PGA Tour events, current golf analyst for NBC Sports
- Larry H. Miller (1944–2009) – businessman, philanthropist, owner of Utah Jazz basketball team
- Gerald R. Molen – Academy Award-winning film producer
- Thomas S. Monson – president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Ted Moss – three-term Democratic senator from Utah[2]
- Barry Mower – businessperson, owner of Lifetime Products
- Brandon Mull – best-selling author
N
- Jim Nantz – CBS Sports anchor
- David Neeleman – chief executive officer of JetBlue
- Haloti Ngata – defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens
- Claude Nowell (born 1944) – founder of Summum religion and philosophy
O
- Dallin H. Oaks – lawyer, jurist, Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Darcy Olsen – president and chief executive officer of the Goldwater Institute
- Merlin Olsen (1940–2010) – former NFL football player, actor on Little House on the Prairie and star of NBC's Father Murphy
- Drew Osborne (born 1991) – actor
- Osmond family – family music group The Osmonds
- Alan Osmond (born 1949) – singer
- Donny Osmond (born 1957) – singer, actor, television host
- Jay Osmond (born 1955) – singer
- Jimmy Osmond (born 1963) – singer, actor, businessman
- Marie Osmond (born 1959) – singer, actress, television host
- Merrill Osmond (born 1953) – singer
- Wayne Osmond (born 1951) – singer
- Wayne Owens (1937–2002) – attorney, U.S. Congressman from Utah
P
- Erik Pears (born 1982) – offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers
- Utah Phillips (1935–2008) – folk singer, poet, and labor organizer
- Dorothy Poynton (1915–1995) – diver, two-time Olympic gold medalist
R
- Melba Rae – actress, Search for Tomorrow
- Calvin Rampton – Utah governor from 1965 to 1977, won three terms running as a Democrat[1]
- Carmen Rasmusen (born 1985) – contestant on American Idol 2
- Dallas Reynolds – offensive lineman for the New York Giants
- Alma Richards – first Olympic gold medalist from Utah (1912 Stockholm games)
- Gary Ridgway – serial killer known as the Green River Killer
- Amanda Righetti – actress, The Mentalist, North Shore, Reunion
- Karl Rove – political advisor to President George W. Bush
S
- Matt Salmon – U.S. Representative from Arizona
- Kyle Sampson – former Chief of Staff and Counselor for United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
- Brandon Sanderson – author, selected to complete Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time
- Cael Sanderson – wrestler from Heber City, Utah, gold medalist in the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Daniel Schaffer - Mentalist[4]
- Harold Schindler (born 1929-1998) - Utah Historian
- Byron Scott – NBA shooting guard; head coach for the New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, and Cleveland Cavaliers
- Brent Scowcroft – National Security Advisor to presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush
- Ryan Seaman – drummer in the rock band Falling in Reverse
- Jerry Sloan – basketball player, Hall of Fame head coach for the Utah Jazz; longest-tenured coach in American professional sports
- Elizabeth Smart – girl kidnapped from her bedroom in Salt Lake City in 2002
- George Albert Smith – 8th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Joseph Fielding Smith – 10th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Lucky Blue Smith (born 1998) – model and drummer
- Reed Smoot – U.S. Senator, served almost thirty years in Congress, ten as chairman of the Finance Committee[1]
- Grant Speed – Western-themed sculptor
- Wallace Stegner – historian, novelist, short story writer, and environmentalist
- Branden Steineckert – former drummer of The Used, drummer for Rancid
- Stanley Smith Stevens – psychologist; founded Harvard's Psycho-Acoustic Laboratory; credited with Stevens' power law
- John Stockton – Hall of Fame point guard for the Utah Jazz, holds the NBA records for career assists and steals
- Picabo Street – champion alpine ski racer with the U.S. Ski Team
- Bruce Summerhays – professional golfer; mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[5]
- Jane Summerhays – actress
- George Sutherland – English-born American jurist and political figure; Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 1922 to 1938
- Kelly Sweet – adult contemporary singer
- May Swenson (born 1913) – poet
T
- Naufahu Tahi – former NFL fullback
- Mitch Talbot – pitcher for the Samsung Lions
- Chrissy Teigen – model for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue
- Kip Thorne – theoretical physicist
- Will Tukuafu – fullback for the Seattle Seahawks
U
- Harvey Unga – running back for the Chicago Bears
V
- Craig Venter – biotechnologist, biochemist, geneticist, and entrepreneur
- Zach Vigil – linebacker for the Miami Dolphins
W
- Wakara – Native American; leader of the Timpanogos tribe
- Olene S. Walker – governor
- Tom Wallisch – skier (King of Afterbang)
- Sam Walton – Wal-Mart founder, served in the military at Ft Douglas
- John Warnock – co-founder of Adobe Systems Inc.
- Dallon Weekes – musician, singer-songwriter; bassist of American rock band Panic! at the Disco
- Mike Weir – professional golfer
- Willie Wilkin – professional football player
- Terry Tempest Williams – author, environmentalist
- Marie Windsor – actress
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead – actress, Live Free or Die Hard
- Dave Wolverton – author
- James Woods – film, stage and television actor
- David Wright – cyclist, stage winner in all three grand tours, yellow jersey holder, national time trial champion
Williams, Terry Lee - Legislator - First African American person to be elected to the Utah State Senate. Also, member of and second Black person to be elected to the Utah State House of Representatives. Educational leader, Bishop of Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church, political activists.
Y
- Brigham Young – 2nd president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Bryan Young – filmmaker and author
- Loretta Young – film actress and television star
- Mahonri Young – sculptor and artist
- Steve Young – Hall of Fame quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, NFL's Most Valuable Player 1992 and 1994
Z
- Charles S. Zane – Chief Justice of the Utah Territory Supreme Court (1884–1888), and of the Utah Supreme Court (1896–1899)
- Michael D. Zimmerman – sensei; Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court from 1994 to 1998
See also
- by educational institution affiliation
- by governmental office
- by location
- by occupation
- by religious affiliation
References
- ^ a b c d e f "The 10 Utahns Who Most Influenced Our State in the 20th Century," Utah History to Go.
- ^ a b c d e "Runners-up for the Most Influential Utahns of the 20th Century," Utah History to Go.
- ^ "The Lady Killer: An Interview with the Killers' Brandon Flowers": Spin, 9 Nov 2004
- ^ http://fox13now.com/2016/12/01/a-mentalist-bends-a-fork-with-his-mind-guesses-the-name-of-brookes-first-kiss/
- ^ Sorensen, Mike (May 17, 2010). "A Grand Adventure". Deseret News. Retrieved July 16, 2011.