Famous and Notable People Born in Montana
Updated: January 26, 2026
Montana's rugged country and frontier spirit have produced some wonderfully unique and colorful personalities. Jeannette Rankin, was the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives; C.M. Russell, was a famous Western artist who captured the old west on canvas and modern-day paleontologist Jack Horner discovered a nest of Maiasaurs. Check out these, and other famous Montanans.
Arts
Movies and Theatre (Directing / Film)
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Brad Bird |
Kalispell |
Academy Award-winning animation director, known for "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille". |
| David Lynch |
Missoula |
Influential filmmaker and artist, director of "Blue Velvet" and co-creator of "Twin Peaks". |
| Bud Luckey |
Missoula |
Animator with Pixar, director of "Hop" and co-creator of Woody from "Toy Story." |
| Michael Smuin |
Butte |
Known for the vibrant, expressive work, Smuin was co-artistic director of the San Francisco Ballet from 1973 to 1985. He danced with that company from 1953 to 1961 and later with the American Ballet Theatre, where he was both a principal dancer and choreographer. |
Television (Writing / Producing / Acting)
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Jesse Tyler Ferguson |
Missoula |
Actor best known for "Modern Family". |
| Brannon Braga |
Bozeman |
Writer and producer for multiple "Star Trek" series and other television shows. |
Painting / Sculpture / Ceramics / Fabric / Jewelry / Fashion
Some art figures were not born in Montana but are closely tied to its art scene; those are noted.
| Name |
Connection to Montana |
Field |
Notability |
| Charles M. Russell |
St. Louis-born, Great Falls resident |
Art / Western Heritage |
Iconic Western painter and sculptor closely associated with Montana. |
| Jaune Quick-to-See Smith |
Born near St. Ignatius |
Painting / Printmaking |
Renowned contemporary Native American painter and printmaker. |
| Frances Senska |
Long-time Bozeman artist/teacher |
Ceramics |
Pioneering ceramics educator at Montana State University, influential for generations of potters. |
| Peter Voulkos |
Raised in Bozeman (born in Colorado) |
Ceramics |
World-renowned ceramic artist associated with MSU and the studio pottery movement. |
| Robert Scriver |
Browning |
Sculpture |
Western sculptor known for bronze works of Native American and cowboy subjects. |
| Monte Dolack |
Great Falls |
Painting / Graphic Art |
Artist famous for whimsical, Montana-themed posters and prints. |
| Evelyn Cameron |
England |
Photographer |
Photographer famous for her photos of homesteading life in early 20th century eastern Montana. |
| Stan Lynde |
Billings |
Syndicated Cartoonist |
Cartoonist famous for his whimsical western syndicated comic strip, "Rick O'Shay" and later the western strip "Latigo." |
| Edgar S. Paxson |
East Hamburg, NY |
Frontier Painter |
Best known for portraits of Native Americans in the frontier West and for his depiction of the Battle of Little Bighorn in his painting "Custer's Last Stand". |
| Kevin Red Star |
Lodge Grass |
Painter |
A Native American painter drawing inspiration from Crow culture and history. |
| Bethany Yellowtail |
Wyola |
Fashion Designer |
She is a Native American fashion designer based in Los Angeles, California. She serves as designer and CEO for her line B.Yellowtail. |
| Jayme Odgers |
Butte |
Graphic Designer |
He has amassed over 100 design awards, including gold medals from the Art Directors Clubs of New York and Los Angeles, and an international Typomundus Award for typography. |
Actors / Actresses
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Gary Cooper |
Helena |
Classic Hollywood film star, multiple Academy Awards. |
| Michelle Williams |
Kalispell |
Oscar-nominated film actress. |
| Patrick Duffy |
Townsend |
Actor known for "Dallas" and "Step by Step". |
| Dirk Benedict |
Helena |
Television actor known for "The A-Team" and "Battlestar Galactica". |
| Myrna Loy |
Radersburg |
Golden-Age film actress, famous for "The Thin Man" series. |
| Jesse Tyler Ferguson |
Missoula |
Stage and television actor, "Modern Family". |
| Robert Bray |
Missoula |
Bray entered film in 1946 under contract to RKO. He was marketed as the 'next Gary Cooper'. |
| Dana Carvey |
Missoula |
He is an American Emmy-award winning actor and comedian known for his work on Saturday Night Live and the spin-off movie Wayne's World. |
| Lily Gladstone |
Kalispell |
she became the first Native American to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. |
| George Montgomery |
Brady |
He was an American painter, sculptor, furniture craftsman, and stuntman who is best known as an actor in western style film and television. |
| Martha Raye |
Butte |
She was an Academy Award-winning American comic actress and standards singer who performed in movies, and later on television. |
| J. K. Simmons |
Grosse Point, MI |
He is an American actor. Who is considered one of the most prolific and well-established character actors of his generation |
| Kathlyn Williams |
Butte |
She was a popular American actress who performed on stage as well as in early silent film. |
Other Entertainers
| Name |
Birthplace / Connection |
Field |
Notability |
| Evel Knievel |
Butte |
Stunts / Entertainment |
Legendary motorcycle daredevil and pop-culture icon. |
Musicians
Several well-known musicians are strongly associated with Montana but were born elsewhere; this table focuses on Montana-born or closely tied figures by genre.
Rock
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Jeff Ament |
Havre |
Bassist and founding member of rock band Pearl Jam. |
| Colin Meloy |
Helena |
He is the lead singer and songwriter for the Portland, Oregon folk-rock band The Decemberists. |
| Chan Romero |
Billings |
He was an American rock and roll performer, best known for his 1959 song "Hippy Hippy Shake." |
Jazz
| Name |
Connection |
Notability |
| Eden Atwood |
Raised in Missoula (born in Memphis) |
Jazz vocalist with strong ties to the Montana music scene. |
| Taylor Gordon |
White Sulphur Springs |
He was a singer and vaudeville performer associated with the Harlem Renaissance in the mid-1920's. |
Opera
| Name |
Connection |
Notability |
| Judith Blegen |
Raised in Missoula (born in Memphis) |
As a leading soprano in the New York Metropolitan Opera |
Country
| Name |
Connection |
Notability |
| Charley Pride |
Sledge, Mississippi - 10 years Helena |
He has had thirty-six number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. |
Hip Hop
| Name |
Connection |
Notability |
| Supaman |
Crow Agency |
Christian Parrish Takes the Gun, known professionally as Supaman, is an Apsáalooke rapper and fancy war dancer who grew up in Crow Agency, Montana. |
Pop / R&B / Hip Hop / Classical
Montana has many regional performers in country, pop, hip hop, R&B, and classical music, but relatively few widely recognized, Montana-born stars at national "household name" level in these genres.
Literature
| Name |
Birthplace / Montana Connection |
Notability |
| James Welch |
Browning |
Native American novelist and poet, author of "Fools Crow". |
| Ivan Doig |
White Sulphur Springs |
Novelist and memoirist of the rural American West. |
| Mary MacLane |
Winnipeg, CA, Butte |
Early 20th-century memoirist known for candid, controversial writing. |
| A. B. Guthrie Jr. |
Grew up in Montana |
Author of "The Big Sky"; closely associated with Montana literature. |
| Norman Maclean |
Clarinda, IA |
Author of the book A River Runs Through It and Other Stories. |
| Mary Clearman Blew |
Lewistown |
She is an American non fiction writer and is a professor of creative writing at the University of Idaho and Pacific Lutheran University. |
| Grace Stone Coates |
Martinsdale |
She wrote short stories, poetry, and news articles. |
| Joseph Kinsey Howard |
Oskaloosa, IA |
He was an American journalist, historian, and writer. He wrote extensively about the history, culture, and economic circumstances of Montana. |
| Richard Hugo |
Seattle, WA |
Hugo's work reflects the economic depression of the Northwestern United States, particularly Montana. |
| Richard Hugo |
Seattle, WA |
Hugo's work reflects the economic depression of the Northwestern United States, particularly Montana. |
| Will James |
Quebec, CA |
An artist and writer of children's books. The largest public collection of James' writings, artwork, and personal effects is preserved at the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Montana. |
| Dorothy M. Johnson |
McGregor, IA |
Known for her Western stories. Three of these were made into films, A Man Called Horse (1970) starring Richard Harris, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) starring John Wayne and James Stewart, and The Hanging Tree (1959) starring Gary Cooper. |
| William Kittredge |
Portland, OR |
An American writer of the modern west. Notably an editor of "The Last Best Place: A Montana Anthology." |
| Frank Bird Linderman |
Cleveland, OH |
He wrote about the Salish and Blackfeet cultures and worked to help them survive pressure from European Americans. |
| Deirdre McNamer |
Cut Bank |
McNamer is a 2015 recipient of an Artists Innovation Award from the Montana Arts Council, and a 2022 recipient of the Montana Governor's Award for the Arts. |
| D'Arcy McNickle |
St. Ignatius |
He wrote short stories and novels, and works in Native American history and culture. |
| Thomas McGuane |
St. Ignatius |
His writing reflected an increasing devotion to family relationships and relationships with the natural world in the changing American West, primarily Montana, |
|
Christopher Paolini |
Los Angeles, CA raised in Paradise Valley |
He published his first novel when he was 15, Eragon. |
Sciences
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Field |
Notability |
| Maurice Hilleman |
Miles City |
Microbiology / Vaccinology |
Developed many of the world's routine vaccines; one of the most important vaccine scientists of the 20th century. |
| Jack Horner |
Shelby |
Paleontology |
Famed dinosaur paleontologist, known for work on Maiasaura and dinosaur behavior. |
| Brian Schmidt |
Missoula |
Astrophysics |
Nobel Prize in Physics (2011) for discovery of the accelerating expansion of the universe. |
| James E. Atwater |
Kalispell |
Chemist, scientist |
He developed the microwave powered air purification device for astronauts, and the novel sensors and analytical instrumentation for monitoring and control of life support systems. |
| John Doull |
Baker |
Toxicologist |
He was the founding editor of the first textbook of toxicology, Casarett & Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons, published in 1975. |
|
Jules P. Harrell |
Helena |
Psychologist |
Harrell's research examines the effect of racism as a stressor to African Americans, resulting in poorer health. |
| Maurice Hilleman |
Miles City |
Microbiologist, vaccinologist |
"Maurice should be recognized as the most successful vaccinologist in history." - Robert Gallo, co-discoverer of HIV |
| Howard Taylor Ricketts |
Findlay, OH |
Pathologist |
He worked in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana and at the University of Chicago on Rocky Mountain spotted fever. |
| Ann Linnea Sandberg |
Denver, CO |
Immunologist |
Sandberg was recognized with a Montana State University Centennial Alumnae Award. She received several NIH awards including the Merit Award, Special Achievement Award and the Special Act Award. |
| Brian Schmidt |
Denver, CO |
Astrophysics |
He is known for his research in using supernovae as cosmological probes. |
| Lester Thurow |
Livingston |
Political Economist |
He was a longtime advocate of a political and economic system of the Japanese and European type, in which governmental involvement in the direction of the economy is far more extensive than is the case in the United States – a model that has come to be known as "Third Way" philosophy. |
Media
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Chet Huntley |
Cardwell |
Co-anchor of NBC's "Huntley-Brinkley Report". |
| Brent Musburger |
Portland, OR raised in Billings |
Was an American sportscaster for the ABC and ESPN television networks. |
Sports
NFL
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Pat Donovan |
Helena |
Offensive lineman, four-time Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys. |
| Colt Anderson |
Butte |
Played for the Vikings, Eagles, Colts and Bills. |
| Troy Anderson |
Butte |
Plays for the Atlanta Falcons. |
| Ryan Leaf |
Butte |
He played for the San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks between 1998 and 2002. |
NBA
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Phil Jackson |
Deer Lodge |
Hall of Fame coach (Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers) and former NBA player. |
| Larry Krystkowiak |
Shelby |
He played power forward for nine seasons in the NBA, spending the bulk of his career with the Milwaukee Bucks. |
| Adam Morrison |
Glendive |
He played for the Charlotte Bobcats from 2006 to 2009, and for the L.A. Lakers from 2009 to 2010, where he won two NBA Championships. |
| Joshua Sutton Huestis |
Great Falls |
He is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). |
| Keith Tower |
Libby |
He played for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks. |
MLB
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Codi Heuer |
Missoula |
.He has played for the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and Detroit Tigers. |
| Dave McNally |
Billings |
He played for the Baltimore Orioles dynasty that won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1966 and 1971.A three-time All-Star, McNally won 20 or more games for four consecutive seasons from 1968 through 1971. |
NHL
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Jake Sanderson |
Whitefish |
He is a defenseman for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). |
Winter Olympics
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Sport |
Notability |
| Tommy Moe |
Missoula |
Alpine Skiing |
Gold and silver medals at the 1994 Lillehammer Winter Olympics. |
| Eric Bergoust |
Missoula |
Freestyle Skiing (Aerials) |
Gold medal in aerials at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. |
| Maggie Voisin |
Whitefish |
Freestyle Skiing (Slopestyle) |
Multiple-time U.S. Olympian in freeski slopestyle. |
| Darian Stevens |
Missoula |
Freestyle Skiing |
U.S. Olympic freestyle skier. |
| Bradley Wilson |
Butte |
Freestyle Skiing (Moguls) |
U.S. Olympic moguls skier. |
Summer Olympics
| Name |
Birthplace / Montana Connection |
Sport |
Notability |
| Gene Davis |
Missoula |
Wrestling |
Bronze medalist in freestyle wrestling at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. |
| Ali Weisz |
Belgrade |
Shooting |
Sport shooter who competed for the U.S. at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. |
| Monica Tranel |
Eastern Montana (Miles City/Ashland area) |
Rowing |
Rowed for the U.S. at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. |
| Pat Pitney |
Billings |
Air Rifle |
Pitney competed and won a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympics. |
| Katharine Berkoff |
Missoula |
Swimming |
She has won a gold medal in the 4x100 medley relay and a bronze medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. |
| Lindsay Burns |
Big Timber |
Rowing |
She was a rower who won a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics. |
Other Notable Montana Athletes
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Notability |
| Levi Leipheimer |
Butte |
He is an American former professional road racing cyclist. He was twice US national champion, winning the time trial title in 1999 and the road race in 2007, and is an Olympic medalist. |
| Alex Lowe |
Missoula |
Alex was one of the world’s finest technical climbers, speed climbers and altitude skiers. |
| Steve Reeves |
Glasgow |
Steve was an American professional bodybuilder and actor. |
Montana Rodeo Champions by Event
All-Around / Multi-Event
| Name |
Hometown (Montana) |
Main Events |
Notability |
| Bill Linderman |
Red Lodge |
All-Around, Bareback, Saddle Bronc, Steer Wrestling |
Multi-event PRCA world champion and early all-around star. |
| Benny Reynolds |
Melrose |
All-Around, Roughstock & Timed Events |
1961 PRCA All-Around World Champion, known as a true all-around cowboy. |
| Dan Mortensen |
Billings / Manhattan |
Saddle Bronc, All-Around |
Six-time saddle bronc world champion and 1997 PRCA All-Around World Champion. |
Bareback Riding
| Name |
Hometown (Montana) |
Major Titles |
Notability |
| Bud Linderman |
Red Lodge |
PRCA World Champion (1945) |
Early Montana bareback riding world champion and NFR winner. |
| Larry Peabody |
Three Forks |
PRCA World Champion (1984) |
World champion bareback rider and NFR average winner. |
| Deb Greenough |
Red Lodge |
PRCA World Champion (1993) |
World champion bareback rider, NFR average champion, Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame inductee. |
Saddle Bronc Riding
| Name |
Hometown (Montana) |
Major Titles |
Notability |
| Bill Linderman |
Red Lodge |
PRCA World Champion (Saddle Bronc & All-Around) |
Won world titles in multiple events, including saddle bronc. |
| Shawn Davis |
Whitehall |
PRCA Saddle Bronc World Champion (1965, 1967, 1968) |
Three-time world champion and longtime NFR general manager. |
| J.C. Bonine |
Hysham |
PRCA Saddle Bronc World Champion (1977) |
World champion saddle bronc rider representing small-town Montana. |
| Jesse Kruse |
Great Falls |
PRCA Saddle Bronc World Champion (2009) |
Modern era Montana saddle bronc world champion. |
| Dan Mortensen |
Billings / Manhattan |
PRCA Saddle Bronc World Champion (6 times) |
One of the greatest saddle bronc riders in PRCA history, ProRodeo Hall of Fame member. |
Steer Wrestling
| Name |
Hometown (Montana) |
Major Titles |
Notability |
| Jack Kerschner |
Miles City |
Cheyenne Frontier Days Champion, NFR Wins |
Top Montana steer wrestler with major rodeo wins. |
| Brad Gleason |
Ennis |
Cheyenne Frontier Days Champion |
Respected Montana steer wrestler and champion at major rodeos. |
| Ty Erickson |
Helena |
PRCA Steer Wrestling World Champion |
World champion steer wrestler and multiple-time NFR qualifier. |
Tie-Down Roping
| Name |
Hometown (Montana) |
Major Titles |
Notability |
| Haven Meged |
Miles City |
PRCA World Champion (2019), NFR Average Champion |
One of Montana's premier timed-event cowboys and modern tie-down roping star. |
Bull Riding
| Name |
Hometown (Montana) |
Major Titles |
Notability |
| Ronnie Rossen |
Broadus |
PRCA Bull Riding World Champion (1961, 1966) |
Two-time world champion bull rider from southeastern Montana. |
| Clint Branger |
Roscoe / Red Lodge area |
NFR & PBR Finals Qualifier, NIRA Champion |
Top Montana bull rider in PRCA and PBR; Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame honoree. |
| Scott Breding |
Great Falls / Miles City area |
NIRA National Champion, NFR Qualifier |
Highly regarded Montana bull rider and Hall and Wall of Fame inductee. |
| Wally Badgett |
Miles City |
NIRA National Champion |
Champion bull rider and beloved Montana rodeo personality, honored as a Legend. |
Other Notable Montana Rodeo Figures
| Name |
Hometown (Montana) |
Role |
Notability |
| Jack Nystrom |
Box Elder |
Cowboy & Stock Contractor |
Long-time saddle bronc rider and stock contractor, honored as a Legend by the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame. |
| Kevin Nordahl |
Helena |
Bronc Rider / Pickup Man |
Respected Montana bronc rider and pickup man recognized for his contributions to rodeo. |
| Cliff Glade |
Reed Point |
Cowboy / Pickup Man |
Well-known Montana cowboy and pickup man, honored as a Legend. |
| Mike Lenning |
Joliet |
Roper / All-Around Cowboy |
Influential Montana roper and all-around hand recognized by the Hall and Wall of Fame. |
Politicians
| Name |
Birthplace (Montana) |
Role |
Notability |
| Greg Gianforte |
San Diego, CA |
Governor |
Current Governor of Montana. |
| Jeannette Rankin |
Near Missoula |
U.S. Representative |
First woman elected to the U.S. Congress. |
| Max Baucus |
Helena |
U.S. Senator |
Long-serving senator and later U.S. Ambassador to China. |
| Mike Mansfield |
New York |
U.S. Senator |
|
| Lee Metcalf |
Stevensville |
U.S. Senator |
|
| Jon Tester |
Havre |
U.S. Senator |
Farmer and long-time senator representing Montana. |
| Marc Racicot |
Thompson Falls |
Governor |
Former Governor of Montana and former chair of the Republican National Committee. |
Other
| Name |
Birthplace / Connection |
Field |
Notability |
| Marcus Daly |
Ballyjamesdu, Ireland |
Businessman |
He was an Irish-born American businessman known as one of the four Copper Kings of Butte, Montana, United States. |
| Katie Blair |
Billings |
Model |
Katie Blair is an American beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Teen USA 2006 |
| W. A. "Tough Tony" Boyle |
Bald Butte |
Labor Leader |
He was an American miner, union leader, and convicted murder-for-hire conspirator. He became president of the United Mine Workers of America union in 1963, serving until 1972. |
| William A. Clark |
Connellsville, PA |
American entrepreneur |
He was an American entrepreneur, involved with mining, banking, land development mercantile/commercial sales, agriculture and timber enterprises, and railroads. He was also a U.S. senator. |
| Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow |
Lodge Grass |
Historian |
He was a Native American writer, historian and war chief of the Crow Tribe. His writings on Native American history and reservation culture are considered seminal works, but he is best known for his writings and lectures concerning the Battle of the Little Bighorn of 1876. |
| Plenty Coups |
The-cliffs-that-have-no-name (possibly near Billings, Montana) |
Crow Chief |
Born ChÃilaphuchissaaleesh ("Buffalo Bull Facing The Wind"), he was the principal chief of the Crow Tribe and a visionary leader. |
| Henry Plummer |
Addison, ME |
Sheriff and outlaw |
He was a 19th‑century Western lawman and outlaw sheriff accused of leading a robbery gang and hanged by vigilantes |
| Robert Yellowtail |
Lodge Grass |
Leadership of the Crow Tribe |
He was a leader of the Crow Tribe. Described as a "20th-century warrior",[1] Yellowtail was the first Native American to hold the post of Agency Superintendent at a reservation. |
| Shep |
Fort Benton |
Sheep dog |
Shep was a Border Collie that watched his master's casket depart by rail from Fort Benton. He then stayed at the station waiting for his owner for five and a half years, until he grew deaf and was killed by an oncoming train in 1942. |
Did we miss any famous Montanans?
Who should we add?
Let us know!
Updated: January 26, 2026
