List of people from Arizona facts for kids
This article is about some amazing people who were born, grew up, or lived for a long time in Arizona, a cool state in the United States. You'll find famous actors, brave military heroes, talented musicians, and even some historical figures who shaped Arizona's past.
Contents
Scientists and Scholars
- Russell Merle Genet – A research scholar and astronomer who studies space.
- Joseph Hilbe (1944–2017) – A statistician, professor, and author.
- Craig D. Idso – The founder and chairman of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change, which studies climate.
- Percival Lowell (1855–1916) – A famous astronomer who started the Lowell Observatory in Arizona.
- Julia Robinson – A brilliant mathematician.
Artists, Writers, and Poets
Art Creators
- Max Cannon (born 1962) – An alternative cartoonist known for his unique drawings.
- Bil Keane (1922–2011) – A beloved cartoonist who created The Family Circus.
- James Rallison (born 1996) – A popular cartoonist and YouTuber, known as TheOdd1sOut.
- Paolo Soleri (1919–2013) – An architect known for his unique building designs.
Storytellers and Authors
- Clive Cussler (1931–2020) – An author famous for his Dirk Pitt adventure novels and for exploring shipwrecks.
- Diana Gabaldon (born 1952) – A novelist known for her historical fiction series.
- Stephenie Meyer (born 1973) – The author of the super popular Twilight series for teens.
- Barbara Park (1947–2013) – The author of the funny Junie B. Jones series.
- Brady Udall (born 1971) – A well-known author.
Poetry Writers
- Ai (1947–2010) – A poet and educator.
- Jayne Cortez (1934–2012) – A poet, activist, and spoken-word artist.
- Norman Dubie (born 1945) – A poet and professor at Arizona State University.
- Alberto Ríos (born 1952) – Arizona's very first state poet laureate and a professor at Arizona State University.
- Richard Shelton (born 1933) – A poet, writer, and professor at the University of Arizona.
- Luci Tapahonso (born 1953) – A poet and educator.
Film, TV, and Stage Stars
.jpg)
- Erika Alexander (born 1969) – An actress.
- Rex Allen (1920–1999) – An actor and singing cowboy, known as "The Arizona Cowboy."
- Steve Allen (1921–2000) – A comedian and actor, often called the "father of TV talk shows."
- Asher Angel (born 2002) – An actor, known for his role in Shazam!.
- Aidy Bryant (born 1987) – An actress and comedian from Saturday Night Live.
- Brooke Burke (born 1971) – An actress, model, and TV personality, known for Dancing with the Stars.
- Lynda Carter (born 1951) – An actress and singer, famous for playing Wonder Woman.
- Ted Danson (born 1947) – A well-known actor from shows like Cheers and CSI.
- Andy Devine (1905–1977) – An actor known for his roles in Western films.
- Barbara Eden (born 1931) – An actress, famous for I Dream of Jeannie.
- Danielle Fishel (born 1981) – An actress, known for Boy Meets World.
- Pablo Francisco (born 1974) – A stand-up comedian and actor.
- David Henrie (born 1989) – An actor, known for Wizards of Waverly Place.
- Catherine Hicks (born 1951) – An actress, known for 7th Heaven.
- Josh McDermitt (born 1978) – An actor and comedian, known for The Walking Dead.
- Heather Morris (born 1987) – An actress, known for playing Brittany Pierce on Glee.
- Mary-Louise Parker (born 1964) – An actress, known for Weeds.
- Busy Philipps (born 1979) – An actress, known for Cougar Town.
- James Rallison (born 1996) – An internet personality and animator.
- Garry Shandling (1949–2016) – An actor and comedian.
- David Spade (born 1965) – An actor and comedian from Saturday Night Live.
- Emma Stone (born 1988) – A very famous actress, known for movies like La La Land and The Help.
- Shayne Topp (born 1991) – An internet personality, comedian, and actor from Smosh.
- Amber Valletta (born 1974) – An actress and model.
- Kate Walsh (born 1967) – An actress, known for her role as Dr. Addison Montgomery on Grey's Anatomy.
- Shannon Woodward (born 1984) – An actress, known for Westworld.
Leaders and Public Servants
- Joe Arpaio (born 1932) – A former sheriff of Maricopa County.
- Bruce Babbitt (born 1938) – A former Governor of Arizona and a U.S. government official who managed national parks.
- Jan Brewer (born 1944) – Served as the 22nd Governor of Arizona.
- César Chávez (1927–1993) – A very important labor union leader who fought for farmworkers' rights.
- Doug Ducey (born 1964) – Governor of Arizona from 2015 to 2023.
- Jeff Flake (born 1962) – A former U.S. Senator from Arizona.
- Gabby Giffords (born 1970) – A former U.S. Representative who was wounded in a shooting.
- Barry M. Goldwater (1909–1998) – A longtime Arizona Senator and a presidential candidate in 1964.
- Margaret Hance (1923–1990) – The first female Mayor of Phoenix.
- Carl Hayden (1877–1972) – A U.S. Senator who holds the record for the longest service in the U.S. Congress.
- Katie Hobbs (born 1969) - The current Governor of Arizona.
- John McCain (1936–2018) – A longtime U.S. Senator from Arizona, a former navy officer, and a presidential candidate in 2008.
- Rose Mofford (1922–2016) – The first female Governor of Arizona.
- Janet Napolitano (born 1957) – Served as the 21st Governor of Arizona.
- Sandra Day O'Connor (born 1930) – The first female justice of the United States Supreme Court, a very important judge.
- Dan Quayle (born 1947) – A former U.S. Senator from Indiana and the 44th Vice President of the United States.
- William Rehnquist (1924–2005) – The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
- Stewart Udall (1920–2010) – A U.S. Congressman and a government official who managed national parks during the JFK and LBJ presidencies.
Journalists and Media Personalities
- Rachel Campos-Duffy (born 1971) – A TV personality from shows like The Real World: San Francisco.
- Cheryl Casone (born 1970) – An anchor for the Fox Business Network.
- Savannah Guthrie (born 1971) – A White House correspondent for NBC News and co-host of NBC's Today Show.
- Don Imus (1940–2019) – A nationally known talk radio host.
- Meghan McCain (born 1984) – A co-host of The View.
- Noah Beck (born 2001) – A popular social media personality.
Military Heroes
- Joe Foss (1915–2003) – A leading United States Marine Corps fighter pilot and a Medal of Honor recipient.
- Ira Hayes (1923–1955) – A United States Marine Corps member in World War II who helped raise the U.S. flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
- Frank Luke (1897–1918) – A World War I fighter pilot and a Medal of Honor recipient.
- Lori Piestewa (1979–2003) – A United States Army soldier, the first Native American woman from Arizona to be killed in war. She received the Purple Heart.
- Pat Tillman (1976–2004) – A United States Army soldier who received the Silver Star in Afghanistan. He was also a college and NFL football player.
Music Stars
- Jim Adkins (born 1975) – The lead singer and guitarist for the band Jimmy Eat World.
- Alec Benjamin (born 1994) – A pop singer.
- Chester Bennington (1976–2017) – The lead singer for the band Linkin Park.
- Dierks Bentley (born 1975) – A country singer from Phoenix.
- Michelle Branch (born 1983) – A singer-songwriter and guitarist.
- Glen Campbell (1936–2017) – A famous singer, musician, and actor.
- Max Cavalera (born 1969) – A vocalist and guitarist for bands like Sepultura and Soulfly.
- Alice Cooper (born 1948) – A famous rock and roll singer.
- Duane Eddy (born 1938) – A guitarist who is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- David Ellefson (born 1964) – The bass guitar player and co-founder of the metal band Megadeth.
- Joe Jonas (born 1989) – A member of the Jonas Brothers and lead singer of the band DNCE.
- Maynard James Keenan (born 1964) – The frontman for bands like Tool and A Perfect Circle.
- Charles Mingus (1922–1979) – A legendary jazz bassist, composer, and bandleader.
- Dave Mustaine (born 1961) – The frontman and founder of the metal band Megadeth.
- Stevie Nicks (born 1948) – A Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, known for her solo work and as lead singer with Fleetwood Mac.
- Linda Ronstadt (born 1946) – A singer-songwriter who is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- Nate Ruess (born 1982) – The lead singer of Fun..
- Jordin Sparks (born 1989) – A singer who won American Idol Season 6.
- Tanya Tucker (born 1958) – A country singer.
- Upsahl (born 1998) – An indie pop singer.
Old West Legends
- Apache Kid (1860–1896?) – A famous outlaw from the Old West.
- Billy the Kid (1859–1881) – A well-known outlaw.
- Cochise (1812–1874) – A powerful chief of the Chiricahua Apache people.
- Wyatt Earp (1848–1929) – A famous lawman.
- Geronimo (1829–1909) – A brave leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought for his people's land and independence.
- Doc Holliday (1851–1887) – A gambler, gunfighter, and dentist.
- Bat Masterson (1853–1921) – A lawman, gambler, and journalist.
- Johnny Ringo (1850–1882) – An outlaw.
Sports Stars
.jpg)
_by_Sandro_Halank%E2%80%93111.jpg)
- Max Aaron (born 1992) – A U.S. national champion figure skater.
- Cody Bellinger (born 1995) – A baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.
- Mike Bibby (born 1978) – A retired NBA point guard.
- Alex Bowman (born 1993) – A NASCAR race car driver.
- Michael Carbajal (born 1967) – A boxing champion.
- Henry Cejudo (born 1987) – An Olympic gold medalist in wrestling and a UFC champion.
- Curley Culp (1946–2021) – An NFL defensive lineman and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Sean Elliott (born 1968) – A famous basketball player.
- Brady Ellison (born 1988) – A competitive archer, World Champion, and Olympian.
- Julie Ertz (born 1992) – A defender for the United States women's national soccer team.
- Todd Heap (born 1980) – A tight end for the Baltimore Ravens.
- Misty Hyman (born 1979) – A 2000 Olympics gold medalist swimmer.
- Cameron Jordan (born 1989) – A defensive end for the New Orleans Saints.
- Steve Kerr (born 1965) – The head coach of the Golden State Warriors.
- Ian Kinsler (born 1982) – A 4-time All-Star second baseman in Major League Baseball and an Olympian.
- Auston Matthews (born 1997) – A center for the Toronto Maple Leafs in hockey.
- Randall McDaniel (born 1964) – An NFL offensive guard and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Michael McDowell (born 1984) – A NASCAR driver.
- Phil Mickelson (born 1970) – A very famous professional golfer.
- Arte Moreno (born 1946) – The owner of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball team.
- Jim Palmer (born 1945) – A starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles and a Baseball Hall of Famer.
- Danica Patrick (born 1982) – A famous auto racing driver.
- Brock Purdy (born 1999) – An NFL quarterback.
- Marilyn Ramenofsky (born 1946) – A competitive swimmer and Olympic medalist.
- Danny Schayes (born 1959) – A college and NBA basketball player.
- Curt Schilling (born 1966) – A professional baseball pitcher and broadcaster.
- Ken Stabler (1945–2015) – A four-time Pro Bowl NFL quarterback.
- Kerri Strug (born 1977) – A gymnast and 1996 Olympic gold medalist.
- Pat Tillman (1976–2004) – A college and pro football player who later joined the military.
- Cain Velasquez (born 1982) – A professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist.
- Neal Walk (1948–2015) – A basketball player.
- Danny White – A professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys.
- Darren Woodson (born 1969) – A professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys.
Other Notable People
- Johnny Chan – A professional poker player and 10-time World Series of Poker champion.
- Angel Delgadillo – The founder of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona.
- Grumpy Cat (2012–2019) – A famous Internet celebrity cat.
- Rob Leatham – A professional shooter and 24-time national champion.
- Arte Moreno – A billionaire businessman and owner of the Los Angeles Angels baseball team.
- Kayla Mueller – An activist.
- María Urquides – An educator known as the "Mother of Bilingual Education."
Fictional Characters from Arizona
- Eleanor from The Good Place
- Michelle Chang and Julia Chang, both from the Tekken video game series.
- Annie Porter from Speed; played by Sandra Bullock.
- John Rambo from First Blood and Rambo movies; born in Bowie.
- Bella Swan from the Twilight saga.
See also
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of people from Arizona Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.