List of people from Santa Monica, California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Santa Monica, California, is a vibrant city located right by the Pacific Ocean. It's known for its beautiful beaches, pier, and lively atmosphere. Over the years, many talented and famous people have lived or grown up in Santa Monica. This article introduces you to some of these notable individuals who have made a name for themselves in various fields, from entertainment and sports to art and science.

Famous People from Santa Monica
Images for kids

Famous People from Santa Monica

Santa Monica has been home to many individuals who have achieved great things. Here are some of them, grouped by their main areas of work.

Actors and Entertainers

Many stars of movies and television shows have roots in Santa Monica.

Sean Astin: An actor known for his roles in popular films like The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Goonies.
Jack Black: A well-known actor and musician, famous for his comedic roles and his band, Tenacious D.
Albert Brooks: An actor, comedian, and filmmaker who has starred in many movies and written several screenplays.
Geraldine Chaplin: An actress and the daughter of the legendary silent film star Charlie Chaplin.
Lana Condor: An actress who gained fame for her role in the "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" film series.
Marcia Cross: An actress recognized for her roles in TV dramas like Desperate Housewives.
Jamie Lee Curtis: A celebrated actress known for her diverse roles in both horror and comedy films.
Larry David: A talented writer, producer, and actor, co-creator of the hit TV show Seinfeld and star of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Alexis Denisof: An actor who has appeared in several TV series, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.
Emilio Estevez: An actor and director from a famous acting family.
Shelley Fabares: An actress and singer who starred in TV shows and movies, including films with Elvis Presley.
Will Forte: An actor and comedian, known for his work on Saturday Night Live and various films.
Bonnie Franklin: An actress best known for her role in the TV series One Day at a Time.
Sara Gilbert: An actress and television host, famous for her role in the TV show Roseanne.
Jennifer Grant: An actress and writer, daughter of actors Cary Grant and Dyan Cannon.
Linda Gray: An actress known for her role in the popular TV series Dallas.
Alyson Hannigan: An actress who starred in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the American Pie movies.
Mariska Hargitay: An award-winning actress famous for her role in the TV series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Anjelica Huston: An Oscar-winning actress from a famous filmmaking family.
Lorenzo Lamas: An actor known for his roles in action films and TV series.
June Lockhart: An actress with a long career in film and television, including Lassie and Lost in Space.
Tobey Maguire: An actor widely recognized for playing Spider-Man in the original film trilogy.
Benjamin McKenzie: An actor known for his roles in TV shows like The O.C. and Gotham.
Susan Olsen: A former child actress best known for her role as Cindy Brady in The Brady Bunch.
Aaron Paul: An actor who gained widespread acclaim for his role in the TV series Breaking Bad.
Sean Penn: An Oscar-winning actor and director, known for his powerful performances.
Christina Ricci: An actress who started as a child star and has appeared in many films.
Erin Sanders: An actress who has appeared in several Nickelodeon TV shows.
Nicole Scherzinger: A singer and television personality, formerly a member of the pop group The Pussycat Dolls.
Charlie Sheen: An actor known for his roles in films and TV shows like Two and a Half Men.
Bobby Sherman: A singer and actor who was a teen idol in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Cole and Dylan Sprouse: Twin actors who started their careers as child stars and are known for their roles in Disney shows and other series.
Martin Starr: An actor who has appeared in many comedies and dramas, including Silicon Valley.
Gloria Stuart: An actress with a long career, famously known for playing the older Rose in Titanic.
Amber Tamblyn: An actress and writer known for her roles in films and TV series.
Shirley Temple: An iconic child actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood, who later became a diplomat.
Amber Valletta: A successful model and actress.
Leonor Varela: An actress and model from Chile.
Jack Webb: An actor, producer, and director best known for creating and starring in the TV series Dragnet.
Alfre Woodard: An acclaimed actress with many awards for her work in film and television.
Anna May Wong: A pioneering actress who was the first Chinese American movie star.

Athletes

Santa Monica has also produced many talented athletes who have excelled in various sports.

Amy Alcott: A professional golfer who is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Sean Berry: A former Major League Baseball (MLB) player.
Brennan Boesch: A former MLB player.
Ryan Braun: A talented MLB outfielder who played for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Mike Colbern: A former MLB catcher.
Scott Davis: A former professional tennis player.
Cody Decker: A former MLB player.
Dwight Evans: A former MLB outfielder known for his strong hitting and defense.
Joud Fahmy: A judoka (judo athlete) from Saudi Arabia.
Zack Fleishman: A former professional tennis player.
Kai Forbath: A professional National Football League (NFL) kicker.
Max Fried: A current MLB pitcher for the Atlanta Braves.
Justin Gimelstob: A former professional tennis player and commentator.
Frank Gifford: A legendary football player and sportscaster.
Ben Gottschalk: An NFL football player.
Carole Caldwell Graebner: A former professional tennis player.
Julie Heldman: A former professional tennis player, once ranked among the world's top 10.
Jason Hirsh: A former MLB pitcher.
Brian Horwitz: A former MLB outfielder.
Anita Kanter: A former professional tennis player.
Tim Leary: A former MLB player.
Mark Loretta: A former MLB player.
Kevin Love: A professional National Basketball Association (NBA) player.
Torey Lovullo: A baseball coach and former player.
Rick Monday: A former MLB outfielder and current radio broadcaster.
Gussie Moran: A former professional tennis player known for her style.
Jon Moscot: An American-Israeli MLB player.
Parry O'Brien: A two-time Olympic gold medalist in shot put.
Rob Picciolo: A former MLB player.
Mike Scott: A former MLB pitcher and Cy Young Award winner.
June Schofield: A player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Frank Shamrock: A famous mixed martial artist.
Samantha Shapiro: A gymnast.
Frank Spellman: An Olympic champion weightlifter.
Trifun Zivanovic: A figure skater.

Musicians and Composers

The city has also been a home for many talented musicians and those who create music.

Tiffanie Anderson: A singer.
George Cates: A composer and conductor.
Nichole Cordova: A singer.
John Frusciante: A musician, best known as the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Horace Heidt: A popular bandleader from the 1940s.
Teena Marie: A singer, songwriter, and producer known as the "Ivory Queen of Soul."
Dean Paul Martin: A musician and actor, son of entertainer Dean Martin.
Natalie Mejia: A singer.
Coco Montoya: A blues guitarist.
Gunnar Nelson: A musician, part of the rock duo Nelson.
Alan Pasqua: A jazz musician.
Randy Rhoads: A highly influential rock guitarist, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne.
Ashley Roberts: A singer, formerly a member of The Pussycat Dolls.
Chrystina Sayers: A singer.
Roxanne Seeman: A songwriter and record producer.
Jessica Sutta: A singer, also formerly a member of The Pussycat Dolls.
Melody Thornton: A singer, also formerly a member of The Pussycat Dolls.
Robert Trujillo: The bassist for the famous heavy metal band Metallica.
Wolfgang Van Halen: A rock bassist, son of legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen.
Suzanne Vega: A renowned songwriter and singer.
Joseph Williams: A singer and film score composer, known for his work with the band Toto.

Innovators and Other Notable Figures

Santa Monica has also been home to people who have made an impact in technology, art, and other fields.

Jay Adams: A legendary skateboarder who helped shape modern skateboarding.
Britt Allcroft: The creator and former producer of the beloved children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.
Tony Alva: Another influential skateboarder.
Tom Anderson: The co-founder of MySpace, one of the earliest social media platforms.
Kenneth Anger: A filmmaker and author.
David Anspaugh: A film director.
Don Bachardy: A painter.
John Baldessari: A highly influential conceptual artist.
Jeff Bollow: An author and filmmaker.
Don Burgess: A cinematographer known for his work on many major films.
Jeanie Buss: A prominent executive for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.
Juan José Carrillo: The first mayor of Santa Monica and a significant political figure.
Carson Daly: A television personality and host of popular shows like NBC's The Voice.
Dody Dorn: A film and sound editor.
Elonka Dunin: A game developer.
Jack Engle: A pioneer in hot rod and custom car parts.
Helen K. Garber: A photographer.
Mick Garris: A filmmaker and screenwriter, often working in the horror genre.
Frank Gehry: A world-renowned architect known for his unique building designs.
Dan Gilroy: A screenwriter and director.
Elizabeth Glaser: An activist who raised awareness for pediatric AIDS.
Brian Grazer: An Oscar-winning film and television producer.
Bob Gunton: An actor.
Paul Haggis: An Oscar-winning screenwriter and director.
Dan Harrington: A professional poker player.
Tony Horton: A well-known fitness instructor.
Christopher Isherwood: A celebrated author.
Cory Kennedy: A fashion model.
Christopher Lawford: An actor and author.
Jenna Marbles: A popular comedian and internet personality.
Dave Markey: A filmmaker and musician.
John Forbes Nash, Jr.: A Nobel Prize recipient in Economics, whose life was the subject of the book and film A Beautiful Mind.
Michael Nozik: A filmmaker.
Douglas F. O'Neill: A successful thoroughbred horse trainer.
Terren Peizer: A businessperson.
Joshua Prager: A physician and leader in the field of neuromodulation.
Robert Redford: A legendary actor, director, producer, and environmentalist.
Lawrence Scarpa: An architect.
Sandra Seacat: An actor and acting coach.
E. C. Segar: The cartoonist who created the iconic character Popeye.
Bobby Shriver: An attorney and politician.
Neil Strauss: A writer and journalist.
Vanness Wu: An actor and singer, part of the band F4.

Images for kids

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 Santa Monica, California Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.