“Who do I know that’s from Montana?”
That’s a question I often heard from people while living abroad and travelling around the world. Sometimes I’d struggle to answer, as many of the famous people from Montana wouldn’t be known by anyone outside the state.
That’s a question I often heard from people while living abroad and travelling around the world. Sometimes I’d struggle to answer, as many of the famous people from Montana wouldn’t be known by anyone outside the state.
Thankfully that’s just not true. Montana has lots of famous people, and many of them are quite well-known. The thing is, most people don’t know that they came from Montana. And that’s why I wrote this list of famous people from Montana.
Below are who I consider to be the 25 most famous people that Montana is known for. Let me break that down a little bit so people don’t get all fired-up:
I know it’s a little confusing, and there are some exceptions in the list, but I’ve tried to be as accurate as possible. And I’m sure I’ve missed a few people. If there’s anyone you’re dying to hear about, please leave a comment and I’ll put their name down for a future list of famous people from Montana.
Without further ado here they are, in alphabetical order:
Below are who I consider to be the 25 most famous people that Montana is known for. Let me break that down a little bit so people don’t get all fired-up:
- Some were born in Montana and moved on rather quickly;
- Others stayed for some time and then left;
- Still others weren’t born here at all but came and made their names here.
I know it’s a little confusing, and there are some exceptions in the list, but I’ve tried to be as accurate as possible. And I’m sure I’ve missed a few people. If there’s anyone you’re dying to hear about, please leave a comment and I’ll put their name down for a future list of famous people from Montana.
Without further ado here they are, in alphabetical order:
Stephen Ambrose
Although not born in Montana, Ambrose spent a great many years here beginning with his family’s vacations in the 1970s. The famous historian, known most widely for his work on WWII and his seminal work on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Undaunted Courage, had a home in Helena for many years.
He actually grew up in Illinois in 1936 and spent most of his teaching years in New Orleans. He never served in WWII, something many veterans might be surprised of since he wrote so much about it. In his later years he had a lot plagiarism charges leveled against him, something he vociferously denied. He died in 2002 at the age of 66.
Jeff Ament
Growing up in Big Sandy, Jeff Ament always had big dreams, bigger than such a small town would hold. He was born in Havre in 1963 and must have picked up his first bass guitar as a teenager. He attended the University of Montana in the early 80s, but when the college discontinued its graphic design program he said screw it and pulled up stakes, moving to Seattle in 1983.
He joined many bands over the years and worked in a few coffee shops before helping to form Pearl Jam in 1990. The band struck it big, and has since sold over 60 million records worldwide. Pretty good for someone from Big Sandy, huh?
He joined many bands over the years and worked in a few coffee shops before helping to form Pearl Jam in 1990. The band struck it big, and has since sold over 60 million records worldwide. Pretty good for someone from Big Sandy, huh?
Ed Bearss
Anyone who’s serious about studying the American Civil War knows the name Ed Bearss. The man grew up in Billings in the 1920s and was raised on the family farm. While growing up he used to name the cows on the farm after famous Civil War generals and solders, and that no doubt helped him keep that huge cast of characters straight when he began studying them full-time in college.
He hitchhiked his way across the US after finishing high school, visiting the battlefields he’d dreamed about in his youth. When WWII broke out he joined the marines and served in the Pacific where he was wounded. He then attended Georgetown and eventually became the Chief Historian of the National Park Service, a position he held from 1981 to 1994.
His tours of battlefields have left people in awe, and many of them last hours or even all day. At 90 years old he still gives about 200 battlefield tours each year and now lives in Virginia.
He hitchhiked his way across the US after finishing high school, visiting the battlefields he’d dreamed about in his youth. When WWII broke out he joined the marines and served in the Pacific where he was wounded. He then attended Georgetown and eventually became the Chief Historian of the National Park Service, a position he held from 1981 to 1994.
His tours of battlefields have left people in awe, and many of them last hours or even all day. At 90 years old he still gives about 200 battlefield tours each year and now lives in Virginia.
Brad Bird
Bird was born in Kalispell in 1957 and a trip to Disneyland at the age of 11 convinced him that he had to be an animation artist. He took the work seriously, and by 14 was being mentored by one of Disney’s leading old-time artists, Milt Kahl. The family eventually moved to Oregon and Bird got into the California Institute of the Arts with Disney’s help. It was there he met one of the future founders of Pixar, John Lasseter.
He got a job with Disney but only worked on The Fox and the Hound before leaving. He got sporadic jobs, including one co-writing the screenplay for 1989’s *Batteries Not Included, before getting work on The Tracey Ullman Show where he helped turn a one-minute short cartoon into a TV show called The Simpsons. He’d work on the show writing and directing for 8 seasons before moving on once again, this time to work on the TV show The Critic and the movie The Iron Giant.
That last got him noticed once again by Lasseter and he was handed the reigns of a new movie in development, The Incredibles. The film was a smash, earning $631 million worldwide when it opened. The picture went on to win Bird an Academy Award. His next project was taking over the troubled production of Ratatouille, and he whipped it into shape, creating a box-office juggernaut that took in $623 million and won him his second Academy Award.
That impressed Tom Cruise and Bird was called-up to direct Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol in 2010. The hits continued and the movie grossed nearly $700 million worldwide. At 56 years old Bird’s rolling in dough and has 2 Oscar’s under his belt – pretty impressive for someone from Kalispell.
Dana Carvey
Saturday Night Live funnyman Dana Carvey was born in Missoula, Montana in 1955. His parents were both local school teachers, and Carvey spent three years there until the family picked up and moved to San Carlos, California, right outside of San Francisco. He’d adapt to the warmer climate well, getting a BA in Broadcast Communications from San Francisco State University.
Forgettable performances in a string of early 1980s movies followed (Halloween II anyone?) until he was cast on SNL in 1986 along with a rash of new cast members that would boost up the programs declining ratings and lackluster appeal to younger demographics.
He had a great run on the show and had a string of film hits in the 90s before fading away a bit in the 2000s. That might have something to do with the heart-bypass surgery he had in 1997, a procedure which resulted in problems and which Carvey was later awarded $8 million for. Interestingly enough, Frank Sinatra died in the room adjacent to him while he was having his final heart surgery. Perhaps the Chairman of the Board wished it was Billy Crystal instead?
Forgettable performances in a string of early 1980s movies followed (Halloween II anyone?) until he was cast on SNL in 1986 along with a rash of new cast members that would boost up the programs declining ratings and lackluster appeal to younger demographics.
He had a great run on the show and had a string of film hits in the 90s before fading away a bit in the 2000s. That might have something to do with the heart-bypass surgery he had in 1997, a procedure which resulted in problems and which Carvey was later awarded $8 million for. Interestingly enough, Frank Sinatra died in the room adjacent to him while he was having his final heart surgery. Perhaps the Chairman of the Board wished it was Billy Crystal instead?
Gary Cooper
Many filmgoers from the 1940s will remember Gary Cooper’s face coming up on the silver screen, most often on a western. Cooper had a stellar film career, something he may not have imagined growing up in Helena during the early 1900s.
He was originally born Frank James Cooper in 1901 in Helena. He moved to Los Angeles in 1924 and quickly got a start as an extra before signing a contract with Paramount in 1925. It was then that he changed his name to Gary. From there he got lucky and was cast in Wings in 1927, the first movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, and which really got his name out there.
The ultimate success, however, came in 1942, when he won an Academy Award for his role of Sergeant Alvin York in the film Sergeant York. He’d win again in 1953 for his role as Marshal Will Kane in High Noon. Cooper died in 1961 in California.
The ultimate success, however, came in 1942, when he won an Academy Award for his role of Sergeant Alvin York in the film Sergeant York. He’d win again in 1953 for his role as Marshal Will Kane in High Noon. Cooper died in 1961 in California.
John Dahl
Most people in Montana have probably never heard the name John Dahl before. Hell, I never heard it before I started writing this article! But when I saw some of the movies he’d directed I said ‘Wow, that guy’s good!’
Dahl was born in Billings in 1956 and attended the University of Montana to study film. He said A Clockwork Orange had been a real eye-opener for him, and film seemed the way to go. He transferred to Bozeman and got a degree in Film from Montana State University before moving to California.
He found work first making storyboards and doing some assistant directing and even got some additional work doing music videos. In 1989 he got his first break, directing the feature film Kill Me Again. The gritty neo-noir classic Red Rock West followed, but probably the film he’s most known for, although you’d never guess the director, was 1998’s Rounders, which has become a cult hit, especially amongst poker players.
Monte Dolack
Perhaps one of the lesser-known names for those not from Montana, and maybe even a few who live in the state, is Monte Dolack. Anyone who’s driven around the state recently, or sampled some of its locally-brewed beer, however, has probably seen his work. His paintings have appeared on the state’s license plates, symphony posters, as well as many of Missoula’s breweries’ labels.
Born in Great Falls in 1950, Dolack quickly found a love for art. He attended Montana State University for a time before switching over to the University of Montana, graduating in 1974. He got his early start designing posters for the Crystal Theatre in Missoula and went on from there. Now his works can be seen in galleries across the world, showing many a different take on the state.
Born in Great Falls in 1950, Dolack quickly found a love for art. He attended Montana State University for a time before switching over to the University of Montana, graduating in 1974. He got his early start designing posters for the Crystal Theatre in Missoula and went on from there. Now his works can be seen in galleries across the world, showing many a different take on the state.
Jack Horner
Jack Horner was born in Shelby in 1946 and quickly became interested in dinosaurs and their bones.
It didn’t take Horner long to find one, either. When he was just 8 years old he found the first of his many dinosaur bone finds, and by the time most students were thinking of the prom he’d already found his first complete skeleton.
He decided to attend the University of Montana, but he didn’t do too well, leaving after 7 years and without a degree, mainly because he couldn’t pass the language requirements for his degree, something hard for someone with dyslexia.
He served some time in Vietnam and then kicked around for a bit. He started sending letters off to university research labs, asking for a job. Princeton University saw promise in him, and offered him a position as a junior technician of their Museum of Natural History.
It didn’t take Horner long to find one, either. When he was just 8 years old he found the first of his many dinosaur bone finds, and by the time most students were thinking of the prom he’d already found his first complete skeleton.
He decided to attend the University of Montana, but he didn’t do too well, leaving after 7 years and without a degree, mainly because he couldn’t pass the language requirements for his degree, something hard for someone with dyslexia.
He served some time in Vietnam and then kicked around for a bit. He started sending letters off to university research labs, asking for a job. Princeton University saw promise in him, and offered him a position as a junior technician of their Museum of Natural History.
He didn’t disappoint, quickly unearthing a huge cache of dinosaur eggs. He was promoted, and in 1982 headed back to Montana to serve as the curator of the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. The University that’d made his life so difficult offered him an honorary doctorate in 1986, the same year he received a MacArthur Fellowship.
Hollywood came calling in the early 90s when Steven Spielberg was getting ready to make Jurassic Park. He served as a technical advisor on all three films, and many think the lead character was also modeled after him.
Horner's time at Montana State University's Museum of the Rockies ended in 2012.
The reason?
He married a 19-year-old that year, nine months after the relationship had started. The two later divorced, as People magazine reported on in August 2016.
Hollywood came calling in the early 90s when Steven Spielberg was getting ready to make Jurassic Park. He served as a technical advisor on all three films, and many think the lead character was also modeled after him.
Horner's time at Montana State University's Museum of the Rockies ended in 2012.
The reason?
He married a 19-year-old that year, nine months after the relationship had started. The two later divorced, as People magazine reported on in August 2016.
Chet Huntley
The Huntley-Brinkley Report ran on NBC for 16 years beginning in October 1956 and during that time Chet Huntley gained a reputation for honesty, fairness, and great reporting.
Huntley was born in Cardwell on December 10, 1911 and attended Montana State College (as MSU was then known) until transferring to the University of Washington which he graduated from in 1934 with a degree in both speech and drama. From there he got work in Seattle radio and moved around a bit, working his way up to NBC in 1955.
When the show ended in July 1970 Huntley returned to Montana. An avid skier, he came up with the idea of a new ski resort and built it. The resort, called Big Sky, opened in December 1973 and has been popular with locals and people from around the world ever since. Huntley never got to see the place fully in action, however, dying just three days before its grand opening in March, 1974, at the age of 62.
Huntley was born in Cardwell on December 10, 1911 and attended Montana State College (as MSU was then known) until transferring to the University of Washington which he graduated from in 1934 with a degree in both speech and drama. From there he got work in Seattle radio and moved around a bit, working his way up to NBC in 1955.
When the show ended in July 1970 Huntley returned to Montana. An avid skier, he came up with the idea of a new ski resort and built it. The resort, called Big Sky, opened in December 1973 and has been popular with locals and people from around the world ever since. Huntley never got to see the place fully in action, however, dying just three days before its grand opening in March, 1974, at the age of 62.
Phil Jackson
If you watched the NBA at all during the past 30 years then you know the name Phil Jackson. This amazing coach led the Chicago Bulls to 6 championships in the 1990s, several of them back-to-back. After a short break he did the same with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2000s, where they garnered more 5 more amazing victories.
Truly a coach for the ages, one can’t help but think that some of that intelligence and ability to see things before they happen came about around Deer Lodge where Jackson grew up. His parents were Assemblies of God ministers and he didn’t even see a movie until he was almost finished with high school. He must have had a lot of time to play basketball, however, and was soon playing for the University of North Dakota and then professionally with the New York Knicks beginning in 1967.
Truly a coach for the ages, one can’t help but think that some of that intelligence and ability to see things before they happen came about around Deer Lodge where Jackson grew up. His parents were Assemblies of God ministers and he didn’t even see a movie until he was almost finished with high school. He must have had a lot of time to play basketball, however, and was soon playing for the University of North Dakota and then professionally with the New York Knicks beginning in 1967.
He played for 13 years and was a member of the 1973 championship team before retiring in 1980. Jackson then became a coach, starting in 1984 with the Albany Patroons and other lesser teams of the Canadian Basketball Association and even a team in Peurto Rico.
But it was when he became an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls in 1987 that things began to look up for him once again. It was there that he crafted a young talent, Michael Jordan, into the player many consider the greatest the NBA has ever seen. He led the Chicago Bulls to 6 championships before heading off to Los Angeles to coach the Lakers starting in 1999. His success continued, and he led the team to 5 before retiring in 2012. Now he can be found back in Lakeside, Montana or Los Angeles.
But it was when he became an assistant coach for the Chicago Bulls in 1987 that things began to look up for him once again. It was there that he crafted a young talent, Michael Jordan, into the player many consider the greatest the NBA has ever seen. He led the Chicago Bulls to 6 championships before heading off to Los Angeles to coach the Lakers starting in 1999. His success continued, and he led the team to 5 before retiring in 2012. Now he can be found back in Lakeside, Montana or Los Angeles.
Ted Kaczynski
Kaczynski wasn’t born in Montana at all, but in Chicago, Illinois, in 1942. He was a child prodigy in math, getting accepted to Harvard at 16, swiftly obtained his PhD, and becoming an assistant professor at Berkeley at the ripe-old age of 25 in 1967. The job didn’t take, and he quit after two years. After four years of wandering about he came to Montana in 1971 at the age of 29, setting up in a sparse cabin with no water or electricity just outside of Lincoln.
Kaczynski probably had a few screws loose already, but beginning in 1978 he began constructing homemade bombs in his cabin and sending them out to perceived enemies. The Unabomber was born. One of the main things that supposedly ticked him off, at least according to the voluminous manifesto he submitted to the New York Time in 1995, was the construction of a road through one of his favorite wilderness spots, about a 2-day hike from his cabin.
It set him off, and he’d eventually send out more than 16 bombs, killing 3 people and injuring another 23. The FBI finally caught up to him in April, 1996, raiding his cabin and leading him off to jail. He’s currently serving a life sentence at the supermax prison in Florence, Colorado.
Evel Knievel
Anyone who lived in the 1970s knows the name Evel Knievel. Few in the world didn’t see one of the amazing jumps performed by the stunt motorcyclist form Butte. These included his daring jump over cars in Las Vegas as well as his attempt to jump over the Snake River Canyon in 1974. All in all Knievel’s career allowed him to break 433 bones, a record, and garner the fascination of a nation and the world, making tons of money in the process.
He was born in Butte in 1938 He dropped out of high school during his Sophomore year and started mining copper for the Anaconda Mining Company. He didn’t like that much and started a hockey club, hunting guide business, worked as an insurance salesman, motorcycle dealer, and other gigs. He moved around a bit in the process and started doing motocross. Eventually he got into doing tricks on his bike, and found out there was money in it. Soon he was jumping car and the public got interested.
The problem was, he’d have to add a new car to the line each new city he went to. This often resulted in horrendous wrecks with him flipping end-over-end. The crowds loved it and big names like Joey Bishop started calling. Las Vegas wasn’t far off. All in all he had a stellar career and brought motorcycling to a new level. He died on November 30, 2007, in Clearwater, Florida, and was buried in Butte.
The problem was, he’d have to add a new car to the line each new city he went to. This often resulted in horrendous wrecks with him flipping end-over-end. The crowds loved it and big names like Joey Bishop started calling. Las Vegas wasn’t far off. All in all he had a stellar career and brought motorcycling to a new level. He died on November 30, 2007, in Clearwater, Florida, and was buried in Butte.
Myrna Loy
I always knew the name Myrna Loy while growing up in Helena because we had an artsy theatre called the Myrna Loy. The actress herself was born Myrna Adele Williams in Helena on August 2, 1905. The family eventually relocated to California in the 1920s and it was there she got her start doing silent film roles. She landed a contract with Warn Bros., which, like many other young stars discovered, forced her to change her name.
She got her big break in 1934 when she starred in Manhattan Melodrama. She was headlining with some big names, including Clark Gable and William Powell, but it was an infamous name that really got her noticed. On July 22 John Dillinger headed to the theatre with his two dates to catch the film. Upon leaving the theatre he was gunned down. Everyone in the country flocked to the movie.
It was a boon for Loy and she would go on to star in many major films, 14 of them with Powell. Still, she said she always hated the way the studio used the shooting to boost up ticket sales. By 1938 she was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. She appeared in the 1946 Best Picture winner The Best Years of Our Lives but was never nominated herself. In 1991 she was given an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement. She died on December 14, 1993, in New York City at the age of 88.
It was a boon for Loy and she would go on to star in many major films, 14 of them with Powell. Still, she said she always hated the way the studio used the shooting to boost up ticket sales. By 1938 she was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. She appeared in the 1946 Best Picture winner The Best Years of Our Lives but was never nominated herself. In 1991 she was given an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement. She died on December 14, 1993, in New York City at the age of 88.
David Lynch
I love telling people that aren’t from Montana that one of their most favorite directors is. David Lynch, known for such off-the-wall movies as Blue Velvet, Dune, Eraserhead, Lost Highway, and many more was born in Missoula, Montana, and many claim right in the historic and artsy Wilma building.
He was born in Missoula on January 20, 1946, although he only stayed in the city for 2 months before his parents moved, something his father’s job for the U.S. Department of Agriculture required a lot of. He began making short films that were quite different, and eventually Hollywood came calling. Probably his biggest breakthrough into the world of mainstream came when he wrote and directed the 1990 ABC smash hit Twin Peaks. Since then he’s continued to push the boundaries of what people thought possible.
He was born in Missoula on January 20, 1946, although he only stayed in the city for 2 months before his parents moved, something his father’s job for the U.S. Department of Agriculture required a lot of. He began making short films that were quite different, and eventually Hollywood came calling. Probably his biggest breakthrough into the world of mainstream came when he wrote and directed the 1990 ABC smash hit Twin Peaks. Since then he’s continued to push the boundaries of what people thought possible.
Norman Maclean
Although widely thought to be from Montana, Norman Maclean was actually born in Iowa, in 1902, and didn’t move to Missoula until 1909. He was too young for WWI so joined the Forest Service instead, then headed off to Dartmouth, where he was the editor-in-chief of the Dartmouth Jack-O-Lantern, the university’s humor magazine. Interestingly, Theodor Geisel would have that position next, and would go on to become famous to millions as Dr. Seuss.
Maclean sat WWII out, working as a professor at the University of Chicago, where he primarily taught Shakespeare and the Romantics. He’d teach until 1973, when he retired. That same year saw him publish A River Runs Through It, which was shortlisted for the Pulitzer that year, although no award was given. It’s perhaps because of that book, and more importantly the Robert Redford directed-movie that followed in 1992, that most people around the world get their conceptions of Montana today. Maclean died in Chicago in 1990.
Maclean sat WWII out, working as a professor at the University of Chicago, where he primarily taught Shakespeare and the Romantics. He’d teach until 1973, when he retired. That same year saw him publish A River Runs Through It, which was shortlisted for the Pulitzer that year, although no award was given. It’s perhaps because of that book, and more importantly the Robert Redford directed-movie that followed in 1992, that most people around the world get their conceptions of Montana today. Maclean died in Chicago in 1990.
Mike Mansfield
Nearly everyone hates the rancor in Washington these days and they look fondly on times when politicians got along. A large deal of that can be attributed the leadership shown by Mike Mansfield as he served as Senate Majority Leader from 1961 to 1977, the longest person to serve in that position in the Senate’s history.
Mansfield was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1903 and didn’t come to Montana until after his mother had died in 1906. He worked some odd jobs growing up and was a habitual runaway before eventually serving some time in WWI. In the 20s he returned to Montana, working in the Butte mines for 8 years. He’d eventually get back on track with his schooling, taking his high school courses at the University of Montana, getting a BA in 1933.
Mansfield was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1903 and didn’t come to Montana until after his mother had died in 1906. He worked some odd jobs growing up and was a habitual runaway before eventually serving some time in WWI. In the 20s he returned to Montana, working in the Butte mines for 8 years. He’d eventually get back on track with his schooling, taking his high school courses at the University of Montana, getting a BA in 1933.
He ran on the democratic ticket in 1940 but lost, then took over the seat held by Jeanette Ranking in 1942 when she decided not to run again. He’d go on to serve 5 terms in the House of Representatives until being elected to the Senate in 1952. He served as Majority Whip under Lyndon B. Johnson and became President of the Senate when LBJ became Vice President in 1961.
Mansfield would serve as Senate Majority Leader for 16 years until 1977 when he retired and was appointed Ambassador to Japan, a position he’d hold until 1988. Following that he worked as an advisor for Goldman Sachs before his death on October 5, 2001, at the age of 98.
Mansfield would serve as Senate Majority Leader for 16 years until 1977 when he retired and was appointed Ambassador to Japan, a position he’d hold until 1988. Following that he worked as an advisor for Goldman Sachs before his death on October 5, 2001, at the age of 98.
Joe Montana
Hey, I couldn’t resist, and I was also stuck at 24 names. The fact is, Joe Montana has probably done a fair amount over the past 30 years to make people around the world aware of the state. And he does have some connection with it, however tenuous.
Montana was born in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, on June 11, 1956. He showed an early skill for football, and played college with Notre Dame beginning in 1974. He was drafted to the NFL in 1979 and started for the San Francisco 49ers. They went on to win 4 Super Bowls in 6 years. Montana would eventually move on to the Kansas City Chiefs and retire for good in 1995.
In 1993 the town of Ismay, Montana decided to change their name to “Joe.” It caused a lot of publicity and most people thought it pretty dumb, but it happened for a short time.
Montana was born in New Eagle, Pennsylvania, on June 11, 1956. He showed an early skill for football, and played college with Notre Dame beginning in 1974. He was drafted to the NFL in 1979 and started for the San Francisco 49ers. They went on to win 4 Super Bowls in 6 years. Montana would eventually move on to the Kansas City Chiefs and retire for good in 1995.
In 1993 the town of Ismay, Montana decided to change their name to “Joe.” It caused a lot of publicity and most people thought it pretty dumb, but it happened for a short time.
Christopher Paolini
Epic fantasy fans the world over know the name Christopher Paolini, probably because they’ve seen it on the covers of numerous books, each of them with a colorful dragon on the front. You see, Paolini writes the massively popular fantasy series the Inheritance Cycle, the first book of which is Eragon. He began working on the book when he was still in his teens and got it published in 2002, when he was just 19.
Fantasy in the Paradise Valley is really a family affair for the Paolini clan. Christopher’s mother, father, and sister all contribute to the books, with editing, beta-reading, and just simple suggestions. Considering how many copies of these books I saw in Hong Kong bookstores, I’d say they’re doing something right. The first book was made into a movie in 2006, which was universally panned. Still, I think a lot more great books will be coming out of the Paradise Valley for a long time.
Marc Racicot
Mark Racicot served as governor of Montana in the latter part of the 1990s. Born in 1948 in Thompson Falls, Racicot was primarily raised in Miles City and Libby. He got a BA in English from Carol College in 1970 and finished up law school in 1973 at the University of Montana. He served some time in Germany as a JAG lawyer and then became a special prosecutor in Missoula and then for the state. He was elected Attorney General in 1988 and governor in 1992. In 1996 he was reelected, although his opponent was Chet Blaylock, who died of a heart attack a few weeks before the election.
He was a wildly popular governor, but his polices created serious economic hardships and future problems for the state. While it’s true he wiped out a deficit upon assuming office, the surplus of which was then given back to taxpayers, perhaps his biggest legacy is his decision to deregulate the Montana energy industry.
The decision allowed Montana Power to reform into TouchAmerica, which went out of business shortly thereafter. And Montanan’s have had much higher electricity bills for the past 15 years and our major power production centers owned by companies in Australia. Not to mention all those Montana Power employee pensions that suddenly vanished.
Of course those policies are just what a young up-and-comer from Texas, George W. Bush, wanted for the nation. Racicot became a leading advisor to the former governor as he ran for president, and even got embroiled in the whole Election 2000 recount mess in Florida. Shortly after that Racicot was rewarded by being named the Chairman of the Republican National Committee in December, 2001. Since then he’s left Montana for good, working for large lobbying firms like the American Insurance Association in Washington. Marc Racicot – A true Montana villain.
The decision allowed Montana Power to reform into TouchAmerica, which went out of business shortly thereafter. And Montanan’s have had much higher electricity bills for the past 15 years and our major power production centers owned by companies in Australia. Not to mention all those Montana Power employee pensions that suddenly vanished.
Of course those policies are just what a young up-and-comer from Texas, George W. Bush, wanted for the nation. Racicot became a leading advisor to the former governor as he ran for president, and even got embroiled in the whole Election 2000 recount mess in Florida. Shortly after that Racicot was rewarded by being named the Chairman of the Republican National Committee in December, 2001. Since then he’s left Montana for good, working for large lobbying firms like the American Insurance Association in Washington. Marc Racicot – A true Montana villain.
Jeannette Rankin
One of Montana’s most famous women, and all-around famous citizens, is Jeannette Rankin. She was the first woman ever elected to the United States Congress, a historic event that occurred in 1916. She was also the only woman in Congress to vote against WWI, along with 50 other members in 1917, and the only person to vote against WWII after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. That kind of attitude set the early stage for Montana war protests, of which there have been many.
Rankin was born in June, 1880, in Missoula, where she graduated with a Biology degree in 1902. She really didn’t know what to do with her life and kicked around a bit, moving to Spokane for a time and getting involved with the struggle for women’s suffrage. Women didn’t have the right to vote nationally, but about 40 states were allowing them to vote as their populations grew and the political parties sought their support.
Rankin decided to throw her hat in the ring, running on the Republican ticket for Congress in 1916. She had to travel long and far across the state to meet and greet people, and the powers-that-be tried to hold her down. On the night of the election even her hometown Missoula paper was saying she’d lost big time. She didn’t however, and as the people’s votes came in over the coming days it was discovered she’d won by 7,500 votes.
She got gerrymandered out the next election cycle and tried unsuccessfully for the Senate before moving to Georgia. She became involved in women’s issues and anti-war protests and eventually got re-elected in 1940 as Montana’s representative, 24 years after her first successful bid. Following her unpopular vote against WWII, in which she was the only dissenting vote, an angry mob followed her and she had to hide in a Capital telephone booth.
In later years she moved to California, where was she was seriously considering getting back into politics so she could talk some sense into those voting for war with Vietnam. She didn’t get her wish, however, dying on May 18, 1973 in Carmel, California.
Rankin decided to throw her hat in the ring, running on the Republican ticket for Congress in 1916. She had to travel long and far across the state to meet and greet people, and the powers-that-be tried to hold her down. On the night of the election even her hometown Missoula paper was saying she’d lost big time. She didn’t however, and as the people’s votes came in over the coming days it was discovered she’d won by 7,500 votes.
She got gerrymandered out the next election cycle and tried unsuccessfully for the Senate before moving to Georgia. She became involved in women’s issues and anti-war protests and eventually got re-elected in 1940 as Montana’s representative, 24 years after her first successful bid. Following her unpopular vote against WWII, in which she was the only dissenting vote, an angry mob followed her and she had to hide in a Capital telephone booth.
In later years she moved to California, where was she was seriously considering getting back into politics so she could talk some sense into those voting for war with Vietnam. She didn’t get her wish, however, dying on May 18, 1973 in Carmel, California.
Steve Reeves
If you were a big fan of bodybuilding or action-adventure movies in the 1950s then chances are good you’ve heard the name Steve Reeves. Born in Glasgow in 1926, Reeves eventually moved to California when he was 10 and got interested in bodybuilding. Following WWII, where he served in the Philippines, Reeves became a regular on the bodybuilding circuit and started getting some film and TV roles.
He became famous when he played the title role in Hercules in 1957 and later turned down the role that would go to Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars. He did most of his film work in Italy, where he was making $250,000 a picture at the time, and even supposedly turned down the role of James Bond in Dr. No because it only paid $100,000. He continued to make films, lift weights, and advocate a healthy lifestyle until his death in 2000 at the age of 74.
Charles Marion Russell
CM Russell was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1864. As a boy he’d often watch fur trappers coming down the river, drawing sketches and making clay figures of them and other wild and western scenes. By the time he was 16 wanderlust had kicked in and he headed up to Montana, reaching the territory in 1880.
Russell found work on a sheep farm at first, but then moved on to cattle. It was at one such outfit, the O-H Ranch in the Judith Basin, when the terrible winter of 1886-7 hit. The owner of the ranch was in Helena at the time, and as news spread on how bad things were he quickly sent off a letter to the ranch. The foreman of the ranch sent him a picture drawn by Russell in answer, the watercolor showing a half-dead cow under bleak sky with wolves closing in.
The artist probably didn’t like what that told him, but he did like the picture, so much so in fact that he showed it off to friends and colleagues and got it displayed in a shop window. Finding work as an artist was a cinch for Russell after that. He lived with the Blood Indians, a branch of the Blackfeet Indians, for a time and then settled into being an artist full-time from his Great Falls studio beginning in 1892. He continued to paint scenes of the west until his death in 1926.
Ted Turner
Most people know the name Ted Turner as the owner and founder of Turner Broadcasting, the owner of the Atlanta Braves baseball team, and the owner and founder of CNN. Many Montanans know him as the largest private landowner in the state, with his Flying-D ranch alone coming in at over 119,000 acres!
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III was actually born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1938. He got his real start in business in 1963 when at 24 years of age he took over Turner Advertising after his father’s suicide. The company grew, buying up broadcasting stations all over the south in a business-friendly environment during the Vietnam War.
He moved up to Montana in 1989, buying up property near Bozeman. Since then he’s spent a great deal of his time here, something that many celebrities do now. And he helps out the state too. I remember working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2000 and going to West Yellowstone to work on electric fences to keep wolves off a sheep farm. Some of the ATVs we used had been lent to us by Turner’s ranch.
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III was actually born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1938. He got his real start in business in 1963 when at 24 years of age he took over Turner Advertising after his father’s suicide. The company grew, buying up broadcasting stations all over the south in a business-friendly environment during the Vietnam War.
He moved up to Montana in 1989, buying up property near Bozeman. Since then he’s spent a great deal of his time here, something that many celebrities do now. And he helps out the state too. I remember working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2000 and going to West Yellowstone to work on electric fences to keep wolves off a sheep farm. Some of the ATVs we used had been lent to us by Turner’s ranch.
Michelle Williams
Perhaps best known for being Heath Ledger’s old flame, Michelle Williams is rapidly coming into her own as an actress known for her dramatic roles and penetrating stares. She was born in Kalispell in 1980 and quickly became quite the self-sufficient and quiet little girl. The family packed-up and moved to California in 1989 when she was 9.
She got her start with small bit parts on shows like Home Improvement and got her first major film in Species, playing the younger human-version of the alien. She got her first big break with her role on Dawson’s Creek in 2001. From there she was off and running, although most of her indie movies didn’t make a splash. Finally in 2006 she got the attention she craved with her performance in Brokeback Mountain.
It was there she met Health Ledger and they began dating during the filming of the movie in 2004 and had a daughter in 2005. When Ledger died in January, 2008, Williams came to the world’s attention really for the first time. Since then, however, she’s shown that she’s got the acting chops needed to stand on her own with roles in Blue Valentine and My Week With Marilyn.
It was there she met Health Ledger and they began dating during the filming of the movie in 2004 and had a daughter in 2005. When Ledger died in January, 2008, Williams came to the world’s attention really for the first time. Since then, however, she’s shown that she’s got the acting chops needed to stand on her own with roles in Blue Valentine and My Week With Marilyn.
That's All!
Well that’s it! Pretty big list, huh? Yeah, I know, it comes in at more than 5,300 words and 14 pages.
What quickly became clear to me while writing this list was that nearly all the people on it that were born in Montana had to leave the state to make it or even make a living. None who were born here could have become famous without first leaving, aside from a few politicians maybe. That’s something to think about.
Another thing I noticed while researching this list was how many of the people died relatively young. Lots of these celebrities were only in their 60s when they died, and often the causes of death were smoking-related. That’s something else to think about for a state that’s historically been quite tobacco-friendly.
Overall I think anyone, whether inside or outside the state, can get a good idea of Montana’s people, places, and culture from these 25 individuals whose lives span more than a century of the state’s history.
Thanks for reading!
What quickly became clear to me while writing this list was that nearly all the people on it that were born in Montana had to leave the state to make it or even make a living. None who were born here could have become famous without first leaving, aside from a few politicians maybe. That’s something to think about.
Another thing I noticed while researching this list was how many of the people died relatively young. Lots of these celebrities were only in their 60s when they died, and often the causes of death were smoking-related. That’s something else to think about for a state that’s historically been quite tobacco-friendly.
Overall I think anyone, whether inside or outside the state, can get a good idea of Montana’s people, places, and culture from these 25 individuals whose lives span more than a century of the state’s history.
Thanks for reading!
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Since I put this article up it's been tremendously popular each month. I can also tell that people are interested in what famous celebrities are in Montana now.
It's why I wrote this article called What Famous Celebrities Live in Montana? It was so popular I wrote What Famous Celebrities Live in Montana #2.
That just wasn't enough, however, so I wrote a bunch more. You'll find the most comprehensive list of Montana famous people in Famous Montana Celebrities #6 - it has links to everyone I've profiled.
In addition, here are 2 articles that will give you something...however dated.
Livin' Large in Montana (1991 People Magazine Article on Famous People in Montana)
Celebrity Land Rush on in Montana (1992 Chicago Tribune Business Article)
It's why I wrote this article called What Famous Celebrities Live in Montana? It was so popular I wrote What Famous Celebrities Live in Montana #2.
That just wasn't enough, however, so I wrote a bunch more. You'll find the most comprehensive list of Montana famous people in Famous Montana Celebrities #6 - it has links to everyone I've profiled.
In addition, here are 2 articles that will give you something...however dated.
Livin' Large in Montana (1991 People Magazine Article on Famous People in Montana)
Celebrity Land Rush on in Montana (1992 Chicago Tribune Business Article)
