Do you know any famous people that live in Montana? If so, where do they live…who are they…why are they here?
One of the chief reasons people end up on this site is because they’re looking for famous people in Montana. It’s no surprise this happens, really – I wrote an article called the 25 Famous People from Montana You Might Not Know last year.
Since then nearly all the traffic looking for famous people from Montana is coming to me.
That's why I put together a list of all 50 Montana celebrities I've profiled, and you can find that in Famous Montana Celebrities #6.
The problem used to be that I didn't have anything about these currently famous people. I've since fixed that by doing lots of research.
The results are below, and I hope you get that celebrity fix you’ve been looking for. If not, leave a comment and maybe I’ll write some more.
One of the chief reasons people end up on this site is because they’re looking for famous people in Montana. It’s no surprise this happens, really – I wrote an article called the 25 Famous People from Montana You Might Not Know last year.
Since then nearly all the traffic looking for famous people from Montana is coming to me.
That's why I put together a list of all 50 Montana celebrities I've profiled, and you can find that in Famous Montana Celebrities #6.
The problem used to be that I didn't have anything about these currently famous people. I've since fixed that by doing lots of research.
The results are below, and I hope you get that celebrity fix you’ve been looking for. If not, leave a comment and maybe I’ll write some more.
Michael Keaton
Keaton in 1982
I wrote a whole chapter on Michael Keaton’s film career in the 1980s in my book SEO & 80s Movies.
It wasn’t until the 80s that Keaton bought up property in Montana, however. Since then he’s really put down roots, as is evidenced by this 2014 Esquire interview with Michael Keaton in Montana.
So where does he live? Well, that’s kind of a mystery, as the writer of that article found out when he tried to pinpoint the location.
It seems likely that Keaton lives in the Big Timber area, which is near Livingston.
It was revealed in a Helena Independent Record article in October 1986 that Keaton's ranch is 565 acres and south of Big Timber, near McLeod.
It wasn’t until the 80s that Keaton bought up property in Montana, however. Since then he’s really put down roots, as is evidenced by this 2014 Esquire interview with Michael Keaton in Montana.
So where does he live? Well, that’s kind of a mystery, as the writer of that article found out when he tried to pinpoint the location.
It seems likely that Keaton lives in the Big Timber area, which is near Livingston.
It was revealed in a Helena Independent Record article in October 1986 that Keaton's ranch is 565 acres and south of Big Timber, near McLeod.
Area in Montana where Keaton and many other celebrities live
Keaton often puts out a lot of Tweets about his fishing, and he sometimes goes with Tom Brokaw, although in this Grantland interview from 2012 he says that they don’t invite David Letterman.
It’s all good natured – Keaton and Letterman got their starts on the LA comedy circuit together back in the 70s.
It’s all good natured – Keaton and Letterman got their starts on the LA comedy circuit together back in the 70s.
Michael Keaton's ranch home in Montana
Click for the great October 12, 2014, CBS news story on Michael Keaton by Lee Cowan
Dennis Quaid
Dennis Quaid in Montana
Dennis Quaid was and still is a very big movie star. His career may have faded somewhat, but he knew a good spot to live when he saw one.
That was the case in the late-80s when he bought the ranch jointly-owned by director Sam Peckinpah and actor Warren Oates near Livingston.
In 1991 Quaid married actress Meg Ryan and the two ended up spending a lot of time in Montana together.
When the couple divorced in 2001 it may have put a damper on things for awhile, but by 2004 he was marrying his third wife at the Paradise Valley ranch.
That was the case in the late-80s when he bought the ranch jointly-owned by director Sam Peckinpah and actor Warren Oates near Livingston.
In 1991 Quaid married actress Meg Ryan and the two ended up spending a lot of time in Montana together.
When the couple divorced in 2001 it may have put a damper on things for awhile, but by 2004 he was marrying his third wife at the Paradise Valley ranch.
The good times couldn’t last forever though, and in 2011 Quaid sold the ranch for $14 million.
It’s a great place, with 3 bedrooms and hardwood floors made from wood that survived the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871. I wonder if Quaid misses the place?
It’s a great place, with 3 bedrooms and hardwood floors made from wood that survived the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871. I wonder if Quaid misses the place?
Huey Lewis
Lewis in Montana, 2013
Huey Lewis rocked the 1980s as the lead singer for Huey Lewis and the News.
Since then he’s kept a pretty low-profile and lived off his massive royalties.
To stay comfortable he sticks to his 500-acre ranch outside Stevensville, which he bought in 1987. Read more about Huey Lewis’ Montana house in this 2013 Wall Street Journal article.
He’s had some trouble with legal issues in Montana, mainly stemming from property disputes involving stream access. Lewis talked about it in a 2009 interview with the Missoula Independent.
But Lewis gives back a lot, as seen with his efforts to fund the Missoula Jazz band among other things in the state.
And like many celebrities here, he’s probably most happy fly-fishing on one of the many rivers and streams that Big Sky Country has to offer.
Since then he’s kept a pretty low-profile and lived off his massive royalties.
To stay comfortable he sticks to his 500-acre ranch outside Stevensville, which he bought in 1987. Read more about Huey Lewis’ Montana house in this 2013 Wall Street Journal article.
He’s had some trouble with legal issues in Montana, mainly stemming from property disputes involving stream access. Lewis talked about it in a 2009 interview with the Missoula Independent.
But Lewis gives back a lot, as seen with his efforts to fund the Missoula Jazz band among other things in the state.
And like many celebrities here, he’s probably most happy fly-fishing on one of the many rivers and streams that Big Sky Country has to offer.
David Letterman
Letterman in Montana, 2008
David Letterman is one of the most famous talk show hosts in the world, yet when given the choice of where to spend his free time he’ll most likely choose Montana 9 times out of 10.
In 1999 he bought a 2700-acre ranch in Montana. Located 35 miles outside of Choteau, the ranch is quite close to Glacier National Park.
His house has just 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and is 3,276 square feet – much smaller than many other rich residents’ homes.
One resident has called it "lovely and unpretentious," with "native rock walls."
In 1999 he bought a 2700-acre ranch in Montana. Located 35 miles outside of Choteau, the ranch is quite close to Glacier National Park.
His house has just 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and is 3,276 square feet – much smaller than many other rich residents’ homes.
One resident has called it "lovely and unpretentious," with "native rock walls."
Area where Letterman lives in Montana
Letterman keeps a pretty low profile, but he has had some problems in the state.
In 2005 there was a plot to kidnap his son, which was thankfully foiled. Less dramatic was the bear that broke into his home in 2003.
Letterman spends most of his time in Salem, New York, but when he retires there’s a good chance Montana will become his primary residence, and I think he’ll make a fine addition to the state.
Since this article first went up I got an email telling me that Letterman also owns a ranch in the Ruby Valley, which is more in the southwest of the state.
Both of his ranches have solar and wind generators on them and he also makes it a point to grow native plant species, something that enhances the wildlife in the area.
In 2005 there was a plot to kidnap his son, which was thankfully foiled. Less dramatic was the bear that broke into his home in 2003.
Letterman spends most of his time in Salem, New York, but when he retires there’s a good chance Montana will become his primary residence, and I think he’ll make a fine addition to the state.
Since this article first went up I got an email telling me that Letterman also owns a ranch in the Ruby Valley, which is more in the southwest of the state.
Both of his ranches have solar and wind generators on them and he also makes it a point to grow native plant species, something that enhances the wildlife in the area.
Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw in Montana
Tom Brokaw grew up in South Dakota, where his family has roots going back to the late 1800s when they were sharecroppers there. Brokaw got his start in broadcasting at a station in Omaha (KMTV) and then in 1966 he got hired by NBC.
Brokaw first got interested in Montana when he was doing a news assignment here in the 80s. The Montana Bar Association invited him to speak at a get-together and as his fee he told them he wanted to be dropped off at a trailhead and picked up five days later.
Brokaw first got interested in Montana when he was doing a news assignment here in the 80s. The Montana Bar Association invited him to speak at a get-together and as his fee he told them he wanted to be dropped off at a trailhead and picked up five days later.
Another assignment brought him back a few years later and by the late 1989 he and his wife decided to buy a ranch outside Livingston called the West Boulder Ranch.
He began ferrying back and forth from New York for about a week at a time here and there and then for months at a time as the years went on.
Brokaw has sheep, cattle, and even bison on the ranch and has worked with neighbors to increase the number of upland birds in the area.
As he gets older he spends more and more time there and has come to hold real Montana values for land and people.
He began ferrying back and forth from New York for about a week at a time here and there and then for months at a time as the years went on.
Brokaw has sheep, cattle, and even bison on the ranch and has worked with neighbors to increase the number of upland birds in the area.
As he gets older he spends more and more time there and has come to hold real Montana values for land and people.
Tom Brokaw's Montana ranch is really more of a home.
Tom Brokaw has 5,000 acres in Montana to play around on
Tom Brokaw really has a beautiful Montana ranch. By far the best images of it, at least that I've seen online, are those that you see above.
They were taken by Dennis Anderson and you can find them in a December 2014 article of Star Tribune.
Another view of Tom Brokaw's Montana home, which does have a river on the property. These wonderful photos were all taken by Dennis Anderson of the Star Tribune.
Learn more about Tom Brokaw and Montana in this 2012 Distinctly Montana interview and this 2007 article in the Land Report. And check out some of Tom Brokaw's books on Amazon:
|
|
|
|
Well, that's it.
What, no women?
Hey, like I said, I know a lot more celebrities living in Montana, so just leave a comment if you're interested in reading more.
You Might Also Like
25 Famous People from Montana You Might Not Know
What Famous Celebrities Live in Montana #2 (John Elway, Mel Gibson, Maury Povich, Connie Chung)
Famous Celebrities Who Live in Montana #3 (Kiefer Sutherland, Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Duffy)
Famous Montana Celebrities #4 (Charley Pride, Andie MacDowell, John Lithgow, Dirk Benedict)
Famous Montana Celebrities #5 (Steve McQueen, John Mayer, Jack Hanna)
Famous Montana Celebrities #6 (1980s & 1990s Montana newspaper clippings on famous celebrities)
10 Great Mountain Men Fur Trapping Books
The Dangers of Going Off the SEO Wall Like Michael Keaton
5 Great Montana History Books
I Just Moved to Montana! What Books Should I Read?
What Famous Celebrities Live in Montana #2 (John Elway, Mel Gibson, Maury Povich, Connie Chung)
Famous Celebrities Who Live in Montana #3 (Kiefer Sutherland, Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Duffy)
Famous Montana Celebrities #4 (Charley Pride, Andie MacDowell, John Lithgow, Dirk Benedict)
Famous Montana Celebrities #5 (Steve McQueen, John Mayer, Jack Hanna)
Famous Montana Celebrities #6 (1980s & 1990s Montana newspaper clippings on famous celebrities)
10 Great Mountain Men Fur Trapping Books
The Dangers of Going Off the SEO Wall Like Michael Keaton
5 Great Montana History Books
I Just Moved to Montana! What Books Should I Read?
