List of people from Arizona
The following are people who were either born/raised or have lived for a significant period of time in Arizona.
Art/Literature/Journalism
- Edward Abbey (1970–1989), author and environmentalist
- Helen Andelin (1920–2009), author
- Erma Bombeck (1927–1996), author, newspaper columnist and humorist
- "Ted" Ettore DeGrazia (1909–1982), American impressionist painter, sculptor, and lithographer
- Zane Grey (1872–1939), author and novelist
- Bil Keane (1922–2011), cartoonist
- Stephenie Meyer (born 1973), Author-teen literature novelist. Twilight (series)
- Mary Schmich (born 1953), columnist for the Chicago Tribune
- Larry Schweikart (born 1951), historian, author, journalist
- Frederick Sommer (1905–1999), artist / photographer
- Susan Sontag (1933–2004), author, literary critic, and left-wing political activist
- Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959), prominent architect of the 20th century
Film/Theater
- Erika Alexander (born 1969), actress
- Steve Allen (1921–2000), comedian, actor, composer, author, known as The Father of TV Talk Shows."
- Samaire Armstrong (born 1980), actress, Juliet Darling on Dirty Sexy Money and Anna Stern on The O.C.
- Jules Asner (born 1968), actress and host of E!'s show Wild On!
- Jaime Lyn Bauer (born 1949), soap opera actress, played Lauralee Brooks on The Young and the Restless and Laura Spencer Horton on Days of our Lives
- Sandra Bernhard (born 1955), actress, comedian
- Michael Biehn (born 1956), actor
- Lynda Carter (born 1951), actress, best known for "Wonder Woman" also won Miss World U.S.A. 1972
- Brady Corbet (born 1988), actor
- Matt Dallas (born 1982), actor, Kyle XY
- Ted Danson (born 1947), actor
- Rosemary DeCamp (1910–2001), actress
- Andy Devine (1905–1977), actor
- Barbara Eden (born 1934), actress, I Dream of Jeannie
- Gail Edwards (born 1952), actress, best known for her roles in It's a Living, Blossom, and Full House
- Jack Elam (1918–2003), actor
- Michael Ensign (born 1944), actor, Boston Legal
- Pablo Francisco (born 1974), stand-up comedian, actor
- Sammi Hanratty (born 1995), child actress, The Unit, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody
- Amelia Heinle (born 1973), actress, Victoria Newman on The Young and the Restless; also played Mia Saunders on All My Children
- David Henrie (born 1989), actor, Wizards of Waverly Place, How I Met Your Mother, That's So Raven
- Catherine Hicks (born 1951), actress
- Earl Hindman (1942–2003), actor, Ryan's Hope, Home Improvement
- Gregg Hoffman (1963–2005), film producer
- Michael Horse (born 1951), artist, actor, Twin Peaks, Passenger 57
- Rob Hyland (born 1967), actor
- Dominic Janes (born 1994), teen actor, ER, Out of Jimmy's Head, Dexter
- Brad Johnson (born 1959), actor
- Tanner Maguire (born 1998), child actor, Young Shawn Brady on Days of our Lives
- Taryn Manning (born 1978), actress, fashion designer, singer/songwriter
- Abigail Mavity (born 1993), actress
- Tarah Paige (born 1982), actress, dancer, gymnast, Make It or Break It
- Valerie Perrine (born 1943), actress
- Larry Pine (born 1945), actor
- Greg Proops (born 1959), actor, comedian
- Liz Renay (1926–2007), actress
- Terry Rhoads (born 1951), actor
- Garry Shandling (born 1949), actor, comedian
- David Spade (born 1965), actor, comedian
- Chelsea Staub (born 1988), actress, singer, Jonas L.A., Fish Hooks
- Emma Stone (born 1988), actress, The Help, Superbad, Crazy, Stupid, Love.
- Kylee Saunders (born 1994), a Japanese American singer
- Janet Varney (born 1976), actress, On the Lot
- Kate Walsh (born 1967), actress, Dr. Addison Montgomery on Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice
- Scott William Winters (born 1965), actor, Oz, NYPD Blue
- Jason Zumwalt (born 1975), actor, comedian, best known as the voice of Roman in Grand Theft Auto IV
Military/War
- Ralph S. Johnson (1906–2010), aviator and former member of the Wyoming House of Representatives who retired to Scottsdale and Tempe
- Frank Luke (1897–1918), World War I fighter pilot, Medal of Honor Recipient
- Lori Piestewa (1979–2003), United States Army, First Native American woman from Arizona to be killed in war. Iraq War, Purple Heart and Prisoner of War Medal Recipient
- Pat Tillman (1976–2004), United States Army, Afghanistan Silver Star Recipient. Former NFL player
- Ira Hayes (1923–1955), United States Marine Corps, World War II, Helped to raise United States flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima
Music
- Jim Adkins (born 1975), lead singer and guitarist for the band Jimmy Eat World
- Rex Allen (1920–1999), singer-songwriter, actor, known as "The Arizona Cowboy"
- Authority Zero; punk rock band; Mesa, Arizona
- Ryan Avery – musician/comedian/performance artist
- Chester Bennington (born 1976), singer for the band Linkin Park
- Dierks Bentley: country singer, Phoenix, Arizona
- Derrick Bostrom (born 1960), Meat Puppets Drummer.
- Michelle Branch (born 1983), singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Glen Campbell; country singer; inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame
- Alice Cooper (born 1948), rock and roll singer
- Duane Eddy – singer; inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
- Travis Edmonson (1932–2009), singer-songwriter, part of folk duo, Bud & Travis
- David Ellefson (born 1964), bass guitar player and co-founder of the metal band Megadeth
- Dolan Ellis (born 1935), singer-songwriter, Arizona Official State Balladeer since 1966; original member of the New Christy Minstrels
- Esteban – musician
- Frank Fafara *[1] early 1960s Pop Singer/TV Star on Wallace & Ladmo Show, Phoenix
- The Gin Blossoms; rock band; Tempe, Arizona
- Lalo Guerrero (1916–2005) singer-songwriter, known as The Father of Chicano Music, recipient of the National Medal of Arts
- Waylon Jennings – singer; inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
- Jimmy Eat World; Alternative rock band; Mesa, Arizona
- Job for a Cowboy death metal band; Glendale, Arizona (formed in 2003)
- Joe Jonas lead singer of the Jonas Brothers
- Cris Kirkwood (born 1960), Meat Puppets, Guitar and vocals
- Katie Lee, folksinger
- The Meat Puppets; rock band
- Charles Mingus (1922–1979), jazz bassist, composer and bandleader
- Mister Mister; pop rock band from the 80's; They had several #1 MTV videos and headlined the first MTV Spring Break show in 1986
- Dave Mustaine (born 1961), frontman and founder of the metal band Megadeth
- Jason Newsted; former bassist of heavy metal band Metallica*
- Wayne Newton (born 1942), singer, known as "Mr. Las Vegas"
- Stevie Nicks (born 1948), singer with the group Fleetwood Mac
- Buck Owens Country singer; inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame; Mesa, Arizona
- Richard Page and Steve George of the group Mr. Mister
- Page the village idiot (b. 1966), guitar comic, satirist, singer/songwriter
- CeCe Peniston, Pop Singer
- The Refreshments; rock band, known for the single "Banditos" from their album Fizzy Fuzzy Big & Buzzy; Tempe, Arizona
- Marty Robbins (1925–1982), country music singer
- Linda Ronstadt (born 1946), singer-songwriter
- Alvie Self 1960s Musician & Singer
- Bob Shane (born 1934), singer, founding member of The Kingston Trio
- Nigel Sixsmith (born 1957). composer, synthesist
- Jordin Sparks (born 1989), singer
- The Tubes; rock band; Scottsdale High School
- Tanya Tucker (born 1958), country musician
- Brooke White (born 1983), indie pop/folk-pop singer
- John O'Callaghan (born 1988), alternative, Lead Singer of The Maine (band)
Old West Era
- Apache Kid (1860–1896?), outlaw-reported killer of three Arizona lawmen 1889–1890 [2]
- Cochise (1812–1874), chief of the Chiricahua Apache
- Geronimo (1829–1909), Leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought against the encroachment of European Settlers on Native American Lands. Hero of the Native American Fight for respect and independence.
- James Reavis (1843–1914), self-styled "Baron of Arizoniac", claimed to have owned much of Arizona
Poetry
Politics
- Thad Allen (born 1949), retired U.S. Coast Guard admiral; National Incident Commander under President Barack Obama
- Joe Arpaio – Maricopa County Sheriff
- Bruce Babbitt (born 1938), former governor of Arizona and Secretary of the Interior in the Clinton Administration
- William Docker Browning (1931–2008), federal judge
- César Chávez (1927–1993), labor union leader
- Dennis DeConcini, (born 1937) retired U.S. Senator (1977–1994)
- Gabrielle Giffords, (born 1970), U.S. Representative, wounded in the 2011 Tucson shooting
- Barry Goldwater (1909–1998), U.S. Senator
- Carl Hayden (1877–1972), U.S. Senator, holds the record for the longest service in the U.S. Congress
- Don Lorenzo Hubbell, Arizona State Senator
- John C. Keegan, judge, legislator, Mayor of Peoria
- Lisa Keegan, legislator, Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Rex E. Lee (1935–1996), United States Solicitor General during the Reagan Administration
- John McCain (born 1936), U.S. Senator, former Navy Officer and Vietnam POW
- Sandra Day O'Connor (born 1930), first female Justice of the United States Supreme Court
- Mary Peters (born 1948), United States Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush
- William Rehnquist (1924–2005), Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
- Glenn Spencer, advocate against illegal immigration
- David King Udall, Arizona Territorial Legislature
- Don Taylor Udall, Arizona State Legislature
- Jesse Addison Udall, Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court
- John Hunt Udall, Mayor of Phoenix
- Levi Stewart Udall, Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court
- Nick Udall, Mayor of Phoenix
- Mark Udall, Senator from Colorado
- Morris "Mo" Udall (1922–1998), U.S. Congressman and former pro-basketball player
- Stewart Udall (born 1920), U.S. Congressman and Secretary of the Interior during the JFK and LBJ administrations
Science/Medicine
Sports
- Brooks Reed (born 1987), outside linebacker for the Houston Texans
- Jeremy Affeldt (born 1979), relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
- Brian Anderson (born 1982), outfielder for the Kansas City Royals
- Dave Baldwin (born 1938), former major league baseball player
- Brian Bannister (born 1981), starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals
- Danny Batten (born 1987), linebacker for the Buffalo Bills
- Jerryd Bayless (born 1988), point guard for the Portland Trail Blazers
- John Beck (born 1981), quarterback for the Washington Redskins
- Rich Beem (born 1970), professional golfer
- Mike Bell (born 1983), running back for the New Orleans Saints
- Mike Bibby (born 1978), point guard for the Atlanta Hawks
- Eddie Bonine (born 1981), relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
- Dallas Braden (born 1983), starting pitcher for the Oakland A's
- Travis Bright (born 1983), offensive guard for the Dallas Cowboys
- Keith Brown (born 1964), retired pitcher for the Cincinatti Reds
- Michael Carbajal (born 1967), boxing champion
- D. J. Carrasco (born 1977), pitcher for the New York Mets
- Henry Cejudo, 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medal winner in wrestling
- Manuel Contreras (Born 1993) Left Fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Billy Cundiff (born 1980), placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens
- Ike Davis (born 1987), first baseman for the New York Mets
- Chris DeGeare (born 1987), offensive guard for the Minnesota Vikings
- Na'il Diggs (born 1978), linebacker for the San Diego Chargers
- Shelley Duncan (born 1979), baseball player for the Cleveland Indians
- Sean Elliott (born 1968), basketball player
- Andre Ethier, outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Nick Evans (born 1986), left fielder and first baseman for the New York Mets
- Jeff Feagles, former NFL punter
- Ryan Fitzpatrick (born 1982), quarterback for the Buffalo Bills
- Channing Frye (born 1983), center and power forward for the Phoenix Suns
- "Superstar" Billy Graham (born 1943), professional wrestler
- Everson Griffen (born 1987), defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings
- Scott Hairston (born 1980), left fielder for the San Diego Padres
- Max Hall (born 1985), quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals
- J. J. Hardy (born 1982), shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles
- Mickey Hatcher (born 1955), former MLB player and current hitting coach for the Los Angeles Angels
- Todd Heap (born 1980), tight end for the Baltimore Ravens
- Misty Hyman, swimmer
- Reggie Jackson – former professional baseball player; inductee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
- Richard Jefferson (born 1980), small forward for the San Antonio Spurs
- Elliot Johnson (born 1984), second baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Levi Jones (born 1979), offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins
- Cameron Jordan (born 1989), defensive end for the New Orleans Saints
- Ian Kinsler (born 1982), second baseman for the Texas Rangers
- Paul Konerko (born 1976), first baseman for the Chicago White Sox
- Kyle Kosier (born 1978), guard for the Dallas Cowboys
- Frank Kush; Legendary Head Football coach for Arizona State
- Kevin Long (born 1966), hitting coach for the New York Yankees
- Lou Marson (born 1986), catcher for the Cleveland Indians
- Doug Mathis (born 1983), relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers
- Phil Mickelson (born 1970), professional golfer
- Zach Miller (born 1985), tight end for the Oakland Raiders
- Brad Mills (born 1985), relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Bart Oates (born 1958), former center for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers
- Jim Palmer (born 1945), former starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles and Baseball Hall of Famer
- Danica Patrick – professional auto racing driver competing in the Indy Racing League.
- Mike Pollak (born 1985), guard for the Indianapolis Colts
- Curt Schilling – former professional baseball pitcher.
- Shelley Smith (born 1987), guard for the Houston Texans
- Kerri Strug (born 1977), gymnast, 1996 Olympic gold medalist
- Pat Tillman, former pro-football player killed in Afghanistan
- Bobby Wade (born 1981) – wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs
- Danny White – former professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys
- Tom Wilhelmsen - relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
- Dot Wilkinson – Hall of Fame inductee for bowling and softball.
- Darren Woodson (born 1969), former professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys
TV/Radio
- Steve Allen, The original host of The Tonight Show (1954–1957)
- Cheryl Casone (born 1970), anchor for the Fox Business Network and business correspondent for Fox News
- Joan Ganz Cooney (born 1929), TV producer of Sesame Street
- Hugh Downs – Emmy Award-winning News presenter
- Savannah Guthrie, White House correspondent for NBC News, co-host of MSNBC's The Daily Rundown
- Dan Hicks (born 1962), sportscaster for NBC
- Pat Hughes (born 1955), play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs for WGN radio
- Don Imus (born 1940), nationally-syndicated talk radio host, Imus in the Morning
- Jimmy Kimmel television host, attended Arizona State University.
- Seth Leibsohn producer and co-host of morning radio show, Bill Bennett's Morning in America
- Pat McMahon, The Wallace and Ladmo Show, 1960 to 1989 (TV), Pat McMahon Show (TV/Radio)
- Dave Pratt "The Mayor" Arizona radio legend, KUPD, KMLE.
- Jenni Pulos, Jeff Lewis's assistant on Bravo's Flipping Out
- Ted Robbins journalist National Public Radio (NPR), Tucson resident.
- Cody Lundin