One Of The Biggest Names In TV Grew Up In This Small Town In New York

The town of Saugerties, New York may only have a population of just a little bit under 20,000, but it boasts one of the biggest names in television. Jimmy Fallon, the NBC's famous The Tonight Show franchise, grew up there. Fallon is now known worldwide for his work on stage and screen, but it he has very humble origins. Jimmy Fallon is maybe the most notable celebrity from small-town New York.

Saugerties is a charming small town located in the northeastern corner of Ulster County, New York.

Part of Saugerties is located inside Catskill Park, and the eastern town line is established by the Hudson River.

Though Jimmy Fallon was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, his family moved to Saugerties when he was only two. Fallon attended Saugerties High School, where he performed with most stage productions and was named class social director twice.

After high school, Fallon stayed in New York. He went to The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, where he would perform stand-up comedy on the weekends. He left school a semester before graduating to chase his dream of being a comedian.

Fallon was only 23 when he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live. He would go on to appear in movies and on TV shows and, eventually, host late night shows of his own, where he would break bread with the biggest names in entertainment, sports and politics.

Though Fallon became a big star, he never forgot his small town New York roots. In 2017, he donated $10,000 to his Saugerties alma mater. “If anyone there wants to return the favor with a statue of me or something, I’m totally cool with that, too,” he joked to the Associated Press.

You can grow up in a small town or a big city, but if you have drive and talent, there is no telling where you can go in this life. Jimmy Fallon is proof of that and might be the most famous celebrity from small town New York. If all this talk of Jimmy Fallon is making you wonder what is in the water in Saugerties, and if you want to get to know the area a little bit more, you can read up on some day trip ideas in and around the town.