You May be Surprised to Learn that These 20 Famous People are From Utah
By Catherine Armstrong|Updated on April 01, 2023(Originally published March 30, 2023)
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Catherine Armstrong
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Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
Every Utahn knows there are plenty of famous people from Utah. The Osmonds, Richard Paul Evans, and the Huntsman family are all legendary bits of Utah trivia. Here are 20 people that you may not realize were born in the Beehive State. See how many of these famous Utahns you recognize.
Roseanne Barr was born in 1952 and is perhaps the most famous person from Utah. This comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director is extremely accomplished. She won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her starring role on the TV show Roseanne, which aired from 1988 to 1997.
Jaime Bergman was born in 1975 in Salt Lake City. We won't tell your wife if you automatically recognized her. She's most famous as a Playboy Bunny. She was also the first Bunny to work as a spokeswoman for St. Pauli Girl beer.
Elaine Bradley was born in 1984 and is the drummer for the popular musical group Neon Trees. They have achieved great success over the last few years with hits like Everybody Talks. The band was formed in Provo, but Elaine is the only member who is a native-born Utahn.
Nolan Bushnell was born in 1943. You may not be familiar with his name, but you probably enjoyed some of his products in your childhood. He invented the Atari, so if you've ever played a round of Asteroids or Frogger, you have him to thank! He also founded Chuck E. Cheese, among other companies. He may not be the most famous person from Utah by name, but most of us have enjoyed his inventions.
Jerry Buss was a chemist, real estate investor, and professional poker player. He’s best known for his ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Matthew Davis was born in 1978. He attended Woods Cross High School and the University of Utah before eventually becoming an actor. You may recognize him as Alaric from The Vampire Diaries, and he also played Warren Huntington III in Legally Blonde.
When you played Bushnell's Atari, you were hooking it up to another invention created by one of the most famous people from Utah. Philo T. Farnsworth invented the television and held nearly 300 other patents.
Patrick Fugit was born in 1982. He attended East High School in Salt Lake City and began acting as a child. His early guest roles included TV shows like ER. He's starred in a few movies like We Bought A Zoo, and recently played a supporting role in Gone Girl.
Better known by just her first name, Jewel was born in 1974. The singer/songwriter and guitarist has sold over 27 million albums and was one of the biggest stars of the 1990s.
Steve Konowalchuk was once an NHL hockey player, and he gained further fame as the head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds and Red Deer Rebels. He's the first player born and raised in Utah to make it to the NHL.
Born in 1987, Trevor Lewis (#22) played for the Los Angeles Kings. He contributed to his team winning the Stanley Cup in 2014. While at Brighton High School, he briefly played hockey and was so good that he was drafted into the NHL as soon as he graduated high school.
Born in 1930, astronaut Don Lind started his education right here in Utah at Midvale Elementary School. He attended Jordan High School and later the University of Utah. He started working for NASA in 1964. It took him 19 years, but he finally got to travel into space with the Spacelab 3 Science Mission.
Born in 1866, you probably know him as Butch Cassidy. He's undoubtedly one of the biggest celebrities in Utah. A bank robber, train robber, and overall outlaw, he was supposedly killed in a shootout in Bolivia in 1908. Some conspiracy theorists believe he escaped and returned to the United States to live out the rest of his life in hiding.
Born in 1961, Byron was born in Ogden, though he grew up in California. He's a former NBA basketball player who, upon retirement, became the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Born in 1984, Wayne Sermon is the guitarist of Imagine Dragons. The band emerged in Las Vegas in 2012 and became one of the biggest rock bands in the world.
Born in 1940, Warnock is another famous person in Utah who you may not know his name, but you've probably used his products. He is the co-founder of Adobe, the company that created Photoshop and Flash Player.
Born in 1947, James Woods is an actor who has won a Golden Globe and three Emmy awards. He's been in a number of successful films, including Casino, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, and White House Down.
Born in 1961, Steve Young was born in Salt Lake City but grew up in Connecticut. He returned to his home state to play football for Brigham Young University. He spent most of his professional career with the San Francisco 49ers. He is also the great-great-great-grandson of Brigham Young.
If you've ever enjoyed a hockey game or taken an ice skating lesson, you've enjoyed the eponymous invention of Frank Zamboni. Born in 1901, he changed the world of winter sports forever.
Can you think of any other famous Utahns? Let us know about even more famous people from Utah in the comments!
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What are some more fun facts about Utah?
In a state with a history as long and varied as the Beehive State's, it goes without saying that there are some really fun facts about Utah. For example, did you know our fourth governor was Jewish? It may seem strange for a state that is so famously Mormon, but Simon Bamberger served in office from 1917 to 1921. Find out more fun facts from this list.
Well, for one, even in the big city of Salt Lake City, you're sure to find free parking. You certainly can't say that about everywhere! We've got beautiful scenery and incredible people, along with an extremely low crime rate. Check out this list of the best things about living in Utah.
