List of people from Nevada
Following is a list of notable people who were born in, raised in, or have lived for a significant period of time in the U.S. state of Nevada.
Political figures[change | change source]
- Kathy Augustine (1956–2006) – Nevada State Controller (from 1999 until her death)
- Walter Baring (1911–1975) – member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's At-Large district
- Helen Delich Bentley – former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Alan Bible (1909–1988) – former Democratic U S Senator from Nevada
- James Bilbray – Nevada's first district, U.S. House of Representatives
- Emmet D. Boyle (1879–1926) – 13th Governor of Nevada; first Nevada-born governor
- Berkeley L. Bunker (1906–1999) – U.S. senator from Nevada and member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Howard Cannon (1912–2002) – former Democratic U S Senator from Nevada
- Jim Gibbons (born 1944) – 28th Governor of Nevada
- Carolyn Goodman – Mayor of Las Vegas (since 2012)
- Oscar Goodman – Mayor of Las Vegas (2002–2012)
- Morley Griswold (1890–1951) – served in the U.S. Army in World War I; later became Lieutenant governor of Nevada, then later Governor of Nevada
- Dean Heller – U.S. Senator and former U.S. Congressman from Nevada's 2nd congressional district
- Velma Bronn Johnston (1912–1977) – animal-rights activist
- Paul Laxalt – Republican Governor of Nevada and U.S. Senator from Nevada
- Myron E. Leavitt (1930–2004) – former Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
- Pat McCarran (1876–1954) – former United States Senator from Nevada; namesake of McCarran International Airport
- Mike McGinness – Republican member of the Nevada Senate
- Pat Nixon (1912–1993) – First Lady of the United States (1969–1974)
- Key Pittman (1872–1940) – former Democratic U S Senator from Nevada; President pro tempore and Chairman Committee on Foreign Relations
- Vail M. Pittman (1880–1964) – 19th Governor of Nevada and 19th Lieutenant Governor of Nevada
- Harry Reid (born 1939) – United States Senate Minority Leader (since 2005)
- Willard Hughes Rollings (1948–2008) – historian of Native Americans
- Grant Sawyer (1918–1996) – 21st Governor of Nevada; formed Nevada Gaming Commission
- W. Frank Stewart - silver miner in Virginia City; Democratic state senator for Storey County, 1876-1880
- Jon Wellinghoff (born 1949) – attorney, energy expert, and chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
News media[change | change source]
Newspaper, radio, television[change | change source]
- Art Bell, syndicated radio host
- A.E. Cahlan (1899–1968) – Las Vegas Review Journal owner and publisher
- Norm Clarke – gossip columnist, Las Vegas Review Journal
- Hank Greenspun (1909–1989) – Las Vegas Sun newspaper publisher
Athletes[change | change source]
- A–G
- Andre Agassi – Hall of Fame professional tennis player
- Greg Anthony – NBA player and broadcaster
- Luke Babbitt – small forward for the Portland Trail Blazers
- Ryan Bader – professional mixed martial artist with the UFC
- Shannon Bahrke – Olympic freestyle skier
- Marcus Banks – point guard for the New Orleans Hornets
- Craig Barlow – professional golfer
- Avery Bradley – player for the Boston Celtics
- Kris Bryant – player for the Chicago Cubs
- Kurt Busch – NASCAR driver
- Kyle Busch – NASCAR driver
- Gina Carano – MMA fighter
- Chris Carter – player for the Houston Astros
- Spencer Clark (1987–2006) – NASCAR driver
- Rico Constantino – professional wrestler
- Marty Cordova – Major League Baseball left fielder
- Harvey Dahl – offensive guard for the Atlanta Falcons
- Ricky Davis – professional basketball player in the NBA
- Brandyn Dombrowski – offensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers
- Marion Jones Farquhar – Hall of Fame tennis player
- Joey Gallo – player for the Texas Rangers
- Brendan Gaughan – NASCAR driver
- Lawrence Guy – defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens
- H–M
- Ray Handley – former football player; New York Giants head coach
- Bryce Harper – Major League Baseball player
- Carey Hart – freestyle motocross racer, pro BMX rider
- Steven Jackson – professional football player
- Ben Jacobs – professional football player
- Nick Johnson – professional basketball player in the NBA
- Colin Kaepernick – professional football player
- Klete Keller – Olympic swimmer
- Jack Kramer – Hall of Fame tennis player
- Iris Kyle – ten-time overall Ms. Olympia professional bodybuilder
- Joseph Lang (1911–1990) – boxer
- T.J. Lavin – professional BMX rider and musician
- Ryan Ludwick – right fielder for the Cincinnati Reds
- Greg Maddux – Major League Baseball player
- Julia Mancuso – Olympic alpine ski racer, gold and silver medalist
- Floyd Mayweather, Jr. – boxer
- Jake McGee – relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Maurice E. McLoughlin – Hall of Fame tennis player
- Frank Mir – mixed martial artist; former UFC champion
- DeMarco Murray – running back for the Dallas Cowboys
- N–Z
- Amy Purdy – snowboarder
- Grey Ruegamer – professional football player in the NFL
- Nate Schierholtz – outfielder for the Washington Nationals
- Adam Seward – professional football player in the NFL
- Chasen Shreve – relief pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Scott Smith – mixed martial artist
- Brandon Snyder – first baseman for the Boston Red Sox
- Stevenson Sylvester – linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Korey Toomer – linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys
- Byron Velvick – professional bass fisherman
- C. J. Watson – professional basketball player
- Duke Williams – professional football player in the NFL
- Matt Williams – Major League Baseball third baseman and manager
- Aarik Wilson – long jumper
- Charles Wright – professional wrestler
- Barry Zito – Major League Baseball starting pitcher
- Jason Zucker – NHL hockey player
Entertainment[change | change source]
Actors[change | change source]
- A–M
- Ben Alexander (1911–1969) – actor
- Mädchen Amick (born 1970) – actress, Shelly Johnson on Twin Peaks
- Deanna Brooks (born 1974) – actress, model
- Reno Browne (1921–1991) – film actress, equestrian, pilot
- Nicolas Cage (born 1964) – actor, filmmaker
- Charisma Carpenter (born 1970) – actress, Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
- Dillon Casey (born 1983) – actor
- Hobart Cavanaugh (1886–1950) – actor
- Daveigh Chase (born 1990) – actress, singer, Rhonda Volmer on Big Love
- Tishara Cousino (born 1978) – model, actress, real estate broker
- Abby Dalton (born 1935) – actress
- Gabriel Damon (born 1976) – actor
- Misty Dawn (born 1963) – adult film actress
- Doris Dawson (1909–1986) – silent film actress
- Loren Dean (born 1969) – actor, Enemy of the State, Apollo 13, Mumford
- Thomas Dekker (born 1987) – actor, musician, John Connor on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
- Brad Dexter (1917–2002) – actor, The Magnificent Seven
- Leah Dizon (born 1986) – model, singer, Japanese television personality
- Chase Ellison (born 1993) – actor
- Kathy Evison (born 1963) – actress, Lonnie Henderson on SeaQuest DSV
- Joe Flanigan (born 1967) – actor, Major/Lt. Colonel John Sheppard on Stargate Atlantis
- Michele Greene (born 1962) – actress, singer, and songwriter
- Matthew Gray Gubler (born 1980) – actor, director, Dr. Spencer Reid on Criminal Minds
- Corinna Harney (born 1972) – model, actress, 1992 Playboy Playmate of the Year
- Veronica Hart (born 1956) – 1980s adult film actress
- Annette Haven (born 1954) – 1970s and 1980s adult film actress
- Adam Hicks (born 1992) – actor, singer, dancer
- Jenna Jameson (born 1974) – adult film actress and entertainer
- Bryce Johnson (born 1977) – actor, Josh Ford on Popular
- Rebekah Kochan (born 1984) – actress
- Michelle Krusiec (born 1974) – actress, One World
- Joseph D. Kucan (born 1965) – video game developer, director, actor, screenwriter
- Erin Lear (born 1984) – actress
- Jena Malone (born 1984) – actress, musician, photographer
- Lily Mariye (born 1964) – actress, Lily Jarvik on ER
- Meaghan Jette Martin (born 1992) – actress, singer, musician
- N–Z
- Lycia Naff (born 1962), actress – Ensign Sonya Gomez on Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Thomas Ian Nicholas (born 1980) – actor, the American Pie films
- Sean Palmer (born 1973) – actor, singer, dancer
- Mr. Pete (born 1980) – adult film actor and director
- Sasha Pieterse (born 1996) – teen actress, Alison DiLaurentis on Pretty Little Liars
- Kristoffer Polaha (born 1977) – actor
- Edna Purviance (1895–1958) – actress
- Amanda Righetti (born 1983) – actress, Grace Van Pelt on The Mentalist
- Stephanie Romanov (born 1969) – actress, model, Lilah Morgan on Angel
- Sophia Rossi (born 1977) – actress, model, dancer
- Paul Schrier (born 1970) – actor, Bulk on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
- Jason-Shane Scott (born 1976) – actor
- Dana Snyder (born 1973) – stand-up comedian, actor, voice artist, Master Shake on Aqua Teen Hunger Force
- Shannyn Sossamon (born 1978) – actress, dancer, model, musician
- Charlie Stewart (born 1993) – actor
- Bobby Tonelli (born 1975) – actor
- Cerina Vincent (born 1979) – actress, model, Maya on Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
- Carrie Clark Ward (1862–1926) – silent film actress
- Dawn Wells (born 1938) – actress, business owner, Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island
- Rutina Wesley – actress, Tara Thornton on True Blood
- Lauren Woodland (born 1977) – actress, Brittany Marsino on The Young and the Restless
Music[change | change source]
- Vernon Alley – jazz bassist
- Joyce Collins – jazz pianist, singer
- Rick DeJesus – lead vocals for band Adelitas Way
- Daniel de los Reyes – percussionist
- Dino – DJ, singer-songwriter and record producer
- Leah Dizon – gaijin tarento, singer, and gravure idol in Japan
- Brandon Flowers – lead singer of The Killers
- Dia Frampton – indie rock and pop singer
- Tony Fredianelli – alternative rock musician, formerly with Third Eye Blind
- Nicholas Furlong – singer, songwriter, producer
- Mikalah Gordon – singer, American Idol finalist
- Chris Jones – guitarist
- Jenny Lewis – singer
- Justin McBride – country music singer
- Nikki Nelson – country music singer
- Louis Prima Jr – singer, entertainer, trumpeter, and bandleader
- Dan Reynolds – frontman for Imagine Dragons
- Ryan Ross – former lead guitarist, lyricist for Panic at the Disco
- Chuck Ruff – rock drummer
- Lee Scrivner – songwriter
- Kevin Seconds – vocalist, songwriter, musician
- Billy Sherwood – progressive rock musician, record producer, and engineer
- Mark Slaughter- singer and musician, founder of the hard rock band Slaughter
- Spencer Smith – drummer for Panic at the Disco
- Lynn Truell – drummer for Imperial Teen
- Brendon Urie – lead singer for Panic at the Disco
- Willy Vlautin – lead singer for Richmond Fontaine
- David Yow – lead vocalist for Scratch Acid and The Jesus Lizard
- Dolora Zajick – mezzo-soprano
Film, stage, television and sound production[change | change source]
- Glen Charles – Emmy Award-winning television writer
- Les Charles – Emmy Award-winning television writer
- C. Jay Cox (born 1962), director, screenwriter
- Nicholas RAS Furlong – songwriter and record producer
- Curtis Hanson – Academy Award-winning filmmaker
- Daniel C. Mitchell – screenwriter and producer
Authors[change | change source]
- Alta – poet, prose writer and publisher
- Nevada Barr – author of mystery novels
- Charles Bock – novelist
- Juanita Brooks – author and historian
- Walter van Tilburg Clark – writer
- Cecelia Holland – historical novelist
- Robert Laxalt – writer
- Adrian C. Louis – author and poet
- James Marshall – children's author and illustrator
- Lloyd Osbourne – novelist
- Lute Pease – journalist and cartoonist
- Sheldon Rampton – editor of PR Watch and author of books on the public relations industry
- Andrew Romanelli – journalist, poet, songwriter, blogger
- Geoff Schumacher – journalist and author
- Harry Shannon – novelist
- Georgie Sicking – cowboy poet and former rancher in Churchill County
- David Derek Stacton (1925–1968) – author and poet
- Richard Walton Tully – playwright
- Dave Ulrich – author of books on leadership and human resources
- Claire Vaye Watkins – author of the book Battleborn
Miscellaneous[change | change source]
- Jennifer Allan – model
- James E. Casey (1888–1983) – founder, United Parcel Service
- Kimberley Conrad – model and former wife of Hugh Hefner
- Laura Dahl – fashion designer
- Michael David – painter
- Milton H. Erickson – psychiatrist specializing in medical hypnosis and family therapy
- Sean Hamilton – radio personality
- Jennifer Harman – professional poker player
- Chelsie Hightower (born 1989) – Latin ballroom dancer, Dancing with the Stars
- Jimmy Kimmel – talk show host and comedian
- Dat So La Lee (1829–1925) – basket weaver
- Jessica Miller – fashion model
- Pierre Omidyar – billionaire founder of eBay
- Bob Tallman – news announcer
- Ivan A. Taslimson, architect; founder of Solstice Group
- J. Buzz Von Ornsteiner – psychologist and television personality
- Steve Wynn – casino tycoon; owner of Wynn Resorts Limited