Famous People From Montana

American filmmaker David Lynch is widely regarded as one of the most influential and accomplished directors of the modern era. Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, The Straight Story, Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire are some of his acclaimed films. He was given an honorary Oscar in 2019. He is also a painter and a musician.

Gary Cooper was one of the most popular and versatile American actors of all time. Known for his understated acting style, Cooper won the adulation of critics, fans, and fellow movie stars. A major movie star throughout the golden age of cinema, Cooper was ranked 11th on the 25 greatest male stars of classic Hollywood cinema list published by AFI.

Evel Knievel was an entertainer and stunt performer. He attempted more than 75 ramp-to-ramp motorcycle jumps in his career, a feat that gained him much popularity. In 1999, he was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame. He was known to be a man of values and actively preached anti-drug messages to youngsters. He also campaigned for motorcycle helmet safety. 

Phil Jackson is a former professional basketball player who played 12 seasons in the National Basketball Association and won the NBA championships in 1970 and 1973 when he was with New York Knicks. Later, he coached the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers and led them both to numerous championships and league titles and is considered one of the greatest basketball coaches ever.

Comedian Dana Carvey initially gained fame with his Emmy-winning stint on Saturday Night Live. He has also appeared in films such as Tough Guys and Opportunity Knocks. He was seen as Garth Algar in Wayne’s World and its sequel, and also voiced Dana in Hotel Transylvania 2.

Patrick Duffy is an American actor known for contributing immensely to the success of the popular TV soap opera Dallas where he portrayed the role of Bobby Ewing. Predominantly a TV actor, Duffy became a household name in the USA during the 1970s. A longtime member of Soka Gakkai International, Duffy is credited with popularizing Nichiren Buddhism in the USA.

Model and adult-film actor Tera Patrick is best known for her appearances in Playboy and Penthouse. She established a talent agency and has also appeared in a photo series for Time magazine. She has also been inducted into the AVN and XRCO Halls of Fame, and has co-written a memoir.

Myrna Loy was an American actress best remembered for playing femme fatale roles. Loy was able to break her stereotypical femme fatale on-screen image by playing Nora Charles in the 1934 comedy-mystery film The Thin Man. Although she never received an Academy Award nomination, Myrna Loy was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in 1991 for her contribution to cinema.

Jeannette Rankin scripted history as the first female member of the US Congress. A feminist, she was also associated with the women’s suffrage movement. Earlier, the Republican worked as a dressmaker, a furniture designer, and a teacher. She was the only legislator to vote against war after the Pearl Harbor incident.

Brad Bird is an American animator, screenwriter, voice actor, and filmmaker. Mentored by Milt Kahl, Bird developed a love for animation at an early age. He then went on to work at Pixar and developed films like Ratatouille and The Incredibles, winning Academy Awards for both. He also holds the record for the most number of Annie Award wins. 

The last Crow war chief, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow was part of the Whistling Water clan of Native Americans. The legendary indigenous hero was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A published historian, too, he is remembered for his research on the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

While she claimed she was a transracial Black woman, former NAACP branch president Rachel Dolezal was revealed to be a white woman passing off as Black when her parents spoke to the media. Following the mass protests after the revelation, she was fired from Eastern Washington University, her workplace.

Keith Jardine is an American actor and former mixed martial artist. Renowned for his unorthodox attacking style, Jardine took part in promotions like Strikeforce and the UFC. While competing in the UFC, Jardine won two Fight of the Night awards and one Knockout of the Night award. After retiring as a martial artist, Jardine has established himself as an actor.

One of the world’s best-known paleontologists, Jack Horner is known for discovering the duck-billed dinosaur genus named Maiasaura. The Romer-Simpson Medal winner had unearthed his first dinosaur fossil at age 8. He has also been a technical advisor for the Jurassic Park movies and had a cameo in Jurassic World.