Famous People Born In Pasadena

An acclaimed American actress, Sally Field has won prestigious awards, such as Academy Awards and Emmy Awards. Apart from being a popular actress, Sally Field has also played an important role as an activist, advocating for gay rights and women's rights. She has been part of the board of directors of an international women's NGO called Vital Voices Global Partnership.

American actress, Sophia Bush, garnered recognition when she starred in the television series One Tree Hill, which ran from 2003 to 2012. Later she went on to act in a number of films like John Tucker Must Die, Stay Alive, The Hitcher and The Narrows. She is also an activist and raises awareness about issues like cancer, poverty and environmental degradation.

One of the finest African-American sci-fi authors, Octavia Butler was raised single-handedly by her widowed mother. Best known for the Patternist series and the short story Bloodchild, she often mingled mythology and spirituality in her work. She was the first sci-fi author to receive a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship.

Actress Kathleen Denise Quinlan is best known for her role in the film Apollo 13, for which she received an Academy Award nomination. She became interested in acting while in high school. She made her acting debut at the age of 18 and has since appeared in numerous TV shows and films in a career spanning nearly five decades.

Chris Pontius is an American actor and stunt performer. After appearing in the popular reality slapstick comedy TV series Jackass, Pontius went on to contribute as a writer for the comedy film Jackass: The Movie, a continuation of the series. He then went on to contribute as a writer for the subsequent Jackass movies, including Jackass 3D and Jackass Forever.

Missy Franklin is an American retired competitive swimmer. A five-time Olympic gold medalist, Franklin also held the world records in both the 200-meter backstroke and the 4×100-meter medley relay. After winning four gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Franklin went on to help her team win a gold medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

American actor/writer George Nader is best known for his iconic films such as Sins of Jezebel and Congo Crossing. With his 6’1” frame, the actor mostly earned "beefcake" roles. Though not openly gay, he lived with his partner Mark Miller. An eye injury later forced him to retire from acting.

Tyler Dorsey is a Greek-American basketball player who usually takes the shooting guard position, thanks to his height of 1.96 m. In 2020 and 2021, he helped his team Maccabi Tel Aviv win the Israeli Basketball Premier League. In 2022, he was part of Olympiacos B.C., a team that won the prestigious Greek Basketball Cup.

Literary historian Paul Fussell had been part of the infantry in World War II. He had also taught at various institutes, such as Rutgers University and the University of Pennsylvania. Best known for his books such as The Great War and Modern Memory, he was a World War expert.

Pioneering US aviator and female movie stunt pilot Pancho Barnes helped develop the first film stunt pilots’ union. The granddaughter of aeronaut and inventor Thaddeus S. C. Lowe, she launched the guest ranch Happy Bottom Riding Club. Her nickname Pancho helped her disguise herself as a man in Mexico in her initial days.