List of people from Colorado Springs, Colorado

This is a list of some notable people who have lived in the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs, the second-largest city in Colorado and the county seat of El Paso County, Colorado, United States, has been the birthplace and home of several notable individuals. This list of people from Colorado Springs includes people that were born or lived in the city or greater metropolitan area. Individuals included in this list are people presumed to be notable because they have received significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject.

Agriculture

 * Nick Venetucci (1911–2004), philanthropist who donated over 1 million pumpkins to children

Art

 * Charles Ragland Bunnell (1897–1968)
 * Starr Kempf (1917–1995), sculptor
 * Andrew Kwon, fashion designer
 * Maxfield Parrish (1870–1966), painter; worked and studied in Colorado Springs
 * Charles M. Schulz (1922–2000), creator of Peanuts cartoon strip; lived in Colorado Springs in the 1950s
 * Artus Van Briggle (1869-1904), Art Nouveau potter
 * Elizabeth Wright Ingraham (1922–2013), architect

Literature and poetry

 * Robert A. Heinlein, science-fiction author
 * Helen Hunt Jackson, author
 * Stanley Krueber, pulp fiction author; buried in Colorado Springs
 * Beverly Lewis, novelist, known for her stories of Amish life
 * Michelle Malkin, conservative author, commentator and blogger, moved to Colorado Springs in 2008
 * Michael A. O'Donnell, award-winning author, Ph.D
 * Leonard Peikoff, philosopher and heir to Ayn Rand estate
 * John E. Stith, science-fiction and mystery author, has lived here since 1970s
 * Frank Waters, author and journalist, born here

Modeling

 * Leeann Tweeden, model, worked briefly as a waitress at a local Hooters in 1991–92
 * Paul Vandervort, model, was with the Janice Dickinson Modelling Agency, is from Colorado Springs

Music and comedy

 * Lewis Black, comedian, lived briefly in Colorado Springs with college friends as part-owner of a small theater
 * Black Pegasus, hip hop and rap artist, songwriter, label owner, and entertainment company owner
 * Zach Filkins, lead guitarist of OneRepublic
 * Tom Hamilton, Aerosmith bassist, born in Colorado Springs
 * Jag Panzer, power metal band
 * Keith Lockhart, former conductor of Pikes Peak Symphony, current conductor of Boston Pops
 * Max Morath, born in Colorado Springs
 * OneRepublic, pop-rock band
 * Günther Johannes Paetsch, co-founder of the Paetsch Family Chamber Music Ensemble in Colorado Springs
 * Johann Sebastian Paetsch, cellist, born and raised in Colorado Springs
 * The Procussions, hip hop group originating from Colorado Springs; original lineup included Mr. J. Medeiros, Stro Elliot, Rez, Vice Versa, and Q; group now consists of Mr. J. Medeiros and Stro Elliot
 * Johnny Smith, jazz guitarist
 * Ryan Tedder, lead singer of OneRepublic
 * Laura Veirs, singer
 * YTCracker, pioneering nerdcore artist and former computer hacker

Television, theater, and film

 * Juli Ashton, actress
 * Kelly Bishop, actress
 * Michael Boatman, actor
 * Spring Byington, actress
 * Lon Chaney (1883-1930), silent film star; born in Colorado Springs; Lon Chaney Theatre is named for him
 * Duane Chapman, from Dog the Bounty Hunter
 * Marceline Day, actress
 * Chris Fowler, sportscaster and ESPN College GameDay football host
 * Dustin Hodge, television writer and producer, worked for KKTV
 * Clinton Jencks, actor and activist
 * Norman Kean, Broadway producer; born in Colorado Springs
 * Joe Kenda, former Colorado Springs Police Department detective featured on Investigation Discovery television show Homicide Hunter
 * Chase Masterson, actress
 * Stephen Thomas Ochsner, actor, director, musician, artist, translator, and producer
 * Cassandra Peterson (also known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark), graduated in 1969 from General William J. Palmer High School in Colorado Springs
 * Sydney Pollack, actor and Academy Award-winning director, worked downtown during a stint at Fort Carson
 * Chris Sanders, filmmaker, illustrator, and voice actor
 * Hillary Wolf, actress and Olympian, currently lives in Colorado Springs

Video game designers

 * John Romero

Military

 * Thomas D. Finley, U.S. Army major general, retired to Colorado Springs

Politics

 * George M. Borg, member of the Wisconsin State Senate and Wisconsin State Assembly
 * John Dingell, U.S. Representative
 * Henry W. Hoagland, political activist
 * Scott Walker, governor of Wisconsin (2011–2019)

Religion

 * James Dobson, Focus on the Family founder
 * Ted Haggard, New Life Church founder
 * Rev. Michael A. O'Donnell, Ph.D., former Priest-in-Charge of Grace and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
 * Elizabeth Clare Prophet, founder of Church Universal and Triumphant; she and her husband Mark L. Prophet operated The Summit Lighthouse in the Broadmoor neighborhood, 1966–1976
 * Mark L. Prophet, with wife Elizabeth Clare Prophet operated The Summit Lighthouse in the Broadmoor neighborhood, 1966–1976
 * Dawson Trotman, founder of parachurch Christian organization The Navigators

Science, technology and industry

 * Albert E. Carlton, investor in Colorado banks, mines and railroads
 * Seymour Cray, founder of Cray Research, lived in Colorado Springs; killed in an automobile accident in northern Colorado Springs
 * J.J. Hagerman, mining and railroad industrialist, expanded the Colorado Midland Railway while living in Colorado Springs
 * Myra Keen, malacologist
 * Ancel Keys, physiologist, born in Colorado Springs
 * Warren P. Mason, electrical engineer and physicist, born in Colorado Springs
 * Mary Jane (Merten) Osborn, microbiologist and biochemist, born in Colorado Springs
 * William Jackson Palmer, a founder of the city and developer of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad
 * Talcott Parsons, sociologist
 * Kenneth Sims, geologist, born in Colorado Springs
 * Winfield Scott Stratton, prospector and philanthropist
 * Nikola Tesla, electrical engineer, lived in Colorado Springs
 * Charles L. Tutt Sr., mine owner, ore miller and philanthropist

Astronauts

 * James Dutton, lives in Colorado Springs
 * James Irwin, lived in Colorado Springs
 * Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, born in Colorado Springs

Baseball

 * Dave Dravecky, pitcher
 * Goose Gossage (born 1951), Hall of Fame pitcher; born in Colorado Springs; graduated from Wasson High School; currently lives in Colorado Springs
 * Brandon McCarthy, former MLB starting pitcher; attended high school in Colorado Springs

Basketball

 * Lynn Barry, basketball player and USA Basketball executive, lives in Colorado Springs
 * Rick Barry, NBA Hall of Famer; lives in Colorado Springs
 * Reggie Jackson, NBA player, Denver Nuggets; attended Palmer High School
 * Danielle Page, Olympic bronze medalist; European champion as part of the Serbian women's national team

Combat sports

 * Henry Cejudo, Olympic gold medalist; graduated from Coronado High School in Colorado Springs
 * Donald Cerrone, UFC fighter; attended Air Academy High School
 * Benson Henderson, mixed martial artist; born in Colorado Springs
 * Bobby Lashley, WWE wrestler; is billed from Colorado Springs
 * Bob "The Beast" Sapp, kickboxer, wrestler and actor; born in Colorado Springs and attended Mitchell High School
 * Michelle Waterson, mixed martial artist; born in Colorado Springs

Figure skating

 * Max Aaron (born 1992), 2013 U.S. national champion figure skater
 * John Coughlin (1985-2019), figure skater, committed suicide
 * Alexa Knierim and Chris Knierim, Olympic figure skaters, 2018 Olympic bronze medalists, 2015 and 2018 U.S. national champions
 * Jill Trenary, figure skater; trained and lived in Colorado Springs

Football

 * Roc Alexander, NFL cornerback
 * Cullen Bryant, NFL running back for the Los Angeles Rams; graduated from William (Billy) Mitchell High School
 * Earl "Dutch" Clark, football player; graduated from Colorado College
 * Jack Evans, NFL quarterback for the Green Bay Packers
 * Barry Helton, NFL punter for the San Francisco 49ers
 * Lamarr Houston, NFL defensive end for the Chicago Bears; graduated from Doherty High School
 * Vincent Jackson, NFL wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; graduated from Widefield High School
 * Steve Sabol, NFL Films co-founder; attended Colorado College near downtown Colorado Springs
 * Matt Slauson, NFL offensive lineman; graduated from Air Academy High School
 * Aaron Smith, NFL defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Ice hockey

 * Brandon Carlo, professional hockey player
 * David Hale, professional hockey player; born in Colorado Springs
 * Jim Johannson, ice hockey player, coach and USA Hockey executive
 * Dave Peterson, coach of the United States men's national ice hockey team and USA Hockey executive

Soccer

 * James Riley, born in Colorado Springs

Other sports and competitive events

 * Christopher Dean, British former Olympic ice dancer, 1984 Olympic Champion, 1994 Olympic bronze medalist
 * Robert Griswold (born 1996), swimmer
 * Sarah Hirshland (born 1975), chief executive officer of the United States Olympic Committee
 * Steve O'Dwyer, professional poker player
 * Arlene Pieper, first woman to complete a U.S. marathon
 * Bill Roy, former Olympian and world champion skeet shooter
 * Keith Sanderson (born 1975), sport shooter
 * Susan Beth Scott, Paralympic swimmer, bronze medalist in London 2012 and Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games
 * Bobby Unser, automobile racer, born in Colorado Springs