Famous People from Montana

Montana:
Situated in the Great Plains and Pacific Northwest area of the USA and containing a good portion of the northern Rocky Mountains, the state of Montana is named after the Spanish word for mountain. It has also been variously called 'Treasure State', 'Land of Shining Mountains' and 'Big Sky Country'. As these names suggest, Montana is famous for its scenic landscape. Of particular note are the Glacier National Park, the Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area, the Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, a portion of the Yellowstone National Park, the National Bison Range in Moiese and the Beaver Creek Park in Hill County. If you are a fan of 'Western' novels and films, you are probably acquainted already with Montana's wildlife (grizzly bear, buffalo, elk, moose, deer, antelope, golden eagle, sage grouse, trumpeter swans, snow geese, pelicans and western meadowlarks), its frontier lore and colorful characters. From Plain Indians to Cowboys to Prospectors to Soldiers to Actors to Stunt-men to Writers to Sports-persons to Politicians, Montana has produced some special, talented and interesting people.

Famous People from Montana:

Charles Russell (1864–1926) – The first person that comes to my mind when I think of Montana is the artist Charles Russell. He executed over 2000 paintings and bronze sculptures that capture the essence of the 'Wild West', portraying the Plain Indians, the cowboys and the grand western landscapes in an inimitable style. Charles Russell was born in Missouri, was infatuated with art and with the idea of the 'West' from an early age and finally, on turning sixteen, moved to Montana to work at a sheep ranch. He progressed to working with cattle at the O-H Ranch in the Judith Basin, Central Montana, and continued creating art on the side. As the story goes, one winter he painted a small, postcard size water-color showing a skinny steer being stalked by wolves on a gray snowy landscape and the ranch foreman send this painting to the ranch owner to inform him of conditions on the ranch. The ranch owner and his acquaintances were very impressed and the work - "Waiting for a Chinook" - brought Russell the first taste of fame. You can see his works at the Charles M. Russell Museum Complex in Great Falls.

Jack Horner (1946) – Born in Shelby, Montana, Jack Horner is the Curator of Paleontology at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman and is credited with discovering new dinosaur species (the Maiasuara, the Orodromeus, new species of the Tyrannosaurus rex and others) and for original research work on dinosaur growth and developmental biology. He has published many papers, articles and books on paleontology. He was the basis of the character Dr. Alan Grant in the book 'Jurassic Park' and later served as a technical adviser on the film.

Henry Plummer (1832 – 1864) - Henry Plummer was the Sheriff of Bannack, Montana, who was hanged without trial by a group of vigilantes in 1864 for the alleged, never-proven crime of heading an outlaw gang on the side. There has been much controversy about whether he was or wasn't guilty. A good-looking and well-spoken man, most accounts of the day picture him as a genteel, upstanding and resourceful individual. Yet he also had a history of violence. About 129 years after he was lynched, he received a posthumous trial that ended in a split jury verdict.

Myrna Loy (1905 – 1993) - Born in Radersburg, Montana, Myrna Loy is famous for her roles in films like 'The Thin Man' series, The Great Ziegfeld, The Best Years of Our Lives, The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer. She is also famous for getting herself listed on Adolf Hitler's infamous black list.

Jeannette Rankin (1880 –1973) – Jeannette Rankin, who was born in Missoula, Montana, was the first woman to serve in Congress in 1917, the only Congress member to vote against US entry into the Second World War, a supporter of Gandhi and Martin Luther King and an opposer of the Vietnam war.

Will James (1892-1942) - Will James was a famous illustrator and writer of the American West and many of his books were made into Western films. His real name was Joseph Ernest Nephtali Dufault and he was born in St. Nazaire de Acton in Canada's Quebec district. He showed a creative streak from an early age, but, as a teenager, began working as a cattle hand. He changed his name to William Roderick James and moved to the United State, where he worked his way around the country. He was jailed for a year in Nevada for cattle-rustling, and later did stunts in films, even joined the army for a while and worked as a horse wrangler. Then, finally, he began concentrating seriously on his art and writing and had a successful career. He bought a ranch in Billings, Montana and his collected artworks and writings are displayed at the Yellowstone Art Museum. Some of his books are – Smoky the Cow Horse, The Dark Horse, Home Ranch and Sand: The Story of a Man and a Horse.