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21 Tucsonans who have made a splash in Hollywood
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21 Tucsonans who have made a splash in Hollywood

  • Jan 24, 2018
  • Jan 24, 2018 Updated Mar 25, 2023

These folks were born in or lived in Tucson long enough to call themselves a Tucsonan. 

Rex Allen

Rex Allen

Rex Allen was in this 1950's television show "Frontier Doctor," along with numerous Disney movies. 

Handout photo

Former resident of Tucson who grew up on a homestead 40 miles north of Willcox, Allen died Dec. 17, 1999 after being run over in the driveway of his Tucson home.

Why he's famous: Arts — film, music  

Notable accomplishment: Allen, known as Arizona's cowboy, was an actor and a singer/songwriter. In addition to crooning country tunes, Allen starred in more than 30 movies, many of them with his beloved horse, Koko. He also starred in his own television series, "Frontier Doctor." 

Hailey Baldwin

Born in Tucson: Nov. 22, 1996 

Why she's famous: Model; Arts — tevevision 

Notable accomplishment:  Baldwin is best known for her modeling career, as she has graced the covers of magazines like Vogue, W, and Harper's Bazaar. However, she also has made a brief cameo on Saturday Night Live and has appeared in multiple music videos. 

Her dad, Stephan Baldwin, was a well-known actor and her uncle, Alec Baldwin, is the star of 30 Rock and has often portrayed President Trump on Saturday Night Live. 

Mika Boorem

Mika Boorem

Mika Boorem, left, and Alexa Vega star in the film "Sleepover." Photo courtesy of MGM Pictures. 

Photo courtesy of MGM Pictures

Born in Tucson: Aug. 18, 1987 

Why she's famous: Arts — film  

Notable accomplishment: Boorem is most well known for her roles in the films "Blue Crush," "Sleepover" and "The Patriot." 

Brooke Burke

Brooke Burke-Charvet

This July 27, 2012 file photo shows TV host Brooke Burke-Charvet at the "Dancing with the Stars: All Stars" panel at the Disney ABC TCA Day 2 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP, file)

Todd Williamson

Raised in Tucson: Attended Sahuaro High School and Palo Verde High School

Why she's famous: Arts — film, dance, television  

Notable accomplishment: Burke is known for winning season seven of "Dancing with the Stars" and later co-hosting the same show. 

Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford

Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford

Author Roni Capin Rivera-Ashford with her book “Miguel and the Amazing Alebrijes.”

Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star

Currently lives in Tucson 

Why she's famous: Arts — writer   

Notable accomplishment:  Capin Rivera-Ashford collaborated on projects for the Pixar film "Coco" with her son, Aarón Rivera-Ashford, of Los Angeles. They both also worked on her latest book, “Miguel and the Amazing Alebrijes,” which is a related adventure book for “Coco.”

She also wrote the Spanish translation for the “Coco” related adventure book “Miguel and the Grand Harmony”, written by Matt de la Peña.

Kaylee DeFer

Kaylee DeFer

Actress Kaylee DeFer attends a special screening of "Young Adult" hosted by the Cinema Society and Dior on Friday, Nov. 18, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini) 

Evan Agostini

Born in Tucson: Sept. 23, 1986 

Why she's famous: Arts — film/television 

Notable accomplishment: DeFer is most well known for her role as Ivy Dickens on the television series "Gossip Girl." 

Barbara Eden

Bill Clinton, Barbara Eden

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, left, delivers a speech next to U.S. actress Barbara Eden during the opening ceremony of the 21st Life Ball in front of city hall in Vienna, Austria, on Saturday, May 25, 2013. The Life Ball is a charity gala to raise money for people living with HIV and AIDS. (AP Photo/Hans Punz)

Hans Punz

Born in Tucson: Aug. 23, 1931 

Why she's famous: Arts — film/television  

Notable accomplishment: Eden is most well known for her role as Jeannie on the television series "I Dream of Jeannie." 

Savannah Guthrie

Savannah Guthrie

FILE - In a Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011 file photo provided by NBC, "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie appears on the set during a broadcast, in New York. (AP Photo/NBC, Peter Kramer, File)

Peter Kramer

Lived in Tucson: Moved to Tucson when she was 2. Attended Amphitheater High School and the University of Arizona. 

Why she's famous: Journalism — TV personality  

Notable accomplishment: Guthrie is known for her role as a co-anchor on the TV news show "Today." 

Dominic Janes

Dominic Janes

Dominic Janes.

Submitted photo / Cathy McCall

Born in Tucson: Feb. 11, 1994 

Why he's famous: Arts — film/television  

Notable accomplishment: Janes is known for his role as the younger version of Dexter on the television series "Dexter." 

Ben Patrick Johnson

Ben Patrick Johnson

Ben Patrick Johnson. Photo by Eric Raptosh / photo courtesy of Ben Patrick Johnson

Submitted photo / Eric Raptosh

Born in Tucson: June 30, 1969 

Why he's famous: Arts — voice-over artist  

Notable accomplishment: Johnson has lent his voice to many television programs during his career, including serving as the announcer for the television series "Judge Joe Brown." Before you say you've never heard of Ben Patrick Johnson, ask yourself the following: Do you watch Fox or CBS? Are you a fan of the NFL Network? Have you been to the movies at all within the last five years? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you've caught Johnson's baritone promoting the next big feature film or upcoming season of "House" or "Fringe." 

Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson appears as Major Matthew Q. Shepherd in the syndicated television series "Soldier of Fortune, Inc." (AP Photo/Rysher Entertainment, Will McGarry) 

Will McGarry

Born in Tucson: Oct. 24, 1959 

Why he's famous: Arts — film  

Notable accomplishment: Johnson is known for his role as "Ted Baker" in the 1989 Steven Spielberg-directed film "Always." 

Daniel Kennedy

Daniel Kennedy

Daniel Kennedy, 19, plays Lutz, the flamboyant valet to the prince in the UA production of "The Student Prince" on June 18, 2003. 

Ron Medvescek / Arizona Daily Star

Born in Tucson: Oct. 24, 1983 

Why he's famous: Arts — television  

Notable accomplishment: Kennedy is known for his role as "Pete Cortlandt" on the television series "All My Children." 

Gavin MacIntosh

Gavin MacIntosh

Gavin MacIntosh arrives at the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Saturday, April, 25, 2105 in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP)

John Salangsang

Born in Tucson: March 22, 1999 

Why he's famous: Arts — television  

Notable accomplishment: MacIntosh is known for his role as "Connor Stevens" on the television series "The Fosters." 

Taryn Manning

Taryn Manning

Actress Taryn Manning attends the PaleyFest: Made In NY - "Orange Is The New Black" panel discussion at The Paley Center for Media on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) 

Evan Agostini

Born in Tucson: Nov. 6, 1978 

Why she's famous: Arts — film/television  

Notable accomplishment: Manning is known for her role as Tiffany Doggett on the Netflix television series "Orange Is the New Black," for her role as Janeane in the film "8 Mile" and for her role as Ellen Martin in the film "A Lot Like Love." 

Lee Marvin

Lee Marvin

Lee Marvin

Photo courtesy of The Loft

Former resident of Tucson 

Why he's famous: Arts — film/television  

Notable accomplishment:  Marvin won an Oscar in 1965 for his role in "Cat Ballou." The tough-guy actor who owned a home in the Foothills and died in Tucson in 1987, banged around town in a pickup truck - one frequently headed either for a hardware store or the dump. Neighbor Jane Loew Sharples remembers the time Marvin pulled weeds in her front yard. The actor shied away from most public appearances in Tucson, the exception being annual fundraisers for wildlife rehabilitator Sarah Gorby.

Larry Pine

Oscar nominations

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" is nominated for Best Picture in the 87th Academy Awards. Ralph Fiennes (left) and Tony Revolori star in "The Grand Budapest Hotel." (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Born in Tucson: March 3, 1945 

Why he's famous: Arts — film 

Notable accomplishment: Most recently, Pine played "Mr. Mosher" in the film "The Grand Budapest Hotel." 

Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt signs autographs at Tucson's Symphony Cotillion Ball on Nov. 23, 1977. Photo by Lew Elliott / Tucson Citizen

Lew Elliott / Tucson Citizen 1977

Born in Tucson: July 15, 1946 

Why she's famous: Arts — music  

Notable accomplishment: Ronstadt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2014. She has also earned 11 Grammy Awards. 

In July 2014, President Obama presented Ronstadt with one of 12 2013 National Medals of Arts and Humanities.

One of Ronstadt's most well-known albums is "Heart Like a Wheel," released in 1974.

Garry Shandling

Garry Shandling

Garry Shandling, host of the 52nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2000. (AP Photo/Mark J.Terrill) 

AP Photo/Mark J.Terrill

Lived in Tucson: Attended Palo Verde High School 

Why he's famous: Arts — film  

Notable accomplishment: Shandling won an Emmy Award for outstanding writing for a comedy series in 1998 for "The Larry Sanders Show." 

Martin Spanjers

Martin Spanjers

Martin Spanjers, 11, a Tucsonan, on Sept. 11, 1998. 

Benjie Sanders / Arizona Daily Star

Born in Tucson: Feb. 2, 1987 

Why he's famous: Arts — film/television  

Notable accomplishment: Spanjers is known for his role as "Rory Hennessy" on the television series "8 Simple Rules." He's also appeared on television shows such "Grey's Anatomy," Malcolm in the Middle" and "True Blood." 

Kate Walsh

Kate Walsh

Kate Walsh arrives at the 16th annual GQ "Men of the Year" party in Los Angeles, Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)

Matt Sayles

Lived in Tucson: Attended Catalina Magnet High School and Rincon High School

Why she's famous: Arts — film/television  

Notable accomplishment: Walsh is best known for her role as Dr. Addison Montgomery in the TV shows "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice." 

Parker Young

Parker Young

Parker Young, a cast member in the new television series "Enlisted," poses at the premiere screening of the show on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014, at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Chris Pizzello

Born in Tucson: Aug. 16, 1988 

Why he's famous: Arts — television   

Notable accomplishment: Young attended Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson. He is known for his role as "Ryan Shay" on the television series "Suburgatory." He's also appeared in episodes of "Mad Men" and "CSI: NY" and starred in "Enlisted."

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