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Famous Mainers – Maine Celebrities

Famous People born in or living in Maine

Famous Mainers. Wow, this northern New England state has been home to many famous people. The listing of famous Maine People is for entertainment purposes and is always under expansion.

From born in Maine Musicians, Maine Actors, and Maine Celebrities, to authors, music producers, and politicians, Maine is where the following well-known people were born or called home (at least for a while). Tell us about a famous Mainer, or Maine Celebrity we missed. To feature your Maine business, contact us.

Famous Maine People

Patty Griffin – Children Running Through
Patricia Jean “Patty” Griffin was born on March 16, 1964. Patty is from Old Town, Maine. She is an American singer-songwriter. Patty is an accomplished vocalist and plays guitar and piano. Her songs have been covered by Emmylou Harris, Ellis Paul, Rory Block, Dave Hause, the Dixie Chicks, and many others. In 2007, Griffin received the Artist of the Year award from the Americana Music Association, and her album Children Running Through won the award for Best Album.

Living the Good Long Life: A Practical Guide to Caring for Yourself and Others
Martha Stewart 1941 – Present
Known for her daily television show, The Martha Stewart Show, Martha Stewart Living magazine, and online flower store. Martha owns a lakefront home in western Maine and enjoys visiting it throughout the year.

	William Cohen 1940 – Present Born in Bangor, Maine and a student of Bowdoin College, Cohen is a former Senator from Maine who, after being nominated by President Bill Clinton, became the nation’s 20th Secretary of Defense in 1997.
	Ricky Craven 1966 – Present Ricky Craven, from Newburgh, is a NASCAR driver in the Winston Cup Series and is one of the top competitors in the NASCAR racing circuit.
	Bill Swift 1961 – Present Originally from South Portland, Maine, Bill Swift is a successful pitcher in Major League Baseball. A graduate of the University of Maine, Swift has played with the Seattle Mariners, the San Francisco Giants, and the Colorado Rockies.
	David E. Kelley 1956 – Present Born in Maine, David is a well-known writer and producer for many successful TV shows such as: “Hill Street Blues”, “L.A. Law”, “Picket Fences”, “The Practice” and “Ally McBeal” His most recent project is the hit show “Boston Legal”.
	George H. Bush 1924 – Present The 41st President of the United States, former President Bush is a longtime summer resident of Kennebunkport, Maine.
	John Ford 1894 -1973 Born in Cape Elizabeth, John Ford is the six-time academy award-winning director of American film classics such as: “The Grapes of Wrath”, “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”, “Stagecoach” and many others.
	Judd Nelson 1959 – Present Portland native Judd Nelson is an actor who is best known for his roles in in the movies “St. Elmo’s Fire”, “The Breakfast Club” and “New Jack City.” Judd also starred in the TV series “Suddenly Susan.”
	Linda Lavin 1937 – Present Born in Portland, Maine, Linda is a stage and screen actress. She appeared in the TV show “Barney Miller” before she became Alice Hyatt for the hit show “Alice.” which ran from 1976 to 1985. She has received four Emmy Awards and a Tony.
	Samantha Smith 1972 -1985 At 10 years old Samantha Smith, born in Manchester, wrote a letter to Soviet Premier Yuri Andropov expressing her fears of a nuclear confrontation with the Soviet Union. As a result, Smith was invited for a visit with the Premier and became our country’s youngest ambassador for peace.
	Stephen King 1947 – Present Born in Portland, Maine, and now residing in Bangor, King is the prolific author of horror and suspense novels. Some of his most well-known work includes “Carrie”, “The Stand”, “Shawshank Redemption”, and “The Dead Zone”. Read more about Stephen King, visit the Stephen King house.
	Patrick Dempsey 1966 – Present Born in Lewiston, Maine on January 13, 1966. Dempsey grew up in Buckfield Maine. He currently plays the role of Dr. Derek Shepherd in the TV series “Grey’s Anatomy”.
	Anna Belknap 1972 – Present Born in Damariscotta, Maine on May 22, 1972. She currently plays the role of Det. Lindsay Monroe in the TV series “CSI: NY”.
	Don McLean 1945 – Present Don sang several hits including Vincent (Starry Starry Night), Castles In The Air, and his most popular song American Pie. He now resides in Maine, living a simpler life than most musicians, and actors. Don still performs often in New England.
	Noel Paul Stookey 1937 – Present Best known as “Paul” in the group Peter, Paul, and Mary. Lived in Maine while raising his three daughters Liz, Anna, and Kate. He and his wife decided to move back to beautiful Blue Hill in 2005.
	Bob Ludwig 1945 – Present Bob is the owner and mastermind behind Gateway Mastering Studios, Inc. in Portland, Maine. He has worked for Madonna, U2, Nirvana, and Bruce Springsteen just to name a few. He is considered to be the best in the business when it comes to enhancing the sound of a new record.
	Kirstie Alley 1951 – 2022 Famous actress but more recently known for her outstanding performance on Dancing With The Stars. Kristie also worked with Jenny Craig. Kristie had a home in Islesboro, an island in Maine’s Penobscot Bay. RIP Kirstie Alley you will be forever remembered.
	John Travolta 1954 – Present Best known for his singing and dancing in the movie Grease – the actor has gone on to star in many movies. John owns several houses and one of them is in Islesboro, an island in Maine’s Penobscot Bay.
	Chuck Winfield Once a member of the group Blood, Sweat & Tears, now he is a professor of music at the University of Maine at Augusta.
	Martha Stewart 1941 – Present Known for her daily television show, The Martha Stewart Show, Martha Stewart Living magazine, and online flower store. Martha owns a lakefront home in Maine and enjoys visiting it throughout the year.
	Seth Wescott 1976 – Present Wescott has competed in the X Games, winning a bronze medal at Winter X Games XI, and he became involved in Snowboard Cross in 1997, going on to win a gold medal at its 2006 Winter Olympics debut in Turin, Italy.
	Chester Greenwood 1858 – 1937 Chester Greenwood of Farmington, Maine invented the earmuff in 1873, at the age of 15. He reportedly came up with the idea while ice skating and had his grandmother sew tufts of fur between loops of wire. His patent was for improved ear protectors. He manufactured these ear protectors, providing jobs for people in the Farmington area, for nearly 60 years.
	Carl “Stump” Merrill 1944 – Present With over thirty years in the Yankees organization, Merrill managed the Yankees baseball team in 1990- 1991, as well as many of their minor league affiliates. Stump began his baseball career as a catcher at the University of Maine.
	Mike Bordick 1965 – Present A former shortstop in major league baseball, Mike Bordick attended high school in Hamden, Maine, and went on to an impressive college career at the University of Maine. Bordick was always a fan favorite with all the teams he played with – the Blue Jays, NY Mets, Baltimore Orioles, and the Oakland A’s.
	Louis Sockalexis 1871 – 1913 Nicknamed “The Deerfoot of the Diamond”, Louis Sockalexis was born on the Penobscot Indian reservation near Old Town, Maine. After a substantial college baseball career at the College for the Holy Cross, Louis went on to play professional baseball for the National League. He is considered to be the first Native American to play major league baseball.
	Jonathan Frakes 1952 – Present Actor, author, and director, Jonathan Frakes is best known for his role in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Commander William T. Riker. Frakes directed and starred in Star Trek: First Contact as well as Star Trek: Insurrection. Frakes lives in Maine with his wife and son.
	Howard “Howie” Carr, Jr. 1952 – Present Born in Portland, Maine Howie Carr is an American journalist, author, and conservative radio talk-show host based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Carr was a columnist for the Boston Herald and has also written a best-selling book, The Brothers Bulger.
	Kevin Eastman 1962 – Present Born in Springvale, Maine Kevin Eastman is a comic book artist, best known for creating (with Peter Laird) the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Currently, Eastman is the owner, editor, and publisher of the magazine, Heavy Metal
	E.B. White 1899 – 1985 Most well known for Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little, the noted American writer E.B. White spent much of his post-New York adult life in Brooklin, Maine where he died at the age of 86 in 1985. Other books by White include The Trumpet of the Swan and The Elements of Style. White was a long-time contributor to The New Yorker and won a Pulitzer Prize for his work.
	Joan Benoit Samuelson 1957 – Present Born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Joan Benoit Samuelson is a retired gold medal-winning Olympic marathon runner and the first women’s Olympic marathon champion. Prior to running the Boston Marathon in the 1970s and the Olympics in the 1980s, Samuelson was a student at Bowdoin College.
	Ian Crocker 1982 – Present Born in Portland, Maine, Ian Crocker is a five Olympic medal-winning swimmer as well as the world record holder for the 100 m butterfly. Although not officially retired from competition, Crocker has taken a break from the Olympics and started a swim school with former teammate Neil Walker.
	Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807 – 1882 Born in Portland, Maine, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was both a student and a professor at Bowdoin College and a noted poet in the style of romanticism. Famous works by Longfellow included; The Song of Hiawatha, Evangeline, and Paul Revere’s Ride. Longfellow was the most popular American poet during his lifetime.
	Dick Curless 1932 – 1995 Born in Fairfield, Maine, Dick Curless made the Billboard Top 40 Charts twenty-two times with his hard-swinging, truck-driving songs. Curless is considered to be one of the founders of the “truck driving” song genre. He appeared as the “Rice Paddy Ranger” on Armed Forces Radio Programming during the Korean War.
	Joanne Palombo McCallie “Coach P” Born in Brunswick, Maine, NCAA Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year 2010. Those who have not known Joanne P. McCallie long may wonder why her players and those who know her well call her “Coach P.” The “P” stands for Palombo, her maiden name. McCallie is proud of her Italian heritage, and early in her career found many similarities between herself and coaching legend Jim Valvano. During her years as Joanne Palombo, she became known as “Coach P”, and after her marriage to John McCallie, she decided to keep the “P” as a middle initial. But old habits die hard, so players, coaches, staff members, and friends continue to refer to her simply as “Coach P.”