List of people from Calgary

Calgary

This is a list of notable people who were born, or lived for a significant period of time, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, ordered by last name:

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• William Aberhart (1878–1943), former Premier of Alberta
• Tesho Akindele (born 1992), soccer player
• David Albahari (1948–2023), Serbian born author who resided in Calgary 1994–2012
• Jocelyn Alice, vocalist for the soul pop duo Jocelyn & Lisa
• Cody Almond (born 1989), Canadian-born Swiss professional ice hockey centre
• Jaret Anderson-Dolan (born 1999), ice hockey player
• Brooke Apshkrum (born 1999), luger
• Jann Arden (born 1962), singer
• William Charles Gordon Armstrong (1865–1951), real estate magnate and municipal politician
• Mark Astley (born 1969), former NHL player

B

• Scott Bailey (born 1972), ice hockey goaltender
• Cori Bartel (born 1971), curler
• Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, orchestral conductor
• Bob Bassen (born 1965), NHL forward
• Hank Bassen (1932–2009), former NHL goalie
• Nolan Baumgartner (born 1976), professional ice hockey player
• Ian Willoughby Bazalgette (1918–1944), Calgary-born recipient of the Victoria Cross for actions in the skies above France in the Second World War
• Jay Beagle (born 1985), former NHL player
• Jake Bean (born 1998), NHL player (Calgary Flames)
• Chelsey Bell (born 1982), curler
• Jill Belland, television host and producer
• Richard Bennett (1870–1947), former prime minister of Canada
• Cheryl Bernard (born 1966), curler
• Manmeet Bhullar (1980–2015), Progressive Conservative politician
• Earle Birney (1904–1995), poet
• Jason Block (born 1989), swimmer
• Heather Blush, singer
• Bruce Boa (1930–2004), actor
• Bill Borger (born 1974), first Canadian to both swim the English Channel and climb Mount Everest
• Noah Bowman (born 1992), freestyle skiing
• Trevor Boys (1957–2023), NASCAR driver
• Paul Brandt (born 1972), country music singer
• John Brocke (1953–2009), realist painter
• Annie Glen Broder (1857–1937), musician, writer and lecturer
• Dave Bronconnier (born 1962), politician
• Aanders Brorson (born 1988), American curler
• Anastasia Bucsis (born 1989), speed skater
• Nate Burleson (born 1981), professional American football player, Detroit Lions
• Pat Burns (1856–1937), rancher, businessman, and Canadian Senator
• Ron Butlin (1925–2014), ice hockey executive

C

• Don Cairns (born 1955), professional ice hockey player
• Eric Cameron (born 1935), visual artist
• Tommy Campbell (born 1978), actor and stand-up comedian
• Cartel Madras, hip-hop duo
• Sean Cheesman, dancer and choreographer
• David Chernushenko (born 1963), politician
• Dean Chynoweth (born 1968), ice hockey defenceman
• Aleisha Cline (born 1970), cross skier
• Allen Coage (1943–2007), professional wrestler known as "Bad News Allen"
• Samantha Cogan (born 1997), ice hockey forward for PWHL Toronto
• Braydon Coburn (born 1985), ice hockey defenceman
• Joe Colborne (born 1990), ice hockey forward
• Jordan Connor (born 1991), actor, Riverdale
• Susanne Craig, journalist and reporter at the NYT
• Paul Cranmer (born 1969), former CFL player
• Ted Cruz (born 1970), U.S. Senator from Texas since 2013 and ex-Republican presidential nomination candidate in 2016; moved to Houston, Texas at age 4
• Elisha Cuthbert (born 1982), actress, moved to Montreal at a very young age, and remained there until she moved to Los Angeles
• Mike Cvik (born 1962), former National Hockey League linesman

D

• Nathan Dales, actor
• Carolyn Darbyshire (born 1963), curler
• Stu Davis (1921–2007), aka Canada's Cowboy Troubadour, home base was Calgary 1945–47; 51–56
• Carol-Anne Day (born 1986), voice actress
• Theo de Raadt (born 1968), founder and head of the OpenBSD project
• Nicholas Devlin, (born 1971) judge and lawyer
• Justin Dorey (born 1988), freestyle skier
• Bruce Dowbiggin, journalist for the Calgary Herald
• Michael Dowse (born 1973), film director
• Mathew Dumba, ice hockey player
• Kyle Bobby Dunn (born 1986), composer and musician, raised in Lake Bonavista and based in Brooklyn
• Micki DuPont (born 1980), ice hockey defenseman
• Jacqueline Dupuis, executive director of Calgary International Film Festival
• Erica Durance (born 1978), actress, born in Calgary but raised in Three Hills
• Aaron Durley (born 1993), baseball and basketball player

E

• Patrick Eaves (born 1984), Canadian-American professional ice hockey forward
• Samuel Edney (born 1984), luger
• Esi Edugyan (born 1978), writer
• Travis Ehrhardt (born 1989), ice hockey defenceman
• Ophira Eisenberg (born 1972), comedian, writer, actress, and host of NPR quiz show Ask Me Another
• Lindsay Ell (born 1989), singer
• Brennan Elliott (born 1975), actor
• Darren Espanto (born 2001), Filipino-Canadian child singer
• Shawn Everett (born 1982), Grammy-winning Canadian music engineer and producer
• Erik Everhard (born 1976), pornographic actor
• Lance Evers (born 1969), professional wrestler known as "Lance Storm"

F

• John Fairbairn (born 1983), Olympic skeleton racer
• Leslie Feist (born 1976), singer-songwriter born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, then moved to Calgary as a child
• John Fennell (born 1995), luger
• Brandon Firla, actor
• Rhiannon Fish (born 1991), Canadian-born Australian actress
• Drew Fischer (born 1980), national and FIFA soccer referee
• George Fox (born 1960), country music singer-songwriter

G

• Bill Gadsby (1927–2016), professional ice hockey defenceman
• Dutch Gainor (1904–1962), ice hockey forward
• TJ Galiardi (born 1988), Canadian-born American professional ice hockey forward
• William Garden (1918–2011), Canadian and American naval architect and marine engineer
• Ruth M. Gardiner (1914–1943), first nurse killed in action during World War II
• Karyn Garossino (born 1965), professional ice dancer with partner Rod Garossino
• Lynn Garrison (born 1937), aviator, author and mercenary
• Austin Gary (born 1947), author and songwriter
• Mark Gatha (born 1974), former voice actor
• Lucas Gilbertson, voice actor
• Onalea Gilbertson, voice actress
• Jeff Glass (born 1985), professional ice hockey goaltender
• John Glenn (1833–1886), Calgary's earliest recorded European settler
• James Gosling (born 1955), creator of the Java programming language
• Alex Gough (born 1987), luger
• Mike Green (born 1985), professional hockey player (Detroit Red Wings)
• Mary Greene (1843–1933), mother superior and educator, established first Roman Catholic school board in Alberta
• Tyrel Griffith (born 1985), curler
• Rosalind Groenewoud (born 1989), freeskier
• Paul Gross (born 1959), actor

H

• John Hall (born 1943), artist
• Joice M. Hall (born 1943), artist
• Taylor Hall (born 1991), professional hockey player (Boston Bruins)
• Eric Hansen (born 1992), chess player
• Nicole Hare
• Owen Hargreaves (born 1981), professional footballer, played for Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Manchester City
• Stephen Harper (born 1959), former prime minister of Canada and former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
• Richard Harrison, poet
• Bret Hart (born 1957), professional wrestler
• Owen Hart (1965–1999), professional wrestler
• Stu Hart (1915–2003), professional wrestler, promoter and trainer
• Teddy Hart (born 1980), professional wrestler
• Dany Heatley (born 1981), professional ice hockey player (Minnesota Wild)
• Ben Hebert (born 1983), curler
• Stuart Hilborn (1917–2013), automotive engineer
• Makena Hodgson (born 2000), Olympic luger
• Greyston Holt (born 1985), actor
• Tony Holyoake (born 1946), darts player
• Kaillie Humphries (born 1985), bobsledder
• Tim Hunter (born 1960), professional National Hockey League player (won the Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989)
• Nancy Huston (born 1953), novelist born in Calgary; left at age 15
• Bill Hutton (1910–1974), ice hockey defenceman
• Wayne Hynes (born 1969), Canadian-born German ice hockey player

I

• Kaylin Irvine (born 1990), speedskater

J

• Tom Jackson (born 1948), Métis actor, singer and entrepreneur
• Connor James (born 1982), ice hockey centre
• Roy Jenson (1927–2007), actor
• Arianne Jones (born 1990), luger
• Mark de Jonge (born 1984), sprint canoeist
• Gilmore Junio (born 1990), Olympic speedskater

K

• James Keelaghan (born 1959), musician
• Jessica Parker Kennedy (born 1984), actress
• Tyson Kidd (born 1980), professional wrestler
• Kiesza (full name Kiesza Rae Ellestad) (born 1989), musician and multi-instrumentalist
• Lance Kinsey (born 1954), actor and screenwriter
• Yuri Kisil (born 1995), swimmer
• Ralph Klein (1942–2013), former mayor of Calgary and former Premier of Alberta
• Cody Ko (born 1990), comedian and actor
• Joe Kryczka (1934–1991), Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
• John Kucera (born 1984), alpine ski racer
• Larry Kwong (1923–2018), professional hockey player
• Norman Kwong (1929–2016), former CFL player and former Lieutenant Governor of Alberta

L

• Brent Ladds (born 1951), president of the Canadian Junior Hockey League
• Kyle Landry (born 1986), basketball player
• Alvin Law (born 1960), motivational speaker
• Sheena Lawrick (born 1983), Olympic softball player
• Brett Leason (born 1999), Canadian ice hockey player
• Mireille Lebel, Canadian opera singer/soloist
• Brady Leman (born 1986), freestyle skier, 2018 Olympic gold medalist
• Herbie Lewis (1906–1991), ice hockey left winger
• Jan Lisiecki (born 1995), classical pianist
• Sam Livingston (1831–1897), Irish-born early settler in Calgary
• Keith Loach (born 1975), Canadian Olympic skeleton athlete 2006
• Oscar Lopez (born 1953), Latin guitarist musician
• James Alexander Lougheed (1854–1925), head of military hospitals during World War I
• Peter Lougheed (1928–2012), former CFL player and Premier of Alberta
• Alexandria Loutitt (born 2004), Canadian ski jumper and 2023 World Champion in ski jumping, large hill
• Lowell, electropop musician
• Ed Lukowich (born 1946), curler

M

• Andrew MacWilliam (born 1990), professional hockey player
• Jinder Mahal (born 1986), professional wrestler
• Cale Makar (born 1998), professional hockey player
• John Mann (1962–2019), lead singer of Canadian folk band Spirit of the West
• Ernest Manning (1908–1996), former Premier of Alberta
• Heather Marks (born 1988), supermodel
• Deb Matejicka, journalist
• Wayne McBean (born 1969), ice hockey defenceman
• Frederick McCall (1896–1949), World War I fighter ace, businessman, stuntman
• Trent McClellan, comedian
• Nellie McClung (1873–1951), writer and activist
• Frank McCool (1918–1973), ice hockey goaltender
• Bruce McCulloch (born 1961), comedian, writer, director
• Todd McFarlane (born 1961), creator of the Spawn series of comics
• Brian McKeever (born 1979), cross-country skier and biathlete
• Kevin McKenna (born 1980), professional soccer player
• Rita McKeough (born 1951), visual artist
• Brent McMurtry (born 1986), cross-country skier
• Taylor McNallie (born 1990/1991), anti-racism activist
• Victor A. McPherson (born 1928), 27th Canadian Surgeon General
• Tate McRae (born 2003), singer and dancer
• Caitlynne Medrek (born 1989), professional actress and voice over artist
• Manjit Minhas (born 1980), entrepreneur, television personality and venture capitalist
• Ricardo Miranda (born 1976), politician and trade unionist
• Eric Mitchell (born 1992), ski jumper
• Chris Moffat (born 1979), luger
• Mike Moffat (born 1982), luger
• Cory Monteith (1982–2013), singer and actor; born in Calgary but grew up in Vancouver
• Michelle Morgan (born 1981), actress and singer
• Trevor Morrice (born 1991), ski jumper
• Josh Morrissey (born 1995), ice hockey defenceman
• Caia Morstad (born 1982), volleyball player
• Darren Moulding (born 1982), curler
• Erín Moure (born 1955), poet and translator
• Troy Murray (born 1962), ice hockey centre
• Dana Murzyn (born 1966), ice hockey defenceman
• Curtis Myden (born 1973), Olympic bronze medalist swimmer
• Tyler Myers (born 1990), professional hockey player

N

• Issey Nakajima-Farran (born 1984), professional soccer player
• Natalie "Nattie" Neidhart (born 1982), professional wrestler
• Naheed Nenshi (born 1972), former mayor of Calgary
• Robert Nilsson (born 1985), Canadian-born Swedish professional ice hockey forward
• Kyle Nissen (born 1979), freestyle skier
• Amy Nixon (born 1977), curler
• Henry Grattan Nolan (1893–1957), lawyer and soldier
• Rebecca Northan, actress
• Baldy Northcott (1908–1986), ice hockey left winger
• Lawrence Nycholat (born 1979), ice hockey player
• Alexander Nylander (born 1998), Canadian-born Swedish ice hockey winger
• William Nylander (born 1996), Canadian-born Swedish professional ice hockey player

O

• Susan O'Connor (born 1977), curler
• Steven Ogg (born 1973), actor
• Kevin Ogilvie (born 1962), vocalist for the Industrial music band Skinny Puppy
• Peter Oldring (born 1971), actor
• Melissa O'Neil (born 1988), actress in The Rookie, 2005 Canadian Idol winner
• Nicole Orford (born 1992), ice dancer

P

• Kathleen Parlow (1890–1963), violinist
• Jim Peplinski (born 1960), former professional hockey player (Calgary Flames)
• Chris Phillips (born 1978), professional hockey player (Ottawa Senators)
• Andrew Phung, actor best known for his role on Kim's Convenience
• Gerry Pinder (born 1948), professional hockey player
• Domenic Pittis (born 1974), ice hockey centre
• Brian Pockar (1959–1992), figure skater
• Lanny Poffo (1954–2023), former professional wrestler
• Pierre Poilievre (born 1979), Member of Parliament for Carleton and current leader of the Conservative Party of Canada
• Brayden Point (born 1996), professional ice hockey centre
• Glenn Price, conductor
• Al Purvis (1929–2009), assistant captain of the Edmonton Mercurys

Q

• Tegan and Sara Quin (both born 1980), aka indie-pop duo Tegan and Sara, best known for their work as professional musicians

R

• Raghav (born 1981), singer-songwriter
• Lobsang Rampa (1910–1981), Tibetan lama
• Heather Rankin (born 1965), curler
• Chris Reitsma (born 1977), professional baseball player
• Michelle Rempel Garner (born 1980), Canadian politician
• Nick Ring (born 1979), professional MMA fighter UFC
• Kayla Rivera (born 1991), singer
• Chris Robanske (born 1989), snowboarder
• Mat Robinson (born 1986), professional ice hockey defenceman
• Steve Rodehutskors (1963–2007), football player
• Mike Rogers (born 1954), ice hockey centre
• Mark Rypien (born 1962), Super Bowl XXVI MVP

S

• Jamie Salé (born 1977), Olympic gold medalist skater
• Frank Sandercock (1887–1942), president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
• Riza Santos (born 1987), Miss Universe Canada 2013
• Willie Saunders (1915–1986), Montana-born Hall of Fame jockey, won U.S. Triple Crown
• Andrew Schnell (born 1991), squash player
• Jeff Schultz (born 1986), ice hockey defenceman
• Mary Scott (born 1948), visual artist
• Jairus Sharif, jazz musician
• Patrick Sharp (born 1981), professional ice hockey player; born in Winnipeg but grew up in Calgary and later Thunder Bay, Ontario and Burlington, Vermont
• Cassie Sharpe (born 1992), freestyle skier
• Kyle Shewfelt (born 1982), gymnast; Olympic gold medalist
• Hunter Shinkaruk (born 1994), ice hockey winger
• Warren Shouldice (born 1983), freestyle skier
• Earl Silverman (1948–2013), domestic abuse survivor and men's rights advocate
• Rhonda Sing (1961–2001), professional wrestler
• Julie Skinner (born 1968), curler and Olympic medalist
• Laurie Skreslet (born 1949), first Canadian to climb Mount Everest
• Lorna Slater (born 1975), Member of the Scottish Parliament and co-leader of the Scottish Green Party
• Tyler Sloan (born 1981), ice hockey defenceman
• Danielle Smith (born 1971), Premier of Alberta
• Davey Boy Smith Jr. (born 1985), professional wrestler
• Jason Smith (born 1973), retired professional ice hockey player
• Nathan Smith (born 1985), biathlete
• Justin Snith (born 1991), luger
• Monte Solberg (born 1958), Conservative politician
• Brent Sopel (born 1977), professional ice hockey defenceman
• Mike Soroka (born 1997), professional baseball pitcher
• Ron Southern (1930–2016), businessman and founder of Spruce Meadows
• Brad Spence (born 1984), alpine skier
• Paul Spence, actor, portrays headbanger Dean Murdoch in FUBAR
• George Stanley (1907–2002), designer of the current Canadian flag
• Fiona Staples, comic book artist
• Stan Stephens (1929–2021), Canadian-American politician, former Governor of Montana
• Ron Stewart (1932–2012), ice hockey player
• Riley Stillman (born 1998), ice hockey player
• Charlie Storwick (born 1998), actress in Some Assembly Required; musician

T

• Jeff Tambellini (born 1984), ice hockey player
• Ari Taub (born 1971), Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler
• Ken Taylor (1934–2015), Canadian ambassador to Iran; helped six Americans escape from Iran during the Iran hostage crisis under operation nicknamed Canadian Caper
• Mark Tewksbury (born 1968), Olympic gold medalist swimmer
• Robert Thirsk (born 1953), astronaut
• Paul Thompson (1906–1991), ice hockey forward
• Fikayo Tomori (born 1997), footballer (A.C. Milan)
• Michael Twoyoungmen, member of Canada's First Nations (the Tsuu T'ina)

U

• Andrew Unger (born 1979), writer
• Garry Unger (born 1947), ice hockey centre

V

• Shaun Van Allen (born 1967), former professional NHL player
• Alan van Sprang (born 1971), actor
• Chad VanGaalen (born 1977), musician
• Elisabeth Vathje (born 1994), skeleton racer
• Mike Vernon (born 1963), former professional National Hockey League player (won with the Calgary Flames in 1989)

W

• Austin Wagner (born 1997), professional NHL hockey player
• Tristan Walker (born 1991), luger
• John Ware (1845–1905), pioneer rancher
• Bronwen Webster (born 1978), curler
• Crystal Webster (born 1975), curler
• Victor Webster (born 1973), actor
• Trevor White (born 1984), alpine skier
• Thomas Williams (born 1991), ice dancer
• Anna Mae Wills (born 1982), actress
• TJ Wilson (born 1980), professional wrestler also known by his ring name as Tyson Kidd
• David Winning (born 1961), film and television director, Stargate: Atlantis, Andromeda, Syfy Channel movies
• Cory Woron (born 1969), sports anchor, The Sports Network
• Jim Wych (born 1954), sports announcer and former professional snooker and pocket billiards player

See also

• List of people from Edmonton
• List of people from Laval, Quebec
• List of people from Montreal
• List of people from Quebec City
• List of people from Toronto
• List of people from Vancouver