Famous Locals

Fort Worth has always had the reputation as a gathering spot for the rich and famous. Our Cowboys and Culture atmosphere, superb collection of entertainment and attractions, not to mention the vast culinary variety makes this a favorite "watering hole" for both the noteworthy and notorious.

Fort Worth has been, and still remains today, home to a plethora of famous locals.  Entertainers, musicians, writers and even astronauts claim Fort Worth as their hometown.  Some, not lucky enough to have been born in Fort Worth - "...got here as soon as I could."

Ginger Rogers kicked up her heels on the stage of Fort Worth's Majestic Theater long before she partnered with Fred Astaire.  Her childhood home is still here and one of her early cabin cruisers still plies the waters of a local lake.

Actor Bill Paxton, star of Titanic and Big Love, spent his youth in Fort Worth. Tony-award winning, Broadway star Betty Buckley got her start at Casa Manana and went on to captivate audiences worldwide while performing in Cats and Sunset Boulevard.  She still calls Fort Worth home and is very involved in our theater scene.  

Actress Kate Capshaw was born at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth.  She often visits the city with her famous husband, director Steven Spielberg. Larry Hagman may have found fame in the television show Dallas, but Fort Worth was his, and his mom's (Broadway star Mary Martin) home.

Oscar nominated actor Ethan Hawke (Dead Poets Society) frequently visits his family in Fort Worth.  Award-winning actor Lou Diamond Phillips (Stand and Deliver, La Bamba) graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and performs at our magnificent Bass Hall.

Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean is a native Texan and grew up in Fort Worth. He was one of the earliest men to walk on the moon and also returned to space with Skylab 3.  He's now an artist and actually uses real moondust in his paintings.     

Musicians, from classical to country have also flourished in Fort Worth. Roger Miller, John Denver, and American Idol-winner Kelly Clarkson have all called the Fort Worth area home. 

The internationally acclaimed, classical pianist, Van Cliburn moved to Texas as a young child and has made Fort Worth his home for many years.  The prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held every four years, has been hosted at Bass Performance Hall since 2001.      

Even with such an impressive roster of celebrities, the city of Fort Worth is famous in its own right. As early as the 1950's the city was a backdrop for films such as Strategic Air Commandwith Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson.  The incomparable Fort Worth Water Gardens were the set for the 70's sci-fi thriller Logan's Run.  Chuck Norris filmed his TV series Walker: Texas Ranger throughout the city.  And the world's largest honky-tonk, Billy Bob's Texas has launched countless singing careers and been the location for numerous films.

Local or visitor, rich and famous or just plain folk... Fort Worth will make your visit memorable, and make you want to return again and again.