"Oh, hey...THEY were born in Connecticut?!

If you were raised in Connecticut, or have lived here for any great length of time, you know all about "the usual" famous Nutmeggers we're taught about. Katharine Hepburn. Nathan Hale. Benedict Arnold. That guy from Cheers. Our greatest source of pride, Mark Twain, wasn't even born here. It's...not a big selection.

This project is for learning about the lesser-known Connecticut natives who somehow achieved notoriety. Let's be proud of our little state, and comforted by the knowledge that we've given the world more than just Michael Bolton and steamed hamburgers.

Very Important Note

I really want this to be a "slow project." Please don't run through a Wikipedia list and dump in everyone on it. Please don't add indiscriminately; be thoughtful. Add the folks who you naturally stumble across and think, "Oh, hey...they were born in Connecticut?" Let this be a project for happy little surprises, not neurotic name-collecting.

Non-Nutmeggers welcome, but only if you promise to bring Dunky's. The Whale lives on. Go Huskies.

The Nutmeggers

The Arts

• Richard Belzer, Bridgeport - actor, of Law & Order series fame
• Brooke Burke-Charvet, Hartford - actor, dancer, television host
• Jules Dassin, Middletown - director, producer, writer, actor
• Jenna Dewan, Hartford - actor, dancer, television host
• Linda Evans, Hartford - actor, of Dynasty fame
• Dylan McDermott, Waterbury - actor, of The Practice fame
• Richard Plepler, Manchester - longtime TV executive, behind shows like Game of Thrones and The Newsroom
• Jeff Porcaro, Hartford - drummer in the band Toto
• Joe Porcaro, Hartford - jazz drummer
• Mike Porcaro, Hartford - bassist in the band Toto
• Steve Porcaro, Hartford - keyboardist in the band Toto
• "General Tom Thumb", Bridgeport - circus entertainer

Religion

• Samuel Seabury, Groton - Episcopal bishop, leading loyalist, character in the musical Hamilton

Government

• Paul Bremer, Hartford - diplomat, interim president of Iraq
• Shealah Craighead, Deep River - Chief Official White House Photographer for the Trump administration
• Jen Psaki, Stamford - White House Communications Director for the Obama administration

Writers

• Donald Hall, Hamden - prolific poet and U.S. Poet Laureate