Cage, Nicolas

Honeymooned in Phoenix - twice

Nicholas Cage, 2009.  Photo by Nicolas Genin .

(Nicholas Kim Coppola, 1964.01.07-    )  Actor.

Nicholas and his first bride, Patricia Arquette, honeymooned at the Biltmore following their April 8, 1995 wedding.  He must have liked the accommodations since he returned to the Biltmore for a honeymoon with his second wife, Lisa Marie Presley, after their August 10, 2002 wedding.

Campbell, Glen

Lived in Phoenix and Flagstaff

Glen Campbell in 2004.

(Glen Travis Campbell, 1936.04.22-    )  Musician, singer, actor.

By the time Glenn Campbell got to Phoenix, he was an established recording star (By the Time I Get to Phoenix, 1967; Gentle on My Mind, 1967; Wichita Lineman, 1968; Galveston, 1969; Rhinestone Cowboy, 1975), a veteran television star (The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, 1969-1972; The Glen Campbell Music Show, 1982-1983), a co-star with sometime Arizona resident John Wayne in True Grit (1969), and a star in a less than memorable movie (Norwood, 1970).

Carbajal, Michael

Born in Phoenix

Lives in Phoenix

(1967.09.17-    )  Boxer, Olympic Silver Medallist, 4 time Junior Flyweight Champion.

Phoenix native Michael Carbajal was America's Junior Flyweight entry in the 1988 Seoul Olympics in South Korea.  In a controversial decision, he took the Silver medal after a match in which he dominated the Bulgarian boxer to whom the judges gave the Gold medal.  

Carter, Lynda

Born in Phoenix

Lived in Phoenix

Graduated from Arcadia High School

Lynda Carter, 2009.  Photo by The Heart Truth .

(Linda Jean Cordova, 1951.07.24-    )  Actor.

From 1976 to 1979 Lynda Carter was the title character in the Wonder Woman television series.  While she might be thought of as a one hit wonder, she can list a few more accomplishments, including the Miss Arizona and Miss USA titles in the early 1970's, 25 guest and acting appearances, two husbands and two children.

Linda was born and grew up in Phoenix.  She graduated from Arcadia High School in 1969.

Chavez, Cesar

Born near Yuma

Died in San Luis

Cesar Chavez, 1974.  Photo by Joel Levine .

(Cesar Estrada Chavez, 1927.03.31-1993.04.23)  Union leader, activist.

Cesar Chavez was born on a small farm outside Yuma that his grandfather homesteaded.  When he was 10, his father lost the farm in the Great Depression, and he began a life as a migrant worker.

In 1962, he founded National Farm Workers Association (NFWA).  In 1966, the NFWA merged with an AFL-CIO sponsored union to form the United Farm Workers (UFW).

Claus, Santa

Plummeted to his apparent death from a plane flying over Mesa

(c. 1823-1932.12.19)  Merry old pot bellied gentleman fond of red & white clothing.

In the winter of 1932, business activity along Main Street in the rural town of Mesa had slowed to a crawl.  The nation was in a depression and the 4,000 or so residents of the farming community were not spared. 

Cobb, Linda

Lives in Peoria

(c. 1950-    )  Author, radio/television personality, entrepreneur.

The Queen of Clean who holds court on the valley's Channel 3, and more recently on HGTV, moved to Peoria in 1995 with her husband, John.  The former owner of a cleaning and disaster restoration company began publishing a newsletter and became a local media darling. She appeared on a radio program at a time when valley visits of the infamous Queen of Mean, Leona Helmsey, were receiving media attention.  The radio personality dubbed her the "Queen of Clean," and the name stuck.

Cohn, Harry

Died in Phoenix

(1891.07.23-1958.02.27)  Movie mogul.

In 1929, Harry Cohn, his brother Jack Cohn (1989-1956) and friend Joe Brandt (1882-1939), formed Columbia Pictures. As the demanding studio head he became the epitome of the venomous mogul. He achieved infamy with quotes like "I don't get ulcers, I give 'em!"

Although possibly immune from ulcers, he did not have the same protection from heart disease. While wintering at the Arizona Biltmore resort he was strickened with a heart attack. He died in the ambulance as it sped toward St. Joseph's Hospital.

The studio feared that Harry would be no more popular in death than in life. To insure the presence of some mourners it ordered employees to attend the funeral.

Colbert, Claudette

Married in Yuma

Claudette Colbert, 1933.

(Lily Claudette Chauchoin, 1903.09.13-1996.07.30)  Actor.

The year after Claudette Colbert stared in It Happened One Night (1934) with Clark Gable, Miss Colbert traveled to Yuma to marry Dr. Joel Pressman.  Unlike many other Yuma celebrity marriages, this one lasted.  The Pressmans were still husband and wife at her death.  Her previous first marriage had succumbed after 7 years.

Condit, Gary

Has a home in North Phoenix

Gary Condit, Con- gressional Pictorial Directory photo, 2001.

(Gary Adrian Condit, 1948.04.21-    )  U.S. Congressman.

While serving as the Democrat Representative for California's 18th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, Condit had the misfortune of having an affair with an intern for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons who mysteriously disappeared in April, 2001.  The body of intern Chandra Levy was not discovered until May, 2002. 

Cooper, Alice

Grew up in Phoenix

Attended Cortez High School

Lives in Paradise Valley

Alice Cooper, 2007.  Photo by pinguino k .

(Vincent Damon Furnier, 1948.02.04-    )  Singer, songwriter, actor.

Vince was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of a minister.  The family moved to Phoenix when he was 13.  In high school, he formed a band which was eventually became "Alice Cooper" after a woman who was persecuted for witchcraft in Medieval Europe. 

Crabbe, Buster

Died in Scottsdale

Buster Crabbe from his 1955 NBC TV series, Captain Gallant of the Foreign Legion.

(Clarence Linden Crabbe, 1907.02.17-1983.04.23)  Actor.

Buster lost the chance to be the first movie Tarzan in the Tarzan the Ape Man (1932) to Johnny Weissmuller (1904-1984). Buster did get to play Tarzan in Tarzan the Fearless (1933), and became the original movie Flash Gordon in 1936. Like Weissmuller, he had been an Olympic swimming champion, winning the gold medal in the 400-meter free-style at the 1932 Olympics.

He died in his home in Scottsdale from a heart attack.  He is buried in the Green Acres Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Crane, Bob

Murdered in Scottsdale

Bob Crane from his 1965 CBS TV series, Hogan's Heroes.

(Robert Edward Crane, 1928.07.13-1978.06.29)  Actor, disk jockey, drummer.

The actor that made his mark playing the crafty namesake in popular television series Hogan's Heroes made his last appearance in a Scottsdale apartment.  His bludgeoned body was found next to video equipment and tapes containing performances of a completely different nature.

Cronkite, Walter

Namesake for & participant in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, Tempe

Walter Cronkite in 2004.

(Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr., 1916.11.04-    )  Newscaster, anchor "CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite" 1962-1981.

In 1983 the Walter Cronkite Endowment was established at ASU's journalism department when the former CBS managing editor and anchor became an active participant in school activities and permitted the use of his name for the endowment.  In 1984, the endowment trustees recommended that journalism school adopt Cronkite's name.  The journalism department was subsequently elevated to a school, and the Board of Regents approved the name, the "Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Telecommunication." 

Cussler, Clive

Lives in Paradise Valley

(Clive Eric Cussler, 1931.07.15-    )  Adventure novelist.

The former advertising executive who first achieved literary success with novels like Raise The Titanic has had a home in Paradise Valley since the mid 1980's.

Crystal, Billy

Phoenix visitor & investor

Billy Crystal, 2007.  Photo by Bbsrock .

(William Edward Crystal, 1947.03.14-    )  Comic, actor.

An avid NY Yankee fan, Billy is a partial owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The two teams played each other in the 2001 World Series which Arizona won.