Here's a link to see a fast-growing birch (3-5 ft. a year)
that reaches 25 ft. x 60 ft. at maturity:
http://www.advancedtree.com/tree_paperbirch.htm

I like Japanese maples - Emperor I and Boskoop Glory have red leaves & will take full sun; there are others that are quite sun-tolerant. Emperor I leafs out late which can spare it from late spring frosts. These have nice fall color and in winter the branching is graceful.

Dogwoods and crabapples are nice smaller trees, too.

Shantung maples rather than japanese maples. Much tougher. Granted the fall color leaves are bright yellow but they are nice. I have shantung maples that consistently produce red fall colors called Fire Dragon which is patented but for now, apparently, they are sold only in Dallas area. www.metromaples.com for more info. Contact them if they are going to ship 4 feet 'Fire Dragon' for 50 dollars each over the winter like they did last year. They seem to establish quickly and start growing right away. They will reach 25-35 ft x 25-35 ft size.

Try Rowan(Sorbus) which is quite quick growing and is good for birds as well as having great autumn colour. Also there's Elder(Sambucus) a large dense flowering shrub with many new cultivars.

If you want shade tree, get a shade tree not an understory
tree. The irony of small trees (dogwoods, redbuds,
etc), is that they often take up more 'headspace' than
do larger shade trees. This makes the yard feel smaller,
because you can't really walk around without ducking.
The lower canopy on smaller trees actually makes the
shade denser, because ambient light can't get around
the low crown. Drive around and look at yards with
small ornamentals that are 'front and center'.
Look at the grass or other vegetation in their shade.
Compare that with the vegetation near trees of
greater mature stature. Like many here, I'd vote
for some native shade tree, the wildlife (birds
butterflies, squirrels) will thank you for it.
Lately, I've taken an interest in Sassafras. It could
work you if you're on the east coast. You may need
male/female pair to get fruit. It's a larval food source
for the spicebush swallowtail. Some say it is among the
best for fall color. They are hard to find in nurseries.

Here's a link to a "red rocket" maple that gets about 8'-15' wide x 30'-35' tall at maturity:

http://www.soonerplantfarm.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=175

Here's also a link to the US National Arboretum showing the whole tree:

http://www.usna.usda.gov/PhotoGallery/FallFoliage/FallFoliage01.html

dctreenut - you are right. I was worried about getting a tree that i might need to bend over under..

suel41452 - red rocket looks like it fits the bill well. sort of narowish and tall...

thanks all.

I too need a tall tree thirty five to forty feet and width around twenty feet to shade sun from my front door which peels paint from it. desperately!