WV celebs (Charleston, Parkersburg, Morgantown: sales, house, movies)

[Ceezer]

Something I like to bring up once in a while when talking to people from larger cities that may have skewed opinions about WV is the quality of celebrities that are churned out from our areas. Here's some off the top of my head (not including the cast used in the movies Bubble, Salvage, or the new one), so feel free to add to the list:

Hasil Adkins - Boone County - Creator of The Hunch; Pioneer of Psychobilly; Underground country legend; Lover of chicken
D. Ray White - Boone County - Billed as one of the greatest mountain dancers of all time and was featured in more than one documentary, including "Talking Feet" from PBS.
Jesco White - Boone County - The Dancin' Outlaw was D. Ray's boy and followed in his father's mountain dancin' footsteps (pardon the pun).
Brad Paisley - Glen Dale - Pop Country superstar (I'm more into outlaw/alt/underground country, but as far as pop country goes he's one of my favorites)
Don Knotts - Morgantown - Does this man really need a blurb?
Jessica Lynch (I didn't like the way she became a celebrity, but she did, so here she is) - Palestine - Recovered supply clerk turned POW
Morgan Spurlock - Parkersburg - Creator of the widely popular documentary "Supersize Me" and the FX show "30 Days"
Devon Odessa - Parkersburg - Actress from the series "My So-Called-Life" and other misc stuff
Allie Raye - Parkersburg - Actress from a mix of productions
Archibald Henderson - Boaz - Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps. Served as Commandant of the Marine Corps for 40 years. Prevented Andrew Jackson from combining the Army and Marine Corps. Ooh rah!

Who else?

[corgis]

Chuck Yeager of course
Soupy Sales - 60's comedian
Kathy Mattea
Carmen Farrengo - actress went to Charleston High School, grew up in Kanawha City
Randy Moss - football superstar from DuPont City/Rand
Butch Miles - jazz drummer with Count Basie's band - went to Charleston High, grew up in Charleston

[WVBurn]

Homer Hickham should be mentioned..author of "Rocket Boys" (made into the movie "October Sky"...and several other very readable books!
John Knowles, of Fairmont, Pulitzer Prize winner for his novel, "A Separate Peace".

[Bobilee]

The divine Hazel Dickens, singer of traditional bluegrass.
Brad Dourif, the evil Grima Wormtongue in the Lord of the Rings movies.
Davis Grubb, author of "Night of the Hunter". If you haven't seen the movie version you
should get it. Many of his stories are set in WV, some very dark and mystical.

[David Kennedy]

Lester 'Grandpa' Jones of Hee Haw called Fairmont his home.
'Little Jimmy' Dickens another country music legend, Bolt, WV
Fuzzy Knight was from Fairmont...early movie and TV star.
Jerry West...athlete/ coach/ Gen. Man. for L.A. Lakers...Cabin Creek..I think.
Nick Saban...athlete/ coach, Monongah, really Worthington, WV
Mary Lou Retton...Olympic Athlete, calls Texas her home now, not Fairmont.
Rich Rodriguez..athlete/ coach...Grant Town, WV
Gregory T. Hinton...Law Professor...1st and only black mayor of Fairmont, WV.
Greg should be a celebrity.

great blog going, cheezer...OOH RAH! Class of 66'/69'

[RescueDogsRule]

Jennifer Garner - TV (Alias, Felicity), Movies (The Kingdom, Juno, Daredevil)

[WVBurn]

Sam Huff, former NFL great....Farmington?..not sure

[David Kennedy]

Forgot about Sam Huff...Farmington's # 9 community...I saw Jesco White at the airport a few years ago...very strange fellow...He must have been on tour...Every time I see a dog house with a flat roof, I think of him.

[David Kennedy]

Did anyone mention David Selby?

He's dead but we could probably claim Bob Evans...He said West Virginia kept him from starving to death...came across from Ohio to sell his sausage in the 30's and 40's out of a pickup truck. Everyone has had dinner at his restaurant chain.

[Margery]

I am surprised no one mentioned Pearl Buck (The Good Earth), she was born in Hillsboro, Pocahontas Co. She won a Pulitzer prize and the Nobel prize for literature.