FAMOUS WEST VIRGINIANS

West Virginia is proud of its numerous citizens who have achieved great success in the motion picture and television industries by becoming household names — or, in some cases, their characters — at some point in their careers. The partial list below includes individuals who were born in West Virginia, grew up or lived in West Virginia, or currently reside in West Virginia. For a more extensive list, visit www.wvfilm.com.

Bernie Casey, Wyco, Wyoming County (actor), "Gargoyles," "Dr. Black and Mr. Hyde," "Never Say Never Again," "Cleopatra Jones," "Another 48 Hrs.," "Under Seige," "Brian’s Song," "Revenge of the Nerds," "I’m Gonna Git You Sucka"

Ted Cassidy, Philippi, Barbour County (actor), "The Addams Family" (Lurch, Thing)

John Corbett, Wheeling, Ohio County (Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actor), "Northern Exposure," HBO’s "Sex and the City," "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," "Raising Helen"

Dagmar (aka Virginia Ruth Egnor), Huntington, Cabell County (actress), "Broadway Open House"

Bob Denver, Princeton, Mercer County (actor), "Gilligan’s Island," "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis"

Joyce DeWitt, Wheeling, Ohio County (actress), "Three’s Company"

Paul Dooley, Parkersburg, Wood County (Emmy-nominated actor), "Breaking Away," "Popeye," "Sixteen Candles," "Waiting for Guffman," "Happy, Texas," "Runaway Bride," "Insomnia," "A Mighty Wind," "Hairspray"

Brad Dourif, Huntington, Cabell County (Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor), "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest," "Blue Velvet," "Mississippi Burning," "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," "Dune," "Deadwood"

Conchata Ferrell, Charleston, Kanawha County (Emmy-nominated actress), "Mystic Pizza," "Goodbye, Miss 4th of July," "L.A. Law," "Erin Brockovich," "K-PAX," "Mr. Deeds," "Two and a Half Men"

John Fiedler, Huntington, Cabell County (producer), "Mortal Thoughts," "Serial Mom," "Copycat," "Simply Irresistible," "Cecil B. Demented"

Jennifer Garner, Charleston, Kanawha County (Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated actress), "Dude, Where’s My Car?," "Pearl Harbor," "Alias," "Catch Me If You Can," "Daredevil," "Elektra," "13 Going on 30," "Catch and Release," "The Kingdom," "Juno"

Steve Harvey, Welch, McDowell County (comedian and actor), "The Steve Harvey Show," "The Fighting Temptations," "You Got Served," "Johnson Family Vacation"

John Hendricks, Matewan, Mingo County, founder of Discovery Communications and Discovery Channel

Lawrence Kasdan, Morgantown, Monongalia County (multiple Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated director, producer, writer), Producer and/or Director: "Body Heat," "The Big Chill," "Accidental Tourist," "Grand Canyon," "The Bodyguard," "Mumford"; Writer: "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back," " Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi"

Don Knotts, Morgantown, Monongalia County (multiple Emmy-winning actor), "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," "The Reluctant Astronaut," "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken," "The Shakiest Gun in the West," "The Andy Griffith Show," "The Apple Dumpling Gang," "No Deposit, No Return," "Three’s Company," "Pleasantville"

Pare Lorentz, Clarksburg, Harrison County (director and writer), "The Plow That Broke the Plains," "The River," "The City," "The Fight for Life," "Nuremberg"

Ann Magnuson, Charleston, Kanawha County (actress), "Making Mr. Right," "Tequila Sunrise," "Clear and Present Danger," "Small Soldiers," "Panic Room," "The United States of Leland," "Cabin Boy," "The Hunger"

Lou Myers, Charleston, Kanawha County (actor), "A Different World," "Tin Cup," "Bulworth," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," "The Wedding Planner," "The Fighting Temptations," "Lackawanna Blues"

Peter Marshall, Huntington, Cabell County (Emmy-nominated television personality), "The Hollywood Squares"

Kathy Mattea, Cross Lanes, Kanawha County (Grammy-winning musician and actress), "Maverick," "Touched By An Angel"

Brad Paisley, Glen Dale, Marshall County (Grammy-winning musician and actor), "According to Jim," "King of the Hill," "American Dreams," "Numero Dos"

Soupy Sales, Huntington, Cabell County (comedian and actor), "The Soupy Sales Show," "What’s My Line," "…And God Spoke"

Chris Sarandon, Beckley, Raleigh County (Oscar- and Golden Globe-nominated actor), "Dog Day Afternoon," "Fright Night," "Lipstick," "The Osterman Weekend," "Protocol," "Goodbye, Miss 4th of July," "Just Cause," "The Princess Bride"

David Selby, Morgantown, Monongalia County (actor), "Dark Shadows," "Flamingo Road," "Falcon Crest," "Dying Young," "Intersection," "D3: The Mighty Ducks," HBO’s "Tell Me You Love Me"

Morgan Spurlock, Beckley, Raleigh County (Oscar-nominated director and producer), "Super Size Me," FX Network’s "30 Days," "Class Act," "Chalk," "What Would Jesus Buy?," "Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?"

Robert Tinnell, Fairmont, Marion County (director, producer, writer), "Surf Nazis Must Die," "South of Reno," "Kids of the Round Table," "Frankenstein and Me," "Airspeed," "Believe," "The Feast of the Seven Fishes"

Clyde Ware, West Union, Doddridge County (director and screenwriter), "Gunsmoke," "No Drums, No Bugles," "When the Line Goes Through," "The Hatfields and the McCoys," "Bad Jim"

John Wells, Charleston, Kanawha County (producer and writer), "China Beach," "The Peacemaker," "One Hour Photo," "Far From Heaven," "The Good Thief," "The West Wing," "ER"