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The Wild and (not-so)Wonderful West Virginia

Yes, West Virginia is a state of it's own. No, it is not western Virginia. That put aside, let me clarify the native West Virginian profile. I, personally, do have ALL my teeth (as a matter of fact, I just had my braces taken off). I am not illiterate or inbred. I don't live in a "falling in" house and I don't have to go outside to use the restroom. I'm sure that I have a "twang" or "hick" accent, but I don't use words like "ya'll", "ain't", etc.

The following people were either born here or live or have lived here at some time in their lives.


Dr. Hunter "Patch" Adams is probably most famously known for the movie about him, "Patch Adams," in which he is portrayed by the great Robin Williams. He is a doctor and professional clown. Dr. Adams is not originally from WV, but he built his dream hospital in Pocahontas County. The "Gesundheit! Institute" is a non-profit, 40-bed hospital located in Hillsboro, West Virginia. To my understanding, he also spent some time practicing medicine in WV (before he was an actual doctor. If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about). Part of the movie was actually filmed in WV, particularly the part where he is standing on the edge of a cliff debating whether or not to jump off, before he sees the butterfly (I'm trying not to ruin anything if you haven't already seen the movie).



Robert V. Barron wrote many scripts for the TV show Bonanza. He became executive director and story editor for Saban Productions, which produced major children's programs such as "X-Men" and "The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers." Mr. Barron has also appeared in many TV programs and movies. One of these was the role of Abraham Lincoln in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure." He had recurring positions on the "Red Skelton Comedy Hour." Also, several appearance on L.A. Law, Night Court, Bonanza, and The Dukes of Hazard - only to name a few. Mr. Barron was born and raised in Charleston and attended Morris Harvey College.

In 1794, Dr. Jesse Bennett performed the first Caesarean section operation in the United States on his wife, Elizabeth, saving both her life and the life of their child. Dr. Bennett also served as a member of the jury in the Aaron Burr treason trial. He lived in Mason County.


Daniel Boone was an early pioneer and frontiersman who laid out the trail that cut through Cumberland Gap, a gap in the Appalachian Mountains. From 1788 to 1798, he lived near Point Pleasant, which was still in Virginia at the time. He served in the Kanawha County militia and as a member of the Virginia legislature.


Jack Canfield wrote the ever-so-popular Chicken Soup For the Soul book. He grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia and Martins Ferry, Ohio.


John Corbett is an actor from Wheeling. He is famous for his roles in "The Visitor," "Sex and the City," "Northern Exposure," and so on. He has been in many movies, such as "Serendipity," and he is the main actor in a new movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."


Leon Czolgosz was the anarchist who killed President McKinley. He had worked at a nail factory in Kanawha City for a period of time.


"Just sit right back as you hear a tale, a tale of..." Bob Denver. Mr. Denver is widely known as Gilligan (full name: Willy Gilligan) on the 60s TV series "Gilligan's Island." He was born in New York, then moved to California, and now currently resides in Princeton, WV. He is also pretty widely known for being arrested and put on probation for raising and having possession of marijuana.



Joyce DeWitt is best known for her role as Janet on the 70s TV series, "Three's Company." She is from Wheeling, WV.


James Cecil Dickens, most widely known as Little Jimmie Dickens, was born in Bolt and started his career singing on Sundays on WJLS. He has performed at the Grand Ole Opry since 1948 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1982. He is famous for such songs as Country Boy, Out Behind the Barn, and May the Bird of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose.


You know Brad Dourif as the oh-so-loveable voice of Chucky, the serial-killing doll. He appeared as Grima Wormtongue in "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings" and will appear in the following sequels. He played Piter in the movie "Dune." It particularly stuck out to me that he is in the computer game "Myst III: Exile" as Saavedro, since I have the game. He was born in Huntington, WV.


Bertis Downs is the manager of the musical group, R.E.M. He was born in Montgomery and lived in Smithers until he was five.


Tom Eplin stars on CBS's As the World Turns as Jake McKinnon. Eplin was born in California, but grew up in Charleston, WV. He won two Soap Opera Digest awards for the role he originated on cancelled soap Another World. He reprised the role in ATWT.

Dellos Clinton Gainer (know as Del Gainer) hit a final home run that won the 1916 World Series, the longest game in history. He played for the Red Sox during that season. He was born in Montrose and died in Elkin.


Alias star, Jennifer Garner is from Charleston, WV (about 45 minutes from here). Mrs. Dimpleycheeks is originally from Houston, Texas, but lived in Charleston for most of her youth, teen, and young adult years. As mentioned before, you know her as Sydney Bristow, the main star of Alias. She is also in such things as "Dude, Where's My Car?", "Pearl Harbor" and Felicity. She met her husband, Scott Foley on the set of Felicity.

Will Hare was an actor of forty years. He played Pa Peabody in Back To the Future and is the face of the best-selling computer program, "Chessmaster," since 1986. He has born in Elkin.


William Anderson Hatfield, Devil Anse Hatfield, was the leader of the Hatfield clan during the famous (or famous around here, anyway) Hatfield and McCoy fued. It is said that the fued was started by an argument over which family owned a hog. It lasted many years and covered grounds in both West Virginia and Kentucky. A reinactment of these events takes place every summer (June - August) at the Cliffside Ampitheatre (located in the New River Gorge Park in Grandview, West Virginia) presented by Theatre West Virginia. More information can be found here - Theatre West Virginia


You know John Henry as the "Steel Driving Man." Legend goes this 6 foot tall, 200 pound man was a payed steel driver for a mine drilling company. When the C&O was moving through Big Bend Mountain, that's where John went. A salesman presented a steam-powered machine that he claimed could drill easier and faster than any amount of humans. John Henry KNEW he could beat the engine. He challenged it to a contest, drilling and cutting his way through the mountain. John came out victorious, he proved his strength. The exhaustion was too much, though. John Henry passed away only a few moments later, but not without putting his name into history, forever. A statue memorial can be visited in Talcott, WV (Summers County), right over the Big Bend Tunnel. It is in the process of being relocated, due to vandalization. The tracks that run through Big Bend are still in use today.


    
Homer H. Hickam, Jr. is most famously known for the author of Rocket Boys that was made into a movie, October Sky. The book and move tell about the lives of Mr. Hickam himself and his five friends. The McDowell County boys were fascinated by the launching of the Sputnik. He grew up in Coalwood and recently retired from his job as the payload training manager for the International Space Station with NASA.


Thomas Jonathan Jackson, Stonewall Jackson, was one of the major generals of the Confederate army during the Civil War. He is considered one of the most skilled military officials in history. He was born in Clarksburg, which was still a part of Virginia back then.

Anna Jarvis is the mother of Mother's Day. In 1905, after her mother died, she began campaigning to have a day of honor for all mothers. In 1914, President Wilson declared Mother's Day an official holiday. Mrs. Jarvis was born in Webster.

Lawrence "Larry" Kasdan is a director/producer/screenwriter. He has done such movies as "Home Fries," "The Big Chill," "Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones)," "Return of the Jedi," and "The Empire Strikes Back" under his belt. He is directing a new movie called "Dreamcatcher," which will be released in 2003. He was born in Florida, but was raised in West Virginia.


Don Knotts is a native of Morgantown, WV. His major roles were Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show" and Mr. Furley on "Three's Company."


John Knowles is the author of the award-winning novel about a young man visiting his old school and memories, A Separate Piece. It is often required reading for high school students, it was for me (I didn't read it and did horribly on the test). He was born in Fairmont.

NBC's Today Show broadcaster, Matt Lauer began his career at WOWK-TV in Huntington. He was hired as a producer for the nightly news and eventually became a reporter.


Nancy Hanks Lincoln was the mother of President Abraham Lincoln. She was born in Hampshire County, WV. Tom Hanks, the actor, is a direct descendant.


Earl "Big Cat" Lloyd was the first African American to play basketball in the NBA. He grew up in Virginia but played college ball at West Virginia State College.

Mahlon Loomis could rightly be called the inventor of the radio. He flew two kites, carrying wires, from two mountain tops that were fourteen miles apart. The wire to one kite was tied to a telegraph key on the ground, and the kite's wire was strung through a galvanometer that could measure small electrical currents. When the key was operated, change of current could be detected in the other kite's wire. He was granted a patent in 1872, but nothing was done to make this commercial. The same experiment was duplicated over fourty years later in London, during a hail storm, experimenters were able to successfully communicate over a three-mile distance. Mr. Loomis settled in Terra Alta.


Everyone knows who Charles Manson is. He, in my opinion, is one of the craziest people that has ever lived (right up there with Hitler). He spent most of his childhood in McMechan (in Marshall County) and lived in Charleston for some time. Manson is known for his crazy ideas that are linked to Beatles song "Helter Skelter" and "Revolution No.9," which he interpreted in the wrong sense. His most famous crime was being the mastermind of the murders of model/actress Sharon Tate and her houseguests. Singer/performer Marilyn Manson (Brian Warner) coined his stage name by combining Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson.


Kathy Mattea is a famous country music star and was born in South Charleston and grew up in Cross Lanes. She went to Nitro High School and attended college at West Virginia University.



Probably the most notable event on most people's minds, at least right now, is "The Mothman Prophecies." The events in the movie take place in Point Pleasant, WV. The movie is based on a book written by John Keel, who's not from Point Pleasant or even WV. Don't assume any of the facts are correct considering Mr. Keel did not experience any of them first-handedly (I don't mean any disrespect). During the movie, the main character, John Leek (note the name. lol), learns some background information about the "mothman." The "mothman" sightings occurred frequently in an area before a disaster - in this case, the Silver Creek Bridge collapse. The original events took place from November 1967 through December 1977, but the movie takes place in the year 2002 and recent future. 46 people died the night of December 24, 1977, on the bridge. Traffic was backed up bumper-to-bumper because the stoplight ahead had ceased to work. Still to this day, it has never been discovered as to why the bridge fell. After that, there were no more "mothman" sightings in WV, but there have been in other parts of the country prior to disasters. The people in Point Pleasant are currently constructing a mothman statue to be displayed outside of the local court house. I have heard that somehow the movie "Men In Black" is related to these incidents, but I don't know much about that. I'll do some research and post back at a later date. WV is becoming notorious for extraterrestrial activity. There have been several references to this state on the X-Files. Personally, I just think it's a bunch of crazy people. I don't believe in alien, or anything supernatural, at least I don't believe in what people are working them up to be.



The black-haired, blue-eyed Lesli Kay Pushkin was born in Charleston, WV in 1965. She began modeling in New York City when she was fifteen. In 1997, she joined the cast of As the World Turns as Molly McKinnon. She is currently (2004) playing the role of Lois Curello on General Hospital. Ms. Pushkin has also starred in The Other Sister and has won a Daytime Emmy award.


Another person on people's minds is John Forbes Nash. Nash is a native of Bluefield, WV. He is the man portrayed by Russel Crowe in the movie "A Beautiful Mind." Nash is a math genius. Despite his genius, schizophrenia held him back. His long time college roommate and best friend, Charlie, turns out to be only a figment of Mr. Nash's mind. He spent much time working for the CIA as a code breaker when it ends up to only be his imagination, again. A good portion of the movie is based on the love that developed between himself and his student, Alicia Larde. He never overcame his schizophrenia, but he learned to cope with it and ignore what his mind wants him to believe. It is a very sad movie. And, of course, there are aspects of his life portrayed that were not completely fact and there were also aspects that weren't touched on at all. Mr. Nash is still alive and resides in New Jersey as a professor at Princeton University.


Chris Sarandon is a native of Beckley, WV (my home town). He is probably most famously known for his role as Prince Humperdink in the movie "The Princess Bride" and as the main cop in "Child's Play." He is the speaking voice for Jack Skellington in "The Nightmare Before Christmas," as well as in the video game Kingdom Hearts. (Danny Elfman is the singing voice.) He played Jerry Dandridge in the movie "Fright Night" and Micheal Lerman in "The Sentinel." He is the former husband of actress, Susan Sarandon, who still carries his last name.

Not too long ago, Mr. Sarandon visited here (Beckley) and he spoke at my high school. I had the privilege of meeting him and getting him to sign my copy of "The Princess Bride."    


Bill Withers, singer of "Ain't No Sunshine" from Notting Hill, was born in Slabfork, WV. He moved to Beckley with his mother when his father died in a mining accident.



Chuck Yeager was the first person to ever break the sound barrier. On October 14, 1947, he flew the Bell X-1 rocket at the speed of 670 miles. Wow! Pretty fast, huh? Mr. Yeager was born in Myra, WV.


I, nor this webpage, have any relation or affiliation with any of the people, companies, etc. featured on this page. I take no credit for any of the information and pictures posted.