The Mountain State is pretty small, but we do have some really amazing people born here. Here are twenty famous people from West Virginia (we bet you didn’t know that these people were born here!):

18. Looking for more famous people from West Virginia? Chuck Yeager! Born in the Mountain State, he became the first pilot confirmed to have traveled faster than sound.
DVIDSHUB/Flickr
2. Brad Dourif, an actor, voiceover artist, and comedian, is famous for his role as Billy Bibbit in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and as the voice of Chucky in "Child's Play."
Boogeyman 13 Flickr
Brad was born in Huntington, West Virginia. He also portrayed Grima Wormtongue in "The Lord of the Rings." How cool!
3. Brad Paisley, born in Glen Dale, West Virginia, is a famous country singer.
Larry Darling Flickr
Brad Paisley holds the record for the most consecutive singles reaching the top spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. He's one of the most famous people from West Virginia.
4. Conchata Ferrell was born in Charleston, West Virginia.
alacoolb Flickr
Pictured above is Conchata as Berta the housekeeper on the acclaimed sitcom "Two and a Half Men," a role she is best known for playing. For those that don't know her, she is all the way in the back, wearing the yellow.
5. Professional basketball player Deron Williams was born in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He was once a point guard for the Brooklyn Nets and has played in the NBA for the Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ronald Martinez / Staff/Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
6. Don Knotts, born in Morgantown, West Virginia, was a famous comedian and actor.
Steve Baker/Flickr
Don Knotts is best known for his roles as Jessie in "The Shakiest Gun in the West," Barney Fife on the "Andy Griffith Show," and Ralph Furley on "Three's Company." He really was one of the greatest actors of all time and one of the most famous West Virginia residents.
7. George Brett was born in Glen Dale, West Virginia.
Brandon Burke Flickr
George Brett, now retired, played for the Kansas City Royals MLB team for 21 years!
8. Heath Slater, the one in those sweet, shiny leather pants, was born in Pineville, West Virginia.
Matt Brink Flickr
Heath was once signed with WWE and is currently with Impact Wrestling.
9. Homer Hickam, born in Coalwood, WV, is the author of the novel Rocket Boys, which was based on true events of living in West Virginia.
Wolf Gang Flickr
Homer is also a Vietnam Veteran and a retired NASA engineer. Wow!
10. Jerry West, now retired, was an American basketball player. He played his entire pro career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Prayitno Flickr
Jerry was born in Chelyan, West Virginia and he also attended West Virginia University from 1956-60. There is so much to say about this amazing basketball player. The NBA even made the silhouette of Jerry West their logo!

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11. Joyce DeWitt, most famous for playing Janet on "Three's Company," was born in Wheeling, West Virginia.
Jim Ellwanger Flickr
12. Mary Lou Retton, born in Fairmont, West Virginia, is a popular American athlete.
General Mills Flickr
At the '84 Summer Olympics, Retton won a gold medal, two silver medals, and two bronze medals.
13. Nick Saban is a college football couch, currently the head couch of the University of Alabama where he has been since 2007.
VCU Capital News Service/Flickr
Nick Saban was born in Fairmont, West Virginia.
14. O.J. Mayo, born in Huntington, West Virginia, is a professional basketball player that once played for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He currently plays for the Chinese Basketball Association team, the Liaoning Flying Leopards.
Danny Bollinger Flickr
Mayo is 6 feet and 5 inches tall. Woah!
15. Pearl S. Buck, born in Hillsboro, West Virginia, is a well-known American writer and novelist.
bettinche Flickr
Pictured above is her home in West Virginia which is now a historic museum that still has some of the original furniture and belongings of her family.
16. Randy Moss, now retired, was an NFL wide receiver who played for 14 seasons. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia and is probably one of the most famous former West Virginia residents.
Mike Morbeck/Flickr
Randy Moss played football for our very own Marshall University, located in Huntington, WV.
17. Steve Harvey, the host of Family Feud, was born in Welch, West Virginia. He is also a published author.
Glory Foods Flickr
The hilarious Steve Harvey is one of the most famous people from West Virginia.
18. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was a Confederate general during the American Civil War and is the best-known Confederate commander next to General Robert E. Lee. He was born in Clarksburg, which was Virginia at the time but is now West Virginia.
Bob Mical Flickr
19. T.D. Jakes is an author and a famous Bishop of The Potter's House, an American megachurch with 30,000 church members. He grew up in Vandalia, West Virginia.
thomasmediagroup Flickr
2.) Lou Holtz, born in Follansbee, West Virginia.
Jimmy Emerson DVM Flickr
Holtz is the only college football coach to have lead six different programs to bowl games and the only coach to lead four different programs to the final top 20 rankings. Wow!

 

Did you have any idea how many people are from the Mountain State, and there are many more! We love that the state has produced so many amazing actors, actresses, singers, and awesome couches! What other famous people from West Virginia can you name? Who is your favorite famous West Virginian? Please let us know in the comments.

Head to this article and check out these movies about West Virginia you may want to see.

 

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Famous People From West Virginia

Melissa M. | July 29, 2021

Where are the safest places to live in West Virginia?

Luckily, the Mountain State has many safe places to live. Our list of the 10 safest cities to live in West Virginia, as reported by Safewise, includes Oak Hill, Weston, Ranson, Morgantown, New Martinsville, Weirton, Charles Town, Moundsville, and St. Albans.

What are the best places to live in West Virginia?

Monongalia County is considered one of the best areas of West Virginia to live in. The beautiful Monongahela River winds its way through the county and there are plenty of natural spots like Coopers Rock State Forest to explore. It's a fantastic county to raise a family with good schools, low crime rates, and plenty of small towns to choose from. 

What are the most dangerous places in West Virginia?

According to FBI statistics, Beckley, Charleston, Dunbar, Moorefield, South Charleston, and Wheeling are a few of the most dangerous places in the state. You can check out the full list in this article.

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