The Who's Who From West Virginia

From the hills to Hollywood, the winding hollers of West Virginia remain deeply connected to their roots. The mountain state has sent out voices, talent, and personalities that have left their mark across the world. It is more than a place on a map — it's a foundation. That starting point continues to echo through their work and stories. In fact, you might be surprised just how many notable figures once called these hills home.

Brad Dourif

Born and raised in Huntington, WV, Brad Dourif went on to become an important character in Hollywood. He even received an Academy Award nomination for his role as Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Dourif is best known for his voice acting as Chucky in the Child's Play franchise.

Hasil Adkins

Hasil Adkins lived his life out in Boone County as a singer and songwriter. He is known widely for his entertainment in rockabilly and outsider music. Hasil was a unique performer who would showcase his talents as a one-man band, often playing the guitar and drums at the same time. Due to his obscure thoughts that played out in his music, Adkins was one who helped usher in the genre of "psychobilly."

Homer Hickam

Brought up in the small town of Coalwood, West Virginia, Homer Hickam's amateur rocket building began right there in those hills. Known best as the author of his memoir Rocket Boys — which became the film October Sky — Hickam went on to write other bestsellers. In addition to his award-winning books, he also served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Hickam went on to expand his horizons to NASA as an engineer who trained the first Japanese astronauts.

Pearl S. Buck

While she was born in the town of Hillsboro, when only four months old her parents moved her to China. Pearl Buck was celebrated for her writing and humanitarian efforts. Her book The Good Earth was a bestseller in 1931 and 1932, which led to her winning a Pulitzer Prize. She eventually went on to be the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature for her realistic depictions of peasant life in China.

Conchata Ferrell

Best known for her role as Berta the housekeeper from 2003 to 2015 on Two and a Half Men, Conchata Ferrell was born in Loudendale, West Virginia but raised in Charleston. She attended both of West Virginia's major universities, but graduated with a degree in history from Marshall. Being an actress from the early 70s until her passing in 2020, she captured a few awards along the way — but more importantly, the hearts of millions.

Bill Withers

Having an almost two-decade-long career in music, Bill Withers had his beginnings in the small coal town of Slab Fork, WV and was raised in Beckley. Withers made hit after hit: Lean on Me, Ain't No Sunshine, and Just the Two of Us. During his stint in the music industry he earned nine Grammy nominations and won three. His work lives on — he was honored in 2005 to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, in 2015 to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and most recently to the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2025.

Chris Sarandon

Starting life in Beckley, WV, Chris Sarandon went to Woodrow Wilson High School, and later to West Virginia University to obtain a degree in speech, and a master's in theater from Catholic University. After his time in academia, he went on to join improv groups and regional theater in Virginia. Chris Sarandon went on to perform on Broadway, television, film, and even voice acting in several video games. He is best known for voicing Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Katherine Johnson

The woman also known as a "human computer" at NASA, Katherine Johnson was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Her calculations on orbital mechanics made it possible for the first crewed spaceflight at NASA to be successful. She played an instrumental role in training computers to perform what was once only possible for humans to complete. Katherine Johnson made her mark in the industry as the first African American woman scientist to work at NASA.

Blaze Starr

Fannie Belle Fleming was the "hottest blaze in burlesque" — a reputation that earned her the nickname Blaze Starr. Born in April of 1932 in a rural area alongside Twelve Pole Creek, she was one of 11 children. After leaving home around age 14, she made her way to Washington, D.C., where she was discovered at the donut shop where she was working.

West Virginia has always punched above its weight. These are just a few of the remarkable people who carried a piece of the Mountain State with them — and left the world better for it.