Famous actresses from West Virginia
Famous actresses from West Virginia
Anyone who wants to admire and envy the world's biggest stars needs only to look on Instagram. From A-list movie stars and major musicians to pro ball players and comedians who landed their own sitcoms, there's no shortage of evidence of just how good the good life is. They post pictures of themselves with other big shots on rooftop bars, at exclusive clubs, at backstage parties, and at restaurants where regular people can't get a reservation.
But the vast majority of these celebrities were born and raised outside of Hollywood, finding their way to the bright lights and big money of superstardom from obscure beginnings in regular small towns and cities across the country.
Stacker compiled a list of actresses that were born in West Virginia from IMDb's most popular list. Movie poster images are from OMDb. Keep reading to see which of your favorite actresses are from your home state.
Conchata Ferrell
- Died: 10/12/2020
- Known for:
--- Berta in "Two and a Half Men" (2003-2015)
--- Leona in "Mystic Pizza" (1988)
--- Helen in "Edward Scissorhands" (1990)
Ann Magnuson
- Known for:
--- Lydia Lynch in "Panic Room" (2002)
--- Moira Wolfson in "Clear and Present Danger" (1994)
--- Irene Abernathy in "Small Soldiers" (1998)
Joyce DeWitt
- Known for:
--- Janet Wood in "Three's Company" (1976-1984)
--- Judge Carol Ann Connelly in "Rock Story" (2015)
--- Jackie Landers in "The Love Boat" (1979)
Lory Patrick
- Known for:
--- Sylvia Dempster in "Surf Party" (1964)
--- Receptionist in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" (1967)
--- Actress in "The Case of the Dangerous Robin" (1961)
Karen Austin
- Known for:
--- Sandy Chester in "Summer Rental" (1985)
--- Mrs. Zimburger in "The Rum Diary" (2011)
--- Julie Jensen in "Jagged Edge" (1985)
Allison Hayes
- Died: 2/27/1977
- Known for:
--- Nancy Fowler Archer in "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman" (1958)
--- Livia - a Witch in "The Undead" (1957)
--- Donna in "The Crawling Hand" (1963)
Elizabeth McLaughlin
- Known for:
--- Alicia Hopkins in "Hand of God" (2014-2017)
--- Massie Block in "The Clique" (2008)
--- Lesli Stone in "Pretty Little Liars" (2015)
Joanne Dru
- Died: 9/10/1996
- Known for:
--- Tess Millay in "Red River" (1948)
--- Anne Stanton in "All the King's Men" (1949)
--- Olivia Dandridge in "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" (1949)
Devon Odessa
- Known for:
--- Sharon Cherski in "My So-Called Life" (1994-1995)
--- The Succubus / Violet Griffin in "Sleepwalkers" (1998)
--- Additional Voices in "Uncle Buck" (1989)
Jean Carson
- Died: 11/2/2005
- Known for:
--- Nanny in "The Party" (1968)
--- Cassie in "The Phenix City Story" (1955)
--- Eileen Fletcher / Mary Warren in "Studio One" (1949-1952)
Katie Lee
- Known for:
--- Katie Lee in "Younger" (2017)
--- Self - Co-Hostess / Self - Co-Host / Self in "The Kitchen" (2014-2020)
--- Self - TV Hostess & Cookbook Author / Cookbook Author / Self - Host in "Best.Ever." (2015)
Evans Evans
- Known for:
--- Velma Davis in "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967)
--- Mrs. Gebhardt in "Dead Bang" (1989)
--- Cora in "The Iceman Cometh" (1973)
Ann Talman
- Known for:
--- Van Loon's Assistant in "Limitless" (2011)
--- Susan in "Wall Street" (1987)
--- Bloomingdale's Saleswoman #1 in "Serendipity" (2001)
Jeramie Rain
- Known for:
--- Sadie in "The Last House on the Left" (1972)
--- Nurse Samantha Tolliver in "The Doctors" (1972-1977)
--- Jane in "The Abductors" (1972)
Janie Haddad Tompkins
- Known for:
--- Tanya in "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (2016)
--- Susan in "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (2015)
--- Margaret / Girl / Allison / Computer / Mama Duck / Aerobics / Cashier / Cheerleader / Club Manager #3 / College Announcer / Daughter / GPS / Girl #1 / Girl #3 / Girl 1 / Girl 2 / Janet / Margaret's Sweater / Mercy / Old Turtle / Patsy / Phone / Photographer / Rachel / TSA Female / Vicki / Weather Woman / Witness 1 / Woman in "Regular Show" (2010-2016)
Lesli Kay
- Known for:
--- Lois Cerullo #2 (2004-2005) in "General Hospital" (1963)
--- Molly Conlan / Molly McKinnon / Molly Peterson Conlan / Molly Conlan McKinnion / Molly Conley / Molly Canlon / Molly Conlan McKinnon / Molly Conlin / Molly Munson / Molly Peterson Colan McKinnon #1 / Molly Peterson McKinnon in "As the World Turns" (1997-2010)
--- Felicia Forrester in "The Bold and the Beautiful" (2005-2016)
Karen Sue Trent
- Known for:
--- Penny Woods / Cowgirl in "Leave It to Beaver" (1960-1962)
--- Joan Latimore in "Garden of Eden" (1954)
--- Actress in "Shirley Temple's Storybook" (1958)
Mary Lou Retton
- Known for:
--- Mary Lou Retton in "Scrooged" (1988)
--- Mary Lou Retton in "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult" (1994)
--- Actress in "High Risk" (1988)
Rebekah Ward
- Known for:
--- Cheryl in "Saint Frances" (2019)
--- Margo DiMilio / Marie Davis in "Chicago Med" (2018-2021)
--- Christine in "Shameless" (2019)
Ashlie Rhey
- Known for:
--- Ashlie in "Daisy Power" (2008)
--- Miami in "No Rest for the Wicked" (1998)
--- Carlotta Bane in "Justine: In the Heat of Passion" (1996)
Robin Dyke
- Known for:
--- Katie in "Angrily Ever After" (2019)
--- Monarch Scientist in "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" (2019)
--- Lorraine Baker in "Until the End" (2018)
Elizabeth Lawrence
- Died: 6/11/2000
- Known for:
--- Chloe Williams in "Sleeping with the Enemy" (1991)
--- Rebecca Nurse in "The Crucible" (1996)
--- Myra Murdock Sloane / Myra Murdock in "All My Children" (1979-1991)
Michelle Duffy
- Known for:
--- Patricia Evra in "The Good Wife" (2015)
--- Reporter in "The Night Of" (2016)
--- Carol Finelli in "Elementary" (2016)
Sherilyn Wolter
- Known for:
--- Celia Quartermaine Putnam / Celia Quartermaine / Celia Quartermaine Putnam Holt / Celia Andrews / Celia Holt / Celia Putnam / Celia Quartermaine Holt in "General Hospital" (1983-1986)
--- Dr. Taylor Hayes in "The Bold and the Beautiful" (1990)
--- Suzanne in "Eyewitness to Murder" (1989)
Joan Banks
- Died: 1/18/1998
- Known for:
--- Alice Fletcher in "Cry Danger" (1951)
--- Francesca Kettering / Jane Edwards in "Hazel" (1961-1962)
--- Lily in "Mister Cory" (1957)
Elaine Riley
- Died: 12/7/2015
- Known for:
--- Ginny Summers in "Highway Patrol" (1957)
--- Mrs. Evans in "The Devil's Playground" (1946)
--- Anne Larson in "False Paradise" (1948)
Cora Sue Collins
- Known for:
--- Nancy Lane in "Black Moon" (1934)
--- Nora Moran - as a Child in "The Sin of Nora Moran" (1933)
--- Encarnacion (as a child) in "Blood and Sand" (1941)
Charlotte Wynters
- Died: 1/7/1991
- Known for:
--- Ann Marsh in "Sunset Trail" (1938)
--- Arlette in "The Falcon's Brother" (1942)
--- Adele Webster in "Reformatory" (1938)
Brianne Brozey
- Known for:
--- Young Manu in "Jungle Shuffle" (2014)
--- Circuit in "Power Rangers Time Force" (2001)
--- Additional Young Tarzan vocalizations in "Tarzan" (1999)
Anna Stuart
- Known for:
--- Donna Love / Donna Love Hudson / Donna Love Cory in "Another World" (1983-1999)
--- Mary Greenlee Smythe in "All My Children" (2002-2009)
--- Toni Ferra in "The Doctors" (1971-1976)
Amelita Ward
- Died: 4/26/1987
- Known for:
--- Ann Forrester in "The Jungle Captive" (1945)
--- Lucy Banning in "Seven Days Ashore" (1944)
--- Marie - Wells' Maid in "Gildersleeve's Ghost" (1944)
Dreama Perry Denver
- Known for:
--- The Howells' secretary in "The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island" 1981
--- Mandy in "Scamps" 1982
Tonja Walker
- Known for:
--- Olivia Jerome / Olivia St John / Olivia St. John in "General Hospital" (1988-2017)
--- Tina Scott in "Tainted Dreams" (2014)
--- Alex Olanov in "One Life to Live" (1990-2011)
Emily Chapman
- Known for:
--- Gossipy Girl #1 in "Dollface" (2019)
--- Protester in "30 Rock" (2012)
--- The Vision in "My Beautiful Bride" (2021)
Abigail Shelton
- Died: 12/11/2006
- Known for:
--- Woman in "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" (1984)
--- AA Member in "8 Million Ways to Die" (1986)
--- Evelyn / Gloria in "The Fugitive" (1963-1965)
Katie Cecil
- Known for:
--- Billie Copeland in "Criminal Minds" (2006)
--- Amy Brown in "Serial" (2007)
--- Celeste in "Medium" (2005-2007)
Sarah Hunley
- Died: 10/5/2016
- Known for:
--- Dr. Lily Mueller in "Waitress" (2007)
--- Maddy Ripon in "The Kingdom" (2007)
--- Juanita Bartlett in "Sordid Lives: The Series" (2008)
Kristen Ruhlin
- Known for:
--- Madeline in "Welcome to Mercy" (2018)
--- Sammy Kingston in "She Wants Me" (2012)
--- The Girl Mistaken for Louise in "The Girl in the Park" (2007)
Blaze Starr
- Died: 6/15/2015
- Known for:
--- Blaze Starr / Belle Fleming in "Blaze Starr Goes Nudist" (1962)
--- Lily in "Blaze" (1989)
--- Self in "On the Block" (1990)
Allyson Rice
- Known for:
--- Allyson Rice in "Fine, I'll Write My Own Damn Song" (2019)
--- Amy Fuller in "Timecop" (1997)
--- Connor Walsh / Connor Jamison / Connor Jamison Walsh / Connor Stricklyn / Connor Walsh Stricklyn in "As the World Turns" (1990-1997)
Jodi Applegate Kay
- Known for:
--- Landy Reporter in "The Bourne Legacy" (2012)
--- Reporter #1 in "Limitless" (2016)
--- Reporter in "The Following" (2013)
Shelley Taylor Morgan
- Known for:
--- Woman at Babylon Club in "Scarface" (1983)
--- Sally in "Tales from the Crypt" (1990)
--- Sgt. Kitty O'Hearn in "Hunter" (1987)
Patty Weaver
- Known for:
--- Gina Roma / Gina Roma Radison / Gina Romalotti in "The Young and the Restless" (1983-2013)
--- Clinic Clerk in "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2003)
--- Trish Clayton in "Days of Our Lives" (1974-1982)
Patsy Parsons
- Died: 10/26/2006
- Known for:
--- Josie Cohan - As a Girl of 12 in "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942)
--- Cleolanta / Queen Cleolanta / Cliolanta in "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger" (1954)
--- Marlene Titus in "The Affairs of Jimmy Valentine" (1942)
Virginia Fox
- Died: 10/14/1982
- Known for:
--- Bank President's Daughter in "The Haunted House" (1921)
--- Virgie in "Itching Palms" (1923)
--- The Girl in "The Love Nest" (1923)