By Jack Houvouras
HQ 47 | SPRING 2003
Our decision to bring the story of actor Brad Dourif to the pages of the Huntington Quarterly reminded me of something – there are a number of accomplished people from our region working both here and abroad that this community can look to with pride. Far too often the people of Huntington (and West Virginia) focus on the negative aspects of our region and suffer from an inferiority complex as a result. What we sometimes fail to recognize is that this area has produced a wide variety of successful citizens that have risen to the pinnacle of their professions.
Take Brad Dourif as an example. Raised in Huntington, he headed north to New York City when he was 19, where he gained notoriety as a stage actor.
It wasn’t long before famous director Milos Forman took notice and cast him in the Oscar winning film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Dourif earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film and since then has enjoyed a prolific career appearing in more than 100 films and television series. His recent role in the “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” earned him critical acclaim and he is now working on a western series for HBO entitled “Deadwood”. That’s why he’s sporting a handlebar mustache on the cover of this issue of HQ.
Not every Huntingtonian has to leave the area to achieve great success. Take Dourif’s stepfather, William C. Campbell, as an example. Campbell, an accomplished businessman and civic leader, is widely regarded as one of the greatest amateur golfers to ever play the game. The winner of the 1964 U.S. Amateur title, Campbell went on to serve as president of the United States Golf Association and was only the second American to be named Captain of the prestigious Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland. Today he continues to live and work in Huntington and is regarded as one of the greatest ambassadors the game of golf has ever known.
The list goes on. Take Soupy Sales who for years ruled the airways with his own raw style of physical comedy. Dagmar, television’s first blonde bombshell, also called Huntington home. More recently, Mark McVey and sister Beth McVey have earned national acclaim as broadway performers starring in such productions as “Les Miserables,” “Who’s Tommy,” “Beauty & The Beast,” “Mame” and “Phantom.” Randall Reed Smith of Barboursville has enjoyed an exciting career as an opera singer, performing in countries around the world. And, Ceredo-Kenova’s Michael W. Smith is one of the nation’s top Contemporary Christian recording artists.
Wildlife artist Chuck Ripper, who has lived in Huntington for most of his life, has seen his work appear on more than 100 magazine covers. In addition, the United States Postal Service released a series of 50 wildlife stamps in 1987 that featured his work. Carter G. Woodson, universally acknowledged as the “Father of Black History” and the founder of Black History Month, studied at Douglas High School in Huntington and later served as the school’s principal.
Numerous sports stars got their start in Huntington including Hal Greer who not only broke the color line in West Virginia when he signed to play basketball with Marshall, but also enjoyed a stellar career in the NBA where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
So there you have it. Eleven examples of why we as Huntingtonians should take pride in our community. Of course there are numerous other examples that I’m sure I have overlooked. If so, please don’t hesitate to let me know by emailing me at [email protected]. Who knows, you might end up seeing your suggestions in an upcoming issue of the magazine.
