9/27/2012
South Charleston, W.Va. – The success of the History channel's recent "Hatfields & McCoys" miniseries continues to shine brightly, winning five Emmy Awards. Kevin Costner and Tom Berenger received Emmy Awards at last Sunday's 64th Primetime Emmy Awards. Costner, who portrayed “Devil” Anse Hatfield and Berenger, who portrayed Jim Vance, received Outstanding Lead Actor and Supporting Actor, respectively, in a miniseries or movie.
The miniseries, which broke cable viewing records for nonsports, ad-supported cable during Memorial Day weekend, has brought an enormous amount of positive attention to the Mountain State, according to Betty Carver, commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Tourism. "Local leaders in the Hatfield-McCoy region have told us that they have seen a tremendous increase in tourism traffic to visit the real locations and learn more about one of America's most famous feuds."
Milton native and Marshall University alum Darrell Fetty co-produced the three-part miniseries, which received a total of 16 Emmy nominations. Fetty also produced, along with Thinkfactory Media, a companion documentary, "America's Greatest Feud: The History of the Hatfields & McCoys," the majority of which was filmed in West Virginia by Huntington-based Trifecta Productions. Narrated by Costner, it also aired on History. "The Film Office was thrilled to provide support to Fetty and Trifecta during their filming in the state," said Pam Haynes, director of the West Virginia Film Office. "Having such a prominent documentary appear on a major cable network attests to the fact that our workforce is top-notch," she added.
Fetty returns to West Virginia this Sunday to sit on a panel with historians Fred Armstrong and Bill Richardson to discuss the making of "Hatfields & McCoys." Sponsored by the West Virginia Historical Society, the event begins at 2:30 p.m. in the Archives & History Library of the WV Division of Culture and History at the Capitol Complex in Charleston.
And the Hatfield-McCoy region is going to keep staying in the news with the recent announcement of another television show set to air on Oct. 6. The channel, History-2, will broadcast "How the States Got Their Shapes" at 8 p.m., which will feature game show-like contests between descendants from both families and take a more lighthearted look at the famous feud, including a pair of re-enactors dressed as Randall McCoy and “Devil” Anse Hatfield. According to Richardson, a WVU Extension Associate Professor, host Brian Unger and the production crew filmed in Williamson, Logan and eastern Kentucky during the recent annual Hatfield-McCoy Reunion Festival. "The show is known for addressing issues of history and geography in a fun and entertaining way," Richardson said.
The miniseries is available on Blu-Ray™ and DVD through History’s website at
www.history.com. For tourism opportunities throughout West Virginia, visit
www.wvtourism.com. For visitor information relating to Hatfield-McCoy Country, visit
www.hatfieldmccoycountry.com,
www.hatfieldmccoycvb.com or
www.tugvalleychamber.com.
Contact Information
Jacqueline Proctor
304-957-9312