Tom McBride

Did you know that an openly gay man, who was a product of West Virginia in the 1950s, had a pretty successful career in Hollywood throughout the 80s and early 90s? Well his name was Tom McBride, and he gave us one of the most memorable and iconic scenes in movie history. 

Born in Charleston on October 7, 1952, McBride first slashed his way onto movie screens in the role of the paraplegic “Mark,” in Friday the 13th Part 2. Confined to a wheelchair throughout the entirety of the film, McBride’s tragic death scene has become the stuff of horror movie legend. 

McBride’s next film appearance was in 1985’s “Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins.” While it performed poorly at the box office, and a string of intended sequels were ultimately cancelled, the film found new life in the home video market, and has since gone on to develop a loyal cult following. After a few brief appearances on television, McBride would focus on his modeling and photography work, before returning to Hollywood for an appearance in 1997’s “White Lies.”

Sadly, McBride never had the chance to see the released film, as he passed away on September 24, 1995, due to complications from AIDS. At the time of his death, McBride was just two weeks shy of his 43rd birthday. 

For living his life with bravery at a time when bravery was in short supply, we are humbled to name Tom McBride as the certified Real West Virginian of the Week. Special thanks to the Foundry Theater in Huntington for bringing attention to McBride’s West Virginia roots. 

Have someone you’d like to nominate? Email us at news@therealwv.com.