FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New Plaque Recognizes Morgantown Native Don Knotts

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The City of Morgantown Arts & Cultural Development Department recently installed a new plaque in honor of Don Knotts on the exterior of the Metropolitan Theatre.
 
Morgantown native, Don Knotts began his career performing at the Metropolitan Theatre as a ventriloquist.  Knotts graduated from Morgantown High School in 1942, West Virginia University in 1948, and then his entertainment career took him to Hollywood.
 
Famous for his character Barnie Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, Don received 5 Emmys and had other memorable television and movie roles including:

• Ralph Furley in Three’s Company
• Henry Limpet in The Incredible Mr. Limpet
• Luther Heggs in The Ghost & Mr. Chicken
• Theordore Ogelvie in The Apple Dumpling Gang

 
“Don’s legacy to Morgantown and his contributions to entertainment are important and we wanted to make sure people knew more about him and his work” said Vincent Kitch, Director of Arts and Cultural Development. “We are currently working to update the exhibit at the Morgantown History Museum as well.”
 
To commemorate his life and success in making us all laugh, Don Knotts Boulevard was named in his honor in 1998, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000 and a bronze sculpture by local artist, Jamie Lester, sits outside the Met Theatre.
 
His daughter, Karen Knotts will pay tribute to her father by performing her one-woman docu-comedy show, Tied Up in Knotts, at the Metropolitan Theatre on Sunday, March 13, 2022. Tickets are available at https://morgantownmet.com/events/karen-knotts-tied-up-in-knotts/. 

This new plaque is sponsored by a Don Knotts memorial fund through Your Community Foundation.

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