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It’s no secret that Anderson has seen its fair share of star power. Most recently, it’s been George Clooney and Renee Zellweger on our celeb-radars. But Anderson’s time in the spotlight dates back farther than that.

Four years ago Anderson was the setting for the movie, “Radio,” about T.L. Hanna fixture James Kennedy, although very little of the actual film was shot here. But what many Andersonians are surprised by is the plethora of actors, actresses, crew members and films that touched — sometimes literally — our own backyards.

Anderson doesn’t lack for acting talent. Perusing the Internet Movie Database for “Anderson, S.C.” yields a lot of actors and actresses from our area who have appeared in dozens of films. While most of the names aren’t instantly recognizable as major Hollywood players, some have had long, successful careers in the industry. Others are still climbing their way up.

John McCurry was born in Anderson in 1928 and made his motion picture debut in 1959 in the film “The Last Mile.” His career spanned 30 years, during which he appeared in more than 20 films, some television shows and even did some voice acting for his final picture, Disney’s “Oliver and Company.” Some of the films he worked on include “Wolfen, Gammera” and “Trading Places.” McCurry died in 1989 in Rockaway, NY.

Craig Harper, 38, is a familiar name to a lot of folks in Anderson. He worked on the pictures “AfterLife” and “Strike The Tent” and even has a role in the upcoming “Leatherheads,” as Princeton Reporter No. 3. But he’s best known as the guy who played Kenny Schrader in the 2004 ESPN biopic, “3: The Dale Earnhardt Story.”

Jessica Stroup has stormed Hollywood, thanks to her roles on several television shows (including “Reaper” and “October Road”) and in some big films. The 21-year-old has been featured in “School For Scoundrels,” “The Hills Have Eyes 2” and an upcoming remake of the classic horror film, “Prom Night,” which is set for release on April 11. She also is in “Homecoming,” starring Misha Barton, currently in post-production.

Ian King is making a name for himself in the horror genre, first appearing in “Poultrygeist,” an upcoming film from Troma Entertainment. Since then the 24-year-old Mr. King has appeared in “Desolation” and “Survival,” which also features local radio personality Lisa Burns.

Javon Johnson is another actor/writer who calls Anderson home. He has appeared in several major motion pictures such as “Dogma,” “Barbershop 2” and “Daddy’s Little Girls,” as well as regular appearances on “Prison Break.”

Actors aren’t the only local talent. There are those who work behind the scenes.

Brian Greenway is a cameraman/cinematographer who has worked on eight feature films, including last year’s holiday comedy, “Fred Claus,” starring Vince Vaughn. Then there’s Anderson native Eric Potter, a jack-of-all-trades who does everything from writing and editing to directing. With more than 20 films on his resume and an MFA degree in cinematography from the American Film Institute, Mr. Potter is steadily building a reliable name for himself in Hollywood.

While films such as “Radio” and “Leatherheads” come to mind when you think of films shot in Anderson, there have been others. In 1974 “The Midnight Man,” starring Burt Lancaster, was shot entirely in Anderson and Clemson. For anyone who’s ever wondered what downtown Anderson looked like 30 years ago, check out this crime drama.

The year I moved to Anderson, 1990, I was fortunate to see a scene from the movie “Coupe De Ville” being shot. That film, featuring “Grey’s Anatomy’s” Patrick Dempsey, only shot a few driving scenes in Anderson before moving production to Greenville, but those scenes are intact in the final cut of the film.

Earlier this year, director/actor Duane Whitaker of “Pulp Fiction” fame utilized Anderson’s back roads and country settings to film parts of “The Death Brand,” written by Andersonian Adam Minarovich. It’s one of the films being featured in the South Carolina Museum film exhibit and I’m proud to have pieces of movies I’ve worked on included there. Other independent films shot in the area include “Wiseguys vs. Zombies,” “Buy Sell Kill: A Flea Market Story” (shot at the Anderson County Jockey Lot), and “The Philosopher,” a dramatic short film from Anderson-based production company Dead Horse Productions. The film screened at the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Film Corner in 2007.

I’ve been fortunate to be a part of Anderson’s cinematic history, myself, thanks in large part to my friend and mentor, Adam Minarovich. I remember reading about his first film, “The Hearse and the Hitchhiker.” He shot that film throughout Anderson County, including Iva’s historic Gray House. It garnered a small video release and he was able to move on to other projects, including “Ankle Biters,” a horror/comedy that saw international distribution, the aforementioned “Wiseguys vs. Zombies” (which was my introduction to the filmmaking world) and “Buy Sell Kill.” Mr. Minarovich also spent time in Hollywood, acting in the movie “Camp Utopia” and working as an extra on “Juwanna Man.”

From the actors and actresses who called this town home, to the films that were shot here because of the area’s unique charm and look, Anderson certainly has its place in film history. And with a little luck, Anderson may be the home to Hollywood’s “next big thing.”