Wesley Cannon: From Soldier to Filmmaking Up-and-Comer
April 22, 2020 – From soldier to business owner to producer and actor, Wesley Cannon’s career has taken more twists and turns than a typical Hollywood film.
Raised in small-town eastern North Carolina, Cannon was raised by general contractor and small business owner Allen Cannon and his mother, Rose Cannon, owner of a real estate business. The middle of three boys, Cannon discovered his love of movies in general at a young age, but his love of horror films, in particular, guided a passion that would eventually become his career. The Cannon household celebrated Halloween like few others; annual haunted houses were a staple of the season for the family, which only served to deepen Cannon’s love for the magic of props, staging, and performance.
After the events of September 11th, Cannon joined many his age in choosing to serve his country. Enlisting in the United States Army, Cannon was deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving as a military police soldier. The stint would prove to be a lengthy one, as Cannon ended up serving for eight years before spending six more years as a civilian contractor while also working with Species Forces troops in Baghdad for a year.
During his 14 years of service in the military and as a contractor, Cannon’s love of cinema served as a valuable release from the stresses of combat and logistics. During this time, Cannon became determined to turn his love of film into a career, and his passion would soon turn to a burgeoning career.
Across more than two decades, Cannon has become an avid collector of props from movies and television shows ranging from Tim Burton’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” HBO’s “Westworld,” and lighter fare, including the marriage photo of Lafonda and Kip in “Napoleon Dynamite.” Appropriately for someone who’s worn so many badges and uniforms, Cannon also collects badges and memorabilia from films ranging from “Transformers” to “Resident Evil.”
Perhaps the most striking part of his collection, however, is dedicated to more macabre elements. Ghost costumes from “13 Ghost” and iconic complete displays of characters such as Michael Myers, Leatherface, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Pinhead help complete his collection, as do more gory elements, including a prop from “Saw II” featuring an arm with hypodermic needles. Freddie Krueger’s gloves from “Freddie vs. Jason” help bridge the gap between his childhood love of horror and his modern-day ambitions.
Cannon’s current passions have translated seamlessly into his current career — or careers, more accurately. As the owner of Hollywood History in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Cannon brings the history of Hollywood to the East Coast through props and other memorabilia from popular films. He has also served as a producer for a number of films dating back to 2016, and he’s even found an outlet for showing his talent for acting since 2017. Although the films he’s involved in cover a range of genres, his documentaries will help bring his passion for horror films and other genres to a large audience.
Although his work frequently takes him to various destinations, Cannon still calls eastern North Carolina his home. He continues to serve his community as being a dually sworn city police patrol Sargent and Sheriff’s Deputy.