Alan Hunter

Alan Hunter was born on February 14, 1957, in Birmingham, Alabama. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1979. During his senior year, he secured his first television acting role in the ABC Movie of the Week, “Love’s Savage Fury.” After performing at the Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Hunter moved to New York City in 1980 to attend the Circle in the Square drama school. He took on various acting gigs, including Off-off-Broadway roles and a notable appearance as a dancer in David Bowie’s 1980 music video for “Fashion,” for which he was paid $50. In the summer of 1981, a chance encounter with MTV executive Bob Pittman led to Hunter being recruited as one of the original five MTV VJs, just three weeks before the channel’s launch. Initially working part-time and also tending bar, Hunter became a full-time VJ as MTV rapidly gained popularity.

MTV debuted on August 1, 1981, with Hunter being the first VJ to appear on screen due to a technical error. His role involved introducing music videos and hosting various segments, leading to interviews with numerous notable artists such as Madonna, Duran Duran, U2, Ozzy Osbourne, and many others. He was actively involved in significant MTV programming, including “MTV Spring Break,” “MTV’s Amuck in America,” and “MTV’s Hedonism Weekend with Bon Jovi in Jamaica.” Hunter also played a key role in the WWF-MTV collaboration, hosting “The War to Settle the Score” in 1985 and narrating “The War Continues” to promote WrestleMania I. In 1987, after six years with MTV, Hunter transitioned from a full-time host, moving to Los Angeles to pursue freelance hosting and acting opportunities. That same year, he traveled to Russia for the program “Rock in Russia,” documenting Billy Joel’s concert tour and exploring rock music in the Soviet Union during perestroika.

In the mid-1990s, Hunter returned to Birmingham, Alabama, to establish Hunter Films with his brothers. Under Hunter Films, he co-produced the Academy Award-nominated short film “Johnny Flynton” in 2003 and executive-produced “Dreamland,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006. The company also produced the documentary “Best Worst Movie” (2010) and the feature film “Lifted” (2011), in which Hunter also acted. Simultaneously, he co-founded WorkPlay, a multi-use entertainment facility in downtown Birmingham. Hunter further contributed to the arts by founding the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, recognized by Time Magazine. Since 2004, he has been a host on SiriusXM Satellite Radio’s “Big 80’s” and “Classic Rewind” channels. In 2013, he co-authored “VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV’s First Wave” with his fellow original VJs. Hunter currently resides in Webster Groves, Missouri, with his wife and children, continuing to be involved in the entertainment industry and civic activism.