TV shows where the lead character's first name is the same as the actor's

[11811]

I know that for some actors (who might not be actors first and foremost), having the character named for them makes their work easier. Is there any information about this being a concession to a really popular personality, an acknowledgment of the actor's lack of skill or ability to become the character, or any other perceived negatives?

Looking forward to the day I get a sitcom where I play my number,

11811

[Giles]

There was an Australian TV series, The Games, where the main characters were:
John, played by John Clarke
Gina, played by Gina Riley
Bryan, played by Bryan Dawe, and
Nicholas, played by Nicholas Bell

It also had an episode where John Howard played the part of John Howard -- deliberatedly, so he could be mistaken for another John Howard. (That's explained in the Wikipedia entry on the series.

[The Octagon]

This is common in a lot of sitcoms (the wayans bros, seinfeld, raymond), so you might be right, but I figure they're involved in production as well and take a 'why bother' approach to naming the lead character.

If this snippet on IMDB about Tony Danza is true in other cases, you're absolutely right.

His character "Tony Banta" in "Taxi" (1978) was originally called "Phil Banta". The producers thought with him being an unexperienced actor that he would not respond to the name Phil, so they changed it to his real life name.

http://imdb.com/name/nm0001103/bio

[RealityChuck]

Lots of times, a big name star who gets lured to TV has a character with their own name: Lucille Ball, Ricky Ricardo, Debbie Reynolds, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Doris Day, Bette Midler, Emeril LeGasse, etc. In some cases, it's just to have the public identify the character more closely with the star. In the above list, only Emeril might have had a problem reacting to being called a different names: the rest has long acting experience beforehand.

Sometimes it's coincidence: In The Pretender, Andrea Parker played the character of "Miss Parker"; I don't know if that was planned before she was cast or not.

And for real confusion, there was Robert Altman's Images:

Susannah York .... Cathryn
Rene Auberjonois .... Hugh
Marcel Bozzuffi .... Rene
Hugh Millais .... Marcel
Cathryn Harrison .... Susannah

[mobo85]

I was going to mention Tony Danza. I think there's only been one regular series where his character wasn't named Tony. Two, looking at the IMDb- Family Law and The Practice (where his character was named "Tommy"- close enough).

[eleanorigby]

Andy Griffith=Andy Taylor

Bob Newhart= um, Bob Newhart



Mary Tyler Moore=Mary Richards

Rhoda Morganstern=never mind....

(yes, I watched TV last in 1970-something).

[Amazingrace]

Several members of the supporting cast of the American The Office have the same name. Angela is played by Angela, Oscar by Oscar, Phyllis by Phyllis... even Creed is played by a Creed.

The Office IMDB

[Kat]

Most of the cases (well, other than Tony Danza) that I can think of are comedians whose shows are based on their standup routines (Jerry Seinfeld/Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr/Roseanne Connor, Ellen DeGeneres/Ellen Morgan, Jeff Foxworthy/Jeff Foxworthy) so it could be partially a case of wanting the audience to closely identify the sitcom character with the standup "character".

[Sarahfeena]

I think pretty much everybody on Curb your Enthusiasm has the same first name as the actor playing the role. (Of course, many people are playing themselves, but I am referring to the people who are actually cast as actors, such as Cheryl Hines and Jeff Garlin.)

[Thudlow Boink]

Originally Posted by The Octagon

This is common in a lot of sitcoms (the wayans bros, seinfeld, raymond), so you might be right, but I figure they're involved in production as well and take a 'why bother' approach to naming the lead character.

Originally Posted by RealityChuck

In some cases, it's just to have the public identify the character more closely with the star.

I think you're both right. If you're basing a TV character on a real person (or on their pre-existing persona), and you're trying to think of a name for the character, the first thing to come to mind is going to be the person's actual name.

And if the public is already familiar with the person who's playing the character, they're going to be thinking "Hey, that's Roseanne!" or "Hey, that's Tim!" whenever Roseanne Barr or Tim Allen comes on the screen anyway.



I was surprised to learn that Judge Harold T. Stone, of Night Court, was not created with Harry Anderson in mind; it was just a happy coincidence that Anderson fit the part so well. On the other hand, I assume, but don't know for sure, that Harry the Hat, his character from Cheers, was based on Harry. (For that matter, what about Woody? Surely Woody Boyd was named after Woody Harrelson, right? It wasn't just a coincidence?)

[Krokodil]

Seinfeld
I Love Lucy
Star Trek: Voyager (Kate)

[zamboniracer]

Originally Posted by eleanorigby

Bob Newhart= um, Bob Newhart

You me, um, Dr. Bob Hartley.

That's D period, R period. Drrrr.

[zamboniracer]

Originally Posted by zamboniracer

You me, um, Dr. Bob Hartley.

That's D period, R period. Drrrr.

Another textbook example of the law that says that when you post to correct another's mistake you make one yourself.

What I typed in my head but not on the screen:

"You mean, um, Dr. Bob Hartley."

[elfkin477]

I don't think there were any lead characters, exactly, but on Third Watch Kim Raver played Kim Zambrano.

[Saltire]

I think I remember reading that the character that became Tony Banta on Taxi was originally written as a big Irishman. When Tony Danza auditioned and told them he was actually a pro boxer looking to move to acting, they re-wrote the character.

While they may have gone with the name Tony partially because of his inexperience, the character was, in a sense, written for him.

[Hey, It's That Guy!]

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Stella are two newer sitcoms where the trios of male leads have the same names as the actors.

[BwanaBob]

Artie Lange played Artie on "The Norm Show", where Norm MacDonald played Norm.

[Annie-Xmas]

When Carolee Campbell was hired for the soap "The Doctors," the producers liked her first name so much they gave it to her character Carolee Simpson.

[astorian]

So, we have:


Tim Allen/Taylor
Harry Anderson/Stone
Roseanne Barr/Conner
Tony Danza/Banta & Micelli
Andy Griffith/Taylor
Bob Newhart/Hartley



A few new ones:

Bob Crane played Robert Hogan on "Hogan's Heroes."

Doris Day played Doris Martin on "The Doris Day Show."

Fran Drescher was Fran Fine on "The Nanny."

Patty Duke played Patty Lane (and her cousin Cathy) on "The Patty Duke Show."

Michael J. Fox and Charlie Sheen both kept their real first names on "Spin City" (They were Michael Flaherty and Charlie Crawford, respectively).

Ted Knight played Ted Baxter on "The MTM Show."

Kate Mulgrew played Columbo's wife, Kate Columbo, on a short-lived series.

Ray Romano was Ray Barone on "Everybody Loves Raymond."

[Annie-Xmas]

Tom Arnold played "Arnie Thomas" on the Roseanne show.

On Days of our Lives, "Austin Reed" was played by Austin Peck.

[crazyjoe]

Drew Carey played Drew Carey on the Drew Carey Show.

[The Dumbest Guy in the Room]

Originally Posted by Amazingrace

... even Creed is played by a Creed.

At least in Creed's case it appears to be a genuine joke. The character is supposed to be the real Creed Bratton and is a deliberate stereotype of the actor's own life.

[alphaboi867]

Ellen Degeneres has played Ellen Morgan on Ellen and Ellen Richmond on The Ellen Show. Lucille Ball pretty much played the same character with the same first name in all her sitcoms (I Love Lucy, Luci-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy, & Life with Lucy).

[Carl Corey]

Originally Posted by Thudlow Boink

I was surprised to learn that Judge Harold T. Stone, of Night Court, was not created with Harry Anderson in mind; it was just a happy coincidence that Anderson fit the part so well. On the other hand, I assume, but don't know for sure, that Harry the Hat, his character from Cheers, was based on Harry.

Yup. Harry Anderson was known as Harry the Hat, street-level confidence man. The kind of fella who would offer to play a game of chance with you and end up walking away with your money every time. Apparently he had his jaw broken by a man who found out he wasn't playing a game a chance. That incident is what led Harry to quit the confidence game and go into acting. I had a book by him when I was a kid that explained a lot of the stuff con men do. Just remember kids: nobody beats the monte.

[MovieMogul]

Tom Selleck played Thomas Magnum
Ricky Schroeder played Ricky Stratton (Silver Spoons)
Ron Glass played Detective Ron Harris (Barney Miller)
Nell Carter played Nell Harper (Gimme a Break)
Selma Diamond played Selma Hacker Night Court)
Paul Reiser played Paul Buchman (Mad About You
Dave Foley played Dave Nelson & Joe Rogan played Joe Garelli (NewsRadio)

plus Garry in The Garry Shandling Show

Although double checking some of these has illuminated how the TV function, which used to be very helpful, on IMDB has turned almost worthless now when dealing with episode citations and separating regular cast from guests.

[MaxTheVool]

In Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Matthew Perry's character is named "Matt", but Bradley Whitford's is not named "Brad". I suspect it might just be a coincidence.

[seosamh]

In most of his TV and film roles from about 1961 onwards, Sid James played a character called Sid, as his IMDB listing shows.

Maybe he couldn't cope with being called anything else.

[mlees]

TV can have a faster paced production cycle when they try to pump out all 13-20 something episodes per season. If the character(s) has the same first name, it eliminates having to reshoot for a flubbed name/line: "Hey Tim... awww shoot. I meant Bob..."

[OneCentStamp]

Originally Posted by The Octagon (quoting someone else)

His character "Tony Banta" in "Taxi" (1978) was originally called "Phil Banta". The producers thought with him being an unexperienced actor that he would not respond to the name Phil, so they changed it to his real life name.

If this is true, it bespeaks an almost bottomless contempt for Danza's mental faculties on the part of the producers. I mean, honestly: he's an inexperienced actor, so we're afraid he'll forget to respond to people calling him Bob or Jeff? What the fuck?!? I can get my four year old son to pretend his name is Buzz Lightyear, but they had to give a grown man a role where he wouldn't have to remember a different first name?

I'm baffled.

[mobo85]

Originally Posted by OneCentStamp

I mean, honestly: he's an inexperienced actor, so we're afraid he'll forget to respond to people calling him Bob or Jeff? What the fuck?!? I can get my four year old son to pretend his name is Buzz Lightyear, but they had to give a grown man a role where he wouldn't have to remember a different first name?

Maybe his mental capacities are around those of Homer Simpson's level.


"All right. When I say 'Hello Mr. Thompson' and step on your foot, you say 'Hello.' Hello, Mr. Thompson."


"I think he's talking to you."

[stockton]

Originally Posted by RealityChuck

Lots of times, a big name star who gets lured to TV has a character with their own name: Lucille Ball, Ricky Ricardo, Debbie Reynolds, ....

Señor Arnaz might feel a bit typecast if he were alive to read this.

[Thudlow Boink]

Originally Posted by mobo85

Maybe his mental capacities are around those of Homer Simpson's level.


"All right. When I say 'Hello Mr. Thompson' and step on your foot, you say 'Hello.' Hello, Mr. Thompson."


"I think he's talking to you."

This is the first thing I thought of, too!

[gigi]

And even Seinfeld's show-within-a-show was named "Jerry".

[zamboniracer]

Lucille Ball not only played Lucy Ricardo, but played Lucy Carmichael on "The Lucy Show" which ran from 1962-68, Lucille Carter on "Here's Lucy" which was on from 1968-74, and Lucy Barker on 1986's "Life With Lucy."

Two who hasn't been mentioned yet are Steve Harvey who played Steve Hightower on "The Steve Harvey Show" and Martin Lawrence who played Martin Payne on "Martin." Lawrence's show also represented another example of a disagreeable male character who got a beautiful woman (Tish Campbell-Martin) to love him for no discernable reason.

[zamboniracer]

Alphaboi867, I apologize for overlooking your previous post about Lucille Ball. My bad.

[zamboniracer]

A few more who have been overlooked:

Real life twin sisters Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry played twin sisters Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell, respectively, on "Sister, Sister."

Cedric the Entertainer played Coach Cedric Robinson on "The Steve Harvey Show."

Will Smith played a character named Will Smith on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

Raven Simone plays Raven Baxter on Disney Channel's "That's So Raven."

John Larroquette played John Hemingway on "The John Larroquette Show."

[Otto]

Originally Posted by ArchiveGuy

plus Garry in The Garry Shandling Show.

Actual title, "It's Garry Shandling's Show."

[Peter Morris]

In Family Guy, Adam West plays Mayor Adam West.

The creators say that the Mayor is not the actor Adam West, he's a character with the same name.

[Sternvogel]

Originally Posted by zamboniracer

"You mean, um, Dr. Bob Hartley."

Newhart also played Bob McKay on the short-lived sitcom titled Bob.

On The Bob Crane Show, Crane played Bob Wilcox, while Todd Susman reversed the usual eponymous practice by playing the part of Marvin Susman.

[Beware of Doug]

While Bob Newhart played Bobs twice (on The Bob Newhart Show and the short-lived Bob), he also played a character with his real given name on the very short-lived George & Leo. His real full name: George Robert Newhart.

[8675309]

Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd in Cheers

[Steve Wright]

Gene Barry played Gene Bradley in the 1970s series The Adventurer ...

[zamboniracer]

Just one more, which will probably complete this topic:

Bernie Mac on "The Bernie Mac Show".

[Labdad]

How about James Garner playing James Rockford?