And I’m not talking about stuff like Bob for Robert, Dave for David, etc.
I was recently scanning a biography of the late Bill Bixby, known at birth as Wilfred Bailey Bixby III. Now Bill is not normally used for Wilfred, but I see the connection.
Lex Barker: Lex from Alexander.
What others can you think of? But it must come from their real name. Nor am I looking for people who use half of their real names along with a nickname or stage name (like Leslie Hope became known as Bob Hope, Harry Crosby became Bing Crosby, David Jones became David Bowie), but rather like the examples I used.
I’ll add something. Name any celebrities (I shouldn’t have limited it to actors) who use their middle name as their professional name, such as Tim Allen Dick.
Liam Neeson = William John Neeson. In fact there are plenty of Scottish and Irish names that are traditionally abbreviated to the last syllable or two rather than the first, so Alexander is often abbreviated to Sandy rather than Alex etc.
Did you ever see her in A FOOL THERE WAS? She’s no raving beauty, and she’s no longer young, and she’s a chunky little thing . . . and YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF HER. When I saw this film, I got a stiiffy. And I don’t even like girls. But I digress. . .
It’s interesting to note that Miss Bara was, for all practical purposes, the first MANUFACTURED movie star made up of whole cloth. Theodosia Goodman was in fact a little Jewish girl from Cincinnati, the daughter of a tailor, but her studio would have you believe that she was the love child of a French artist and an Arabian princess, and that her stage name (no man living knew her real name!) was an anagram of “ARAB DEATH.” She gave interviews at her studio in an outlandish accent while stroking her pet python–and afterwards, when her work day was over, she changed clothes and turned back into Miss Goodman. She NEVER appeared as “Theda Bara” on the street. And when the “vamp” craze had run its course, she was perfectly happy to give up show biz, scrap the silly costumes, and have a long and happy life as a wife, homemaker, and volunteer advocate for women’s rights.
Certain artifically-manufactured stars of our own time, whose tricks have run their course, might do well to take a page from Miss Bara’s book. (Are you reading this thread, Miss Ciccone?)
Completely true, but my impression was that this was Caine’s choice.
Topher Grace (That 70s Show)= Christopher Grace. Says he got sick of introducing himself as Christopher and having people call him Chris. “Hi Chris.” “-Topher.”
Ricky Martin used to be Enrique José Martín Morales. I suppose somebody said the real name (or Enrique Morales or something) was ‘too Hispanic’ for a mass audience.
Before anybody posts it, Walter Matthau did NOT shorten his last name from “Matuschanskayasky.” It was really - you ready for this? - Matthow.
Fred Astaire - Frederic Austerlitz Jr Goldie Hawn - Goldie Jean Studlendegehawn Robert Conrad - Konrad Robert Falkowski
I had no idea that Albert Brooks’ real name was Albert Einstein.
Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon of Blur often went by their anagram nicknames ‘Dan Abnormal’ and ‘Morgan C. Hoax’ whenever they played on other bands’ albums. IIRC their other bandmates Alex James and Dave Rowntree appeared as ‘Lee Jaxsam’ and ‘Trevor Devane’.
Robert Cummings was so billed in dramas but used Bob for comedies. He’s the only actor I know of to use two different billings concurrently.
In his very early career, Michael Douglas was billed as M.K. Dougles to avoid confusion with the television talk show host Mike Douglas. Like there was any mistaking his pedigree.
Nicholas Brendon, of Buffy fame, uses his middle name as his last (Schultz, incidentally) . Same for his twin brother, Kelly Donovan, who appeared in an episode of Buffy.
Abraham Rubin Hercules Benrubi goes by Abe Ben Rubi and Ben Rubi. (what, you don’t recognize Jerry from ER’s real name? )
Interesting,neither Michael Douglas or Mike Douglas had the real last name of Douglas. Kirk Douglas changed his last name to Douglas from ?. Mike changed his original last name to Douglas. As an aside, David Bowie could not use Jones b/c of the Monkee Davy Jones. And Michael Keaton’s real name is Michael Douglas, but had to change his last name because there alreadywas a Michael Douglas actor.
Bowie changed his last name because he didn’t want to be confused with the Monkee, but he didn’t ‘have’ to do it.
One of the more interesting family name things is the Sheen/Estevez story. Martin Sheen was born Ramon Estevez. His oldest son, Emilio, chose to use his dad’s original name, as did his second son, Ramon, and his daughter, Renee. But his youngest son, Carlos Irwin Estevez, liked the Sheen name better and changed his first name to Charlie.
I read the LA county sheriff report when Charlie was arrested for punching a woman. His name on the arrest report (so it must be his legal name) was Carlos Estevez. He obviously uses Charlie Sheen out of preference and not legality.
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