# Celebrities with REAL (Not Honorary) Doctorates **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2007, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613 "2007-02-17T14:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/1 "2007-02-17T14:32:10Z")
How many celebrities can you think of who have earned actual Ph. D’s from actual universities? Academics who’ve become famous writers (Isaac Asimov, Richard Dawkins, et al.) aren’t really what I’m looking for. Rather, are there any famous musicians, actors, novelists and such who happen to have gone to graduate school and earned doctorates? I know Bill Cosby got a Ph. D. in education, and Queen guitarist Brian May was in a doctoral program for astronomy (not sure whether he ever actually received the degree). Any others like that come to mind? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/2 "2007-02-17T14:44:24Z")
[Mayim Bialik](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayim_Bialik), from Blossom and Beaches, is working on her PhD thesis in neuroscience. But she isn’t a Dr yet. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/3 "2007-02-17T15:00:50Z")
[QUOTE=astorian] I know Bill Cosby got a Ph. D. in education… [/QUOTE] No, he has an Ed.D, which is, IMHO, a lesser degree. twicks, Ph.D. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/4 "2007-02-17T15:05:01Z")
A list of celebs with [fake degrees](http://www.cosmoedu.net/famous.html) [Pamela Stephenson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamela_Stephenson#Psychology) has a doctorate in clinical psychology. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/5 "2007-02-17T16:01:24Z")
Lots of novelists have non-Ph.D. doctorates. Scott Turow (J.D.) and Michael Chrichton (M.D.), for example. There are at least a couple of science fiction novelists with a Ph.D.: David Brin in physics and the late Jack Williamson in English. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/6 "2007-02-17T16:03:41Z")
Robert Vaughn earned a PhD at the University of Southern California. William Sanderson has a JD from a university in (IIRC) Tennessee. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/7 "2007-02-17T16:11:39Z")
[QUOTE=bibliophage] Lots of novelists have non-Ph.D. doctorates. Scott Turow (J.D.) and Michael Chrichton (M.D.), for example. There are at least a couple of science fiction novelists with a Ph.D.: David Brin in physics and the late Jack Williamson in English. [/QUOTE] Gregory Benford is a well known phyicist here at UCI as well as a well known sci fi author. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/8 "2007-02-17T16:13:26Z")
Howard Cosell had a J.D. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/9 "2007-02-17T16:16:57Z")
Andrew Vachss has a J.D. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/10 "2007-02-17T16:18:45Z")
[QUOTE=bibliophage] Lots of novelists have non-Ph.D. doctorates. Scott Turow (J.D.) and Michael Chrichton (M.D.), for example. There are at least a couple of science fiction novelists with a Ph.D.: David Brin in physics and the late Jack Williamson in English. [/QUOTE] You also have non-SF Ph.D.-holder Kathy Reichs. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/11 "2007-02-17T16:20:08Z")
[Brian May](http://space.newscientist.com/article/mg19225731.500-brian-may-music-and-the-stars.html) is currently finishing his PhD that he placed on hiatus when Queen went big. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/12 "2007-02-17T16:29:50Z")
Haing Ngor was an MD when he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. ---
**Author:** ![robdavsuss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@robdavsuss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robdavsuss)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/13 "2007-02-17T16:31:56Z")
I believe Peter Weller is working on his Ph.D in history. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/14 "2007-02-17T16:32:05Z")
Peter Weller has a Masters and is working on a PhD in Roman and Renaissance art. He’s also a lecturer at Ithaca. I think Terry Jones has a PhD in medieval literature, but I can’t find a cite for that. He has written at least two scholarly works on Chaucer and hosted several popular documentaries on medieval life. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/15 "2007-02-17T16:41:05Z")
[QUOTE=Menocchio] I think Terry Jones has a PhD in medieval literature. [/QUOTE] [Graham Chapman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Chapman) was an MD. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/16 "2007-02-17T16:44:17Z")
So where did Dr. Dre get his doctorate? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/17 "2007-02-17T16:57:29Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] So where did Dr. Dre get his doctorate? [/QUOTE] Probably the same school Doc Severinsen attended. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/18 "2007-02-17T17:23:50Z")
Alternate-universe maven Harry Turtledove has an earned doctorate in Byzantine history and was a teacher of same for several years. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/19 "2007-02-17T17:32:27Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Probably the same school Doc Severinsen attended. [/QUOTE] And [Doc Cheatham.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doc_Cheatham) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613/20 "2007-02-17T17:51:07Z")
[Fred Thompson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Dalton_Thompson) has a JD, of course. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-with-real-not-honorary-doctorates/392613.md?page=2)