# Character pairs named after real-life people. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046 "2018-05-12T14:15:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/21 "2018-05-12T21:04:03Z")
The Tenth Doctor (as “John Smith”) says his parents were named Verity and Sydney. This is an homage to Verity Lambert and Sydney Newman, who were the original producers of the show. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/22 "2018-05-12T21:41:00Z")
On _St. Elsewhere_ the hospital’s P.A. system was constantly paging staff members who’s names were family and friends of the production crew. The name of the show’s creator, Bruce Paltrow, was used in multiple episodes. These days a shout out to “Dr. Gwyneth Paltrow” is an even bigger inside joke than it was in 1985. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/23 "2018-05-13T00:16:51Z")
Mr. McFeely on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was named after Mr. Rogers’ grandfather. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/24 "2018-05-13T00:30:33Z")
In the novel “Hannibal” (possibly the movie too), two police officers involved in the opening scene drug bust were named [Burke and Hare](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_and_Hare_murders) (an homage to two 19th century murderers in Scotland whose crimes involved a physician). ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/25 "2018-05-13T02:01:17Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’ve never heard of Cameron Mitchell, but in my mind they were getting it from John Cameron Mitchell. He wrote and starred in Hedwig and The Angry Inch as well as Shortbus. Cameron Mitchell played the gun fighter brother of the star In HIGH CHAPARRAL. > **[Cameron Mitchell | Actor, Director, Writer](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0593192/?ref_=tt_cl_t2)** > > Known for: The High Chaparral, How to Marry a Millionaire, Monkey on My Back ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/26 "2018-05-13T02:42:24Z")
Do bands count? Pink Floyd. Named by Syd Barrett after bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, if I recall correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/27 "2018-05-13T02:59:25Z")
A couple of days back the name of Jonathan on Buffy slipped my mind, so I googled Andrew Warren expecting to get the third name, and there turned out to be a famous person named Andrew Warren. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/28 "2018-05-13T05:57:45Z")
Folks, many of you seem to have missed the point of the question. The OP wants to have two fictional characters named after a single real person. Example. Disney’s version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame had characters Victor and Hugo, named after Victor Hugo who wrote the original novel. (Why they named the third gargoyle Laverne and not Marie is beyond me, but that’s a discussion for another time.) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/29 "2018-05-13T11:23:04Z")
I thought Bert and Ernie on Sesame Street came from the characters in _It’s A Wonderful Life_, but apparently not. Just a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/30 "2018-05-13T14:55:42Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Folks, many of you seem to have missed the point of the question. The OP wants to have two fictional characters named after a single real person. If that’s what the OP intended, he is free to return and clarify his intention. Until then, we’ll feel free to share character pairs named after two real people. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/31 "2018-05-13T15:00:41Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > If that’s what the OP intended, he is free to return and clarify his intention. Until then, we’ll feel free to share character pairs named after two real people. Yes, I did mean pairs of characters that are given the first and last name of a single real-life person. Just like the two examples I gave. But who am I to discourage interesting trivia just because it doesn’t fit that mold? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/32 "2018-05-13T15:14:28Z")
In the movie _Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby_, Ricky’s sons are named “Walker” and “Texas Ranger”. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/33 "2018-05-13T15:35:23Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Do bands count? > > Pink Floyd. Named by Syd Barrett after bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, if I recall correctly. And Elton John took his name from [Elton Dean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_Dean) and [Long John Baldrey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_John_Baldry). ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/34 "2018-05-13T17:13:08Z")
Again from The Simpsons: Troy McClure’s name is a portmanteau of Troy Donahue and Doug McClure, both character actors who appeared in lots and lots of crappy movies. (When Doug McClure saw Troy’s character on the show for the first time, he reportedly said, “Are they making fun of me?”) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/35 "2018-05-13T18:09:55Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Again from The Simpsons: Troy McClure’s name is a portmanteau of Troy Donahue and Doug McClure, both character actors who appeared in lots and lots of crappy movies. (When Doug McClure saw Troy’s character on the show for the first time, he reportedly said, “Are they making fun of me?”) Much like the SCTV character Lola Heatherton, a fictional Las Vegas entertainer, based on Lola Falana and Joey Heatherton. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/36 "2018-05-13T19:06:34Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Folks, many of you seem to have missed the point of the question. The OP wants to have two fictional characters named after a single real person. That’s why I’m not going to post Calvin & Hobbes. See. I didn’t post it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/37 "2018-05-13T19:32:57Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Mr. McFeely on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was named after Mr. Rogers’ grandfather. Grandpa McFeely? The guy all the grandkids avoided?? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/38 "2018-05-13T21:56:43Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Disney’s version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame had characters Victor and Hugo, named after Victor Hugo who wrote the original novel. (Why they named the third gargoyle Laverne and not Marie is beyond me, but that’s a discussion for another time.) Laverne is ‘the third one’ after the third Andrews Sister. (They were Patty, Maxine, and Laverne.) Definitely not a joke that millennials would get. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/39 "2018-05-14T00:06:22Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > And Elton John took his name from [Elton Dean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_Dean) and [Long John Baldrey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_John_Baldry). Some people think he should have been [John Elton](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl0HqlbX7dc). ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2018, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046/40 "2018-05-14T12:36:26Z")
39 posts and no one adds to the OP’s exemplar??? [Leonard Leakey Hofstadter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Hofstadter#Creation_and_casting): The last name comes from Nobel Prize winner in Physics Robert Hofstadter. [Sheldon Lee Cooper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_Cooper#Creation_and_casting): The last name comes from Nobel Prize winner in Physics Leon Cooper. In Universe, Leonard’s middle name is in honor of Louis Leakey. But not sure if Sheldon’s middle name is a reference to such a person. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/character-pairs-named-after-real-life-people/814046.md?page=3)