# Characters In Films/Television That Use All Or Parts Of Their Real Names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2009, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269 "2009-05-04T09:58:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/1 "2009-05-04T09:58:51Z")
Obviously, the film Being John Malkovich comes to mind. Mary Tyler Moore was “Mary” (albeit, Mary Richards) in the show. Tracy Morgan is “Tracy” (albeit Tracy Jordan) in 30 Rock. Any other examples of actors using part of, or all of their real-life names, _preferably their full name_, in film or television character? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/2 "2009-05-04T11:34:44Z")
Lucile (Lucy) Ball was Lucy Ricardo on “I Love Lucy” and Lucy plus a different surname on the post-divorce show with Vivian Vance. There are more than a few examples of the “blurred edge” effect between reality and fiction in shows like the Monkees (where four actors/singers portray characters in a band who bear the same names as the actors). ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/3 "2009-05-04T11:52:48Z")
Tv’s Tim Stack is a regular character on My Name is Earl. Jennifer Grey was in the show It’s Like, You Know… ---
**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:** [May 4, 2009, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/4 "2009-05-04T12:15:55Z")
Tony Danza has always played Tony. Michael J. Fox played Mike Flaherty on “Spin City.” Austin Peck played Austin Reid on Days of our Lives ---
**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 4, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/5 "2009-05-04T12:47:35Z")
Jerry Seinfield. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/6 "2009-05-04T12:56:13Z")
Bob Newhart. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/7 "2009-05-04T12:57:57Z")
Bob Newhart was Bob Hartley in \*The Bob Newhart Show \*and Bob McKay in _Bob_. Unfortunately his character was named Dick in _Newhart_. ETA: Jinx! ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/8 "2009-05-04T13:15:46Z")
[Sid James](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_James) > [@](#): > > Sid James was so identified with the similar characters that he played that they were often also called “Sid” or “Sidney”. Apart from Sidney Fiddler, Sid Carter, Sid Plummer, Sidney Bliss, Sidney Boggle and Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamond in the Carry On films, he played Sid Abbot in Bless This House on television and its spin-off film, as well as Sids Jones, Turner, Marks, Stone, and Gibson in addition to four characters called just ‘Sid’. His Sidney Balmoral James from Hancock’s Half Hour also appeared in his own Citizen James series. His trademark “dirty laugh” was employed frequently. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/9 "2009-05-04T13:17:58Z")
Harry Anderson was Harry the Hat in a recurring Cheers bit role, and Harry Stone on Night Court. Woody Harrelson was Woody Boyd on Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/10 "2009-05-04T13:21:19Z")
I’m surprised that no-one has mentioned Drew Carry playing Drew Carry in the Drew Carry show. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/11 "2009-05-04T13:22:14Z")
Neil Patrick Harris played a character called Neil Patrick Harris in the Harold and Kumar movies. Roseanne Barr played Roseanne in Roseanne. The French comedy [L’aventure, c’est l’aventure](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066798/) was notable in this regard because all the main characters were named after their actors ---
**Author:** ![minlokwat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minlokwat/32/2844_2.png) [@minlokwat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minlokwat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/12 "2009-05-04T13:23:03Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Woody Harrelson was Woody Boyd on Cheers. Evidently this was an (-amazing?) coincidence as they had the character name picked out already and Harrelson then got the part. Odd to have a Woody pop up like that out of the blue. or pun number 2: Evidently the producers didn’t have it hard to get their Woody.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/13 "2009-05-04T13:29:02Z")
Andy Griffith played Andy Taylor on _The Andy Griffith Show_. ---
**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:** [May 4, 2009, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/14 "2009-05-04T13:34:03Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > Roseanne Barr played Roseanne in Roseanne. Also singer Bonnie Bramlett played her co-worker and friend Bonnie. Ellen Degeneres played Ellen on Ellen. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/15 "2009-05-04T14:01:39Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Jerry Seinfield. > [@runner pat](#): > > Bob Newhart. > [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Ellen Degeneres played Ellen on Ellen. Tim Allen played Tim Taylor on Home Improvement. I think this is some kind of rule for stand-up comedians who get their own show. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/16 "2009-05-04T14:06:57Z")
Charlie Sheen = Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/17 "2009-05-04T14:08:05Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Tim Allen played Tim Taylor on Home Improvement. I think this is some kind of rule for stand-up comedians who get their own show. Don’t forget Roseanne Barr on the show Roseanne. I’m half convinced this is because they’re good at comedy, but not good at acting when their shows first start. This somehow allows them to not screw up their lines. ---
**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 4, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/18 "2009-05-04T14:08:54Z")
> [@jovan](#): > > The French comedy [L’aventure, c’est l’aventure](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066798/) was notable in this regard because all the main characters were named after their actors Robert Altman’s **Images** also had all the cast named after the actors in the cast – but not their own name: Susannah York – Cathryn Rene Auberjonois – Hugh Marcel Bozzuffi – Rene Hugh Millais – Marcel Cathryn Harrison – Susannah I’d guess that filming was a bit confusing. Back to the OP, in **The Pretender** , Andrea Parker played Miss Parker, which was the only way she was referred to for most of the series. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/19 "2009-05-04T14:38:46Z")
In the US version of The Office, **Angela Martin** is played by **Angela Kinsey** , **Oscar Martinez** is played by **Oscar Nuñez** , **Phyllis Lapin** is played by **Phyllis Smith** , and **Creed Bratton** is played by **Creed Bratton**. In one episode the character Creed says transfers his debts to an alias, **William Charles Schneider** ; that is the birth name of the actor Creed Bratton. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269/20 "2009-05-04T14:39:21Z")
Garry Shandling on “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show” Ozzie, Harriet, Ricky and David Nelson on “Ozzie and Harriet” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/characters-in-films-television-that-use-all-or-parts-of-their-real-names/495269.md?page=2)