# Entertainers credited with one name..example..Cher..The first. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 23, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464 "2004-07-23T03:21:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/1 "2004-07-23T03:21:32Z")
I’m watching **The Bride of Frankenstein** and I noticed that Boris Karloff was credited as Karloff. Is this the first example of this? I know Valentino was known by his last name but I don’t know if he was credited that way. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/2 "2004-07-23T06:18:40Z")
[Le Petomane](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_394) started giving public performances in 1887, pre-dating Cher by close to six months. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/3 "2004-07-23T06:32:27Z")
[Salome](http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blbio_salome.htm). ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/4 "2004-07-23T06:32:55Z")
Madonna! Although she has also been credited as M. Ciccone and Madonna Ritchie, I think she counts. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/5 "2004-07-23T12:28:32Z")
Charo Coochee-coochee-coo! ---
**Author:** ![WIGGUM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WIGGUM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WIGGUM)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/6 "2004-07-23T12:31:30Z")
Sting Bono Prince ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/7 "2004-07-23T12:46:23Z")
[Rachel](http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/R/Rachel2.asp) (1821–58). Predated Cher by 150 years (unless those rumors are to be believed . . .). ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/8 "2004-07-23T13:00:59Z")
Moses. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/9 "2004-07-23T13:36:27Z")
In many of her films (most notably **The Third Man** ), [Alida Valli](http://imdb.com/name/nm0885098/) was simply credited as Valli. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/10 "2004-07-23T14:05:27Z")
Iman ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/11 "2004-07-23T14:07:42Z")
The OP is asking for examples _predating “Karloff.”_ Why are people mentioning Iman, Madonna, Sting and Prince?! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/12 "2004-07-23T14:13:07Z")
Oh, and to answer the OP’s other question, according to IMDB Valentino was variously credited as > [@](#): > > M. Rodolfo De Valentina > M. Rodolpho De Valentina > M. De Valentina > R. De Valentina > Rudolpho De Valentina > Rudolpho De Valentine > Rudolph DeValentino > Rudolpho Valentina > Rodolph Valentine > Rudolph Valentine > Rodolph Valentino > Rudi Valentino > Rudolfo Valentino > Rudolf Valentino > Rudolph Volantino > Rodolfo di Valentina > Rudolpho di Valentina > Rodolfo di Valentini but not as “Valentino.” ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/13 "2004-07-23T14:22:36Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Oh, and to answer the OP’s other question, according to IMDB Valentino was variously credited as . . . but not as “Valentino.” “_You_ can call him Rudy, or _you_ can call him Rudolph, or _you_ can call him Rodolpho . . . But’cha doesn’t have t’ call him Valentino!” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/14 "2004-07-23T14:29:39Z")
God ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/15 "2004-07-23T14:31:23Z")
Now appearing. Limited run. Seven Days only! ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/16 "2004-07-23T14:32:34Z")
Was Harry Houdini ever billed simply as “Houdini”? How about Charlemange? Napoleon? Rembrandt? Michalangelo? Galeleio? Leonardo? Caravaggio? Christ? Nero? Caesar? Socrates? Buddha? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/17 "2004-07-23T16:04:35Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Now appearing. Limited run. Seven Days only! Six days. On the seventh day, the theatre was dark. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/18 "2004-07-23T16:24:56Z")
Homer. ---
**Author:** ![DogMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DogMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogMom)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/19 "2004-07-23T16:25:50Z")
> [@Kilt-wearin' man](#): > > Was Harry Houdini ever billed simply as “Houdini”? Dunno about his BILLING, but the press sure loved to call him that. [Examples from San Francisco](http://www.zpub.com/sf50/sf/hghou.htm) [This website](http://www.granhoudini.net/RareHH.htm) is selling rare Houdini memorabilia (in some cases I THINK they said they’re repros), including a book by / about him that sold in the theaters he performed at that called him simply “Houdini”. The same site also has rare “Hardeen” items, which is the single-name his brother toured as after Houdini’s death, so it looks like we can add “Hardeen” to the list of single-billings. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464/20 "2004-07-23T16:31:27Z")
> [@Kilt-wearin' man](#): > > Was Harry Houdini ever billed simply as “Houdini”? Magicians were often billed by just their last names, although it’s not clear whether they were known that way at all times. In any case, Houdini himself took his name from Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, who became perhaps the world’s most famous magician by the 1840s. His 1858 book (published in English in 1859 as _Memoirs of Robert-Houdin_) set the standard for magic for a half-century. In the book, Robert-Houdin talks about being saved from death and taught magic by a one-named Italian magician, Torrini, in about 1827. Although modern scholarship now thinks that Torrini never existed outside of a dramatic device, it does appear to show that one-named magicians were taken for granted even that early. And Robert-Houdin was certainly famous under that name long before Houdini combined the Houdin with the “i” of Torrini. All information from Jim Steinmeyer’s wonderful history, _Hiding the Elephant_. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entertainers-credited-with-one-name-example-cher-the-first/256464.md?page=2)