# Name the actor by surnames of roles played **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 2, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005 "2009-03-02T13:48:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/161 "2009-03-04T21:41:53Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Puzzle Number 43 > > Fields > Cooper > Gaines > Forrest > Clark > Dale > Dixon Glenn Close “Fields” got me to _The World According to Garp_, and then it was either her or Robin Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/162 "2009-03-04T21:50:31Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > If I hadn’t been beaten to the punch (I was away for several hours and didn’t know it was there) I would have shot from the hip for Holden with Sefton (there’s even a Doper with that name and his/her location is Stalag 17). I saw _The Party_ several years ago. Afterwards, I went looking for some old reviews online. I remember one (could have sworn it was Ebert, but can’t find it now) that said that if you remember a character’s name, the movie must have done something right. For people doing this at least partly by memory, I think it’s fascinating which names are the triggers. And I should probably watch _Stalag 17_ someday. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/163 "2009-03-04T21:53:10Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Glenn Close > > “Fields” got me to _The World According to Garp_, and then it was either her or Robin Williams. Bravo! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/164 "2009-03-04T21:55:53Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I saw _The Party_ several years ago. Afterwards, I went looking for some old reviews online. I remember one (could have sworn it was Ebert, but can’t find it now) that said that if you remember a character’s name, the movie must have done something right. > > For people doing this at least partly by memory, I think it’s fascinating which names are the triggers. > > And I should probably watch _Stalag 17_ someday. Indeed you should, although the war references are pretty stale by now. Independent of that it’s a Great Movie. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/165 "2009-03-04T22:02:26Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Puzzle # 25 > > Wilcox > Hayden > Stevens > Lewis > Ludlow > Morse > Powell Repeating yet again! I’ll even add a couple more names to the stack. Munro Silk ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/166 "2009-03-04T22:10:11Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Bravo! It’s amazing how powerful episodic memories can be. “Fields” reminded me of the bit where the realtor blurts out “the bastard son of Jenny Fields!”, and then I remembered what movie that was from. Now that I think about it, Robin Williams surname in that movie wasn’t “Fields”. I haven’t given up on #25, but those names are only reminding me of actors, not characters. I tried to do a question for William Powell, but I though most of his roles would be too obscure; and if I put “Charles” or “Godfrey”, too easy. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/167 "2009-03-04T22:19:57Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > It’s amazing how powerful episodic memories can be. “Fields” reminded me of the bit where the realtor blurts out “the bastard son of Jenny Fields!”, and then I remembered what movie that was from. > > Now that I think about it, Robin Williams surname in that movie wasn’t “Fields”. > > I haven’t given up on #25, but those names are only reminding me of actors, not characters. I tried to do a question for William Powell, but I though most of his roles would be too obscure; and if I put “Charles” or “Godfrey”, too easy. Yes. I have avoided the really obscure and the really old unless I was sure their age wasn’t a real issue. John Wayne, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and even Paul Newman all have credits back to the 50’s at least, but they’re still fresh in most movie buffs’ minds, I believe. The trick is to be obscure on the roles, but not on the actors. If there’s a combination of old actors and obscure roles, odds are most players of this game are just going to IMDB and start looking for matches. Which is fine, as far as I’m concerned. It’s a game, not test of your memory, although memory does play a part in it all. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/168 "2009-03-04T23:02:40Z")
> [@Seeker\_of\_Truth\_and\_Beauty](#): > > Michael Douglas. > > Gecko – too simple. Not as simple as you think. It’s not him. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/169 "2009-03-04T23:09:15Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > Here’s another: > > Foley > Gates > Tyne > Barnes > Gecko [George Clooney](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000123/) No guess this time! ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/170 "2009-03-05T04:29:26Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > [George Clooney](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000123/) > > No guess this time! You’re right. Another: Monroe Stewart Harford Stone Kennsinger Ingram ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/171 "2009-03-05T04:40:24Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > You’re right. > Another: > > Monroe > Stewart > Harford > Stone > Kennsinger > Ingram Nicole Kidman. It was the Kennsinger that gave it away. Next one: Grossman Algren Hunt Lauria Goodsen Babbitt ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/172 "2009-03-05T06:46:47Z")
#45 (I think) Corvin Morris Schaffer Speer Whitney Wilson ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/173 "2009-03-05T13:03:47Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > Nicole Kidman. It was the Kennsinger that gave it away. > > Next one: > > Grossman > Algren > Hunt > Lauria > Goodsen > Babbitt Tom Cruise. Wonder what made you think of him. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/174 "2009-03-05T13:06:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > #45 (I think) > > Corvin > Morris > Schaffer > Speer > Whitney > Wilson Clint Eastwood ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/175 "2009-03-05T16:25:51Z")
Fun game - good idea! Quiz #46: Green Baylor Kingsley Harrison Ames ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/176 "2009-03-05T16:33:34Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Fun game - good idea! > > Quiz #46: > > Green > Baylor > Kingsley > Harrison > Ames Susan Sarandon? Glad you like it. Several above not yet solved. Take a crack! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/177 "2009-03-05T17:17:43Z")
#47 Grey Knowles Lewis Richards Taylor ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/178 "2009-03-05T17:39:18Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Susan Sarandon? > > Glad you like it. Several above not yet solved. Take a crack! Yes, it’s her. How’d you do that? I purposefully used the more commonplace character names. I took a look at those above and was clueless. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/179 "2009-03-05T17:50:49Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Yes, it’s her. How’d you do that? I purposefully used the more commonplace character names. > > I took a look at those above and was clueless. My approach has been that if I don’t get a strong pull toward one (or more) of those surnames, to pick the one that appears most nearly unique (or least common) and use the IMDB search function for “characters” and key in that name. From the list of hits, I look for relatively well-known and popular actors who are most likely to have – in addition to their best known roles – a list of at least a dozen nondesript surnames for their characters. Going to that actor’s page at IMDB I use the CTRL-F keys to bring up the FIND function in Windows where I then key in (one at a time) the other surnames on the list. As soon as I get a “Text Not Found” I bail out of that actor’s page and go back to the hits on the characters listing and try the next most likely actor. I repeat the process until I get all names to hit for that actor. I’ve been lucky with the speed of getting hits on both major components of the search. Other than that, I guess it’s that I keep an eye on this thread and jump as soon as I see a new entry. I love this sort of thing. Kills time in a good way. Thanks for asking. ---
**Author:** ![Wash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9dc877/32.png) [@Wash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wash)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005/180 "2009-03-05T18:17:07Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > #47 > > Grey > Knowles > Lewis > Richards > Taylor Halle Berry Fun, and sometimes incredibly hard game. Some of the ones on previous pages I was drawing a complete blank on even after I saw the answer! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-the-actor-by-surnames-of-roles-played/488005.md?page=10)