# Real names of televison characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064 "2005-07-04T22:20:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/21 "2005-07-05T05:19:20Z")
Potsie = Warren Weber ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/22 "2005-07-05T05:26:24Z")
No one’s mentioned that Shaggy is really Norville Rogers? Or that MacGuyver’s first name was Angus? ---
**Author:** ![Margaret\_Drysdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/439d5e/32.png) [@Margaret\_Drysdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Margaret_Drysdale)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/23 "2005-07-05T05:26:25Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Though it’s listed in the IMDB, most people don’t know that in \*\*Gilligan’s Island{/b], the Skipper’s real name is Jonas Grumby and the Professor was Roy Hinkley. Their names were mentioned in the first couple of episodes, but never again. > > Bob Denver is on record as saying Gilligan’s first name was “Willy,” though it was never used in the show, and some dispute that. > > Though we don’t know his first or last name, the middle name of the Chief from **Get Smart** is “Thaddeus.” The IMDB does mention this, but does not indicate it’s his middle name. and isn’t Thaddeus the “T” in Capt. James T. Kirk? Although that’s along the lines of unknown middle names, like Richie “Rosebud” Petrie on “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” I think that Mary Ann’s last name was Summers. I’m pretty sure in one episode they hear their names on the radio, but I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/24 "2005-07-05T05:30:11Z")
> [@Margaret Drysdale](#): > > and isn’t Thaddeus the “T” in Capt. James T. Kirk? Tiberius ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/25 "2005-07-05T05:30:29Z")
> [@Margaret Drysdale](#): > > and isn’t Thaddeus the “T” in Capt. James T. Kirk? Although that’s along the lines of unknown middle names, like Richie “Rosebud” Petrie on “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” > > I think that Mary Ann’s last name was Summers. I’m pretty sure in one episode they hear their names on the radio, but I could be wrong. The “T” stands for Tiberius. Speaking of _Gilligan’s Island_, wasn’t it revealed once that Mrs. Howell’s real first name isn’t Lovie? ---
**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:** [July 5, 2005, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/26 "2005-07-05T05:47:29Z")
I don’t believe it was ever established the “Lovie” was her actual name; it was merely Howell’s nickname for her. The IMDB gives her actual first name as “Eunice.” ---
**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:** [July 5, 2005, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/27 "2005-07-05T06:35:08Z")
B. J. Hunnicutt’s (from M_A_S\*H) initials stand for Bea (his mother’s name) and Jay (his father’s name). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/28 "2005-07-05T07:32:04Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > B. J. Hunnicutt’s (from M_A_S\*H) initials stand for Bea (his mother’s name) and Jay (his father’s name). Though Hawkeye doesn’t believe this. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/29 "2005-07-05T07:36:42Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > I don’t believe it was ever established the “Lovie” was her actual name; it was merely Howell’s nickname for her. The IMDB gives her actual first name as “Eunice.” I recall very distinct reading somewhere (I’ll try to dig up the cite) that Lovie WAS her real name, but they identifed her as Eunice on a radio broadcast the Professor picked up. ---
**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/30 "2005-07-05T09:55:23Z")
[The Master Speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a971031a.html) ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/31 "2005-07-05T10:16:48Z")
After many years of dodging the question, Inspector Morse finally revealed that his first name was Endeavor (he was named after Captain Cook’s ship). ---
**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:** [July 5, 2005, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/32 "2005-07-05T11:50:25Z")
On _Roseanne_, Mark Healy’s younger brother was initially introduced as “Kevin.” Later, when he became Darlene’s boyfriend, he was “David.” Roseanne later said that “David’s not even his real name. It’s just something Darlene started calling him.” Obviously someone caught the mistake. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/33 "2005-07-05T12:23:54Z")
Richie Petrie, son of Rob and Laura Petrie on The Dick Van Dyke Show, has an unusual middle name: Rosebud. They did an entire show on it (he got it because all of his relatives wanted him to be named after them and so they put the first letters of all their names together and came up with “Rosebud”). ---
**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:** [July 5, 2005, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/34 "2005-07-05T12:45:53Z")
In the British version of [Dear John](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090416/combined) Kirk St. Moritz’s real name was Eric Morris. It really annoyed me that the character in the US version was named Kirk Morris, completely losing the joke of the name in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/35 "2005-07-05T12:48:30Z")
Venus Flytrap: Gordon Sims. ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/36 "2005-07-05T13:09:53Z")
On _Roseanne_ D.J. Connor’s initials stand for David Jacob. On _Full House_ D.J. Tanner’s initials stand for Donna Jo (or Joe). On that show, Jesse was initially introduced as Jesse Cochrain (that’s a phonetic spelling…), but later on when it became more convienient for him to be of Greek heritage it changed to Jesse Katsopilous (again, phonetic). There was also an episode which revealed each of Jesse, Joey and Danny’s middle names, but I can’t recall what they were. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/37 "2005-07-05T13:24:17Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > In the British version of [Dear John](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090416/combined) Kirk St. Moritz’s real name was Eric Morris. > > It really annoyed me that the character in the US version was named Kirk Morris, completely losing the joke of the name in the first place. What’s the joke? ---
**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:** [July 5, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/38 "2005-07-05T13:31:07Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > On _Roseanne_ D.J. Connor’s initials stand for David Jacob. On _Full House_ D.J. Tanner’s initials stand for Donna Jo (or Joe). > > On that show, Jesse was initially introduced as Jesse Cochrain (that’s a phonetic spelling…), but later on when it became more convienient for him to be of Greek heritage it changed to Jesse Katsopilous (again, phonetic). There was also an episode which revealed each of Jesse, Joey and Danny’s middle names, but I can’t recall what they were. When Full House started Jesse had a band. It was established that “Cochrain” was his (non-ethnic) stage name, and his real last name was Katsopilous. I’ve always wondered about D.J. Tanner’s paternity. Her middle name is “Joe,” and she looks an awful lot like Joey. Homer J. Simpson’s middle name is “Jay.” ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/39 "2005-07-05T13:32:07Z")
On wrestling: Hulk Hogan - Terry Bollea Shawn Michaels - Michael Higginbotham The Rock - Dwayne Johnson Stone Cold Steve Austin - Steve Williams Triple H (Hunter Hearst Helmsley) - Paul Levesque Kane - Glen Jacobs Undertaker - Mark Calloway Hurricane - Gregory Helms Lita - Amy Dumas Edge - Adam Copeland Akio - Jimmy Yang Eugene - Nick Dinsmore Chris Jericho - Chris Irvine Rob Van Dam - Robert Szatowski Raven - Scott Levy Farooq - Ron Simmons ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064/40 "2005-07-05T13:49:23Z")
> [@KJ](#): > > I don’t know if they made a big deal of it like with Kramer, but I remember an episode of Futurama where they reveal that Leela’s full name is Turanga Leela. Also, Fry’s full name is Philip J. Fry and Dr. Zoidberg’s first name is John. –Cliffy [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-names-of-televison-characters/311064.md?page=3)