# Stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** actor-characters\ **Created:** [September 22, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-of-the-golden-age-of-hollywood/1033289 "2026-09-22T20:02:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![f.coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@f.coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/f.coli)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-of-the-golden-age-of-hollywood/1033289/1 "2026-09-22T20:02:37Z")
During the Golden Age, it was common for actors and actresses to change their name, e.g. Norma Jean Baker to Marilyn Monroe and Marion Morrison to John Wayne. But I wonder, did any of the numerous men and women keep their birth names legally? Specifically, did they use their birth names for banking, property, contracts, etc? ---
**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:** [September 22, 2026, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-of-the-golden-age-of-hollywood/1033289/2 "2026-09-22T20:07:38Z")
Here’s John Wayne’s death certificate showing Marion Morrison. [![](https://findadeath.com/wp-content/uploads/directory/j/John_Wayne/dc.jpg) ](https://findadeath.com/wp-content/uploads/directory/j/John_Wayne/dc.jpg) Marilyn Monroe’s said Marilyn Monroe. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-of-the-golden-age-of-hollywood/1033289/3 "2026-09-22T20:21:09Z")
Michael Caine legally changed his name in 2016 because he was tired of getting confused responses from officials when he presented ID saying “Maurice Micklewhite”. > **[Michael Caine Changes Name to ... Michael Caine](https://time.com/4418838/michael-caine-maurice-micklewhite-name-change/)** > > Until recently he went by Maurice Micklewhite ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2026, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-of-the-golden-age-of-hollywood/1033289/4 "2026-09-22T23:09:42Z")
Jack Benny kept his legal name, Benjamin Kubelsky, for his entire life. He never changed it. Neither did Nathan Birnbaum, better known as George Burns. I’m sure there were many others. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2026, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-of-the-golden-age-of-hollywood/1033289/5 "2026-09-23T00:04:40Z")
According to his daughter, Boris Karloff never changed his legal name, William Henry Pratt. She said that he signed legal documents with both names: “William H. Pratt, a.k.a. Boris Karloff.” ---
**Author:** ![De\_La\_Rue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2026, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-of-the-golden-age-of-hollywood/1033289/6 "2026-09-23T01:15:05Z")
> [@f.coli](#): > > But I wonder, did any of the numerous men and women keep their birth names legally? Yes. [![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoIOinPkiINMXLMdRjdwhUcopM2MJpNx_Twaxe-H97FYRa0fHd7UOMtvUXMHlcjqMJvNkv8R7BVdSUtEeY7vPbAwbwedmDgcQGM0LJtfXrgqR7L1je62-6yyD7OjYvw3VFO3oRSXUkwRz5oBa4GSaE2VqoU2OI1kVcKGiILRACDjYYRlkUzThu-UJUz0/w640-h438/norma-jeane-dimaggio-uso-card-1.jpg) ](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoIOinPkiINMXLMdRjdwhUcopM2MJpNx_Twaxe-H97FYRa0fHd7UOMtvUXMHlcjqMJvNkv8R7BVdSUtEeY7vPbAwbwedmDgcQGM0LJtfXrgqR7L1je62-6yyD7OjYvw3VFO3oRSXUkwRz5oBa4GSaE2VqoU2OI1kVcKGiILRACDjYYRlkUzThu-UJUz0/w640-h438/norma-jeane-dimaggio-uso-card-1.jpg) (That being said, the person shown above did legally change her name to Marilyn Monroe two years after this card was issued, so she’s an example of keeping the birth name _and_ using the stage name legally.) ---
**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:** [September 23, 2026, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-of-the-golden-age-of-hollywood/1033289/7 "2026-09-23T01:33:35Z")
Harpo Marx did legally change his name. He was born Adolph Marx and changed it to Arthur. Oddly, from our perspective, since he did it in 1911.