# TV or movie characters not known by their character names. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944 "2005-08-07T02:44:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/81 "2005-08-08T03:08:38Z")
Here’s one (not necessarily easy, but one that’s easily inferred!): Matsuo Takahashi ---
**Author:** ![Ava\_Gina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Ava\_Gina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ava_Gina)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/82 "2005-08-08T03:15:34Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Here’s one (not necessarily easy, but one that’s easily inferred!): > > Matsuo Takahashi Arnold. Another one from Happy Days. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Bongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@Winston\_Bongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Bongo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/83 "2005-08-08T03:33:46Z")
I am John Drake. . . . or am I? ---
**Author:** ![Ava\_Gina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Ava\_Gina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ava_Gina)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/84 "2005-08-08T04:44:01Z")
> [@Winston Bongo](#): > > I am John Drake. > > . . . or am I? No one else going to answer? One of my favorite TV shows. Number 6. ---
**Author:** ![Thalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@Thalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thalion)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/85 "2005-08-08T06:30:48Z")
> [@Gilligan](#): > > My name is Samuel Powers. Poor, poor Screech (_Saved by the Bell_). ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/86 "2005-08-08T10:41:38Z")
My name is **Elsie Ethrington** ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/87 "2005-08-08T13:21:09Z")
RE Gordon Shumway as Alf’s name- was there some tie-in/in-joke with Mary Hartman there. I knew Shumway was her maiden name & actually I thought Gordon may have been The Fernwood Flasher/Grandpa’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Gilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Gilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gilligan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/88 "2005-08-08T13:37:13Z")
Correct, **Thalion**. **astorian** , from your list: Jerome Kuhner-Chaim WAG - could this be Stretch Cunningham? I know that Archie Bunker was surprised to find out Stretch was Jewish; was this given as his name at the funeral? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/89 "2005-08-08T13:48:10Z")
I have no answers, but I couldn’t resist tossing one out: Richard Stabone ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/90 "2005-08-08T13:58:21Z")
> [@lhovis73](#): > > Didn’t that episode command us to never, ever mention the matter of Principal Skinner’s real identity again? total belated hijack, but I don’t think Judge Synder’s order can really be extended as far as applying to us viewers. 😉 Just Springfield residents who were present when he made the announcement, which was pretty much the whole town. Of course, Lisa’s broken it by now. But then, who could be so hard-hearted as to torture Lisa Simpson? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/91 "2005-08-08T14:19:37Z")
Terence Aloysius Mahoney (or Terence Montgomery Mahoney) Horace Debussey Jones Forsythe P. Jones (extra credit: What’s the “P” for?) Edward Nigma ---
**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:** [August 8, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/92 "2005-08-08T14:27:17Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Forsythe P. Jones (extra credit: What’s the “P” for?) > > Edward Nigma Jughead (from Archie; I don’t know the “P”) and The Riddler (from Batman). Here’s a few more: Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Eric Lehnsherr. Vic Sage. Shayera Thal. Greg Saunders. Mari McCabe. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/93 "2005-08-08T14:45:15Z")
Oh, come on. Comic book costumed superheroes and villians – that’s cheating. Francis Ethelbert Sharkey = Chief Sharkey from “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” (C.P.O. Sharkey’s first name was “Otto”) George Stevens = Kingfish from “Amos ‘n’ Andy” Homer Deegan = Speed from “The Odd Couple” Jane Angelica Thrift = Jane from “F Troop” ---
**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:** [August 8, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/94 "2005-08-08T14:47:56Z")
Eric Lehnsherr = Magneto Shayera Thal = Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman (Mark III). The Golden Age Hawgirl was Shiera Sanders-Hall; the Silver Age one was Shayera Hol. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/95 "2005-08-08T14:57:38Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Oh, come on. Comic book costumed superheroes and villians – that’s cheating. They have all had multiple appearances on TV shows, though. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/96 "2005-08-08T15:00:31Z")
Eric Stratton Daniel Day Donald Shoenstein Thomas Hewett Edwards Cat ---
**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:** [August 8, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/97 "2005-08-08T15:00:35Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > They have all had multiple appearances on TV shows, though. Yeah, but the secret identity is part of the concept of a costumed superhero and his or her foes. Nearly every appearance shows: see this guy is really this guy. It’s not as interesting as a character who didn’t have a secret identity whose real name just is not well known. ---
**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:** [August 8, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/98 "2005-08-08T15:05:05Z")
George Gates ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/99 "2005-08-08T15:20:55Z")
James Logan ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Bongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@Winston\_Bongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Bongo)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-or-movie-characters-not-known-by-their-character-names/315944/100 "2005-08-08T16:03:03Z")
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