# TV shows where the lead character's first name is the same as the actor's **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155 "2006-11-12T22:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/1 "2006-11-12T22:04:29Z")
I know that for some actors (who might not be actors first and foremost), having the character named for them makes their work easier. Is there any information about this being a concession to a really popular personality, an acknowledgment of the actor’s lack of skill or ability to become the character, or any other perceived negatives? Looking forward to the day I get a sitcom where I play my number, 11811 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/2 "2006-11-12T22:16:10Z")
There was an Australian TV series, [The Games](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165024/), where the main characters were: John, played by John Clarke Gina, played by Gina Riley Bryan, played by Bryan Dawe, and Nicholas, played by Nicholas Bell It also had an episode where John Howard played the part of John Howard – deliberatedly, so he could be mistaken for another John Howard. (That’s explained in the [Wikipedia entry on the series.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Games_%28Australian_TV%29) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Octagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@The\_Octagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Octagon)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/3 "2006-11-12T22:32:11Z")
This is common in a lot of sitcoms (the wayans bros, seinfeld, raymond), so you might be right, but I figure they’re involved in production as well and take a ‘why bother’ approach to naming the lead character. If this snippet on IMDB about Tony Danza is true in other cases, you’re absolutely right. > [@](#): > > His character “Tony Banta” in “Taxi” (1978) was originally called “Phil Banta”. The producers thought with him being an unexperienced actor that he would not respond to the name Phil, so they changed it to his real life name. [http://imdb.com/name/nm0001103/bio](http://imdb.com/name/nm0001103/bio) ---
**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:** [November 12, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/4 "2006-11-12T23:11:41Z")
Lots of times, a big name star who gets lured to TV has a character with their own name: Lucille Ball, Ricky Ricardo, Debbie Reynolds, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Doris Day, Bette Midler, Emeril LeGasse, etc. In some cases, it’s just to have the public identify the character more closely with the star. In the above list, only Emeril might have had a problem reacting to being called a different names: the rest has long acting experience beforehand. Sometimes it’s coincidence: In **The Pretender** , Andrea Parker played the character of “Miss Parker”; I don’t know if that was planned before she was cast or not. And for real confusion, there was Robert Altman’s **Images** : > [@](#): > > Susannah York … Cathryn > Rene Auberjonois … Hugh > Marcel Bozzuffi … Rene > Hugh Millais … Marcel > Cathryn Harrison … Susannah ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/5 "2006-11-12T23:13:48Z")
I was going to mention Tony Danza. I think there’s only been one regular series where his character wasn’t named Tony. Two, looking at the IMDb- _Family Law_ and _The Practice_ (where his character was named “Tommy”- close enough). ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/6 "2006-11-12T23:15:48Z")
Andy Griffith=Andy Taylor Bob Newhart= um, Bob Newhart Mary Tyler Moore=Mary Richards Rhoda Morganstern=never mind… (yes, I watched TV last in 1970-something). ---
**Author:** ![Amazingrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Amazingrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazingrace)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/7 "2006-11-12T23:27:41Z")
Several members of the supporting cast of the American **The Office** have the same name. Angela is played by Angela, Oscar by Oscar, Phyllis by Phyllis… even Creed is played by a Creed. [The Office IMDB](http://imdb.com/title/tt0386676/) ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/8 "2006-11-12T23:28:44Z")
Most of the cases (well, other than Tony Danza) that I can think of are comedians whose shows are based on their standup routines (Jerry Seinfeld/Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr/Roseanne Connor, Ellen DeGeneres/Ellen Morgan, Jeff Foxworthy/Jeff Foxworthy) so it could be partially a case of wanting the audience to closely identify the sitcom character with the standup “character”. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/9 "2006-11-12T23:42:08Z")
I think pretty much everybody on _Curb your Enthusiasm_ has the same first name as the actor playing the role. (Of course, many people are playing themselves, but I am referring to the people who are actually cast as actors, such as Cheryl Hines and Jeff Garlin.) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/10 "2006-11-13T00:19:01Z")
[QUOTE=The Octagon] This is common in a lot of sitcoms (the wayans bros, seinfeld, raymond), so you might be right, but I figure they’re involved in production as well and take a ‘why bother’ approach to naming the lead character. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=RealityChuck] In some cases, it’s just to have the public identify the character more closely with the star. [/QUOTE] I think you’re both right. If you’re basing a TV character on a real person (or on their pre-existing persona), and you’re trying to think of a name for the character, the first thing to come to mind is going to be the person’s actual name. And if the public is already familiar with the person who’s playing the character, they’re going to be thinking “Hey, that’s Roseanne!” or “Hey, that’s Tim!” whenever Roseanne Barr or Tim Allen comes on the screen anyway. I was surprised to learn that Judge Harold T. Stone, of _Night Court_, was _not_ created with Harry Anderson in mind; it was just a happy coincidence that Anderson fit the part so well. On the other hand, I assume, but don’t know for sure, that Harry the Hat, his character from _Cheers_, was based on Harry. (For that matter, what about Woody? Surely Woody Boyd was named after Woody Harrelson, right? It wasn’t just a coincidence?) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/11 "2006-11-13T00:24:51Z")
Seinfeld I Love Lucy Star Trek: Voyager (Kate) ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/12 "2006-11-13T00:34:44Z")
[QUOTE=eleanorigby] Bob Newhart= um, Bob Newhart [/QUOTE] You me, um, Dr. Bob Hartley. That’s D period, R period. Drrrr. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/13 "2006-11-13T00:38:31Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer] You me, um, Dr. Bob Hartley. That’s D period, R period. Drrrr. 😃 [/QUOTE] Another textbook example of the law that says that when you post to correct another’s mistake you make one yourself. :smack: What I typed in my head but not on the screen: “You mean, um, Dr. Bob Hartley.” ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/14 "2006-11-13T01:13:01Z")
I don’t think there were any lead characters, exactly, but on Third Watch Kim Raver played Kim Zambrano. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/15 "2006-11-13T01:28:45Z")
I think I remember reading that the character that became Tony Banta on Taxi was originally written as a big Irishman. When Tony Danza auditioned and told them he was actually a pro boxer looking to move to acting, they re-wrote the character. While they may have gone with the name Tony partially because of his inexperience, the character was, in a sense, written for him. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2006, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/16 "2006-11-13T01:32:01Z")
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Stella are two newer sitcoms where the trios of male leads have the same names as the actors. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/17 "2006-11-13T12:56:33Z")
Artie Lange played Artie on “The Norm Show”, where Norm MacDonald played Norm. ---
**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:** [November 13, 2006, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/18 "2006-11-13T13:05:00Z")
When Carolee Campbell was hired for the soap “The Doctors,” the producers liked her first name so much they gave it to her character Carolee Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/19 "2006-11-13T13:47:29Z")
So, we have: Tim Allen/Taylor Harry Anderson/Stone Roseanne Barr/Conner Tony Danza/Banta & Micelli Andy Griffith/Taylor Bob Newhart/Hartley A few new ones: Bob Crane played Robert Hogan on “Hogan’s Heroes.” Doris Day played Doris Martin on “The Doris Day Show.” Fran Drescher was Fran Fine on “The Nanny.” Patty Duke played Patty Lane (and her cousin Cathy) on “The Patty Duke Show.” Michael J. Fox and Charlie Sheen both kept their real first names on “Spin City” (They were Michael Flaherty and Charlie Crawford, respectively). Ted Knight played Ted Baxter on “The MTM Show.” Kate Mulgrew played Columbo’s wife, Kate Columbo, on a short-lived series. Ray Romano was Ray Barone on “Everybody Loves Raymond.” ---
**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:** [November 13, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/20 "2006-11-13T14:44:21Z")
Tom Arnold played “Arnie Thomas” on the Roseanne show. On Days of our Lives, “Austin Reed” was played by Austin Peck. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155.md?page=2)