# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/21 "2006-11-13T15:17:54Z")
Drew Carey played Drew Carey on the Drew Carey Show. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Dumbest\_Guy\_in\_the\_Room](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@The\_Dumbest\_Guy\_in\_the\_Room](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Dumbest_Guy_in_the_Room)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/22 "2006-11-13T15:44:52Z")
[QUOTE=Amazingrace] … even Creed is played by a Creed. [/QUOTE] At least in Creed’s case it appears to be a genuine joke. The character is supposed to be the real Creed Bratton and is a deliberate stereotype of the actor’s own life. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/23 "2006-11-13T16:03:53Z")
Ellen Degeneres has played Ellen Morgan on Ellen and Ellen Richmond on The Ellen Show. Lucille Ball pretty much played the same character with the same first name in all her sitcoms (I Love Lucy, Luci-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here’s Lucy, & Life with Lucy). ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/24 "2006-11-13T16:59:06Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > 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. Yup. Harry Anderson was known as Harry the Hat, street-level confidence man. The kind of fella who would offer to play a game of chance with you and end up walking away with your money every time. Apparently he had his jaw broken by a man who found out he wasn’t playing a game a chance. That incident is what led Harry to quit the confidence game and go into acting. I had a book by him when I was a kid that explained a lot of the stuff con men do. Just remember kids: _nobody_ beats the monte. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/25 "2006-11-13T18:17:01Z")
Tom Selleck played Thomas Magnum Ricky Schroeder played Ricky Stratton (_Silver Spoons_) Ron Glass played Detective Ron Harris (_Barney Miller_) Nell Carter played Nell Harper (_Gimme a Break_) Selma Diamond played Selma Hacker _Night Court_) Paul Reiser played Paul Buchman (_Mad About You_ Dave Foley played Dave Nelson & Joe Rogan played Joe Garelli (_NewsRadio_) plus Garry in _The Garry Shandling Show_ Although double checking some of these has illuminated how the TV function, which used to be very helpful, on IMDB has turned almost worthless now when dealing with episode citations and separating regular cast from guests. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/26 "2006-11-13T18:32:09Z")
In **Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip** , Matthew Perry’s character is named “Matt”, but Bradley Whitford’s is not named “Brad”. I suspect it might just be a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/27 "2006-11-13T20:13:22Z")
In most of his TV and film roles from about 1961 onwards, [Sid James](http://uk.imdb.com/name/nm0416228/) played a character called Sid, as his IMDB listing shows. Maybe he couldn’t cope with being called anything else. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/28 "2006-11-13T20:43:01Z")
TV can have a faster paced production cycle when they try to pump out all 13-20 something episodes per season. If the character(s) has the same first name, it eliminates having to reshoot for a flubbed name/line: “Hey Tim… awww shoot. I meant Bob…” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/29 "2006-11-13T21:25:20Z")
[QUOTE=The Octagon (quoting someone else)] 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. [/QUOTE] If this is true, it bespeaks an almost bottomless contempt for Danza’s mental faculties on the part of the producers. I mean, honestly: he’s an inexperienced actor, so we’re afraid he’ll forget to respond to people calling him Bob or Jeff? What the **fuck**?!? I can get my four year old son to pretend his name is Buzz Lightyear, but they had to give a grown man a role where he wouldn’t have to remember a different first name? I’m baffled. 😕 :mad: ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2006, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/30 "2006-11-13T23:12:06Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] I mean, honestly: he’s an inexperienced actor, so we’re afraid he’ll forget to respond to people calling him Bob or Jeff? What the **fuck**?!? I can get my four year old son to pretend his name is Buzz Lightyear, but they had to give a grown man a role where he wouldn’t have to remember a different first name? [/QUOTE] Maybe his mental capacities are around those of Homer Simpson’s level. “All right. When I say ‘Hello Mr. Thompson’ and step on your foot, you say ‘Hello.’ Hello, Mr. Thompson.” “I think he’s talking to you.” ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/31 "2006-11-14T03:50:55Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] 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, … [/QUOTE] Señor Arnaz might feel a bit typecast if he were alive to read this. ---
**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 14, 2006, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/32 "2006-11-14T04:52:05Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] Maybe his mental capacities are around those of Homer Simpson’s level. “All right. When I say ‘Hello Mr. Thompson’ and step on your foot, you say ‘Hello.’ Hello, Mr. Thompson.” “I think he’s talking to you.” [/QUOTE] 😃 This is the first thing I thought of, too! ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/33 "2006-11-14T15:47:27Z")
And even Seinfeld’s show-within-a-show was named “Jerry”. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/34 "2006-11-20T12:32:30Z")
Lucille Ball not only played Lucy Ricardo, but played Lucy Carmichael on “The Lucy Show” which ran from 1962-68, Lucille Carter on “Here’s Lucy” which was on from 1968-74, and Lucy Barker on 1986’s “Life With Lucy.” Two who hasn’t been mentioned yet are Steve Harvey who played Steve Hightower on “The Steve Harvey Show” and Martin Lawrence who played Martin Payne on “Martin.” Lawrence’s show also represented another example of a disagreeable male character who got a beautiful woman (Tish Campbell-Martin) to love him for no discernable reason. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/35 "2006-11-20T12:51:41Z")
Alphaboi867, I apologize for overlooking your previous post about Lucille Ball. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/36 "2006-11-20T14:04:11Z")
A few more who have been overlooked: Real life twin sisters Tia Mowry and Tamera Mowry played twin sisters Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell, respectively, on “Sister, Sister.” Cedric the Entertainer played Coach Cedric Robinson on “The Steve Harvey Show.” Will Smith played a character named Will Smith on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Raven Simone plays Raven Baxter on Disney Channel’s “That’s So Raven.” John Larroquette played John Hemingway on “The John Larroquette Show.” ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/37 "2006-11-20T16:12:33Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] plus Garry in _The Garry Shandling Show_. [/QUOTE] Actual title, “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show.” ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/38 "2006-11-20T16:45:05Z")
In Family Guy, Adam West plays Mayor Adam West. The creators say that the Mayor is not the actor Adam West, he’s a character with the same name. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/39 "2006-11-20T19:54:58Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer] “You mean, um, Dr. Bob Hartley.” [/QUOTE] Newhart also played Bob McKay on the short-lived sitcom titled _Bob_. On [_The Bob Crane Show_](http://imdb.com/title/tt0072479/fullcredits), Crane played Bob Wilcox, while Todd Susman reversed the usual eponymous practice by playing the part of Marvin Susman. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155/40 "2006-11-20T20:12:31Z")
While Bob Newhart played Bobs twice (on _The Bob Newhart Show_ and the short-lived _Bob_), he also played a character with his real given name on the very short-lived _George & Leo._ His real full name: George Robert Newhart. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-the-lead-characters-first-name-is-the-same-as-the-actors/380155.md?page=3)