# TV Shows Where Two Characters Have The Same First Name And Appear Together **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 16, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756 "2011-06-16T23:27:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/1 "2011-06-16T23:27:35Z")
I was watching _Burns and Allen_ and Gracie gives a credit reference for Harry Von Zell (The announcer and employee). Of course this gets confused because Gracie thinks the guy wants a credit reference for George. Complicating matters is the neighbor Harry Morton (his wife Blanche Morton is Gracie’s best friend) has the same first name. So everyone thinks it’s Harry Morton when it’s Harry Von Zell This got me to thinking, has there been other TV series where two major characters had the same FIRST name AND appeared at the same time? I know “Newhart” had the two Darryls. I don’t mean like a character Joe, and then he leaves then two years later another different character named Joe comes on. It would seem scriptwriters would make sure not to have the same first name to avoid confusion. Thus you’d get “Old Christine,” and “New Christine” on Julia Louis-Dreyfus, _the New Adventures of Old Christine_. So any others you can think of? ---
**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:** [June 16, 2011, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/2 "2011-06-16T23:34:27Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > It would seem scriptwriters would make sure not to have the same first name to avoid confusion. There was, of course, the Monty Python episode about the Philosophy Department at the University of Woolloomooloo, where everyone was called Bruce “to avoid confusion”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Falling_Reverend)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/3 "2011-06-16T23:36:34Z")
The Adventures Of Pete & Pete. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/4 "2011-06-16T23:40:45Z")
There’s the animated Ed, Edd & Eddie. Unless it’s “built in” to the gimmick or premise of a show or episode, I would expect a producer to immediately nix such an idea after reading a script with two characters named the same. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/5 "2011-06-17T00:41:40Z")
The Waltons: John Walton and John (aka John-Boy) Walton Jr. ---
**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:** [June 17, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/6 "2011-06-17T00:48:34Z")
The 60s TV series **Harrigan and Son** had Jim Harrigan, Sr. And Jim Harrigan, Jr. ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/7 "2011-06-17T00:55:51Z")
On South Park, Kyle has a cousin named Kyle. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/8 "2011-06-17T01:14:14Z")
On _Breaking Bad_ There’s Walter Senior and his son Walter Junior. I can’t think of any off the top of my head but there are likely others with father son pairs like that. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/9 "2011-06-17T01:17:09Z")
never mind ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_McAwful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e99b99/32.png) [@Larry\_McAwful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_McAwful)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/10 "2011-06-17T01:25:26Z")
There was an episode of Andy Richter’s show where another guy named Andy was hired in his office, so everyone started referring to Andy Richter as “Fat Andy.” “I don’t wanna be ‘Fat Andy,’” he complained. “Why can’t you call him… um… ‘Black Andy’?” “We’re not going to call him ‘Black Andy’!” his coworkers protested, and hilarity continued to ensue. ---
**Author:** ![Helena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c68b51/32.png) [@Helena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/11 "2011-06-17T02:11:25Z")
There’s an episode of Rex the Runt where Wendy dates another guy named Rex. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/12 "2011-06-17T02:17:19Z")
What about Larry, Darryl and Darryl? There were two Tony characters on _The Sopranos_ for a whole season when Gandolfini and Buscemi were cousins. ---
**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:** [June 17, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/13 "2011-06-17T03:11:54Z")
Doctor John Smith and Sgt John Benton. And if you want the same last names, there was Doctor John Smith and Miss Smith (no relation) ---
**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:** [June 17, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/14 "2011-06-17T03:47:59Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Doctor John Smith and Sgt John Benton. > > And if you want the same last names, there was Doctor John Smith and Miss Smith (no relation) Just about every family drama or domestic sitcom has characters with the same surname. Though **Lost in Space** managed to have both a Professor Robinson and a Doctor Robinson. ---
**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:** [June 17, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/15 "2011-06-17T04:12:32Z")
At least one, possibly two episodes of **M_A_S\*H** centered around a second doctor named Benjamin Franklin Pierce. Also, the ep. of **Seinfeld** where Kramer tried to re-invent himself as “Assman.” Strangely, he couldn’t hold a candle to the original. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/16 "2011-06-17T04:23:05Z")
Not major characters, but what the heck. On the TV show Soap, the Latin American revolutionary El Puerco had two henchmen both name Juan. They were referred to as Juan one, and Juan two. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/17 "2011-06-17T04:28:23Z")
Strangely enough, I just mentioned this in another thread. _The Monkees_ had two Michaels: Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith. And neither actually has the first name Michael - they’re George Dolenz and Robert Nesmith. ---
**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:** [June 17, 2011, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/18 "2011-06-17T10:46:05Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Just about every family drama or domestic sitcom has characters with the same surname. Yes, but they are related. The Doctor and Sarah-Jane Smith are no relation. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/19 "2011-06-17T12:55:04Z")
John Irvin (sometimes referred to as “Upstairs John” or “Gay John”) was an established recurring character on _NYPD Blue_ and eventually became an opening-credit regular. Meanwhile, Sipowicz’s last partner, John Clark, joined the cast. My guess is that when the producers brought in Clark, they hadn’t planned on Irvin’s role expanding; when it did, they were stuck with two Johns. I don’t recall them ever referencing it on screen though. After all, that kind of thing happens in real life all the time, and _NYPD_ was known for its “realistic” style. _Sealab 2021_ had two Debbies, which they mined for comic effect on occasion. “Why is she ‘Black Debbie’? Why not call her ‘Debbie’ and the other one ‘White Debbie’?” ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756/20 "2011-06-17T13:09:12Z")
Re: my post above (too late to edit, sorry), I just realized that Sipowicz’s first partner (David Caruso) was _also_ named John! Even though he didn’t overlap with the other two, that makes _three_ regulars named John during the show’s run. You’d think they could have dug just a _little_ deeper for character names… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-shows-where-two-characters-have-the-same-first-name-and-appear-together/585756.md?page=2)