Who are Some People Who Kept Their Real Names Secret Until Their Deaths?

[Little_Nemo]

Authors A.J. Quinnell and Trevanian have attempted to keep their real names concealed. Quinnell, who recently died, was actually Philip Nicholson. Trevanian is believed to be Rodney Whitaker, although I don’t believe Whitaker has ever admitted he is the author.

Cordwainer Smith concealed his identity for decades. He later revealed himself to be Paul Linebarger, a government employee who had kept his writing identity secret because of concern over how it would reflect on his “day job”.

The members of the band The Residents have never revealed their identities (they perform in maks and costumes). It is believed that Homer Flynn and Hardy Fox (who act as the group’s spokesmen) are two members of the group, but they have never confirmed this.

[HeyHomie]

@BubbaDog

Billy had a brother named Bill. I worked with Bill for a number of years while “Billy” was alive. We knew that Billy was Bill’s brother (they actually looked quite alike) and thought it was rather odd that Billy had pretty much the same name as Bill. When anyone brought up the subject with Bill he would get angry and make some comment about “Billy” being a stage name and that he pretty much had nothing to with his “brother”. Bill retired before Billy died so he never had to deal with any explanations at work. I saw him a few years later at a company golf outing and figured it was for the best that I not bring up the subject. So I never figured out whether Bill was ashamed of his sister or whether his anger was staged in order to help maintain her secret.

That is truly amazing, that someone on the SDMB is connected, however loosely, to someone from a classic Straight Dope article!

Mind if I ask how old you are?

[CalMeacham]

William Poundstone, in Biggest Secrets lists the aforementioned the Residents and Trevanian , as well as (scandalously) Cecil Adams, erroneously identified as one “Ed Zotti” (Obviously a made-up name).
He also lists The Guerilla Girls, a number of ghostwriters, and a couple who aren’t obviously psudonyms, but aren’t seen, either – Thomas Pyncheon and Gael Greene.
Cordwainer Smith doesn’t really fit in here – his identity was well known before his death, as was Jamess Tiptree, Jr..

How about Sir John Mandeville?

John Mandeville

[BubbaDog]

@HeyHomie

That is truly amazing, that someone on the SDMB is connected, however loosely, to someone from a classic Straight Dope article!

Mind if I ask how old you are?

I’m in my very early fifties. I’m guessing Bill is in his mid eighties by now. When I first joined the company Bill was already a company gray-hair but he occaisionally attended some of the informal office parties. I do remember getting fairly drunk with him one night and embarrasing ourselves with the office girls. I don’t know if he’s still alive.

[Beware_of_Doug]

Lyle (Spud) Murphy, pioneering jazz arranger-composer, recently left us at age 96. He had long been assumed to have been born in Salt Lake City, Utah, but a few years before his passing, he revealed that he was really a Serbian immigrant, born Miko Stefanovic, who was brought to Utah at age 4. The name Lyle Murphy, and the moniker Spud, had been borrowed from a childhood friend of Irish ancestry when the young musician left home in his 'teens to become a professional musician.