 Archibald Leach |
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 Nathan Birnbaum |
Welcome to Stage and Real Names – Celebrity Birth Names
 Alphonso D’Abruzzo |
 Betty Joan Perske |
 Doris von Kappelhoff |
 Roy Scherer Jr. |
 Merle Johnson, Jr. |
 Alexandra Zuck |
Just not the same, is it? There’s a perfectly good reason why celebrities dump their real names. Sometimes a birth name lacks that showbiz pizazz needed for stardom.
Back in the Fifites and Sixties almost everyone got a new name – whether they needed it or not. Would we have loved The Duke any less if he remained Marion Morrison instead of being John Wayne?
Anyway, more lists. I tried to include some more modern folks, just so I didn’t look older than well, Nathan Birnbaum.
A |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. Edie Adams – Elizabeth Edith Enke Nick Adams – Nicholas Adamshock Eddie Albert – Edward Albert Heimberger Alan Alda – Alphonso D’Abruzzo Jane Alexander – Jane Quigley Muhammad Ali – Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. Fred Allen – John Sullivan Woody Allen – Allen Konigsberg June Allyson – Ella Geisman Don Ameche – Dominic Felix Amici Julie Andrews – Julia Wells Eve Arden – Eunice Quedens Beatrice Arthur – Bernice Frankel Jean Arthur – Gladys Greene Fred Astaire – Frederick Austerlitz Frankie Avalon – Francis Thomas Avalonne |
B |
| Lauren Bacall – Betty Joan Perske Kaye Ballard – Catherine Balotta Anne Bancroft – Anne Italiano Brigitte Bardot – Camille Javal Rona Barrett – Rona Burstein Gene Barry – Eugene Klass John Barrymore – John Blythe Orson Bean – Dallas Burrows Tony Bennett – Anthony Dominick Benedetto Jack Benny – Benjamin Kubelsky Milton Berle – Milton Berlinger Irving Berlin – Israel Baline Joey Bishop – Joseph Gottlieb Amanda Blake – Beverly Louise Neill Robert Blake – Michael Gubitosi Victor Borge – Borge Rosenbaum Big Bopper – Jiles Perry Richardson Ernest Borgnine – Ermes Effron Borgnino David Bowie – David Robert Jones Fanny Brice – Fanny Borach Charles Bronson – Charles Buchinski Mel Brooks – Mel Kaminsky Dr. Joyce Brothers – Joyce Diane Bauer Yul Brynner – Taidje Kahn, Jr. George Burns – Nathan Birnbaum Ellen Burstyn – Edna Gilhooley Richard Burton – Richard Jenkins Red Buttons – Aaron Chwatt |
C |
| Michael Caine – Maurice Micklewhite Rory Calhoun – Francis Timony Durgin Truman Capote – Truman Streckfus Persons Diahann Carroll – Carol Diahann Johnson Cyd Charisse – Tula Ellice Finklea Chubby Checker – Ernest Evans Cher – Cherilyn Sarkisian Patsy Cline – Virginia Patterson Hensley Lee J. Cobb – Leo Jacoby Claudette Colbert – Lily Chauchoin Mike Connors – Krekor “Kirk” Ohanian Robert Conrad – Conrad Robert Falk Alice Cooper – Vincent Damon Furnier David Copperfield – David Kotkin Howard Cosell – Howard Cohen Elvis Costello – Declan McManus Lou Costello – Louis Francis Cristillo Joan Crawford – Lucille Le Sueur Michael Crawford – Michael Dumble-Smith Bing Crosby – Harry Lillis Crosby Tom Cruise – Thomas Mapother IV Tony Curtis – Bernard Schwartz |
D |
| Vic Damone – Vito Farinola Rodney Dangerfield – Jacob Cohen Bobby Darin – Walden Robert Cassotto Doris Day – Doris von Kappelhoff Jimmy Dean – Seth Ward Yvonne De Carlo – Peggy Middleton Sandra Dee – Alexandra Zuck John Denver – Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. John Derek – Derek Harris Danny DeVito – Daniel Michaeli Angie Dickinson – Angeline Brown Bo Diddley – Elias Bates Troy Donahue – Merle Johnson, Jr. Diana Dors – Diana Fluck Kirk Douglas – Issur Danielovitch Mike Douglas – Michael Delaney Dowd, Jr. Bob Dylan – Robert Zimmerman |
E |
| Barbara Eden – Barbara Huffman Vince Edwards – Vicent Edward Zoino Ron Ely – Ronald Pierce Dale Evans – Frances Octavia Smith Chad Everett – Raymond Cramton |
F |
| Fabian – Fabiano Forte Douglas Fairbanks – Douglas Ullman Stepin Fetchit – Lincoln Perry Sally Field – Sally Mahoney W.C. Fields – William Claude Dukenfield Peter Finch – William Mitchell Rhonda Fleming – Marilyn Louis Gerald R. Ford – Leslie Lynch King, Jr. Joan Fontaine – Joan de Havilland Glenn Ford – Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford John Ford – Sean O’Fearna John Forsythe – John Freund Jodie Foster – Alicia Christian Foster Tony Franciosa – Anthony Papaleo Connie Francis – Concetta Franconero |
G |
| Greta Garbo – Greta Gustafsson John Garfield – Julius Garfinkle Judy Garland – Frances Gumm James Garner – James Scott Bumgarner Crystal Gayle – Brenda Gayle Webb Whoopie Goldberg – Caryn Johnson Eydie Gorme – Edith Gormezano Cary Grant – Archibald Leach Peter Graves – Peter Aurness Rocky Graziano – Rocco Barbella Joel Grey – Joe Katz |
H |
| Buddy Hackett – Leonard Hacker Jean Harlow – Harlean Carpentier Rex Harrison – Reginald Carey Helen Hayes – Helen Brown Rita Hayworth – Margarita Cansino Charlton Heston – Charles Carter Steven Hill – Solomon Krakovsky Hulk Hogan – Terry Jean Bollette William Holden – William Franklin Beedle, Jr. Billy Holiday – Eleanora Fagan Judy Holliday – Judith Tuvim Buddy Holly – Charles Hardin Holley Bob Hope – Leslie Townes Hope Robert Horton – Meade Howard Horton, Jr. Leslie Howard – Leslie Stainer Harry Houdini – Ehrich Weiss Rock Hudson – Roy Scherer Jr. Engelbert Humperdinck – Arnold Dorsey Tab Hunter – Arthur Andrew Gelien |
I |
| Burl Ives – Burle Icle Ivanhoe |
J |
| David Janssen – David Meyer Elton John – Reginald Dwight Don Johnson – Donald Wayne Al Jolson – Asa Yoelson Jennifer Jones – Phyllis Isley Louis Jourdan – Louis Gendre |
K |
| Danny Kaye – David Kaminsky Boris Karloff – William Henry Pratt Diane Keaton – Diane Hall Howard Keel – Harold Leek Carole King – Carole Klein Larry King – Larry Zeigler Ted Knight – Tadeus Wladyslaw Konopka Ben Kingsley – Krishna Banji |
L |
| Cheryl Ladd – Cheryl Stoppelmoor Frankie Laine – Frankie LoVecchio Veronica Lake – Constance Ockleman Dorothy Lamour – Mary Kaumeyer Ann Landers – Esther “Eppie” Pauline Friedman Lederer Mario Lanza – Alfredo Cocozza Michael Landon – Eugene Orowitz Stan Laurel – Arthur Jefferson Steve Lawrence – Sidney Leibowitz Gypsy Rose Lee – Rose Louise Hovick Janet Leigh – Jeanette Morrison Jerry Lewis – Joseph Levitch Huey Lewis – Hugh Cregg Hal Linden – Harold Lipshitz Little Richard – Richard Penniman Carole Lombard – Jane Peters Jack Lord – John Joseph Ryan Sophia Loren – Sophia Scicoloni Peter Lorre – Laszio Lowenstein Bela Lugosi – Bela Ferenc Blasko |
M |
| Moms Mabley – Loretta Mary Aitken Shirley MacLaine – Shirley Beaty Elle MacPherson – Eleanor Gow Madonna – Madonna Louise Ciccone Lee Majors – Harvey Lee Yeary II Karl Malden – Mladen Sekulovich Barry Manilow – Barry Alan Pincus Jayne Mansfield – Vera Jane Palmer Fredric March – Frederick Bickel Rocky Marciano – Rocco Francis Marchegiano Dean Martin – Dino Crocetti Chico Marx – Leonard Marx Groucho Marx – Julius Marx Gummo Marx – Milton Marx Harpo Marx – Adolph Marx Zeppo Marx – Herbert Marx Walter Matthau – Walter Matuschanskayasky Audrey Meadows – Audrey Cotter Jayne Meadows – Jayne Cotter Ethel Merman – Ethel Zimmerman George Michael – Georgios Panayiotou Ray Milland – Reginald Truscott-Jones Ann Miller – Lucille Collier Guy Mitchell – Albert George Cernick Joni Mitchell – Roberta Joan Anderson Marilyn Monroe – Norma Jean Baker Yves Montand – Ivo Levi Demi Moore – Demetria Guynes Garry Moore – Thomas Garrison Morfit Rita Moreno – Rosita Alverio Harry Morgan – Harry Bratsburg |
N |
| Peter Nero – Bernie Nierow Chuck Norris – Carlos Ray Norris |
O |
| Hugh O’Brian – Hugh Krampke Maureen O’Hara – Maureen Fitzsimons |
P |
| Patti Page – Clara Ann Fowler Jack Palance – Walter Palanuik Bert Parks – Bert Jacobson Johnny Paycheck – Don Lytle Minnie Pearl – Sarah Ophella Colley Cannon Bernadette Peters – Bernadette Lazzaro Lou Diamond Phillips – Lou Upchurch Edith Piaf – Edith Gassion Slim Pickens – Louis Lindley Mary Pickford – Gladys Smith Stephanie Powers – Stefania Federkiewicz |
R |
| Tony Randall – Leonard Rosenberg Ahmad Rashad – Bobby Moore Johnnie Ray – John Alvin Martha Raye – Margaret Theresa Yvonne Reed Donna Reed – Donna Belle Mullenger Della Reese – Delloreese Patricia Early Debbie Reynolds – Mary Frances Reynolds Joan Rivers – Joan Sandra Molinsky Johnny Rivers – John Henry Ramistella Harold Robbins – Frances Kane Edward G. Robinson – Emmanuel Goldenberg Ginger Rogers – Virginia McMath Roy Rogers – Leonard Slye Mickey Rooney – Joe Yule Jr. Meg Ryan – Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra Bobby Rydell – Robert Ridarelli |
S |
| Jane Seymour – Joyce Frankenberg Del Shannon – Charles Westover Omar Sharif – Michael Shalhouz Charlie Sheen – Carlos Irwin Estevez Gene Simmons – Chaim Witz Buffalo Bob Smith – Robert Emil Schmidt Ann Sothern – Harriet Lake Robert Stack – Robert Modini Jean Stapleton – Jeanne Murray Barbara Stanwyck – Ruby Stevens Ringo Starr – Richard Starkey Connie Stevens – Concetta Ingolia Sting – Gordon Sumner Gale Storm – Josephine Cottle Donna Summer – La Donna Gaines |
T |
| Robert Taylor – Spangler Arlington Brugh Danny Thomas – Muzyad Yakhoob Tina Turner – Annie Mae Bullock Twiggy – Leslie Hornby Conway Twitty – Harold Lloyd Jenkins |
V |
| Ritchie Valens – Richard Valenzuela Rudolph Valentino – Rudolpho D’Antonguolla Frankie Valli – Frank Castelluccio Abigail Van Buren – Pauline Ester Friedman Bobby Vee – Robert Thomas Velline |
W |
| Andy Warhol – Andrew Warhola Muddy Waters – McKinley Morganfield David Wayne – Wayne McMeekan John Wayne – Marion Michael Morrison Clifton Webb – Webb Parmalee Hollenbeck Raquel Welch – Raquel Tejada Tuesday Weld – Susan Kerr Wells Nathaniel West – Nathaniel Wallenstein Weinstein Gene Wilder – Jerome Silberman Shelley Winters – Shirley Schrift Wolfman Jack – Robert Smith Stevie Wonder – Steveland Morris Hardaway Natalie Wood – Natasha Gurdin Jane Wyman – Sarah Jane Fulks Tammy Wynette – Wynette Pugh |
Y |
| Gig Young – Byron Barr |