Stage and Real Names

Archibald Leach

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