a.k.a.

[Champagne]

Why do famous people choose to change their names? For example:-

Chris Collins = Frank Skinner
Cilla White = Cilla Black
Caryn Elaine Johnson = Whoopi Goldberg
Michael Douglas = Michael Keaton
Isidore Densky = Kirk Douglas
John Cheese = John Cleese
William Perks = Bill Wyman

[Mabelcat]

If they don't change their names for aesthetic reasons then it's usually becuase another actor or artist is using the name or has already registered under that name with organisations such as Equity.

[natalie_1982]

Cilla Black was Prescilla White

[natalie_1982]

I think also because some names sound more famous than others. Probably depends on marketing too, I meane White for example probably sounds quite clean and girl next door, but Black could be interpreted as sexy and sassy? Is Cilla sexier than Prescilla (sp?)?

There's more mystery with names that are shorted or only have one name i.e. Madonna.

And people like George Michael and Job Bon Jovi probably just don't have time to sign their names fully all the time!!!

[natalie_1982]

(Jon Francis Bongiovi and Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou)

[natalie_1982]

According to Wikipedia:

"Performers take stage names for many reasons, often because their real name is considered unattractive, dull, unintentionally amusing, difficult to pronounce or spell, or projects the wrong image. Sometimes performers wish to adopt a name that is unusual (sometimes even outlandish), memorable, or that complements his/her performing persona; or because they wish to remain anonymous in relation to another sphere of work."

[littleoldme]

Michael Keaton's case is fairly obvious - there was already a Michael Douglas in Hollywood. Other real names maybe just aren't catchy enough - can you imagine The Italian Job or Alfie starring Maurice Micklewhite? :-)

[chazza]

John Cheese? Where did you hear that?

[-Zorro-]

Good job he wasnt called Bob Cheese, otherwise he would have got some stick at school

[joko]

the E in richard e grant doesn't stand for anything - it was added because there is already a richard grant registered with equity

i had to change my name for equity too, though on credits i just use my real name

it just that you can't join equity with the same name

[jno]

this guy changed his name too, for the same reason as Michael Keaton:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001289/

And you can see why Thomas Mapother IV would sooner be named after a missile. But I don't think John Cheese is correct.

[A Chill Wind]

To clarify for jno and others, it was John Cleese's father Reginald who changed his surname from Cheese upon joining the Army in 1915 - Our Lord John Cleese was born in 1939.

[jno]

So John Cheese is a bit like Adolf Schicklgruber: never really existed but could have if father hadn't had the sense to change the name before his son was born.

[BigBishop]

Believe it or not my real name is not BigBishop

[dot.hawkes]

David Jones changed his name because of Davy Jones of the Monkees, good job really, Zowie Jones doesn't have the same ring to it does it.

[spudqueen]

David Essex changed his name from David Cook as there already was an equity member called David Cook. He choose Essex as that is where he had spent many happy holidays as a child.

[aurelia]

Michael keato had to change his name or obvious reasons - there already was a hollywood actor called michael douglas and his father kirk probably had to change his name because after the war and in the past people were funny about foreigners.

Do you really blame john cleese - who would want to be Mr cheese.

My neighbour is Mrs Cowe and it's pronounced Cow - LOL Her daughter has more sense and gets thingssent to her first name twice - so if I was her my parcels would be sent to aurelia aurelia.

when I was around 10 the cows lived at one side and the lambs lived at the other - can you believe it a family called cow nd a family called lamb in the onee street LOL

[Andy Boz]

Frank Skinner put my roof on!
Chris Collins' dad used to go up the pub with a roofer called Frank Skinner's dad, and the name was borrowed.