Celebrities & Their Names: The Befores and Afters. Some changes were subtle but for the most part celebrities employed quite radical changes for their rise to the top.
Choose the first letter of the last name:
A B C D E F G H I J K
L M N O P Q R S T V W Y
Maud Adams – Maud Solveig Christina Wikstrom
Eddie Albert – Edward Albert Heimberger
Alan Alda – Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo
Mohammed Ali – Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.
Jane Alexander – Jane Quigley
Jason Alexander – Jay Scott Greenspan
Tim Allen – Timothy Alan Dick
Woody Allen – Allen Stewart Konigsberg
Don Ameche – Dominic Felix Amici
Tori Amos – Myra Ellen Amos
Julie Andrews – Julia Elizabeth Wells
Ann Margret – Ann-Margret Olsson
Beatrice Arthur – Bernice Frankel
Elizabeth Ashley – Elizabeth Ann Cole
Ed Asner – Yitzak Edward Asner
Fred Astaire – Frederick Austerlitz
Lauren Bacall – Betty Joan Perske
Josephine Baker – Frida Josephine McDonald
Alec Baldwin – Alexander Rae Baldwin, III
Anne Bancroft – Anne Italiano
John Barrymore – John Blythe
Warren Beatty – Henry Warren Beaty
Bonnie Bedelia – Bonnie Culkin
Pat Benatar – Patricia Andrejewski
Tony Bennett – Anthony Dominick Benedetto
Jack Benny – Benjamin Kubelsky
Robbie Benson – Robert Segal
Tom Berenger – Thomas Michael Moore
Milton Berle – Milton Berlinger
Irving Berlin – Israel Baline
Joey Bishop – Joseph Abraham Gottlieb
Robert Blake – Michael James Vijencio Gubitosi
Jon Bon Jovi – John Bonjiovi
Sonny Bono – Salvatore Bono
Pat Boone – Charles Eugene Boone
Ernest Borgnine – Ermes Effron Borgnino
David Bowie – David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones
Beau Bridges – Lloyd Vernet Bridges III
Charles Bronson – Charles Buchinsky
Albert Brooks – Albert Einstein
Mel Brooks – Melvin Kaminsky
Yul Brynner – Taidje Kahn, Jr.
George Burns – Nathan Birnbaum
Ellen Burstyn – Edna Rae Gillooly
Richard Burton – Richard Jenkins
Nicholas Cage – Nicolas Kim Coppola
Michael Caine – Maurice Micklewhite
Maria Callas – Maria Anna Sophia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos
Dyan Cannon – Samile Diane Friesen
Kate Capshaw – Kathleen Sue Nail
Vikki Carr – Florencia Bisenta de Casillas Martinez Cardona
Ray Charles – Ray Charles Robinson
Charo – Maria Rosaria Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza
Chevy Chase – Cornelius Crane Chase
Chubby Checker – Ernest Evans
Cher – Cherilyn Sarkisian
Eric Clapton – Eric Patrick Clapp
Patsy Cline – Virginia Patterson Hensley
Lee J. Cobb – Leo Jacob
Nat King Cole – Nathaniel Adams Coles
Perry Como – Pierino Como
Alice Cooper – Vincent Damon Furnier
David Copperfield – David Seth Kotkin
Elvis Costello – Declan Patrick McManus
Joan Crawford – Lucille Fay LeSueur
Bing Crosby – Harry Lillis Crosby
Tom Cruise – Thomas Cruise Mapother, IV
Tony Curtis – Bernard Schwartz
D
Rodney Dangerfield – Jacob Cohen
Doris Day – Doris Mary Ann von Kappelhoff
John Denver – Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.
Bo Derek – Mary Cathleen Collins Derek
Danny DeVito – Daniel Michaeli
Susan Dey – Susan Smith
Marlene Dietrich – Maria Magdalene von Losch Dietrich
Phyllis Diller – Phyllis Driver
Kirk Douglas – Issur Danielovitch Demsky
Mike Douglas – Michael Delaney Dowd, Jr.
Patty Duke – Anna Marie Duke
Faye Dunaway – Dorothy Faye Dunaway
Bob Dylan – Robert Allen Zimmerman
E
Sheena Easton – Sheena Shirley Orr
Buddy Ebsen – Christian Ebsen, Jr.
Barbara Eden – Barbara Huffman
Jenna Elfman – Jennifer Mary Butala
Mama Cass Elliot – Ellen Naomi Cohen
Enya – Eithne Ni Bhraonain
Gloria Estefan – Gloria Maria Fajardo
Elvira – Cassandra Peterson
Chad Everett – Raymond Lee Cramton
Fabio – Fabio Lanzoni
Morgan Fairchild – Patsy Ann McClenny
Mia Farrow – Maria de Lourdes Villiers Farrow
Farrah Fawcett – Mary Farrah Fawcett
Sally Field – Sally Mahoney
W.C. Fields – William Claude Dukenfield
Linda Fiorentino – Clorinda Fiorentino
F. Scott Fitzgerald – Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald
Glenn Ford – Gwllyn Samuel Newton Ford
Jodie Foster – Alicia Christian Foster
Michael J. Fox – Michael Andrew Fox
Redd Foxx – John Elroy Sanford
Greta Garbo – Greta Gustafson
Ava Gardner – Lucy Johnson
Judy Garland – Frances Gumm
James Garner – James Baumgarner
Crystal Gayle – Brenda Gail Webb Gatzimos
Whoopi Goldberg – Caryn Johnson
Cary Grant – Archibald Alexander Leach
Lee Grant – Lyova Haskell Rosenthal
Peter Graves – Peter Arness
Joel Grey – Joel Katz
Robert Guillaume – Robert Williams
Buddy Hackett – Leonard Hacker
Arsenio Hall – Chuckton Arthur Hall
Halston – Roy Halston Frowick
Rex Harrison – Reginald Cary
Helen Hayes – Helen Brown
Margaux Hemingway – Margot Hemmingway
Audrey Hepburn – Edda van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston
Pee Wee Herman – Paul Rubenfield
Barbara Hershey – Barbara Herzstine
Charlton Heston – John Charles Carter
Adolf Hitler – Adolf Schickelgruber Hiedler
William Holden – William Franklin Beedle, Jr.
Billie Holiday – Eleanora Fagan
Bob Hope – Leslie Townes Hope
Harry Houdini – Ehrich Weiss
Rock Hudson – Roy Scherer, Jr./ also Roy Fitzgerald
Engelbert Humperdinck – Arnold George Dorsey
Mary Beth Hurt – Mary Beth Supinger
Lauren Hutton – Mary Laurence Hutton
I
Ice Cube – O’Shea Jackson
Billy Idol – William Board
Julio Iglesias – Julio Iglesias de la CuevaIman – Iman Abdulmajid
Burl Ives – Icle Ivanhoe Ives
J
Wolfman Jack – Robert Smith
Bianca Jagger – Bianca Perez Morena de Macias
Etta James – Jamesetta Hawkins
Elton John – Reginald Kenneth Dwight
Don Johnson – Donald Wayne
Angelina Jolie – Angelina Jolie Voight
Al Jolson – Asa Yoelson
Brian Jones – Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones
James Earl Jones – Todd Jones
Louis Jourdan – Louis Gendre
Boris Karloff – William Henry Pratt
Danny Kaye – David Daniel Kaminski
Lanie Kazan – Lanie Levine
Diane Keaton – Diane Hall
Michael Keaton – Michael Douglas
Deforest Kelly – Jackson DeForest Kelley
Gene Kelly – Eugene Curran Kelly
Deborah Kerr – Deborah Jane Kerr-Trimmer
Alan King – Irwin Alan Kinberg
Larry King – Lawrence Harvey Zeiger
Ben Kingsley – Krishna Bhanji
Nastassia Kinski – Nastassja Naksyzynski
Rudyard Kipling – Richard Kipling
Henry Kissinger – Heinz Alfred Kissinger
Anne Klein – Hannah Golofski
Ted Knight – Tadeus Wladyslaw Konopka
L
Cheryl Ladd – heryl Jean Stoppelmoor
Diane Ladd – Rose Diane Ladner
Bert Lahr – Irving Lahrheim
Cleo Laine – Clementina Dinah Campbell
Veronica Lake – Constance Frances Marie Ockelman
Burt Lancaster – Stephen Burton
Nathan Lane – Joseph Lane
Ann Landers – Esther “Eppie” Pauline Friedman Lederer
Michael Landon – Eugene Michael Orowitz
Queen Latifah – Dana Ellane Owens
Stan Laurel – Arthur Stanley Jefferson
Bruce Lee – Lee Jun Fan
Peggy Lee – Norma Jean {Delores} Engstrom
Spike Lee – Shelton Jackson Lee
Jennifer Jason Leigh – Jennifer Lee Morrow
Jerry Lewis – Joseph Levitch
Liberace – Wladziu Lee Valentino
Meat Loaf – Marvin Lee Aday
Sophia Loren – Sofia Villani Scicolone
Peter Lorre – Ladislav Loewenstein
Bela Lugosi – Bela Ferenc Blasko
Andie MacDowell – Rosalie Anderson Qualley
Shirley MacLaine – Shirley Maclean Beaty
Madonna – Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone
Lee Majors – Harvey Lee Yeary II
Karl Malden – Malden Sekulovich
Barry Manilow – Barry Alan Pincus
Jayne Mansfield – Vera Jane Palmer
Marilyn Manson – Brian Warner
Dean Martin – Dino Paul Crocetti
Chico Marx – Leonard Marx
Groucho Marx – Julius Henry Marx
Harpo Marx – Adolph “Arthur” Marx
Zeppo Marx – Herbert Marx
Jackie Mason – Yokoff Moshe Maza
Walter Matthau – Walter Matuschanskatasky
Paul McCartney – James Paul McCartney
Steve McQueen – Terence Steve McQueen
Meat Loaf – Marvin Lee Aday
Freddie Mercury – Farookh Pluto Bulsara
George Michael – Georgios Panayiotou Kyriacos
Joni Mitchell – Roberta Joan Anderson Mitchell
Marilyn Monroe – Norma Jean Mortenson (also Norma Jean Baker)
Yves Montand – Ivo Livi
Demi Moore – Demetria Guynes
Julianne Moore – Julie Anne Smith
Rita Moreno – Rosita Dolores Alverio
Pat Morita – Noriyuki Morita
Zero Mostel – Samuel Joel Mostel
N
Ricky Nelson – Eric Hilliard Nelson
Mike Nichols – Michael Igor Peschkowsky
David Niven – James David Graham Niven
Chuck Norris – Carlos Ray Norris
Hugh O’Brian – Hugh J. Krampke
Maureen O’Hara – Maureen Fitzsimmons
Jacqueline Onassis – Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy
Tony Orlando – Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis
Eugene Ormandy – Jeno Blau
Ozzy Osbourne – John Michael Osbourne
Marie Osmond – Olive Osmond
Peter O’Toole – Seamus O’Toole
P
Al Pacino – Alfredo James Pacino Jack Palance – Walter Jack Palanuik
Patti Page – Clara Ann Fowler
Luke Perry – Coy Luther Perry, III
Bernadette Peters – Bernadette Lazara
Lou Diamond Phillips – Lou Upchurchb
River Phoenix – River Jude Bottom
Piano Red – William Lee Perryma
Iggy Pop – James Jewell Osterberg, Jr.
Stephanie Powers – Stefania Zofija Federkiewicz
Paula Prentiss – Paula Ragusa
Prince – Prince Rogers Nelson
Priscilla Presley – Priscilla Beaulieu
Puff Daddy – Sean Combs
Q
Suzi Quatro – Suzi Quatrocchio
Queen Latifah – Dana Ellane Owens
Queen Noor – Lisa Halaby
Anthony Quinn – Antonio Quinones
R
Raffi – Raffi Cavoukian
Tony Randall – Leonard Rosenberg
Rasputin – Grigory Yefimovich Novykh
Robert Redford – Charles Robert Redford, Jr.
Donna Reed – Donna Belle Mullenger
Robert Reed – John Robert Rietz
Della Reese – Deloreese Patricia Early Taliaferro
Judge Reinhold – Edward Ernest Reinhold Jr.
Debbie Reynolds – Mary Frances Reynolds
Little Richard – Richard Penniman
Joan Rivers – Joan Alexandra Sandra Molinsky
Edward G. Robinson – Emmanuel Goldenberg
Ginger Rogers – Virginia McMath
Roy Rogers – Leonard Franklin Slye
Mickey Rooney – Joe Yule, Jr.
Axl Rose – William Rose Bailey
Winona Ryder – Winona Laura Horowitz
S
Marquis de Sade – Donatien Alphonse Francois Comte de Sade
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Beverly Sainte-Marie
Susan Saint James – Susan Jane Miller
Jill St. John – Jill Oppenheim
Soupy Sales – Milton Supman (also Milton Hines)
Susan Sarandon – Susan Abigail Tomalin
Telly Savalas – Aristoteles Harris Savalas
Boz Scaggs – William Royce Scaggs
Romy Schneider- – Rosemarie Albach-Retty
Selena – Selena Quintanilla-Perez
Jane Seymour – Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg
Omar Sharif – Michael Shalhoub Prizhivago
Charlie Sheen – Carlos Irwin Estevez
Martin Sheen – Ramon Estevez
Sam Shepard – Samuel Shepard Rogers VII
Brooke Shields – Christa Brooke Camille Shields
Talia Shire – Talia Rose Coppola
Lone Skye – Lone Skye Leitch
Slash – Saul Hudson
Christian Slater – Christian Michael Leonard Hawkins
Anna Nicole Smith – Vicky Lynn Hogan
Sissy Spacek – Mary Elizabeth Spacek
Kevin Spacey – Kevin Fowler
Robert Stack – Robert Langford Modini
Sylvester Stallone – Michael Sylvester Stallone
Barbara Stanwyck – Ruby Stevens
Ringo Starr – Richard Starkey
Sting – Gordon Matthew Sumner
Sly Stone – Sylvester Stone
Meryl Streep – Mary Louise Streep
Max von Sydow – Carl Adolph von Sydow
T
Robert Taylor – Spangler Arlington Brugh
Danny Thomas – Muzyad Yakhoob
Tiny Tim – Herbert Buckingham Khaury
Lily Tomlin – Mary Jean Tomlin
Rip Torn – Elmore Rual Torn Jr.
Randy Travis – Randy Bruce Traywick
Travis Tritt – James Tritt
Tina Turner – Annie Mae BullockShania Twain – Eileen Regina Edwards
Twiggy – Leslie Hornby
Conway Twitty – Harold Lloyd Jenkins
V
Ritchie Valens – Richard Stephen Valenzuela
Rudolph Valentino – Rodolpho Alfonzo Rafaelo Pierre Filibert Guglielmi di D’Antonguolla Valentine
Rudy Vallee – Hubert Prior Rudy Vallee
Vangelis – Evangelos Papathanassiou
Vendela – Vendela Kirsebom
Gore Vidal – Eugene Luther Vidal, Jr.
Max Von Sydow – Carl Adolf Von Sydow
W
Lindsay Wagner – Lindsay Jean Ball
Christopher Walken – Ronald Walken
T-Bone Walker – Aaron Thibeaux Walker
Mike Wallace – Myron Wallace
Andy Warhol – Andrew Warhola
Muddy Waters – McKinley Morganfield
John Wayne – Marion Michael Morrison
Sigourney Weaver – Susan Alexandra Weaver
Raquel Welch – Raquel Tejada
Gene Wilder – Jerome Silberman
Bruce Willis – Walter Bruce Willis
Debra Winger – Mary Debra Winger
Stevie Wonder – Steveland Morris Hardaway
Natalie Wood – Natasha Nikolaevna Zacharenko-Gurdin
Tammy Wynette – Virginia Wynette Pugh
Keenan Wynn – Francis Xavier Aloysius Keenan-Wynn
Dana Wynter – Dagmar Spencer-Marcus
Y
Weird Al Yankovic – Alfred Matthew Yankovic
Susannah York – Susannah Yolande Fletcher
Gig Young – Byron Elsworth Barr
Loretta Young – Gretchen Michaela Young
Sean Young – Mary Sean Young
Chow Yun-Fat – Jau Yun Faat