Celebrity Real Names Fun - Post Chronicle

Celebrity real names fun (and funny)! If you heard the name Bernie Schwartz, would you assume he was a sexy stud, or a hardworking accountant?

Well, if you knew Bernie Schwartz was actually the birth name of celebrity Tony Curtis, maybe you'd have a different perspective.

And that is the science of renaming celebrity figures, which at one time was considered a "must do" for Hollywood stars and starlets.

Jamie Foxx, for example, spent most of his life as Eric Bishop. And Jackie Chan made his way through childhood as Chan Kwong-Sung.

Comic actor Jack Black? Real name Thomas Black (at least he kept a part of his own name). Jack Benny was born Benjamin Kubelsky, a little hard to put on a marquis. Similarly, you'd have a hard time spelling out Nathan Birnbaum, as compared to George Burns.

And what about Hulk Hogan? His real name is Terry Gene Bollea. Rocker Gene Simmons? Just call him Chaim Witz. Oh and don't forget Flavor Flav - his name is really William Johnathon Drayton, Jr.

Dancer extraordinaire Fred Astaire started life as Frederick Austerlitz. Erykah Badu began as Erica Wright, not nearly as exciting as her stage name. Then we have Elton John, whose real name of Reginald Kenneth Dwight sounds more like three first names strung together.

Here's a fun one - Doris Day was once known as Doris von Kappelhoff. Demi Moore? She was once known as Demetria Guynes. And one of my personal favorites - Kirk Douglas, whose real name was once Issur Danielovitch.

Yikes! Check out this fascinating website to learn more about all of your favorite celebrity names.