Evening star., 1947-10-12
Similar Names
OF Film Stars
Fans
By Harold Heffernon

A central clearinghouse for the.
reviewing and approval of all screen
actor names is one welcome pros
pect for the near future. This
agency, according to plans of its
sponsors, would work toward elimi-
mating the confusion now arising
from similarity and duplication in
professional names of players.
This is one of the most sagacious
moves the film colony has instituted
in many a year and the hope
spreads that it wilr be pushed
through to a practical conclusion.
The increasing number of SINH
Ilarities in actor names, virtually all
of them unnecessary, suddenly has
brought Hollywood up with a start.
Exhibitors are complaining. The
fans are confused. The Hollywood
post Office is protesting. Actors
themselves are srumbling. In some
instances, legal action is being
threatened by old-timers against
newcomers invading their precious
name provinces.
1t is little nonsensical when you
stop to think of it, for example, that
the industry presents so many top
personalities answering to the name
of Powell. No less than four stars
are so named-Dick, William, Flea
nor and Jane. The miXups in which
they become involved, both per-
sonal and in business, have been
endless. All four have birthrights
to the name. but a clearing house
could have shifted things around at
the start of their film careers so the
confusion would have been elm
mated.
Arrival of Van Johnson on the
MGM lot while Van Heflin was of
ION war service did the latter no
good. Van Hefin protested, upon
his return, that he was the original
Van and should be entitled to use
the name exclusively. But the new
Van had been off to such a great
start that change was. unthink-
able. So the humble tumble con-
tinues. :.
Only One Smith.
Marie (the Body Macdonald;
> Grace, the singer-dancer. and
jeanette form perplexing name
|, threesome. Others in the same
, class, who wish there had been
, something resembling a clearing
house when they first came to the
screen, are Preston Foster, Robert
Preston and Preston Sturges-the
latter famous producer writer
) director.
To name a few others in the be-
wilderment sweepstakes: George
MONTGOMERY and Robert Montgom-
) ery. Pat, Edmund, Virginia, Marga-
, ret and George O,Brien: Cameron
Mitchell and Rod Cameron, and a
: perplexed sixsome composed OF
, Sterling Hayden, Louis Hayward,
7 Russell Hayden, Richard Haydn,
Rita Hayworth and Leland Hay
5 ward, the latter the talent agent
, husband of Margaret SULLIVAN.
In the mad scramble to fix on
! names that prove irresistible mag
5 nets on theatetr marques, 1t Is in
, teresting to note that the two most
: common names, Smith and Jones
t have been notoriously neglected
5 One exception in the Smith cate
l CORY Is Alexis and, by stubbornly
;. refusing to change it, she has
S proved it can be box Office bel
r ringer. Only really prominent Jones
! on the screen is Jennifer, and she
r also has been doing quite well.
Most troublesome mixup currently
, on the name scoreboard is that be-
j tween Robert Preston and Preston
Foster. 1t is strange and mex
q plicable. Although they're far sep
!, arated in characteristics and flln
q roles zones a hero. the other &
:, villain, the fans-and even theil
friends-can't seem to get then
: straightened out. Their experiences
9 have been both amusing and detri'
n mental.
;, Forever Plagued.
= AS a matter of fact, it was th'
= Preston Foster Robert Preston sit
= uation that instigated the cam
~ paign for an official name clearing
house. This came forcibly to ligh
;, about a year ago when THE Ma
q comber Affair" was being sneal
previewed at suburban theaters
The picture featured Joan Bennett
Gregory Peck and Robert Preston
And yet, more than half the com
ment cards handed back by previev
g patrons remarked about the per
Is formance turned in by Prestol
Foster. This pronounced exampl
,r