Stage Names - The rest of the story and video

[Excaliburns]

Ozzy Osbourne, the legendary rock icon, acquired his stage name during his early years. Let’s delve into the fascinating origin of this iconic moniker:

1. Teasing in Primary School: Ozzy’s real name is John Michael Osbourne. However, during his time in primary school, his fellow students playfully teased him by calling him “Ozzy.” Rather than letting it bother him, Ozzy embraced the nickname. It stuck with him throughout his life, becoming the name everyone knows him by12.
2. Tattooed Across His Knuckles: Ozzy’s commitment to the name is evident—since the age of 16, he has sported the tattoo “Ozzy” across his knuckles1.
3. The name “Ozzy” has become synonymous with his legendary status in the music world (How Ozzy Osbourne Got His Stage Name)1.

So, from childhood teasing to rock stardom, “Ozzy” remains an enduring part of John Michael Osbourne’s identity.

Ozzy Osbourne butchers ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ at Wrigley Field, 2003

[Excaliburns]

Mike Ditka, the legendary football player, coach, and television commentator, acquired his nickname “Iron Mike.” The origin of this moniker lies in his upbringing in a steel town in Pennsylvania1.

Mike Ditka sings during seventh inning stretch July 5 1998

[Excaliburns]

• As a modern-day hobo, Nichols embraced a nomadic lifestyle, hopping freight trains across the United States. Hobos are known for their resourcefulness, resilience, and ability to survive with minimal resources.
• The term “hobo” itself has an interesting history. It emerged in American English around 1890, but its precise origin remains uncertain. Some theories suggest it may have derived from “hoe-boy,” referring to young men who traveled as farm laborers and carried a hoe as a symbol of their occupation .
  Mark Nichols passed away after going missing on March 27, 2024, in Johnson City, Tennessee, at the age of 53. His legacy lives on through his videos and the impact he had on the rail-riding community and beyond1

(Mark Nichols heard a Mel McDaniel’s song about a hobo named Shoestring back in 1989.)

Hobo Shoestring R.I.P. - Final Video

Campfire travel stories and cooking!

[Excaliburns]

The story behind how Marilyn Monroe chose her name is fascinating and involves a collaborative effort. Let’s dive into the details:

1. Norma Jeane Mortenson: Marilyn Monroe was born as Norma Jeane Mortenson. She later adopted the name Norma Jeane Baker after being baptized.
2. Ben Lyon’s Suggestion: Ben Lyon, a studio executive, played a crucial role in renaming her. Lyon believed that the surname “Dougherty” (from her soon-to-be ex-husband) had too many possible pronunciations. He suggested a change.
3. Monroe and Marilyn: Norma Jeane suggested the surname Monroe, which was on her mother’s side of the family. Meanwhile, Lyon came up with the first name Marilyn. He thought she resembled Marilyn Miller, a Broadway musical star from the Ziegfeld Follies. Marilyn Miller had also led a complicated life, similar to Monroe’s own experiences.
4. Shared Name and Fate: It’s interesting that both performers shared the same name, not only in appearance but also in their complex personal lives. Marilyn Miller died at 37, while Marilyn Monroe tragically passed away at 36.

My Favorite Marilyn Monroe Movie Moments

Marilyn Miller

[Excaliburns]

John Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, in Winterset, Iowa, became a legendary American actor known for his iconic roles in Western and war movies during Hollywood’s Golden Age1. But how did he transition from Marion Morrison to the famous moniker “John Wayne”?

Here’s the tale: When Wayne was starting his acting career, he initially used his birth name, Marion Morrison. However, according to some biographers, executives at Fox Film Corporation found his name inappropriate for a leading man in Hollywood. They believed it lacked the rugged, cowboy appeal that was popular at the time. So, they decided to change it.

The last name “Wayne” was taken from the American Revolutionary general “Mad Anthony” Wayne. It was a fitting choice, as it exuded a sense of ruggedness and masculinity, aligning perfectly with the Western roles Wayne would later become famous for2. And thus, Marion Morrison became John Wayne, forever etching his name into cinematic history.

Interestingly, the name “Wayne” itself has an English origin, meaning “maker of wagons.” When John Wayne adopted it, it took on an air of cowboy cool that lasted for several decades, making it synonymous with the iconic actor3

Phil Donahue interviews John Wayne (1976)

Mad Anthony Wayne

[Excaliburns]

Judy Garland, the iconic Hollywood actress, was not born with that name. Before her influential and enduring music and film career, she was known as Frances Ethel Gumm, named after her parents Frank and Ethel Gumm.

1. Last Name Change:

• As Judy Garland and her two older sisters, Mary Jane and Dorothy Virginia, embarked on their careers, comedian George Jessel suggested they change their last name to “Garland” to sound more theatrical.
• The switch from “Gumm” to “Garland” was a strategic move to enhance their stage presence1.

2. First Name Change:

• Judy later decided to change her first name as well. She selected “Judy” in homage to a popular Hoagy Carmichael song released in 1934.
• This new identity, Judy Garland, caught the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 1935, leading to her remarkable journey in show business.
• Just four years later, she starred in “The Wizard of Oz,” a film that remains one of her most iconic roles1.

In her later years, Judy Garland reflected on the difference between her birth name, Frances Ethel Gumm, and her stage persona, Judy Garland. She stated, “I, Judy Garland, was born when I was twelve years old.”

Judy Garland: Some of Her Best AND Lesser Seen Moments

Hoagy Carmichael - Judy

Hoagy Carmichael - Judy

[Excaliburns]

Jack Benny, born Benjamin Kubelsky, adopted his famous stage name due to legal pressure. Initially, he changed his name to “Ben K. Benny,” but it was too similar to another violin-playing actor. So, he chose the name “Jack Benny” instead12. His comedic timing and ability to cause laughter with a pause or expression made him a legendary entertainer in U.S. radio and television for over 30 years3.

Gisele MacKenzie & Jack Benny: legendary violin duet "Getting to Know You"

[Excaliburns]

Buster Keaton 1902

The origin of Buster Keaton’s nickname is quite interesting! It seems that when he was a child, he accidentally fell down a flight of stairs. Harry Houdini, the famous magician, witnessed this incident and exclaimed, “That was a real buster!” The term “buster” was slang for a fall or a spill. And so, young Joseph Frank Keaton became forever known as Buster Keaton!

Harry Houdini

Buster's Serenade

[Excaliburns]

Willie Mays earned the iconic nickname “Say Hey Kid” during his rookie season with the New York Giants in 1951. The moniker was coined by Barney Kremenko, a New York Journal-American sportswriter. Mays would often say phrases like “say who,” “say what,” “say where,” and “say hey.” Kremenko picked up on this and referred to the young player as the “Say Hey Kid,” a name that has endured over seven decades1. It’s fascinating how a simple greeting turned into one of the most well-known sports nicknames in history!

The Treniers - Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)

[Excaliburns]

Robert Craig Knievel (October 17, 1938 – November 30, 2007)

Evel Knievel got his nickname “Evel” while he was in jail. The story goes that he was arrested for reckless driving in 1956 and ended up in a cell next to a man named William “Awful” Knofel. The jailer made a joke about having “Awful Knofel” and “Evil Knievel” in the same cell block. Knievel liked the sound of it and decided to adopt the name, changing the spelling to “Evel” to avoid being associated with evil.

Evel Knievel Kings Island 1975 - Farthest Successful Jump at 133 feet

William ‘Awful’ Knofel (second from the right) is pictured here with Deputy James O’Rourke, Undersheriff Frank Harper and Sheriff William Dalling. In March 1956, the escape artist successfully sawed his way out of the county jail.

[Excaliburns]

Harry Houdini’s real name was Erik Weisz12. He was born on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary, and later became one of the most famous escape artists and illusionists in history.

Harry Houdini chose his stage name as a tribute to two people he admired. The first part, “Harry,” was inspired by the famous magician Harry Kellar. The second part, “Houdini,” was in honor of the French magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin. Houdini added an “i” to the end of Houdin’s name, believing it would mean “like Houdin” in French.

Houdini Bridge Jump with Handcuff Escape (1907)

Harry Kellar and Harry Houdini

Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin

[southwestmba]

Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings ; January 12, 1965) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes,[2][3] and his live shows have been praised for their elaborate shock rock theatricality.[4][1][5][6] He has sold an estimated 15 million albums worldwide.
Cummings graduated from Haverhill High School in 1983.[21] He moved to New York City and began attending Parsons School of Design,[22] where he met eventual bandmate and girlfriend Sean Yseult.[23][24] Before the success of White Zombie, he worked as a production assistant for the children’s show Pee-wee’s Playhouse .[25] He took the stage name “Rob Zombie” from Bela Lugosi’s 1932 horror film White Zombie , from which he also took White Zombie’s band name. The name first shows up on White Zombie’s 1989 EP God of Thunder .[26][27] He had previously used the name “Rob Straker” on the White Zombie LPs Soul-Crusher and Make Them Die Slowly .[26][28] In 1996, he made “Rob Zombie” his legal name.[29][30][31]

[Excaliburns]

Michael Jordan is famously known as “Air Jordan” due to his incredible leaping ability and dunking skills.

As a kid, Michael Jordan’s nickname was “Magic Jordan” — named after Magic Johnson. Jordan disclosed that he adored Magic Johnson. His words:
“I liked him when I was in high school. They used to call me Magic Jordan. My first car had a license plate with Magic Jordan on it. It was a 1976 Grand Prix … There was a little bit of envy because of the way I came into the league. Magic came in with even more flair and even more success. And he should have been even bigger than I was in terms of endorsements and business opportunities. But he wasn’t marketed that way. And I was fortunate to have good people”. Jordan notes that his first car had a license plate engraved with “Magic Jordan.”

Best of Michael Jordan playing 1-on-1 vs Fans!

[Excaliburns]

Billy Strings’ real name is William Lee Apostol . He was born on October 3, 1992, in Lansing, Michigan.

Billy Strings got his stage name from his late Aunt Mondi. When he was a child, she saw his talent on multiple traditional bluegrass instruments and affectionately called him “Billy Strings” because of his ability to “string” together melodies so effortlessly. It’s a name that perfectly captures his musical prowess and has stuck with him ever since.

Guitar Boogie & Working Man Blues (Live) l Collaborations l Tommy Emmanuel with Billy Strings

[southwestmba]

Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier ; February 4, 1948)[1] is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions,[2] Cooper is considered by many music journalists and peers to be “The Godfather of Shock Rock”.[3] He has drawn equally from horror films, vaudeville, and garage rock to pioneer a macabre and theatrical brand of rock designed to shock audiences.[4]

In 1964 Furnier and 4 of his cross country teammate started a band in high school for a talent show (which they won) and took the name the Spyders. By 1967, the band had begun to make regular road trips to Los Angeles to play shows.[23] They soon renamed themselves Nazz and released the single “Wonder Who’s Lovin’ Her Now”, backed with future Alice Cooper track “Lay Down and Die, Goodbye”. By the end of the year, the band relocated to Los Angeles.[23]

In 1968, the band learned that Todd Rundgren also had a band called Nazz, which was signed to a major label, and found themselves in need of another stage name.[26] Furnier also believed that the group needed a gimmick to succeed, and that other bands were not exploiting the showmanship potential of the stage.[23] They chose the name “Alice Cooper” largely because it sounded innocuous and wholesome, in humorous contrast to the band’s image and music. In his 2007 book Alice Cooper, Golf Monster, Cooper stated that his look was inspired in part by films. One of the band’s all-time favorite movies was What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) starring Bette Davis: “In the movie, Bette wears disgusting caked makeup smeared on her face and underneath her eyes, with deep, dark, black eyeliner.” Another movie the band watched over and over was Barbarella (1968): "When I saw Anita Pallenberg playing the Great Tyrant in that movie in 1968, wearing long black leather gloves with switchblades coming out of them, I thought, ‘That’s what Alice should look like.’ That, and a little bit of Emma Peel from The Avengers.

[Excaliburns]

Redd Foxx, born John Elroy Sanford on December 9, 1922, was a legendary American stand-up comedian and actor1. He gained fame for his raunchy nightclub act and his role as Fred G. Sanford on the TV show “Sanford and Son” 2.

As for his stage name, when Sanford started his career, he combined the nickname “Redd” (a vibrant and attention-grabbing name) with “Foxx” as a tribute to the legendary baseball player Jimmie Foxx 3. The double consonants were added to make the name more memorable4.

(Warning - Vulgarity Etc. 21+)

REDD FOXX stand up comedy funny

[Excaliburns]

Minnesota Fats’ real name was Rudolf Walter Wanderone Jr. He was born on January 19, 1913, in New York City1. Wanderone adopted the nickname “Minnesota Fats” after the character in the 1961 film “The Hustler,” claiming the character was based on him. He became one of the most well-known pool players in the United States, not just for his skills but also for his entertaining personality

Minnesota Fats vs Willie Mosconi - Legendary Match

[Excaliburns]

One of the earliest known stage names belongs to the 17th-century French dramatist and actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, who adopted the mononym Molière.

Jean-Baptiste Poquelin adopted the stage name Molière in homage to the novelist François de Molière d’Essertines , a notorious libertine who was assassinated in 1624. It’s thought that Poquelin chose this name to honor the literary figure and perhaps to align himself with the wit and cleverness associated with the novelist.

Molière: The French Shakespeare celebrates his 400th birthday • FRANCE 24 English

[Excaliburns]

Harry McClintock, also known as “Haywire Mac”, was an American railroad man, radio personality, actor, singer, songwriter, and poet.

He earned the nickname “Haywire Mac” due to his adventures and somewhat chaotic lifestyle as a railroad man and hobo. In the early 20th century, “haywire” was slang for makeshift or improvised solutions, often associated with the resourcefulness and unpredictability of hobos who had to make do with whatever was at hand.

Born on October 8, 1884, in Uhrichsville, Ohio, he led a fascinating life filled with diverse experiences
He passed away on April 24, 1957, in San Francisco, California

The Hobo’s Lament

In the rustle of the rail, where the iron meets the trail, With a bindle on my back, I roam. From the city’s blinding lights to the mountains’ lofty heights, The open road is where I call my home.

With a freight train’s mournful wail, through the thunder, wind, and hail, I wander where the tracks may lead. In the hayloft, I find rest, and the stars, they see me blessed, As I ponder on the life I’ve freed.

From the valleys to the peaks, every whisper that it speaks, Echoes tales of lives both lost and found. In the footsteps of the past, through the journeys that I’ve cast, I am a traveler, unbound.

Here’s to the rails that never end, to the hobo’s only friend, The freedom of the road so wild and free. With a heart that cannot stay, I greet each dawning day, In the company of this life I see.

Inspired by the life and times of Harry McClintock, this poem reflects the spirit of a true adventurer.

Soundie BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN ('42) - Harry McClintock w Hal Borne & His Orchestra

[Excaliburns]

Engelbert Humperdinck’s stage name has an interesting story behind it. Born Arnold George Dorsey on May 2, 1936, in Madras, British India (now Chennai, India), he initially performed under the name Gerry Dorsey . However, his career wasn’t taking off as he hoped.

In 1965, his manager Gordon Mills suggested a name change to something more distinctive. Mills chose the name Engelbert Humperdinck, borrowing it from the 19th-century German composer known for operas like Hansel and Gretel . The unusual and memorable name helped distinguish him in the music industry and contributed to his rise to fame.

Engelbert Humperdinck 12/3/23 Anaheim, CA Quando, quando, quando