Doppelnamers – Actors Division

Many moons ago, I came up with a post listing well-known celebs who have someone out there with the exact same name, famous (or, more likely, semi-famous) in another field. That time, I did musicians. This time, I’m doing actors.

Jimmy Stewart

American actor (Philadelphia Story, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, It’s a Wonderful Life, 

Vertigo, Rear Window), Princeton grad, brigadier general in Air Force Reserve

Amercan musician across multiple genres, studio muscician on over 1,200 recordings, author of 28 books on music

Will Smith

Rapper; actor; producer; starred in Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Men in Black, I Am Legend; Oscar winner & pugilist

Catcher, LA Dodgers, World Series winner

Eddie Murphy

Comedian (Saturday Night Live) turned actor, known for Coming to America, Shrek, Beverly Hills Cop; Oscar nominee

Outfielder; played for 11 years, on 3 World Series teams

Robin Williams

Comedian turned actor, known for his improv skills in both; known for Mork and Mindy, Patch Adams, Mrs Doubtfire; winner of Oscar, multiple Grammys

Rower & rowing coach, multiple medals at World Rowing Championship, Olympic coach for the UK

He’s the one in the middle

Julia Roberts

Known for her smile (insured at $30M), as well as Pretty Woman, Steel Magnolias, Erin Brockovich; Oscar winner; highest grossing actress of all time

American Soccer player, played for the University of Virginia, the US Women’s Team, and in the National Women’s Soccer League

Michael Caine

CBE; acted in 160 films, including Zulu, Alfie, The Man Who Would be King; multiple Oscars; born Maurice Micklewhite 

British race car driver

Steve Martin

Comedian turned actor; known for The Jerk, Parenthood, Father of the Bride; author; screenwriter; Emmy & Grammy winner; accomplished banjo player

Australian motorcyclist

Richard Burton

Welsh leading man; 7 Oscar nominations; starred in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Becket, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold; married to Elizabeth Taylor (twice); born Richard Jenkins, the son of a Welsh coal miner

Victorian explorer, write & translator (The Arabian Nights) 

Kurt Russell

Teen actor, known for Disney movies (The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, anyone?), married to actress Goldie Hawn, played minor league baseball

US Teacher of the Year, Oberlin High School, Oberlin OH

Jack Nicholson

3 Oscars; most nominated male actor; known for Easy Rider, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Chinatown; known for playing rebels; avid Lakers fan

Brigadier General (Ret), Trustee for the Institute of World Politics

Paul Newman

‘60s heartthrob; Oscar winner; known for Hud, Cool Hand Luke, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; race car driver; philanthropist; salad dressing tycoon

Chief Scientist for Earth Sciences & Senior Fellow at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 

Andy Griffith

Lovable small-town sheriff & detective on Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry RFD, Matlock; spokesman for crisp Ritz crackers

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition at the Department of Energy

Ron Howard

Director, producer, screenwriter, and actor; 2-time Oscar winner; known for The Andy Griffith Show & Happy Days

Basketball player for the Ft Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA’s D League, MVP, all-time league scoring leader