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The inspiration for today’s Quick 10 comes from mental_floss collaborator A.J. Jacobs. I recently read his book The Know It All: One Man’s Humble Quest to become the Smartest Person in the World. He noted the George Harrison connection, and for some reason I knew the Jack Black connection. Thus, a post was born. Enjoy!
1. Jack Black the actor (one of my favorites, I must say – I’m a big Tenacious D fan) shares his name with a famous rat catcher from London. The other JB was Queen Victoria’s personal rat catcher and nearly died on many occasions due to infection from his numerous rat bites. He didn’t kill them all, though – when he caught unusually-colored rats, he would keep them and breed them as pets. Queen Victoria even had a couple of pet rats, and it’s thought that Beatrix Potter bought rats from Jack Black as well. The full name of Jables, by the way, is actually Thomas John Black, so technically the two of them don’t share a name at all. Sorry to start this post with a farce.
2. George Harrison the Beatle shares his name with George Harrison the organ designer. He’s known for creating organs with best tonal design ever. An example of his work is the organ at the Morman Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. So, this George Harrison probably isn’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but he definitely made some major contributions to music, too.
3. David Jones, AKA Davy Jones of the Monkees, shares his name with David Jones, AKA David Bowie. Since Davy Jones was famous first, David Jones changed his name to David Bowie to avoid confusion. I completely understand that; it would be super embarrassing to be onstage as Ziggy Stardust and having people shout, “DO DAYDREAM BELIEVER!!” at you. There’s also David Jones the scientist (he studied aluminum) and David Jones the writer (The Anathemata). Actually, there are a lot of David Joneses, but I’ll just stop there.
4. Likewise, there are lots of semi-famous William Baileys. There’s Bill Bailey the English comedian, two major league baseball player Bill Baileys, Bill Bailey the dancer, Bill Bailey the Spanish Civil War Veteran and Will Bailey from the West Wing. But I’d be willing to bet that the most famous William Bailey (to most of us, anyway) is the William Bailey who is actually Axl Rose. He was born as William Bruce Rose, Jr., but when his mom remarried L. Stephen Bailey, she changed little Axl’s last name, too.
5. Leslie Hope is a Canadian actress – 24 fans might remember her from the first season when she player Teri Bauer. She’s been on various other T.V. shows with bit parts here and there. So, it’s probably safe to say that the other Leslie Hope is a lot more famous. You just know him better as Bob Hope.
6. Michael Moore, the director/producer of Bowling for Columbine; Fahrenheit 9/11; and Sicko, shares his name with a ton of other somewhat well-known Michael Moores. First, there’s Michael Moore the baseball player (he used to be a pitcher who played for the Mariners, the Tigers and the A’s). Then there’s Michael Moore the evangelist, and Michael Moore the Contemporary Christian musician. And Michael Moore the former New Zealand Prime Minister. And two Michael Moore jazz musicians (one played clarinet and sax, the other played bass). And there’s a lot Moore where that came from. Ha.
7. No doubt even people who aren’t sports fans know the NBA’s Isiah Thomas, formerly of the Pistons. But how about Isaiah Thomas, the revolutionary-era newspaper publisher? He performed the first public reading ever of the Declaration of Independence and was the founder of the American Antiquarian Society. Sounds like these two would have really hit it off.
8. Back on the Jones front, we have Brian Jones the Rolling Stones guitarist, who died at the age of 27 in 1969. However, there’s also Brian Jones, the hot air balloonist, who is still alive and co-piloted the first successful, uninterrupted trip around the world in 1999. It took 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes.
9. Growing up in the ‘80s, I’m most familiar with Alfred E. Neuman, the MAD magazine mascot (I used to love the MAD magazine board game). But there’s also Alfred Newman the composer, who received 45 Academy Award nominations before his death in 1970. He scored films such as How the West Was Won, Gunga Din, All About Eve and The Greatest Story Ever Told. And yes, the name Newman as a composer should ring a bell – he’s Randy Newman’s uncle. But that’s not the only other famous composer in the family – two of his brothers, two of his sons and his daughter all did or do write music for the big screen. I’m partial to his son, David Newman, because he composed the music for Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.
10. Michael Jackson. I’ll refrain from personal commentary, but needless to say, there’s a certain Michael Jackson that jumps to the forefront when you hear that name. But preceding him were Michael Jackson, a Massachusetts soldier injured at Bunker Hill; Michael Jackson, the head of the British army; Michael Jackson, the British software designer and computer scientist; and Michael Jackson, an industry expert in the fields of beer and whisky. That’s him in the picture on the left, next to the other MJ.
Comments (43)
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You didn’t mention Davy Jones of Davy Jones’ locker fame!!
Also, Billy Graham the famous televangelist, shares his name with Bill Graham, a Canadian Politician.
posted by Angeline on 11-7-2008 at 3:36 pm
Thank you for mentioning the English Bill Bailey first! What about the song “Bill Bailey”?
posted by Christine on 11-7-2008 at 3:41 pm
Roy Williams – Dallas Cowboys starting Safety (Number 31)
Roy Williams – Dallas Cowboys backup Receiver (Number 11)
John McCain – the 2 time almost President.
John McClane (Close enough)- the Detective from Die Hard that any true American would vote for.
posted by Witty Nickname on 11-7-2008 at 3:46 pm
“24 fans might remember her from the first season when she player Teri Bauer.” Might remember her? Is that a subtle jab at the bad amnesia plotline from 24 season 1?
posted by Craig on 11-7-2008 at 3:49 pm
Kenny Rogers (singer) and Kenny Rogers (baseball player)
Captcha: pleasant golfing
posted by Jon on 11-7-2008 at 3:51 pm
Brian Wilson – the dude who laid in bed forever
Brian Wilson – former boyfriend who never wanted to go out
coincidence? hmmmm
posted by MamaBug on 11-7-2008 at 3:58 pm
The real name of actor Albert Brooks is Albert Einstein.
and an extra tidbit for you…Albert Brooks’ brother is “super Dave” osbourne
posted by andy on 11-7-2008 at 4:02 pm
Witty Nickname forgot about John McClain former player and current assistant coach of the NJ Devils!
The Devils also have the forward John Madden.
Let’s not forget Chris Carter, former player for the Dallas Cowboys and Chris Carter, creator of the X-Files.
posted by erak on 11-7-2008 at 4:03 pm
“An example of his work is the organ at the Morman Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.”
Just a little nitpick: That should be spelled “Mormon”.
posted by Asariel on 11-7-2008 at 4:10 pm
Joe Davola is a TV producer and “Crazy” Joe Davola is a character on Seinfeld
posted by Andy on 11-7-2008 at 4:10 pm
Johann Sebastian Bach the classical musician (composer, whatever)… Johann Sebastian Bach my second cousin. Johann because its a family name, Sebastain because he has mean parents :) He goes by John.
posted by tiffany on 11-7-2008 at 4:32 pm
My name was apperantly a popular baby name in ‘83, so there are a lot of twenty-five year old women named Sarah, mostly with the “H”.
posted by Sara on 11-7-2008 at 4:40 pm
The Michael Douglas’s (Michael Douglas and Michael Keaton, fka Michael Douglas).
posted by Erin on 11-7-2008 at 4:41 pm
There was also Bill Graham, the famous rock ‘n’ roll promoter
Robin Williams – actor/comic
Robin Williams – computer book writer
posted by Laurie Mann on 11-7-2008 at 4:44 pm
This isn’t really the same, but interesting…
I’ve read that singers Ryan Adams and Bryan Adams have the same birthday.
posted by Kristyn on 11-7-2008 at 5:00 pm
Off the top of my head, I come up with:
3 Larry King’s, 2 Chris Columbus’, 3 Mike Douglas’, 2 Harry Truman’s, and 2 Patricia Neal’s (one changed her name to Fanny Flagg).
posted by harold on 11-7-2008 at 5:03 pm
Viggo Mortensen: American actor
Viggo Mortensen: Danish theologian and author
posted by taelyn on 11-7-2008 at 5:28 pm
Was there not a talk radio host named Michael Jackson. Bit of a Brirish accent.
posted by DUKE on 11-7-2008 at 6:15 pm
A rare example of exactly same names:
John Paul Jones: American Revolutionary naval commander
John Paul Jones: member of Led Zeppelin
John Paul Jones: a sports arena at UVA in Charlottesville, VA, named for the father of billionaire commodities trader Paul Tudor Jones.
posted by Southern Buddhist on 11-7-2008 at 6:21 pm
My absolute favorite (though not technically the same same) is Evan Longoria the athlete and Eva Longoria the actress. I just think it’s humorous. Also, Ryan Howard the ballplayer always throws me off, because I think Ryan Howard the fictional temp from the Office.
posted by kristin on 11-7-2008 at 6:25 pm
Fictional characters:
Eric Foreman on That 70’s Show (Topher Grace)
Eric Foreman on House M.D. (Omar Epps)
Captcha: nations loving
posted by Christine on 11-7-2008 at 7:56 pm
There is also David Jones,my husband LOL!
Another famous one that I have to share is there are a lot of Lisa Marie’s
posted by LisaJ on 11-7-2008 at 8:38 pm
Hey Stacy! Loved the post. And thanks for the plug for The Know-It-All. AJ Jacobs (not the sociology professor at Indiana State, the author)
posted by AJ Jacobs on 11-7-2008 at 11:06 pm
My wife is married to Mike Myers, LisaJ
captcha This Ogden
posted by Mike on 11-7-2008 at 11:28 pm
Jon Favreau the actor/director
Jon Favreau speechwriter to Barack Obama
posted by Teresa on 11-8-2008 at 4:50 am
While serving in the Army my grandmother sent a newspaper clipping of a guy with the same name as mine who lived only 12 miles away and was 1 year older arrested for auto theft. Her only note was “And you didn’t stop in!”
posted by KevinGA on 11-8-2008 at 9:29 am
Do any of these people feel as badly about these coincidences as Michael Bolton?
posted by Jim on 11-8-2008 at 10:46 am
My absolute favorite–
Brett Butler (comedian, actor and female — she starred in Grace Under Fire)
Brett Butler (ex-baseball player and male — as the oft-played blooper of him being smacked in the balls by his son’s T-ball hit proves)
BTW, Duke — STILL a radio talk show host named Michael Jackson, last I heard (literally) : he got a stint back on LA radio recently.
posted by VM on 11-8-2008 at 2:32 pm
Gene Simmons – the singer
Jean Simmons – actress (played Ophelia in Olivier’s Hamlet)
posted by RJ on 11-8-2008 at 4:01 pm
I can’t believe no one’s said Anne Hathaway!
Anne Hathaway- the American actress
Anne Hathaway- Shakespeare’s wife
posted by hilly on 11-8-2008 at 4:15 pm
Also, the star basketball player at my school was a kid named Michael Jordan.
posted by hilly on 11-8-2008 at 4:18 pm
John Kennedy played for the old Washington Senators while John Kennedy was president. Both had the same birthday (born in different years). Not clear who scored the most since JFK’s stats are unpublished.
John Adams was our second president. That’s also the name of the classical minimalist composer who wrote an opera called Nixon in China.
posted by Peter M on 11-8-2008 at 5:23 pm
John Daly is best known as the golfer with alcohol troubles. There was a John Daly who for years emceed a tv quiz show called What’s My Line. And there was a movie producer by that name (he did Platoon, among others).
posted by Peter M on 11-8-2008 at 10:47 pm
There was also a wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens named Michael Jackson. There are also 2 running backs who currently play for the NFL named Adrian Peterson.
posted by Jimbo on 11-8-2008 at 11:11 pm
I dont think it counts if the more person from the 20/21st shares it with someone famous from hundreds of years ago…. its not necessarily coincidental.
posted by Karina on 11-9-2008 at 10:34 am
there was a guy who killed a cab driver in Chicago a couple of years ago named Michael Jackson. it might have been the cab driver who was named Michael Jackson and it might also have been a cab driver who killed someone named Michael Jackson. i just remember the name Michael Jackson in the story but can’t really remember the details
posted by kat on 11-9-2008 at 1:10 pm
Engelbert Humperdinck the classical composer and Englebert Humperdinck the not very good singer loved by little old ladies. @Laurie Mann, there’s another Robin Williams who appears regularly on A Prairie Home Companion. @Karina: no one said it had to be coincidental. ReCaptcha: Tigger pen
posted by Judy on 11-9-2008 at 1:22 pm
You failed to mention the best Jack Black ever, the hobo-turned-master criminal-turned-writer. His autobiography You Can’t Win is a favorite of mine; it was also a favorite of William S. Burroughs, who wrote the prologue for the first non-serialized version, and referenced it in his own autobiographical Junkie.
posted by El Tigre on 11-10-2008 at 2:01 am
Michael Myers from Halloween
posted by Steve on 11-10-2008 at 9:30 am
My dad is also named David Jones, who, while important, would probably be about 100 David Jones’s in before you mentioned him.
posted by Zach on 11-10-2008 at 10:18 am
I always have trouble remembering which of these guys has the “S” on the end of the name:
John Edwards – NC politician
John Edward – the guy who talks to dead people (and biggest douche in the universe according to the South Park guys. funny.)
Jonathan Edwards – the guy who sang “Sunshine” and “Shanty”
posted by BK on 11-10-2008 at 12:03 pm
Parker Posey, actress
Parker Mckenna Posey, actress (during the first year of “My Wife and Kids,” she was credited as Parker Posey)
Also, there is a Chicago actor/background artist name Michael Jordan (E.R., The X-Files, What About Joan, Ally McBeal)
posted by Lily on 11-10-2008 at 12:52 pm
The other day my fiance and I were discussing comedian Frank Caliendo with one of his coworkers. I mentioned I thought his John Madden impression was hilarious, at which point his coworker exclaimed, “I love the shoes he designs!”
Steve Madden, John Madden, close enough.
posted by Nicole on 11-10-2008 at 1:40 pm