c4countdown

A while ago it occurred to me that a couple of actors who crop up quite a bit of on TV share the odd characteristic of appearing to have swapped their forenames and surnames, viz:

• Oliver Chris (The Office and Green Wing)
• Paterson Joseph (Peep Show, Survivors etc)

At one time I tried thinking of some others and managed to come up with quite a few, but I've forgotten them all again. Why not beguile a spare ten minutes or thirteen by helping me to compile a list? They don't have to be actors; anyone in show business will qualify. (I relaxed the rules because I've just thought of Elton John, who's too good not to include.)

Well there's Craig David (pretty sure a few people have the surname Craig although I dunno if it's more popular than David)

Dinos Sfyris wrote:(pretty sure a few people have the surname Craig although I dunno if it's more popular than David)

Wendy Craig's surname was Craig, if I remember correctly.

Jon Corby wrote:

Dinos Sfyris wrote:(pretty sure a few people have the surname Craig although I dunno if it's more popular than David)

Wendy Craig's surname was Craig, if I remember correctly.

And I seem to recall that the current 007 is a Mr. Daniel Craig.

Dunno about entertainer but Collins John played football for Fulham.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Dunno about entertainer but Collins John played football for Fulham.

As, of course, did John Collins.

Stern John (Southampton & Coventry City)

Which has reminded me of Avery John, the Trinidadian who played for Bohemians, which reminds me of the old mate of mine that once met Dwight Yorke and asked him if he could get him Avery John's autograph.

John Williams, the composer.

Ryan Taylor wrote:John Williams, the composer.

Er, I don't think you've quite grasped the idea of this thread...

A couple of film directors: Lewis Gilbert and Ridley Scott.

Prince Charles, Camilla's bitch.

Ryan Taylor wrote:Prince Charles, Camilla's bitch.

Haha. Of course, this works for many members of royal or aristocratic families, as Prince, King, Duke, Earl etc are all used as surnames. Reminds me of once when I was in a production of Henry V and there was a spear-carrier who'd been given the privilege of saying one line; in the French court scene, he had to say to the Dauphin something like, "My liege: ambassadors from Harry, King of England, desire audience with you." On the opening night he strode on stage and announced, "My liege: ambassadors from Harry King, of England, desire audience with you."

Going even further off topic, I'm also reminded of legendary mathematician and Bletchley Park codebreaker Jack Good, who remarked that he ought to be elevated to the peerage on the grounds that when he walked into a room people would say, "Good Lord - it's Lord Good," which would merit the title on grounds of palindromic appeal alone.

Novelist Harper Lee (thanks to Ryan Taylor in another thread for reminding me of that one).

And CSI:NY actor Hill Harper

Dinos Sfyris wrote:And CSI:NY actor Hill Harper

Hmm, that sounds wrong either way round. Maybe there should be a separate category for celebrities who have no forename, just two surnames.

Taylor Ryan

The Nigerian footballer Finidi George's name used to be swapped around depending on where he was playing. When he played for his country and for Ipswich he was Finidi George but on the European continent he was George Finidi.

And Park Ji Sung's name is Ji Sung Park.

Andy Wilson wrote:And Park Ji Sung's name is Ji Sung Park.

They seem to have a similar problem with the snooker player Ding Junhui, who all commentators affectionately refer to as Ding although that's his surname.

Getting his forename and surname mixed up was never an issue for my grandfather.

Actually, I'd a sudanese friend when I was younger, whose mother was sure my name was Wilson, as that's what all the kids called me. It was pretty funny. She called me Wilson for ages before one of the lads said it her. She was proper morto so she was.