True Celebrity Names (Born in the 1940s) Quiz

Answer: Richard Starkey

Born July 7th, 1940 in Liverpool, England, Richard Starkey (AKA Ringo Starr) achieved fame as the drummer for The Beatles, replacing Pete Best in August of 1962. Not *just* a drummer, he also sang lead occasionally, and had credit for writing a few of The Beatles' songs, too. Following the break-up of the band, Ringo went on to have a successful solo career.

Ringo began using his stage name after joining The Beatles. 'Ringo' for the many rings he would wear, and 'Starr' as a shortened, snazzier version of his last name.

Answer: Ernest Evans

Born October 3rd, 1941 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Ernest Evans (AKA Chubby Checker) set his place in history by popularizing 'The Twist'. He was a more-than-successful singer/songwriter at the time, though; he was no one-hit wonder. He was actually the first recording artist to have FIVE albums in the top twelve at the SAME TIME.

Why the name Chubby Checker? It essentially grew out of a play on words after he did an impression of Fats Domino, when he said, "My friends call me Chubby". 'Checker' came as a counterpart to 'Domino', completing the name word play.

Answer: Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.

Born January 17th, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. (AKA Muhammad Ali) is considered by many to be one of the greatest heavyweight boxers ever to have competed in the sport. He won his first World Heavyweight Championship at the age of 22, ousting the heavy favourite Sonny Liston.

Ali changed his name in 1975 after converting to Islam.

Answer: Krishna Pandit Bhanji

Born December 31st, 1943 in Yorkshire, England, Krishna Pandit Bhanji (AKA Ben Kingsley) made a name for himself as a theatre actor before his breakthrough film role as Gandhi in the 1982 film of the same name. He has earned multiple awards during his career, including the Oscar for Best Actor (for the previously mentioned Gandhi role).

In the late 1970s, he changed his name to Ben Kingsley out of a fear that a foreign name would hinder his acting career. He chose the name Kingsley as a reference to his grandfather, who was nicknamed 'King's Clove'.

Answer: Patricia Louise Holt-Edwards

Born May 24th, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Patricia Louise Holt-Edwards (AKA Patti LaBelle) has achieved success as a singer, actress, author and entrepreneur. She began her music career in the early 1960s, eventually earning the title of 'The Godmother of Soul'. She moved into acting in the 1980s, while simultaneously managing a skyrocketing singing career.

Patti chose the stage name 'LaBelle' when her group (The Odettes) changed their name to the BlueBelles.

Answer: Ilyena Lydia Vasilievna Mironov

Born July 26th, 1945 in London, England, Ilyena Lydia Vasilievna Mironov (AKA Helen Mirren) is a successful actress who began her career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967. She has won an Oscar, a Tony, and several Emmys over her career (the Triple Crown of acting), and was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2003.

Helen's father anglicized the Mironov family name to Mirren in the 1950s.

Answer: Cherilyn Sarkisian

Born May 20th, 1946 in El Centro, California, Cherilyn Sarkisian (AKA Cher) has spent decades in the entertainment industry, achieving success in singing and acting from her beginnings with her husband Sonny Bono (Sonny and Cher) through to earning the name 'The Goddess of Pop' for her enduring success over the decades.

Her name? Simply the shortened version of Cherilyn used for her stage presence.

Answer: James Newell Osterberg, Jr.

Born April 21st, 1947 in Muskegon, Michigan, James Newell Osterberg, Jr. (AKA Iggy Pop) began his musical career in the early 1960s playing drums with various groups before forming the Psychedelic Stooges in 1967. A year later, the group renamed themselves The Stooges, and they pushed the boundaries of proto-punk music. The band folded in 1974, but reformed in 2003. In between, he pursued a solo career and collaborated with many musicians, including David Bowie.

Iggy chose his stage name originally from an early group he played in called The Iguanas, and when he first began with The Stooges, he called himself 'Iggy Stooge'.

Answer: Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie

Born November 3rd, 1948 in Lennoxtown, Scotland, Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie (AKA Lulu) has pursued a successful singing career since the 1960s, with a couple of highlights along the way, including singing the theme song to the Bond film "The Man With the Golden Gun" and winning the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest with her song "Boom Bang-a-Bang". In the year 2000 she received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) from Queen Elizabeth II.

Lulu was discovered by manager Marion Massey, who gave her her stage name, along with her band at the time, styling them 'Lulu and the Luvvers'.

Answer: Lesley Hornby

Born September 19th, 1949 in London, England, Lesley Hornby (AKA Twiggy) achieved fame as a model in the 1960s, then furthering her career with acting and singing after 'retiring' in 1970 from modelling.

Her name comes from her thin build, and as a child she had the nickname 'Twigs'. Her manager Justin de Villeneuve (AKA Nigel Davies), persuaded her to alter the nickname to 'Twiggy'.