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The name may also be used for a character who never delivers a line, and thus any member of the stage crew might be filling in the role. For example, a person makes a delivery to a character onstage: the doorbell rings, the delivery is made, and the delivery carrier disappears, with no words spoken.
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features a character named George
Spelvin. The name can also be used when one actor is playing what appear to be two characters, but is later revealed as being one person with two names or identities. Because of the pseudonym, the audience is not clued-in that the two seemingly separate characters
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The reasons for the use of an alternate name vary. Actors who do not want to be credited, or whose names would otherwise appear twice because they are playing more than one role in a production, may adopt a pseudonym. Actors who are members of the trade unions (such as the
246:, about a group of men who try their luck as male strippers, a member of the production's orchestra, not wanting members of his church to find he was involved with such a risqué play, had his name credited as George Spelvin.
140:). The actor was afraid that his reputation would be damaged if his name appeared in the cast list for a bit part. Gillette apparently made up the name George Spelvin on the spot. However, the
237:) credited as George Spelvin. This was supposedly done to avoid confusion between "Spelvin's" actual surname and the surname of the show's titular protagonist.
188:: with the role credited to "George Spelvin", the audience is not forewarned that the character never makes an entrance. The 1927 musical play
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181:) but are working under a non-union contract for a given production may use pseudonyms to avoid fines or other penalties by their union.
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in 1906. According to a 1916 New York Times article, Winchell Smith insisted on having the pseudonym used in
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In some plays, this name has appeared in cast lists as the name of an actor (or actress) portraying a
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notes without citation that the name is said to have first appeared on a cast list in 1886 in
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270:("The Blizzard") features a visit by a stranger calling himself George Spelvin (played by
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103:"Georgina Spelvin" has fallen out of general use since it was adopted as a screen name by
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The name has also been used as a character name on several occasions. The one-act play
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features a main character named George
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used this name in his writings; one of his books of collected columns is titled
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are meant to be the same person. This is especially useful in murder mysteries.
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created the pseudonym for an actor doubling in a second role in his 1908 play
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character who is mentioned in the dialogue but never turns up onstage
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episode "The
Sleeping Cutie" as the real name of an actor, in the
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episode "Fangs A Lot, Mama" as the author of a book called
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Traditional pseudonym used in programs in
American theater
423:"George Spelvin Says the Tag: Folklore of the Theater"
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The Life and Times of the
Ubiquitous George Spelvin
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162:and later used it in other plays including
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
32:This article includes a list of general
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300:in the "Tragical History" episode of
226:The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
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432:"George Spelvin: Is he man or myth"
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280:episode "Don Juan is Shelved", in
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116:(1973) and her subsequent films.
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473:Internet Broadway Database
464:Internet Broadway Database
179:Actors' Equity Association
385:"Who is George Spelvin?"
315:George Spelvin, American
447:Encyclopædia Britannica
372:Encyclopedia Britannica
142:Encyclopedia Britannica
128:article, actor-manager
113:The Devil in Miss Jones
53:more precise citations.
267:Fibber McGee and Molly
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257:The Actor's Nightmare
502:Anonymity pseudonyms
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105:pornographic actress
160:Brewster's Millions
155:Brewster's Millions
438:Theatre Dictionary
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262:Christopher Durang
191:Strike Up the Band
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469:Georgette Spelvin
411:Cushman, Carla. "
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