Jewish Movie Stars

As the Jewish State of Israel is fighting for it's life now,

a friend of mine sent me this list of some of the Jewish stars

who changed their name so they would be more acceptable

during the time that being Jewish in America was a major strike against you.  

Although not so today in America, thought you'd find this interesting.

 

In the 1940s, it was obligatory for Jews in the performing arts, especially the movies, to hide their Jewishness behind Gentile names.

 

Thus:

Ella Geisman became June Allyson;

Bette Perske, Lauren Bacall;

Bernie Schwartz, Tony Curtis;

Issur Danielovich, Kirk Douglas;

Frances Rose Schorr, Dinah Shore;

Marion Levy, Paulette Goddard;

Muni Weissenkopf, Paul Muni;

Julie Garfinkel, John Garfield;

Allan Koenigsberg, Woody Allen;

Benny Kubelsky, Jack Benny;

Asa Yoelson, Al Jolson;

Charles Bushinsky, Charles Bronson;

Sara Gabor, Zsa Zsa Gabor;

Larry Leach, Cary Grant;

Chaim Liebovitz, Lorne Green;

David Kaminsky, Danny Kaye;

Dorothy Kaumeyer, Dorothy Lamour;

Mike Orowitz, Michael Landon;

Joseph Levitch, Jerry Lewis;

Leonard Rosenberg, Tony Randall;

TulaFinklea, Cyd Charisse, etc., etc.

The easiest name transition of all, from Jew to Irishman, was made by

Lee Jacob, to Lee J. Cobb.