A lot of Jewish performers used to do that, and Polish in the case of Bronson.
I understand Albert Brooks - Albert Einstein!!!!
We went to the Edgar Allen Poe museum in Virginia, Fredricksburg(?) or some such
and the historian told us he was the son of a stage mother. That time in history
the actors and actresses didn’t have the allure they do now.
He was living with another family, due to the lack of funds
from the mothers income. He was to enter and exit the foster
home through the rear door. I thought that was interesting.
So said the tour guide.
That used to be true for many years, but nowadays that practice is not as common as it used to be.
Interestingly, famous athletes and other celebrities born in Latin America almost by definition have to change their name or drastically shorten their birth names for easier public recognition. Perhaps the best example of this is Edison Arantes do Nascimento, better known the world over as Pelé, perhaps the most famous soccer star of all time.
Bronson was actually the child of Tatars from Crimea who had taken a Russian name after serving the Tsar.
NObama wins again as he has more previous names than anyone listed...at least three other names as i recall...numerous SS # and passports too
Paul Muni was Meshilem Meier Weisenfreund (Polish Jew).
Edward G. Robinson was Emanuel Goldenberg.
Peter Lorre was László Löwenstein.
Other ethnicities:
Dean Martin was Dino Paul Crocetti.
Judy Garland was Frances Ethel Gumm.
-PJ