May Wynn playing...May Wynn?

The lady IS named May Wynn in Herman Wouk's novel 'The Caine Mutiny'. The actress chosen to play May Wynn in the movie 'The Caine Mutiny' was originally called Donna Lee Hickey. After appearing in the movie she adopted the name of her character for herself in real life and used it from there on.

This is by no means unique, a young actor named Justus McQuenn played a character called L Q Jones in the 1955 movie 'Battle Cry' and subsequently adopted the name in real life from then on.

Another young actor named Byron Barr played a character called Gig Young in the movie 'The Gay Sisters' and subsequently adopted that name in real life as well.

It wasn't Donna, aka May Wynn, who wanted the name of May Wynn. It was Harry Cohn, & he played games in order to get her to accept it before the movie went into production. It was used originally as a promotional ploy & they made it official. Cohn wanted the change, Donna hadn't. She was called into his office, "boiling mad." He told her he'd heard she was changing her name, which in turn, confused & angered her--because she'd heard HE was changing her name. She tried to play psychologist, telling him she liked the name, figuring he would in turn tell her the game was up ... no name change.

Instead, the decision was made. Her name was changed to May Wynn. If she wanted the work she'd deal w/it. Admittedly agitated--at her part in all this, as well as the fact she didn't want the name--she became professionally known as May Wynn prior to the finish of filming. That's why she's listed as she is. By that time, she WAS May Wynn, playing a character named May Wynn.

When she married Jack Kelly, she for the most part left the screen & became Donna Lee Kelly, or Donna Kelly. When she occasionally took on a role, she was billed as May Wynn, for the most part.

Strange but true.


Linda J. Alexander
author of the upcoming biography, "A Maverick Life: The Jack Kelly Story"

http://www.lindajalexander.net
http://www.authorsden.com/lindajalexander