I'm doing a profile for a DVD and there is an actor who has Dr. in the credited name.

I just want to make sure if it's ok to include 'Dr.' before his first name, or do I list him without it?

Thanks, thats what I thought.

Quoting T!M:

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I tend to use the "credited as" feature for this. I use the name without Dr. as "common name", and then put the long version (with Dr.) into the "credited as" field.

Based on what criteria?  That's rather arbitrary on your part.

Quoting T!M:

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It may well be "rather arbitrary" on my part, but I started doing that after several threads in these forums in which people argued about some groundrules for what to use for "common names". Various alternatives were talked about - including using the birth name. Mind you: no-one is born a Dr.

Even regardless of birth name (which I personally don't think is the best way to go), consensus at the time seemed to be to keep prefixes like this, and also nicknames, out of the "common name" field, but enter them only in the "credited as" field when they're actually used on-screen. To me, this seems like an excellent use for the "credited as" field.

I realize that you're completely opposed to using that feature, so I do not intend to start another debate about that with you. The rules have, as of yet, nothing to say on the matter, so there's no "right" or "wrong" way of handling. I just wanted to share how I do it - nothing more, nothing less.

Fair enough.

Quoting T!M:

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It may well be "rather arbitrary" on my part, but I started doing that after several threads in these forums in which people argued about some groundrules for what to use for "common names". Various alternatives were talked about - including using the birth name. Mind you: no-one is born a Dr.

Even regardless of birth name (which I personally don't think is the best way to go), consensus at the time seemed to be to keep prefixes like this, and also nicknames, out of the "common name" field, but enter them only in the "credited as" field when they're actually used on-screen. To me, this seems like an excellent use for the "credited as" field.

I realize that you're completely opposed to using that feature, so I do not intend to start another debate about that with you. The rules have, as of yet, nothing to say on the matter, so there's no "right" or "wrong" way of handling. I just wanted to share how I do it - nothing more, nothing less.

Excellent Tim. I was having a dilemma with a profile that had a Priest in the cast list credited as Father So and So and was wondering what to do about it as it wasn't covered in the rules. Now I know. Thanks!

Quoting T!M:

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Quoting Rifter:

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Fair enough.

Thanks! Not to go on about it, but I actually was still searching for an example - this is all so hypothetical. The first that came to mind was Al Sharpton. In the first season of 'Boston Legal', he appears as himself, credited as "Reverend Al Sharpton". In 'Mr. Deeds', he appears as himself credited as "Rev. Al Sharpton". IMHO, it would be best to use the following:

"common name": Al Sharpton
"credited as" in 'Boston Legal': Reverend Al Sharpton
"credited as" in 'Mr. Deeds': Rev. Al Sharpton

That's how I handled it in my local database... Beats having separate (non-linking) entries for both variants (with "Reverend" and "Rev."). I'd use the same approach for a "Dr." prefix because, similarly, the credit could be "Dr. Jane Doe" in one movie, "Doctor Jane Doe" in the next, and simply "Jane Doe" in another. Now I'm done... 

The problem I have with this approach is, if he is always credited with some form of 'Reverend', then it should be included in his common name.  What should be standardized is the form of the prefix, it should not be removed completely.

Quoting Unicus69:

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The problem I have with this approach is, if he is always credited with some form of 'Reverend', then it should be included in his common name.  What should be standardized is the form of the prefix, it should not be removed completely.

No, I just found two examples where is is credited as either "Reverend" and "Rev.", but he's also often (probably mostly) credited as just Al Sharpton, without any prefix. I really don't think that's the issue you should focus on - it was just an example. Maybe it was better to look at the (hypothetical) big picture... To me this seems like one of the obvious uses of the "common name" / "credited as" system. With almost any prefix, be it "Reverend", "Dr." or whatever, you're bound to end up with variating credits: with prefix, without prefix or with an abbreviated prefix. I realise there are a lot of other battles to be fought over on the whole common name subject, but for this particular issue I'd prefer something like: "we don't use prefixes or nicknames in common names - just enter them into the 'credited as' field when used on-screen". I fear that any other method of handling this would be a lot less easy to standardise...

Quoting T!M:

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Quoting Unicus69:

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The problem I have with this approach is, if he is always credited with some form of 'Reverend', then it should be included in his common name.  What should be standardized is the form of the prefix, it should not be removed completely.

No, I just found two examples where is is credited as either "Reverend" and "Rev."

I know, which is why I said IF he is always credited that way.  I didn't say he was...

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, but he's also often (probably mostly) credited as just Al Sharpton, without any prefix.

You know this how?  I have never known him to be refered to as anything other than 'Reverand Al Sharpton'.  This is, yet another example, of why I think we should be waiting to use this feature.  You have your opinion and I have mine.  Who I correct?

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I really don't think that's the issue you should focus on - it was just an example. Maybe it was better to look at the (hypothetical) big picture... To me this seems like one of the obvious uses of the "common name" / "credited as" system. With almost any prefix, be it "Reverend", "Dr." or whatever, you're bound to end up with variating credits: with prefix, without prefix or with an abbreviated prefix. I realise there are a lot of other battles to be fought over on the whole common name subject, but for this particular issue I'd prefer something like: "we don't use prefixes or nicknames in common names - just enter them into the 'credited as' field when used on-screen". I fear that any other method of handling this would be a lot less easy to standardise...

You are entitled to your opinion, but I do think this is an issue that we should focus on.  If someone has spent 90% of their career credited with a prefix, I don't think we should be removing it.  To me, 'common name' means the name they use most often.  If that happens to include a prefix, so be it.