| "Alan Smithee" | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Various |
|
First "Work" |
Fade In (1968) |
Origin[]
Alan Smithee is a psuedonym used between the 1960s to the 1990s by directors and actors who wish to not be credited for their works for whatever reason. The name was the only approved name for anonymous directors by the Director's Guild of America until its discontinuation.
In response to Burn, Hollywood, Burn, a film about a character named Alan Smithee who is inable to use the psuedonym, that ironically ended up having an Alan Smithee credit, the name was discounted by the Director's Guild of America.
In fiction, the name, or the last name Smithee alone, is often used for filmmaking characters who are either untalented or have suspicious motivations.