Who is Alan Smithee?

Everyone has experienced moments where they wished to distance themselves from their failures, regardless of fault. Whether it's a botched project, a poorly executed presentation, or a cringe-worthy interview, wouldn't it be convenient to attribute it to a fictitious name? In Hollywood, directors have the unique ability to do just that. By adopting a pseudonym, they can dissociate themselves entirely from unsuccessful ventures. For three decades, that pseudonym was Alan Smithee.

The debut film credited to Alan Smithee was 1969's "Death of a Gunfighter." Initially directed by Robert Totten, conflicts with the lead actor led to his replacement by Don Siegel. Upon completion, neither Totten nor Siegel wished to claim responsibility for the film, prompting the Directors Guild of America (DGA) to devise a pseudonym. Speculation suggests the name was an anagram for "the alias men," though this is likely a humorous coincidence. The more plausible explanation is that the guild sought a generic name, avoiding the use of an existing person's name, hence the addition of two E's to "Smith."

Between 1969 and 2000, Alan (or Allen) Smithee accumulated approximately 40 credits across films, TV shows, and music videos [source: Prendreigh]. In some instances, the theatrical release bore the actual director's name, while Smithee was credited for TV or airline edits. To qualify for a Smithee credit, a dissatisfied director had to demonstrate to a DGA panel that their creative vision had been undermined, whether by studio interference or other factors. Once the pseudonym was assigned, the director was barred from publicly discussing the situation.

As time passed, informed audiences began to recognize the significance of the pseudonym, and "Alan Smithee" became a byword for "box office flop." This association displeased the Directors Guild. The final blow to the Smithee name came with the 1998 film "An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn," which ironically featured a director named Alan Smithee attempting to disown a terrible movie. (The film itself was credited to Alan Smithee, and Roger Ebert famously labeled it a "spectacularly bad film.") In 2000, the DGA officially retired the Smithee pseudonym [source: Prendreigh].

With the retirement of Alan Smithee, what options remain for discontented directors? The DGA still permits the use of pseudonyms, but there is no longer a standard name. Since those involved are bound by confidentiality, it's challenging for the public to identify disowned films. The first notable post-Smithee film was 2000's "Supernova," credited to "Thomas Lee" after Francis Ford Coppola re-edited Walter Hill's original version. Similarly, Alec Baldwin's directorial debut, "Shortcut to Happiness," is now attributed to "Harry Kirkpatrick." Baldwin reportedly requested the change after the studio transformed his drama into a comedy. The film, completed in 2001, wasn't released until 2007 and was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews.