Secrets and Revelations From My uncle 'Ronnie'

 The Real Name

Ronnie wasn't really Ronnie. Ronnie is short for Ronald.

Ronald was not his first name. It was his middle name.

The Stage Name

His stage name was different again. Arthur.

Having a different stage name is not uncommon.

It has several advantages. 

Keeping Home Life Separate

It keeps your correspondence, phone calls, letters, brain, neatly classified. That message on the phone - calling you by your family name is from a relative or neighbour or friend. 

Or somebody doing work on your house, or a local business. Or the government about your pension. Or your bank.

You can switch off, mentally. You are a different person. 

Forget work. Relax. No need to be acting professional, businesslike, formal. 

"Hello, dear."

Work Messages

 The message in your stage name could be about work. Future work. Past work. A friend or colleague from work. Or personnel about your work payment. When you return the call, you give your stage name, sound polite and semi-formal. "May I enquire ..." "Thank you for your enquiry about my availability on the date of .."

Equity, the actor's union, will not allow a second person to register a name already used by another actor. That is to prevent confusion, mainly cheques going to the wrong person. Or the wrong person being hired for a job.

By day he played in the BBC radio orchestra.

After he retired, was made to retire, from the BBC, he worked for the hotel. 

To supplement his income he played jazz, medieval banquets.