Sir David Jason has revealed that he could have had a very different life and career if he had never changed his name.
The 86-year-old actor, born David White, shared that he might not have enjoyed such success had he not changed his name.
Sir David's name change was a decision inspired by his English teacher, who read him the story of Jason and the Argonauts.
Speaking to Yours magazine, Sir David said: "When I got my Equity card, the name David White was already registered, as well as David Whitehead.
"I picked Jason because when I was at school, the English teacher read us Jason and the Argonauts.
"I fell in love with the character Jason, and that is why I chose the name, and it has been lucky for me."
Best known for his roles in Only Fools and Horses and A Touch of Frost, he credits his early shyness as a driving force behind his path into acting.
He said: "I joined an amateur dramatic group.
"I loved all the costumes, but I was very shy at school, and I hid myself under the characters I played.
"One of the reasons I took the journey I took was because I was backward at coming forward.
"The theatre allowed me to escape from myself and be somebody else, and that was usually someone who could have authority, power, or strength."
Despite a career spanning more than 50 years, Sir David admits he rarely reflects on his past work.
He said: "I try not to look back too much.
"The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there, but I couldn’t be happier with how my career has turned out."
Although he appeared in several films during the 1970s, including Under Milk Wood, Wombling Free, and The Odd Job, one ambition remains unfulfilled.
Sir David said: "One of my ambitions is to be part of a major movie, as that would complete my dream of a Hollywood experience."
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