History Main / UncreditedRole

* In ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' "Root Cause," Root is played by an uncredited Rachel Miner.

* Music/MichaelJackson contributed to the soundtrack of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog3'', but was dissatisfied with the sound capabilities of the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis and dropped out of the project. Then Jackson's child molestation accusations came to light, so Sega dropped his name from the credits to distance them from the controversy.

* Music/MichaelJackson contributed to the soundtrack of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog3'', but was dissatisfied with the sound capabilities of the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis and decided to go uncredited.

In music, it's common for solo artists or groups to employ "session musicians" when recording a song or an album, contracted musicians who will perform on one or more track, but who are not considered an official member of the group or the solo artist's backing band. Sometimes these musicians will not be credited in the liner notes for the release, but will later go on to achieve fame in their own right. In HipHop, it's an OpenSecret that many rappers employ ghostwriters to write lyrics for them, who will unusually go uncredited to preserve the {{Kayfabe}} that the rapper exclusively writes their own material (this is quite different from pop music, in which songwriters usually receive credit independent of the performer).

For a variety of reasons (budget constraints, contractual obligations, CreatorBacklash ''etc.''), sometimes a person will be involved in the creation of a work, but will go uncredited. It's generally only noteworthy if they played a significant role in the creative process (playing a major character, drafting a screenplay, writing a lyric); if the person is well-known enough to have a page on this wiki (many {{Cameo}}s meet this description); or if the role they played was insignificant, but the person went on to achieve [[RetroactiveRecognition greater fame]] thereafter.[[note]]If we were to list ''every'' person who was involved in the work but went uncredited, this page would balloon to thousands of lines long simply because of the hundreds of uncredited extras who appear in Hollywood films.[[/note]]

* Creator/{{Atari}} initially did not provide their programmers and designers, for fear of their being lured away by competitors. The game ''VideoGame/{{Adventure}}'' contains a hidden room which features a secret message crediting the game's developer, Warren Robinett. This was one of the first EasterEggs in games.

Note that it's not an example if the person is credited under a PenName or alias, or if they're NotNamedInOpeningCredits but still credited at the end.

* Rob Lowe in ''Film/TommyBoy''. He turned down being billed as he didn't want to have to pay Screen Actors Guild fees for being in the film.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' story "Remembrance of the Daleks", the iconic K-9 voice actor John Leeson played an uncredited part as the voice of the Renegade Daleks' battle computer, before the character's [[CreepyChild true identity]] was revealed.

In music, it's common for solo artists or groups to employ "session musicians" when recording a song or an album, contracted musicians who will perform on one or more track, but who are not considered an official member of the group or the solo artist's backing band. Sometimes these musicians will not be credited in the liner notes for the release, but will later go on to achieve fame in their own right. In HipHop, it's an OpenSecret that many rappers employ ghostwriters to write lyrics for them, who will sometimes go uncredited.

* Music/RunDMC contributed ghostwritten lyrics to Music/BeastieBoys debut album ''Licensed to Ill''.

For a variety of reasons (budget constraints, contractual obligations, CreatorBacklash ''etc.''), sometimes a person will be involved in the creation of a work, but will go uncredited. It's generally only noteworthy if they played a significant role in the creative process (drafting a screenplay, writing a lyric); if the person is well-known enough to have a page on this wiki (many {{Cameo}}s meet this description); or if the role they played was insignificant, but the person went on to achieve [[RetroactiveRecognition greater fame]] thereafter.

* Numerous artists have ghostwritten for Music/DrDre, including Music/SnoopDogg, Music/{{Eminem}} and Music/KendrickLamar.

In literature, writers may be employed as "ghostwriters" [[note]]Not to be confused with the [[Series/{{Ghostwriter}} series]] or [[Film/TheGhostWriter film]] of the same name.[[/note]] to write a book for another person: the latter person will be credited as the writer. The most common form this takes is when a celebrity hires a ghostwriter to pen their "auto"biography. The ghostwriter is usually bound to a non-disclosure agreement not to publicly reveal or discuss their involvement in the creation of the book, although they may be credited as an "editor" or "consultant". HousePseudonym (in which multiple ghostwriters are credited under a single pseudonym) is related to this trope.

[[/folder]]

Note that it's not an example if the person is credited under a PenName or alias.

This is {{Trivia}}, not a trope.

* Creator/TheCoenBrothers'' were uncredited script doctors for ''Film/FunWithDickAndJane''.

* Creator/CharlieKaufman was an uncredited script doctor for ''Film/KungFuPanda2''.

* Creator/MNightShyamalan was an uncredited script doctor for ''Film/ShesAllThat''. Shyamalan's contributions are mentioned on the DVD commentary for the film.