Why are some actors not listed in movie credits?

Question

I.E. Ben Stiller in Happy Gilmore

Answer 1

Ego, usually

It's like a way of saying, "I'm so famous, I expect you to recognize me even without my name in the credits." Credits are how an actor gets name recognition, which gets them more roles. Ben Stiller doesn't need any more roles; he can have whatever he wants.

It implies that the actor has reached a fairly high level, because otherwise his agent would never let him go on without his name appearing and making him more famous (which means more money for the agent). For most actors, the agent is in control of their lives. Only "A" list actors get to tell their agent what to do rather than the other way around.

That's especially true of cameo appearances. It's kind of a "Where's Waldo" game, as in, "Can you find me in this movie even though I'm not credited?"

Sometimes it's contractual. An actor will sign a contract limiting the use of his name, which makes it more valuable for endorsements. (If he were to lend his name out more often, it would be overused and so it would be worth less to the advertiser.) So if he wants to appear anywhere else, he can't, at least not with his own name. That's why Michael Jackson used the pseudonym John Jay Smith when he appeared on the Simpsons.

Answer 2

Simple answer is sometimes the actor doesn't want to be listed.