India, May 2 -- 'Who is Alan Smithee' can be an interesting trivia question for film buffs. The name has been used in the credits of Hollywood films as a director more time than any other. Even prolific filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg do not have as many credits as a director as dear old Alan. However, what complicates matters for Alan's legacy is the small matter that he does not exist.

Alan Smithee, also spelt Allen Smithee, is the official pseudonym used by film directors, largely in America, when they want to disown their projects. The name was coined by the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in 1968. Since then, it has been used by several directors in 50 films. Whenever a director feels they haven't had the desi...