She was named after a whoopee cushion!

Like many Hollywood stars, Whoopi chose a stage name to help herself stand out in the industry.

Born Caryn Elaine Johnson on November 13, 1955, it was actually her toilet habits that blessed her with her now-famous moniker.

She said: "When you're performing on stage, you never really have time to go into the bathroom and close the door. So if you get a little gassy, you've got to let it go.

"So people used to say to me, 'You're like a whoopee cushion.' And that's where the name came from."