Alan Alda

At 88 years old, Alan Alda has this physical status:

Alan Alda (born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; January 28, 1936) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, comedian, and author.

A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he played Hawkeye Pierce in the war television series M*A*S*H (1972–1983).

He has had recurring roles on television programs such as The West Wing, and 30 Rock, and has appeared in films such as Same Time, Next Year (1978), The Four Seasons (1981), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Bridge of Spies (2015), and Marriage Story (2019).

In 2004, Alda was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in The Aviator.

He is also known as Uncle Pete in Louis C.K.'s Peabody Award winning tragicomedy web series Horace and Pete.

Early life

Alda was born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo on January 28, 1936, in the Bronx, New York City. Alda spent his childhood with his parents travelling around the United States in support of his father's job as a performer in burlesque theatres. His father Robert Alda (born Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo) was an actor and singer, and his mother Joan Browne was a homemaker and former beauty-pageant winner. His father was of Italian descent and his mother was of Irish ancestry. His adopted surname, Alda, is a portmanteau of the first parts of his first and last names.

When Alda was seven years old, he contracted polio. To combat the disease, his parents administered a painful treatment regimen developed by Sister Elizabeth Kenny, consisting of applying hot woollen blankets to his limbs and stretching his muscles. Alda attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York. He studied English at Fordham University in the Bronx, where he was a student staff member of its FM radio station, WFUV. During Alda's junior year, he studied in Paris, acted in a play in Rome, and performed with his father on television in Amsterdam.

In 1956, Alda received his Bachelor of Arts degree. A member of the ROTC, he entered the United States Army Reserve and served for a year at Fort Benning, then six months as a gunnery officer in Korea. In a 2013 interview, Alda joked that he was actually in charge of a mess tent.

Alda's half-brother Antony Alda was born in 1956 and also became an actor.

Personal life

In 1956, while attending Fordham, Alda met Arlene Weiss, who was attending Hunter College. They bonded at a mutual friend's dinner party; when a rum cake accidentally fell onto the kitchen floor, they were the only two guests who did not hesitate to eat it. After a screenshot of this Wikipedia article went viral, he addressed the incident saying "We did eat the rum cake off the floor and were inseparable after that. But I was captivated by her even earlier in the meal when I heard her at the end of the table laughing at my jokes. She had me at Ha." A year after his graduation, on March 15, they were married. They have three daughters: Eve, Elizabeth, and Beatrice. Two of his eight grandchildren are aspiring actors. Arlene sometimes calls him "Fonzi" in reference to his birth name "Alphonso".

The Aldas were long-time residents of Leonia, New Jersey. Alda frequented Sol & Sol Deli on Palisade Avenue in the nearby town of Englewood, New Jersey—a fact mirrored in his character's daydream about eating whitefish from the establishment in an episode of M*A*S*H in which Hawkeye sustains a head injury.

In Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself, Alda described how as a teen he was raised as a Roman Catholic and eventually he realized he had begun thinking like an agnostic or atheist. While he states that he still prays on occasion, he said he wants to find meaning in this life rather than worrying about the next one. He states that when he talks to God it often comes at times of fear rather than out of a sense of belief. Furthermore, he does not like to be labeled as an agnostic, stating in an interview for the 2008 question section of the Edge Foundation website, that it was too fancy a word for him. He argues he simply is not a believer and questions why people are so frightened of others who hold beliefs different from their own.

On July 31, 2018, he appeared on CBS This Morning and announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease three years prior.

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Career

Alda began his career in the 1950s as a member of the Compass Players, an improvisational, comedy revue directed by Paul Sills. He became a member of the improvisational group Second City in Chicago later. During the 1958-1959 season as part of the Ford Foundation's grant, he appeared in films including To Dorothy a Son, Heaven Come Wednesday, Monique, and Jobs. In 1958, Alda appeared on The Phil Silvers Show as Carlyle Thompson III. Felix the "Owl" opposite the "Pussycat" played by actress/singer Diana Sands in the world premiere of The Owl and The Pussycat in November 1964. For the 1964-65 Broadway season, Felix the "Owl" was still on the radio. He appeared in The Apple Tree on Broadway in 1966 with Barbara Harris. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his part.

When he played at the Kennebunkport Playhouse in 1957, Alda said he became a Mainer.

Alda, David Frost, Henry Morgan, and Buck Henry appeared in the American television version of That Was The Week That Was, which ran as a series from January 10, 1964 to May 1965. In Gone Are the Days, he made his Hollywood debut as a supporting actor. Ruby Dee and her partner, Ossie Davis, co-starred in this film adaptation of the Broadway play Purlie Victorious. In the film Paper Lion (1968), as well as The Extraordinary Seaman (1969) and the occult-suspense thriller The Mephisto Waltz, a drama starring actors Jacqueline Bisset and Barbara Parkins followed, several actor roles followed, including author, comedian, and actor George Plimpton. Alda appeared on numerous occasions as a panelist on the 1968 revival of What's My Line? During the 1972 revival of syndication, he appeared as a panelist on I've Got a Secret.

Alda also wrote several of the stories and poems that appeared in Marlo Thomas' television show Free to Be... You and Me.

Alda auditioned for and was selected to perform Hawkeye Pierce in the 1970 film M*A*S*H's television version, earning five awards. He wrote 19 episodes, including the 1983 2.5-hour series finale "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen," which was also the 32nd episode he directed. It's the single most watched episode of any American broadcast network television network television show. Alda was the first series regular to appear in all 256 episodes.

During his time as actor in M*A*S*H, Alda commuted from Los Angeles to New Jersey every weekend for 11 years, but he didn't want to move his family to Los Angeles because he didn't know how long the show would run for.

In the 20th episode of M*A*S*H, "Lend a Hand," Alda's father, Robert Alda, and half-brother Antony Alda appeared together. In season three, Robert appeared in "The Consultant."

The tone of M*A*S*H during the first five seasons of the series was largely that of a traditional "service comedy," in the vein of shows like McHale's Navy. However, Alda gained more power as the original writers faded from the series, and by the end of season, she had become a producer and creative consultant. M*A*S*H maintained its comedic roots under his leadership, but the M*A*S*H became more empathetic, openly discussing political topics. As a result, the 11 years of M*A*S*H are divided into two decades: the Larry Gelbart/Gene Reynolds "comedy" years (1972–1977), and the Alan Alda "dramatic" years (1977–1983). Alda disagreed with this analysis. "I don't like to write political messages," he said in a 2016 interview. I don't like plays that have political messages. I don't think I am responsible for this."

Alda and his co-stars Wayne Rogers and McLean Stevenson performed well together in the first three seasons, but tensions grew with Alda's fame as his role increased in importance and shaken the original 'equal' status of their characters. Both Rogers and Stevenson departed the show at the end of the third season. Alda and the producers' hunted for a replacement actor for the role of Colonel Blake, anticipating the fourth season. They discovered veteran actor Harry Morgan, a fan of the series who appeared as Colonel Sherman T. Potter, a lead protagonist on the show. BJ Hunnicutt, Hawkeye's new tentmate, was introduced as Mike Farrell.

Jackie Cooper, a director of several early episodes, argued that Alda hid a great deal of hostility underneath the surface, and that the two of them barely spoke to each other by the time Cooper's directing of M*A*S*H came to an end.

Alda appeared on several game-show appearances, most notable in The $10,000 Pyramid and as a regular panelist on What's My Line during his M*S*H years. And, to tell the truth. In the 1979 political drama film The Seduction of Joe Tynan, he wrote and performed in the title role.

"Dear Sigmund" and "In Love and War" are two of M*A*S*H's most popular episodes.

Alda debuted on TV Guide's list of the Top TV Stars of All Time in 1996.

The following is a list of M*A*S*H episodes written and/or directed by Alda.

Alda's success in M*A*S*H gave him a platform to speak out on political topics. He has been a vocal promoter of women's rights and the feminist movement. He co-chaired the Equal Rights Amendment Countdown campaign alongside former First Lady Betty Ford. "The quintessential Honorary Woman: a feminist icon" in 1976, according to The Boston Globe, who praised the Equal Rights Amendment.

In the play QED, Alda portrayed Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, who had only one other character. Alda created and inspired the play, although Peter Parnell wrote it. Alda has appeared in Woody Allen's films before and was a guest star on ER five times, as Gabriel Lawrence, Dr. Kerry Weaver's mentor. Lawrence was uncovered to be in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease during the later episodes. In the 1993 television film And the Band Played On, Alda appeared in a co-starring role as Dr. Robert Gallo.

Alda embarked on a fruitful career as a writer and producer during M*A*S*H's tenure and into the 1980s, with the ensemble's The Four Seasons being his most memorable hit. Betsy's Wedding is his last directing credit to date. Alda played either parodied or specifically contradicted his "nice guy" image after M*A*S*H. Martin Bregman began working with Universal Pictures in 1983, and later moved to Lorimar Motion Pictures in 1986.

Alda has appeared in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), and Everyone Says I Love You (1996). "I'd work with him again if he wanted me," Alda said when asked about Allen's uproar in 2019. I'm not qualified to judge him... I just don't have enough facts to convince me that you shouldn't work with him. He's a natural performer, and he's an excellent performer."

Alda appeared on PBS from 1993 to 2005, from 1993 to 2005.

In Michael Moore's political satire/comedy film Canadian Bacon, he appeared as the President of the United States in 1995. Around this time, rumors that Alda was considering entering the United States Senate in New Jersey, but he denied it. In 1996, Alda played Henry Ford, the Ford Motor Company's founder, in Camping With Henry and Tom, based on Mark St. Germain's book and appeared in the comedy film Flirting with Disaster. Alvin Jordan In Murder, Alvin In Murder, a National Security Advisor, appeared in 1997 at 1600. Dr. Gabriel Lawrence appeared in NBC's program ER for five episodes and was shortlisted for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 1999.

Alda appeared in the original Broadway revival of the play Art, which opened at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on March 1, 1998. The play received the Tony Award for Best Play.

Alda debuted on television show The West Wing as a regular cast member, portraying California Republican senators throughout the United States. Senator and presidential candidate Arnold Vinick before the show's conclusion in May 2006. In the sixth season's eighth episode, "In The Room," he made his debut, and was included in the opening credits for the 13th episode, "King Corn." In August 2006, Alda received an Emmy for his role as Vinick in the final season of The West Wing. During the show's sixth and seventh seasons, Alda appeared in a total of 28 episodes. Before Martin Sheen was ultimately cast in the role, Alda and Sidney Poirier had been a serious contender for President Josiah Bartlet.

In 2004, Alda portrayed conservative Maine Senator Owen Brewster in Martin Scorsese's Academy Award-winning film The Aviator, in which he co-starred Leonardo DiCaprio. In 2005, Alda received his first Academy Award nomination for his first work in this field.

Alda appeared in the 2000 romantic comedy What Women Wanted as the CEO of the advertising company where the main characters appeared.

Shelly Levene played Shelly Levene in David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross, one of the Best Featured Actor in a Play in early 2005, for which he received a Tony Award nomination in early 2005. In three episodes of 30 Rock as Milton Greene, Jack Donaghy's biological father, portrayed by Alec Baldwin in 2009 and 2010. The Human Spark, a three-part series on PBS that originally broadcast on PBS in January 2010, discussed human uniqueness and recent research on the human brain.

Alda appeared in Max Brooks' World War Z's audio book in 2006. Arthur Sinclair, Jr., Jr., the head of the US government's fictional Department of Strategic Resources, appeared in this book (DestRes).

In November 2014, Alda returned to Broadway, as Andrew Makepeace in the revival of Love Letters with Candice Bergen.

Thomas Watters, a lawyer, appeared in Steven Spielberg's critically acclaimed cold war drama film Bridge of Spies, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

Alda's success in Louis, C.K., earned him critical praise in 2016. Horace and Pete, the irascible Uncle Pete in the acclaimed web-based film Horace and Pete. Sam Adams, a IndieWire columnist, described as "his best job in years" in the role. Concerning the United Kingdom, there is no such thing as a British citizen. "I respect Louis so much as an artist," Alda said of the latest controversy. But he did a terrible thing, and I hope he finds a way to deal with both of those topics."

Also in 2016, Alda appeared in the opening night of John Mulaney and Nick Kroll's Oh, Hello at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway. "two old men at the Strand were reportedly inspired by the display by Alda's book," the show is said to be inspired by "two old men at the Strand." Mulaney said, "This is truly the best guest we've ever had" before bringing Alda on stage.

In Season 6 of Showtime's Ray Donovan, Alda began portraying psychiatrist Dr. Arthur Amiot.

Alda appeared in Noah Baumbach's thirteenth film, Marriage Story, as a warm-hearted lawyer who represents a stage actor (Adam Driver) during divorce hearings. Alda talked to The Wall Street Journal about the effects of his illness, mainly Parkinson's disease, and other related topics. "I have this tremor," he said. It's not part of the script, so I didn't want it to be distracting if Noah thought it would be distracting." Alda has received acclaim for his work.

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