HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Alan Alda (; born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; January 28, 1936) is an American actor. A six-time
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
and
Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
winner and a three-time
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nominee, he is best known for playing Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce in the CBS wartime sitcom '' M*A*S*H'' (1972–1983). He also wrote and directed numerous episodes of the series. After starring in the films '' Same Time, Next Year'' (1978), '' California Suite'' (1978), and '' The Seduction of Joe Tynan'' (1979), he made his directorial film debut '' The Four Seasons'' (1981). Alda was nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in ...
for his portrayal of Owen Brewster in
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
's '' The Aviator'' (2004). Other notable film roles include '' Crimes and Misdemeanors'' (1989), '' Manhattan Murder Mystery'' (1993), '' Everyone Says I Love You'' (1996), '' Flirting with Disaster'' (1996), '' Tower Heist'' (2011), '' Bridge of Spies'' (2015), and '' Marriage Story'' (2019). Alda won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Senator Arnold Vinick in the NBC series ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...
''. Other Emmy-nominated roles include in '' And the Band Played On'' in 1993, '' ER'' in 2000, ''
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'' in 2009, and '' The Blacklist'' in 2015. He also had recurring roles in '' The Big C'' (2011–2013), '' Horace and Pete'' (2016), '' Ray Donovan'' (2018–2020), and '' The Good Fight'' (2018–2019). Alda is also known for his roles on Broadway acting in '' Purlie Victorious'' (1961) and receiving three
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nominations for his performances in '' The Apple Tree'' (1967), '' Jake's Women'' (1992), and '' Glengarry Glen Ross'' (2005). In 2008 he received a Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording nomination for ''Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself''. In 2019, Alda received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award. He hosts the podcast ''Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda'' and previously hosted ''Science Clear+Vivid''.


Early life and education

Alda was born Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo on January 28, 1936, in
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
, New York City. He spent his childhood traveling around the United States with his parents, in support of his father's job as a performer; he performed with his father in the less risqué burlesque sketches. 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 (D'
Abruzzo Abruzzo (, ; ; , ''Abbrìzze'' or ''Abbrèzze'' ; ), historically also known as Abruzzi, is a Regions of Italy, region of Southern Italy with an area of 10,763 square km (4,156 sq mi) and a population of 1.3 million. It is divided into four ...
is a
toponymic surname A toponymic surname or habitational surname or byname is a surname or byname derived from a place name,
) and his mother of Irish descent. His mother was diagnosed with
schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
and, according to Alan, tried to stab his father when Alan was six. It has been said that his mother taught him to improvise, an important skill of his: he had to learn how to react to the state she was in, for his own safety. When Alda was seven, he contracted
polio Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...
. 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.Stated on '' Inside the Actors Studio'', 2000 He studied English at
Fordham University Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...
in the Bronx, where he was a student staff member of its
FM radio FM broadcasting is a method of radio broadcasting that uses frequency modulation (FM) of the radio broadcast carrier wave. Invented in 1933 by American engineer Edwin Armstrong, wide-band FM is used worldwide to transmit high fidelity, high-f ...
station, WFUV. During his junior year, he studied in Paris, acted in a play in Rome, and performed with his father on television in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
. In 1956, Alda received his Bachelor of Arts degree. A member of the ROTC, he entered the
United States Army Reserve The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed ...
and served for six months at
Fort Benning Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...
. Despite some erroneous reports on military sites that Alda then served in Korea, he has repeatedly said he did not serve there, instead following up active duty of six months at Fort Benning with a time in the reserves in New York City. In a 2013 interview, he joked that he was in charge of a mess tent. Alda's half-brother Antony Alda was born in 1956 and also became an actor.


Career


1958–1971: Broadway debut and early work

Alda began his career in the 1950s as a member of the Compass Players, an improvisational comedy revue directed by
Paul Sills Paul Sills (born Paul Silverberg; November 18, 1927 – June 2, 2008) was an American director and improvisation teacher, and the original director of Chicago's The Second City. Life and career Sills was born Paul Silverberg in Chicago, Illinois ...
. He later joined the improvisational group Second City in Chicago. He joined the acting company at the Cleveland Play House during their 1958–1959 season as part of a grant from the
Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a $25,000 (about $550,000 in 2023) gift from Edsel Ford. ...
, appearing in productions such as ''To Dorothy a Son'', ''Heaven Come Wednesday'', ''Monique'', and ''Job''. In 1958, he appeared as Carlyle Thompson III on '' The Phil Silvers Show'' in the episode titled "Bilko the Art Lover". Alda portrayed Charlie Cotchipee in the 1961 Ossie Davis play '' Purlie Victorious'' on Broadway. In the November 1964 world premiere at the August Wilson Theatre of the stage version of '' The Owl and The Pussycat'', he played Felix the Owl, opposite Doris the Pussycat played by actress/singer Diana Sands, an African-American actress; their onstage kiss prompted hate mail. He continued to play Felix the Owl for the 1964–65 Broadway season. In 1966, he starred in the musical '' The Apple Tree'' on Broadway with Barbara Harris, and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for the role. Alda said he became a Mainer in 1957 when he played at the Kennebunkport Playhouse. Alda was part of the cast, along with David Frost, Henry Morgan and
Buck Henry Buck Henry (born Henry Zuckerman; December 9, 1930 – January 8, 2020) was an American actor, screenwriter, and director. Henry's contributions to film included his work as a co-writer for Mike Nichols's ''The Graduate'' (1967) for which he re ...
, of the American television version of '' That Was the Week That Was'', which ran as a series from January 10, 1964, to May 1965. He made his Hollywood acting debut as a supporting player in '' Gone Are the Days!,'' a film version of the Broadway play ''Purlie Victorious'', which co-starred Ruby Dee and her husband, Ossie Davis. Other film roles followed, such as his portrayal of author, humorist and actor George Plimpton in the film '' Paper Lion'' (1968), as well as '' The Extraordinary Seaman'' (1969), and the occult-murder-suspense thriller '' The Mephisto Waltz'' with actresses
Jacqueline Bisset Winifred Jacqueline Fraser Bisset ( ; born 13 September 1944) is a British actress. She began her film career in 1965 and first came to prominence in 1968 with roles in ''The Detective (1968 film), The Detective'', ''Bullitt'', and ''The Sweet ...
and Barbara Parkins. During this time, Alda frequently appeared as a game show panelist on the 1968 revival of '' What's My Line?,'' and on '' I've Got a Secret'' during its 1972 syndication revival. Alda wrote several of the stories and poems featured in
Marlo Thomas Margaret Julia "Marlo" Thomas (born November 21, 1937) is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist. She is best known for starring on the sitcom ''That Girl'' (1966–1971) and her Children's television series, children's franc ...
' television show '' Free to Be... You and Me''.


1972–1983: ''M*A*S*H'' and acclaim

In early 1972, Alda was selected to play Hawkeye Pierce in the TV adaptation of the 1970 film '' M*A*S*H''. He was nominated for 21
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
s, and won five. He took part in writing 19 episodes, including the 1983 2.5-hour series finale " Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", which was also the 32nd episode he directed. Alda was the only series regular to appear in all 256 episodes. Alda commuted from Los Angeles to his home in
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
every weekend for 11 years while starring in ''M*A*S*H''. His wife and daughters lived in New Jersey and he did not want to move his family to Los Angeles, initially because he did not know how long the show would last. Alda's father Robert Alda and half-brother Antony Alda appeared together in the 20th episode of season eight of ''M*A*S*H'', "Lend a Hand". Robert had previously appeared in "The Consultant" in season three. During the series' first five seasons, its tone was largely that of a traditional "service comedy" in the vein of shows such as ''
McHale's Navy ''McHale's Navy'' is an American sitcom starring Ernest Borgnine that aired 138 half-hour episodes over four seasons, from October 11, 1962, to April 12, 1966, on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television network. The series was filmed i ...
''. As the original writers gradually left the show, Alda gained increasing control, and by the final seasons had become a producer and creative consultant. Under his watch, ''M*A*S*H'' retained its comedic foundation, but gradually assumed a more serious tone, openly addressing political and social issues. As a result, the 11 years of ''M*A*S*H'' are generally split into two eras: the Larry Gelbart/ Gene Reynolds "comedy" years (1972–1977), and the Alan Alda "dramatic" years (1977–1983). Alda disagreed with this assessment. In a 2016 interview he said, "I don't like to write political messages. I don't like plays that have political messages. I do not think I am responsible for that." Alda and his co-stars Wayne Rogers and McLean Stevenson worked well together during the first three seasons, but over time tensions developed as Alda's role grew in popularity and disrupted their characters' original 'equal' standing. Rogers and Stevenson left the show at the end of the third season. Anticipating the fourth season, Alda and the producers sought a replacement for the surrogate parent role embodied in the character of Colonel Blake. Veteran actor Harry Morgan, who was a fan of the series, joined the cast as Colonel Sherman T. Potter and carried on as one of the show's lead protagonists. Mike Farrell was introduced as Hawkeye's new tentmate BJ Hunnicutt. By 1981, he was the highest paid person on a TV show with a contract paying him $225,000 an episode ($5.4 million per season). In his 1981 autobiography, Jackie Cooper, who directed several early ''M*A*S*H'' episodes, wrote that Alda concealed a lot of hostility, and that the two of them barely spoke by the end of Cooper's tenure. During his ''M*A*S*H'' years, Alda made several game-show appearances, most notably on '' The $10,000 Pyramid,'' and as a frequent panelist on '' What's My Line?'' and ''
To Tell the Truth ''To Tell the Truth'' is an American television panel show. Four celebrity panelists are presented with three contestants (the "team of challengers", each an individual or pair) and must identify which is the "central character" whose unusual ...
''. He also starred in films including the 1978 comedy films '' Same Time, Next Year'' and '' California Suite'', and wrote and starred in the title role of the 1979 political drama film '' The Seduction of Joe Tynan.'' His favorite episodes of ''M*A*S*H'' are " Dear Sigmund" and "In Love and War". In 1996, Alda was ranked 41st on ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
''s 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.


Writing and directing credits


1984–1999: Established actor

Alda's prominence in ''M*A*S*H'' provided him a platform to speak out on political topics. He has been a strong and vocal supporter of
women's rights Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...
and the
feminist movement The feminist movement, also known as the women's movement, refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for Radical politics, radical and Liberalism, liberal reforms on women's issues created by inequality between men and wom ...
. He co-chaired, with former First Lady Betty Ford, the
Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, United States Constitution that would explicitly prohibit sex discrimination. It is not currently a part of the Constitution, though its Ratifi ...
Countdown campaign. In 1976, ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
'' dubbed him "the quintessential Honorary Woman: a feminist icon" for his activism on behalf of the Equal Rights Amendment. During ''M*A*S*H''s run and continuing through the 1980s, Alda embarked on a successful career as a writer and director, with the ensemble
comedy drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
, '' The Four Seasons'' (1981) being perhaps his most notable hit. After ''M*A*S*H'', Alda took on a series of roles that either parodied or directly contradicted his "nice guy" image. He then partnered with producer Martin Bregman on various films, first with an agreement at
Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
in 1983, then it was moved to Lorimar Motion Pictures in 1986. In 1988, Alda starred opposite Ann-Margret in the marital comedy '' A New Life''. He also appeared frequently in the films of
Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...
, beginning with '' Crimes and Misdemeanors'' (1989). '' Betsy's Wedding'' (1990) is Alda's last directing credit to date. Alda had a co-starring role as Dr. Robert Gallo in the 1993 television film '' And the Band Played On''. He continued appearing in the films of his friend Woody Allen, including '' Manhattan Murder Mystery'' (1993) and '' Everyone Says I Love You'' (1996). When asked about the controversy surrounding Allen in 2019, Alda stated, "I'd work with him again if he wanted me. I'm not qualified to judge him... I just don't have enough information to convince me I shouldn't work with him. And he's an enormously talented guy." Alda played Nobel Prize–winning physicist
Richard Feynman Richard Phillips Feynman (; May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988) was an American theoretical physicist. He is best known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics, the physics of t ...
in the play '' QED'', which had only one other character. Although Peter Parnell wrote the play, Alda both produced and inspired it. From the fall season of 1993 until the show ended in 2005, Alda was the host for '' Scientific American Frontiers'', which began on PBS in 1990. In 1995, he starred as the President of the United States in
Michael Moore Michael Francis Moore is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and author. Moore's work frequently addresses various Social issue, social, political, and economic topics. He first became publicly known for his award-winning debut ...
's
political satire Political satire is a type of satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics. Political satire can also act as a tool for advancing political arguments in conditions where political speech and dissent are banned. Political satir ...
/comedy film '' Canadian Bacon''. Around this time, rumors circulated that Alda was considering running for the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
in
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, but he denied this. In 1996, Alda played Henry Ford, founder of the
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational corporation, multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. T ...
, in ''Camping With Henry and Tom'', based on the book by Mark St. Germain and appeared in the comedy film, '' Flirting with Disaster''. In 1997, Alda played National Security Adviser Alvin Jordan In '' Murder at 1600''. In 1999, Alda portrayed Dr. Gabriel Lawrence, Dr. Kerry Weaver's mentor, in the NBC program '' ER'' for five episodes. During the later episodes, Lawrence was revealed to be in the early stages of
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
. Alda was nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Alda starred in the original Broadway production of the play '' Art'', which opened on March 1, 1998, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The play won the Tony Award for Best Play.


Since 2000: ''The West Wing'' and other roles

Beginning in 2004, Alda was a regular cast member on the NBC program ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...
'', portraying California Republican U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Arnold Vinick, until the show's conclusion in May 2006. He made his premiere in the sixth season's eighth episode, "In The Room", and was added to the opening credits with the 13th episode, "King Corn". In August 2006, Alda won an
Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...
for his portrayal of Vinick in the final season of ''The West Wing''. Alda appeared in a total of 28 episodes during the show's sixth and seventh seasons. Alda had been a serious candidate, along with Sidney Poitier, for the role of President Josiah Bartlet before
Martin Sheen Ramón Gerard Antonio Estévez (born August 3, 1940), known professionally as Martin Sheen, is an American actor. His work spans over six decades of television and film, and his accolades include three Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and ...
was ultimately cast in the role. In 2004, Alda portrayed conservative Maine Senator Owen Brewster in
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
's Academy Award-winning film '' The Aviator'', in which he co-starred with
Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...
. Alda received his first
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nomination for this role in 2005. Alda also had a part in the 2000 romantic comedy '' What Women Want'', as the CEO of the advertising firm where the main characters worked. In early 2005, Alda starred as Shelly Levene in the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of
David Mamet David Alan Mamet (; born November 30, 1947) is an American playwright, author, and filmmaker. He won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony Award, Tony nominations for his plays ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' (1984) and ''Speed-the-Plow'' (1988). He first ...
's '' Glengarry Glen Ross'', for which he received a nomination for the
Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play The Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actors for quality supporting roles in a Broadway theatre, Broa ...
losing to his co-star Liev Schreiber. Throughout 2009 and 2010, he appeared in three episodes of ''
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'' as Milton Greene, the biological father of
Jack Donaghy John Francis "Jack" Donaghy ( ) is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom '' 30 Rock'', airing from 2006 to 2013. The character was created by series creator Tina Fey, and is portrayed by Alec Baldwin. He was introduced as the Vice President of ...
, played by
Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor and film producer. He is known for his leading and supporting roles in a variety of genres, from comedy to drama. He has received List of awards and nominations received by A ...
. In January 2010, Alda hosted ''The Human Spark'', a three-part series originally broadcast on PBS discussing the nature of human uniqueness and recent studies on the human brain. In 2006, Alda contributed his voice to a part in the audio book of Max Brooks' '' World War Z''. In this book, he voiced Arthur Sinclair Jr., the director of the United States government's fictional Department of Strategic Resources (DeStRes). In 2011, Alda starred with Ben Stiller, Matthew Broderick and
Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He had his breakthrough as a standup comic before gaining stardom for his film roles; he is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. H ...
in the comedy film '' Tower Heist''. Alda returned to Broadway in November 2014, playing the role of Andrew Makepeace in the revival of '' Love Letters'' at the Brooks Atkinson Theater alongside Candice Bergen. In 2015, Alda appeared as a lawyer, Thomas Watters, alongside
Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
as James Donovan, in
Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg ( ; born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. A major figure of the New Hollywood era and pioneer of the modern blockbuster, Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the greatest film directors of all time and is ...
's critically acclaimed cold war drama film '' Bridge of Spies'' which received an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nomination for Best Picture. In 2016, Alda gained critical praise for his performance in Louis C.K.'s acclaimed web-based series '' Horace and Pete'' as the irascible Uncle Pete. IndieWire critic Sam Adams described as "his best role in years". In regard to C.K.'s recent scandal, Alda stated, "I respect Louis so much as an artist. But he did a terrible thing, and I hope he finds a way to come to terms with both of those things." Also in 2016, Alda took part in the opening night show of John Mulaney and
Nick Kroll Nicholas Kroll (born June 5, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. He is known for the FX (TV channel), FX comedy series ''The League'' (2009–2015), creating and starring in the Comedy Central series ''Kroll Show'' (20 ...
's '' The Oh, Hello Show'' at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway. The show is said to be inspired by "two old men at the Strand buying a copy of Alda's book". Before bringing Alda onstage, Mulaney said, "This is genuinely the best guest we ever had." From 2018 to 2020, Alda portrayed psychiatrist Dr. Arthur Amiot in the Showtime's '' Ray Donovan''. He reprised this role in '' Ray Donovan: The Movie'' (2022). In 2019, Alda appeared in
Noah Baumbach Noah Baumbach (born September 3, 1969) is an American filmmaker. He is known for making light comedies set in New York City and his works are inspired by filmmakers such as Woody Allen and Whit Stillman. His frequent collaborators include Wes A ...
's thirteenth film, '' Marriage Story'', as a warm-hearted lawyer who represents a stage director ( Adam Driver) during the divorce proceedings. In an interview with ''
The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'', Alda discussed the effects of his illness, mainly
Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
, and other related issues. He stated, "I have this tremor. 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 widespread acclaim for his performance. In 2025 Alda appeared in a cameo role in '' The Four Seasons'', a Netflix miniseries. This was a remake of '' The Four Seasons'' which he directed and starred in in 1981.


Charitable works

Alda has done extensive charity work. He helped narrate a 2005 St. Jude Children's Research Hospital-produced one-hour special TV show ''Fighting for Life''. His wife, Arlene, and he are also close friends of
Marlo Thomas Margaret Julia "Marlo" Thomas (born November 21, 1937) is an American actress, producer, author, and social activist. She is best known for starring on the sitcom ''That Girl'' (1966–1971) and her Children's television series, children's franc ...
, who is very active in fund-raising for the hospital that her father,
Danny Thomas Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz, (born January 6, 1912 – February 6, 1991) known professionally as Danny Thomas, was an American comedian, actor, singer, producer, and philanthropist. He created and starred in ''The Danny Thomas Show''. In additio ...
founded. The television special featured Ben Bowen as one of six patients being treated for childhood cancer at Saint Jude. Alda and Marlo Thomas had also worked together in the early 1970s on a critically acclaimed children's album entitled '' Free to Be... You and Me'', which featured Alda, Thomas, and a number of other well-known character actors. This project remains one of the earliest public signs of his support of women's rights. Alda chaired "Men for the Equal Rights Amendment" and was appointed to the International Women's Year Commission.


Communicating science

For 14 years, he served as the host of '' Scientific American Frontiers'', a television show that explored cutting-edge advances in science and technology. In 2010, he became a visiting professor at
Stony Brook University Stony Brook University (SBU), officially the State University of New York at Stony Brook, is a public university, public research university in Stony Brook, New York, United States, on Long Island. Along with the University at Buffalo, it is on ...
. In 2009, he was a founder of the university's Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. He continues as a member of its advisory board. He is also on the advisory board of the Future of Life Institute. He serves on the board of the
World Science Festival The World Science Festival is an annual science festival hosted by the World Science Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York City. There is also an Asia-Pacific event held in Brisbane, Australia. The foundation's go ...
and is a judge for Math-O-Vision. Alda has an avid interest in
cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe, the cosmos. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', with the meaning of "a speaking of the wo ...
, and participated in
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
coverage of the opening of the
Large Hadron Collider The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the world's largest and highest-energy particle accelerator. It was built by the CERN, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) between 1998 and 2008, in collaboration with over 10,000 scientists, ...
, at
CERN The European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN (; ; ), is an intergovernmental organization that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Established in 1954, it is based in Meyrin, western suburb of Gene ...
, Geneva, in September 2008. He was named an Honorary Fellow by the Society for Technical Communication in 2014 for his work with the Center for Communicating Science and the annual Flame Challenge. Alda would like to use his expertise in acting and communication to help scientists communicate more effectively to the public. In 2014 Alda was awarded the
American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 155,000 members at all ...
's James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public for his work in science communication. He was awarded the
National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, NGO, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the ...
Public Welfare Medal in 2016 "for his extraordinary application of the skills honed as an actor to communicating science on television and stage, and by teaching scientists innovative techniques that allow them to tell their stories to the public". In 2011 Alda wrote ''Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie'', a full-length play that focuses on
Marie Curie Maria Salomea Skłodowska-Curie (; ; 7 November 1867 – 4 July 1934), known simply as Marie Curie ( ; ), was a Polish and naturalised-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity. She was List of female ...
's professional and personal life during the time between the Nobel Prizes won by her for physics and chemistry, from 1903 to 1911. On February 18, 2021, he received the Kavli Foundation's first-ever Distinguished Kavli Science Communicator award for his pioneering work in communicating the excitement, mystery and marvels of science.


Personal life

In 1956, while attending Fordham, Alda met Arlene Weiss, who was attending
Hunter College Hunter College is a public university in New York City, United States. It is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York and offers studies in more than one hundred undergraduate and postgraduate fields across five schools ...
. 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. 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 Englewood is a city in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Englewood was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of Engle ...
—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, Alda appeared on '' CBS This Morning'' and announced he had been diagnosed with
Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
three years earlier.


Memoirs

In 2005, Alda published his first memoir, ''Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: and Other Things I've Learned''. Among other stories, he recalls his
intestine The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. T ...
s becoming strangulated while on location in La Serena, Chile, for his PBS show '' Scientific American Frontiers'', during which he mildly surprised a young doctor with his understanding of medical procedures, which he had learned from ''M*A*S*H''. He also talks about his mother's battle with
schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
. The title comes from an incident in his childhood, when Alda was distraught about his dog dying and his well-meaning father had the animal stuffed. Alda was horrified by the results, and took from this that sometimes we have to accept things as they are, rather than desperately and fruitlessly trying to change them. His second memoir, ''Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself'' (2008), weaves together advice from public speeches he has given with personal recollections about his life and beliefs. His third memoir, ''If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating'' (2017), is a story of his quest to learn how to communicate better, and to teach others to do the same.


Acting credits


Film


Television


Theatre


Podcasts


Awards and nominations

Alda has received numerous accolades including six
Primetime Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Owned and operated by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the P ...
and six
Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual Awards ceremony, award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally ...
as well as nominations for an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
, two BAFTA Awards, a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
, and three
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cere ...
. He was inducted in the Television Hall of Fame in 1994, and received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2018. He has also received numerous
Honorary degrees An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
.


Bibliography

* * * * *


References


External links

* * * * * *
Alan Alda
interview on BBC Radio 4 '' Desert Island Discs'', November 1, 1991
Alan Alda at TVArchive.ca
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alda, Alan 1936 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American screenwriters 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male writers 21st-century American memoirists 21st-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American screenwriters Actors from Leonia, New Jersey American actors with disabilities American comedy film directors American feminists American male feminists American male film actors American male musical theatre actors American male non-fiction writers American male screenwriters American male television actors American male television writers American people of Irish descent American people of Italian descent American television directors American writers of Italian descent American writers with disabilities Archbishop Stepinac High School alumni Bellarmine-Jefferson High School alumni Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Directors Guild of America Award winners Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Fellows of the American Physical Society Film directors from California Film directors from New Jersey Film directors from New York City Film directors with disabilities Fordham University alumni Former Roman Catholics International Emmy Founders Award winners Male actors from Manhattan Male actors from New Jersey Male actors from the Bronx Male actors from White Plains, New York Military personnel from Bergen County, New Jersey Military personnel from New York City Outstanding Performance by a Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Primetime Emmy Award winners Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Primetime Emmy Award winners People with Parkinson's disease Polio survivors Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award Screenwriters from New Jersey Screenwriters from New York (state) Stony Brook University faculty Television writers from California United States Army officers United States Army reservists WFUV people Writers from Bergen County, New Jersey Writers Guild of America Award winners