Who is Alan Alda? | Alan Alda Biography and Wiki
Alan Alda (born Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo) is an American award-winning actor, director, screenwriter, comedian, and author. He is famously known for his work on M*A*S*H (1972–1983) as Hawkeye Pierce, The Four Seasons (1981) and Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989).
Alda has had recurring roles on television programs such as The West Wing, and 30 Rock, and has appeared in films such as Same Time, the Next Year of 1978 Flirting with Disaster of 1996, Bridge of Spies of 2015, and Marriage Story of 2019. The six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in The Aviator of 2014.
Alan Alda Age and Birthday
Alda was born on January 28, 1936, in The Bronx, New York,, United States of America. He celebrates his birthday on January 28th every year. Alda will be 85 years old on Jan. 28th 2021.
Alan Alda Height and Weight
Alda is a man of tall stature. He stands at a height of 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m). He also weighs 180 lbs (81 kgs).
Alan Alda Education
Alda is a proud graduate of Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York. Later, he enrolled in Fordham University in the Bronx and completed his graduation with his Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1956. At Fordham, he was a student staff member of its FM radio station, WFUV.
During this time, he participated in the ROTC officer training program and later went on a sixth-month tour of duty as a gunnery officer in Korea.
Alan Alda Parents
Alda is the son of Joan Browne Alda, a homemaker, and the former beauty-pageant winner and Robert Alda (born Alphonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D’Abruzzo) who was an actor, dancer, and singer. Alda spent his childhood with his parents traveling around the United States in support of his father’s job as a performer in burlesque theatres.
In fact, his adopted surname, “Alda”, is a portmanteau of ALphonso and D’Abruzzo. 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 woolen blankets to his limbs and stretching his muscles.
His mother on the other hand showed symptoms of mental illness, which was not easily understood in those days, and was something people were ashamed of. As such, she was not treated properly, and eventually, the illness became so severe that she once tried to stab his father, who later divorced her.
Alan Alda Siblings
He has a half-brother by the name Antony Alda, who appeared together with his father in an episode of M*A*S*H, “Lend a Hand”, during season eight. Robert had previously appeared in “The Consultant” in season three.
Alan Alda Wife
In 1956, while going to Fordham, Alda met Arlene Weiss, who was attending Hunter College. They fortified at a shared friend’s evening gathering; when a rum cake incidentally fell onto the kitchen floor, they were the main two visitors who didn’t stop for a second to eat it.
A year after his graduation, on March 15, they were hitched. As we speak, they have three girls: Eve, Elizabeth, and Beatrice. Two of his eight grandkids are trying on-screen characters. In a private meeting, Alda uncovered that Arlene sometimes will call him “Fonzi” regarding his original name “Alphonso”.
Alan Alda Measurements and Facts
Here are some interesting facts and body measurements you should know about Alan Alda.
- Full Name: Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo
- Age: 84 years (2020)
- Date of Birth: January 28, 1936
- Place of Birth: The Bronx, New York, U.S.
- Education: Archbishop Stepinac High School, Fordham University
- Birthday: January 28
- Nationality: American
- Father’s Name: Robert Alda (born Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D’Abruzzo)
- Mother’s Name: Joan Browne
- Siblings: 1
- Spouse: Arlene Weiss (m. 1957)
- Children: 1
- Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
- Weight: 180 lbs (81 kgs)
- Profession: Actor, director, screenwriter, comedian, and author
- Known For: The war television series M*A*S*H (1972–1983).
- Net worth: est $40 million
Alan Alda Career
When in Europe still as a student, acted in a play in Rome. He also performed on television in Amsterdam, alongside his father. His film Broadway debut came in 1959 when he appeared as ‘Telephone Man’ in the stage play, ‘Only in America’.
Alda made appearances in a few television series during his debut at Broadway. When the stage play, ‘Purlie Victorious’, in which he played Charlie Cotchipee, was made into a film in 1963, he reprised his role and debuted on the big screen.
He landed the major role of Felix the “Owl” in the stage version of ‘The Owl and The Pussycat’ In 1964. In 1966, he then appeared in the Broadway musical ‘The Apple Tree’ for which he received a ‘Tony Award’ nomination for ‘Best Actor’.
In 1965 to 1968, the American actor participated in the television game show ‘The Match Game’.
Later In 1968, he portrayed George Plimpton in the film ‘Paper Lion’. The following year, he appeared in ‘The Extraordinary Seaman’, and in 1971, he acted in ‘The Mephisto Waltz’.
From 1972 to 1983, he played the protagonist Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce in the television series ‘M*A*S*H’, a situational comedy set on the backdrop of the Korean War. Alda, who was initially reluctant to do lighthearted comedy on war, went on to star in 251 episodes of the show, working as a writer in 19 and a director in 32 episodes.
Later, he shifted his focus to the big screen and went on to appear in a number of movies like ‘Same Time, Next Year’ (1978), ‘The Four Seasons’ (1981), ‘Crimes and Misdemeanors’ (1989). He has received Golden Globe nominations for the first two, while the last one earned him a couple ‘Best Supporting Actor’ awards.
From 1993 to 2005, Alan served as the humble and humorous host of the television program, ‘Scientific American Frontiers’. It focused on informing the public about new technological advances in science and medicine.
In acting, he has appeared in films such as ‘Whispers in the Dark’ (1992), ‘Flirting with Disaster’ (1996), and ‘What Women Want’ (2000). He also continued to make a debut on television and played a recurring role in the political drama series ‘The West Wing’ in 2004-06.
He was cast in Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award-winning film ‘The Aviator’ In 2004, where he acted alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. Most recently, he acted in the Steven Spielberg historical drama ‘Bridge of Spies’ (2015).
Alan Alda’s portrayal of the sarcastic but good-hearted Army surgeon, Hawkeye, is by far his most popular role on-screen. The series went on to become one of the highest-rated shows in U.S. television history, with the final episode, ‘Goodbye, Farewell and Amen’, being the single most-watched episode of any American broadcast network television series.
Alan Alda On Mash | Alan Alda Mash | Alan Alda In Mash
In mid-1972, Alda auditioned for and was selected to assume the role of Hawkeye Pierce in the TV adaptation of the 1970 film MASH. He was nominated for 21 Emmy Awards, and won five.
He took part in writing 19 episodes, including the 1983 2 1⁄2-hour series finale “Farewell, Farewell and Amen”, which was additionally the 32nd episode he directed. It remains the single most-watched episode of any American broadcast network television series. Alda was the main series ordinary to show up in each of the 256 episodes.
Alda commuted from Los Angeles to his home in New Jersey every weekend for a long time 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, especially in light of the fact that he did not realize to what extent the show would last.
Alda’s father, Robert Alda, and stepbrother Antony Alda showed up together in an episode of M*A*S*H, “Help out”, during season eight. Robert had previously shown up in “The Consultant” in season three.
During the first five periods of the series, the tone of M*A*S*H was to a great extent that of a traditional “service comedy”, in the vein of shows such as McHale’s Navy. In any case, as the original writers gradually left the series, Alda gained increasing control, and by the final seasons had become a maker and creative consultant.
Under his watch, M*A*S*H retained its comedic foundation but gradually assumed a somewhat progressively serious tone, straightforwardly addressing political issues.
As a result, the 11 years of M*A*S*H are for the most part split into two times: 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 stated, “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 after some time tensions created as Alda’s role developed in popularity and disrupted the original ‘equivalent’ standing of their characters.
Rogers and Stevenson both left the show at the finish of the third season. Anticipating the fourth season, Alda and the makers sought a replacement actor for the surrogate parent role embodied in the character Colonel Blake.
They discovered veteran actor Harry Morgan, an enthusiast of the series who starred as Colonel Sherman T. Potter, a character who carried on as one of the show’s leads protagonists. And Mike Farrell was introduced as Hawkeye’s new roommate BJ Hunnicutt.
In his 1981 autobiography, Jackie Cooper (who directed a few early episodes) wrote that Alda concealed a lot of hostility beneath the surface and that they two scarcely addressed each other when Cooper’s directing of M*A*S*H ended.
During his M*A*S*H years, Alda showed up, most notably in The $10,000 Pyramid and as a frequent panelist on What’s My Line? and To Tell the Truth.
His favorite episodes of M*A*S*H are “Dear Sigmund” and “In Love and War”. In 1996, Alda was positioned 41st on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.
Alan Alda Movies and Tv Shows
Film
- 1963 Gone Are the Days!
- 1968 Paper Lion
- 1969 The Extraordinary Seaman
- 1970 Jenny
- 1970 The Moonshine War
- 1971 The Mephisto Waltz
- 1972 To Kill a Clown
- 1978 Same Time, Next Year
- 1978 California Suite
- 1979 The Seduction of Joe Tynan
- 1981 The Four Seasons
- 1986 Sweet Liberty
- 1988 A New Life
- 1989 Crimes and Misdemeanors
- 1990 Betsy’s Wedding
- 1992 Whispers in the Dark
- 1993 Manhattan Murder Mystery
- 1995 Canadian Bacon
- 1996 Flirting with Disaster
- 1996: Everyone Says I Love You
- 1997 Murder at 1600
- 1997 Mad City
- 1998 The Object of My Affection
- 1999 Keepers of the Frame
- 2000 What Women Want
- 2004 The Aviator
- 2007 Resurrecting the Champ
- 2008 Diminished Capacity
- 2008 Flash of Genius
- 2008 Nothing but the Truth
- 2011 Tower Heist
- 2012 Wanderlust
- 2015 The Longest Ride
- 2015 Bridge of Spies
- 2019 Marriage Story
Television
- 1958 The Phil Silvers Show
- 1962 Naked City
- 1963 The Doctors and the Nurses
- 1963 Route 66
- 1963 East Side/West Side
- 1965 The Trials of O’Brien
- 1967 Coronet Blue
- 1968 Premiere
- 1972 The Glass House
- 1972 Playmates
- 1972–83 M*A*S*H
- 1973 Isn’t It Shocking?
- 1974 The Carol Burnett Show
- 1974 Free to Be… You and Me
- 1974 6 Rms Riv Vu
- 1977 Kill Me If You Can
- 1993 And the Band Played On
- 1993–2005 Scientific American Frontiers
- 1994 White Mile
- 1996 Jake’s Women
- 1999 ER
- 2001 Club Land
- 2001 The Killing Yard
- 2004–06 The West Wing
- 2005 Getaway
- 2009–10 30 Rock
- 2011–13 The Big C
- 2012 The Human Spark
- 2013 Brains on Trial with Alan Alda
- 2013–14 The Blacklist
- 2016 Horace and Pete
- 2016 Broad City
- 2018–19 The Good Fight
- 2018–20 Ray Donovan
Stage
- 1959 Only in America
- 1961–62 Purlie Victorious
- 1964 Fair Game for Lovers
- 1964 Cafe Crown
- 1964–65 The Owl and the Pussycat
- 1966–67 The Apple Tree
- 1992 Jake’s Women
- 1998–99 Art
- 2001–02 QED
- 2003 The Play What I Wrote
- 2005 Glengarry Glen Ross
- 2014 Love Letters
- 2016 Oh, Hello
Alan Alda Salary
Details about Alda’s salary are not yet disclosed. However, information about how much he makes will be updated as soon as it is available.
Alan Alda Net Worth
Alda has been in the entertainment industry for quite a long time. He has no doubt amassed a huge fortune with the bulk of his wealth coming from his professional acting career. Despite his obvious riches, Alda prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.
However, the specifics about his assets and liabilities are still under review making it difficult to establish his actual net worth. His salary is also undisclosed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alan Alda
Who is Alan Alda?
Alda is a famous actor who gained extensive recognition after appearing as a cast member of the war television series M*A*S*H (1972–1983).
How old is Alan Alda?
Alda is an American national born on January 28, 1936, in The Bronx, New York, U.S.
How tall is Alan Alda?
Alda stands at a height of 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m).
Is Alan Alda married?
Yes, he is married to Arlene Weiss. They got married in 1957 and together they have three children. The couple resides in Los Angeles together with their children.
How much is Alan Alda worth?
Alda has an approximate net worth of $$40 million. This amount has been accrued from his leading roles in the entertainment industry.
How much does Alan Alda make?
Details about Alda’s salary are not yet disclosed. However, information about how much he makes will be updated as soon as it is available.
Where does Alan Alda live?
Because of security reasons, Alda has not shared his precise location of residence. We will immediately update this information if we get the location and images of his house.
Is Alda dead or alive?
Alda is alive and in good health. There have been no reports of him being sick or having any health-related issues.
Where is Alda Now?
Alda is still an active participant in the creative entertainment industry, he is a cast member of the war television series M*A*S*H. Watch the trailer below.
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