Robert Alda

Birthday: 1914-02-26
Deathday: 1986-05-03
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Gender: Male
Owned By: Unowned

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert Alda (February 26, 1914 – May 3, 1986) was an American theatrical and film actor and father of actors Alan and Antony Alda. A singer and dancer, Alda was featured in a number of Broadway productions before moving to Italy during the early 1960s. He appeared in many European films over the next two decades, occasionally returning to the U.S. for film appearances such as The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1969).

Alda, an American of Italian descent, was born Alphonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo in New York, New York, the son of Frances (née Tumillo) and Antonio D'Abruzzo, a barber born in Sant'Agata de' Goti, Benevento, Campania, Italy. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York in 1930. He began as a singer and dancer in vaudeville after winning a talent contest, and moved on to burlesque.

Alda is known for portraying George Gershwin in the biopic Rhapsody in Blue (1945) as well as the talent agent in the Douglas Sirk classic Imitation of Life (1959). He was very successful on Broadway, starring in Guys and Dolls (1950), for which he won a Tony Award, and in What Makes Sammy Run? (1964). He was also the host of the short-lived DuMont TV version of the game show What's Your Bid? (May–June 1953).

Alda's first wife, and mother of actor Alan Alda, Joan Browne, was a homemaker and former beauty pageant winner. Alda was married to his second wife, Flora Marino, an Italian actress whom he met in Rome, until his death.

Alda made two guest appearances with his son Alan on M*A*S*H, in the episodes "The Consultant" (January 1975) and "Lend a Hand" (February 1980). The latter episode also featured Antony Alda (1956–2009), his younger son by his second wife.

Alda appeared in an episode of The Feather and Father Gang in 1977.

Alda died on May 3, 1986, aged 72, after a long illness following a stroke.

Credits

Year Title Character
1980-02-08 Lucy Moves to NBC Mr. Luder
1979-02-07 Express to Terror Dr. Dan Lewis
1978-12-21 Spider-Man Strikes Back Mr. White
1978-10-25 The Squeeze Captain Donati
1978-03-14 Perfect Gentlemen Ed Martin
1978-01-02 Fame Concierge
1978-01-01 Every Girl Should Have One Adam Becker
1976-10-01 Bittersweet Love Ben
1976-07-26 Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood Richard Entwhistle
1976-02-18 I Will, I Will...For Now Dr. Magnus
1976-01-01 Holiday Hookers Client
1975-04-19 Last Hours Before Morning Theo 'Lucky' English
1975-04-02 The House of Exorcism Father Michael
1975-02-21 Cagliostro Pope Clement XIII
1973-04-07 The Serpent Polygraph interrogator
1969-11-07 The Girl Who Knew Too Much Kenneth Allandice
1967-09-20 All Woman Wally
1962-09-08 Totò e Peppino divisi a Berlino Lo Bianco
1962-02-23 Musketeers of the Sea Vice Governatore Gomez
1961-11-01 Force of Impulse Warren Reese
1961-09-13 The Devil's Hand Rick Turner
1960-12-23 Revenge of the Barbarians Ataulf
1960-12-07 Cleopatra's Daughter Inuni, Pharaoh's Architect
1960-02-11 Un militare e mezzo Roy Harrison
1959-06-26 Imitation of Life Allen Loomis
1955-10-21 Beautiful But Dangerous Maestro Doria
1955-01-01 Assignment Abroad Major Bill Morgan
1951-07-01 Two Gals and a Guy Deke Oliver
1951-01-10 Mister Universe Fingers Maroni
1950-06-23 Tarzan and the Slave Girl Neil
1950-01-15 Hollywood Varieties Master of Ceremonies
1949-04-02 Homicide Andy
1948-03-27 April Showers Billy Shay
1947-02-22 Nora Prentiss Phil Dinardo, Cafe Owner
1947-02-08 The Beast with Five Fingers Bruce Conrad [Conrad Ryler in on-screen end credits]
1946-12-26 The Man I Love Nicky Toresca
1946-09-28 Cloak and Dagger Pinkie
1946-03-09 Cinderella Jones Tommy Coles
1945-06-27 Rhapsody in Blue George Gershwin