
Robert Alda
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1914-02-26
Day of Death
1986-05-03 (72 years old)
Place of Birth
New York City, New York, USA
Robert Alda
Biography
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.
Known For
Acting
(2018)
Doses of Horror
as Father Michael ("A Dose of Temptation" segment) (archive footage) (uncredited)
(1980)
Lucy Moves to NBC
as Mr. Luder
(1979)
Express to Terror
as Dr. Dan Lewis
(1978)
Spider-Man Strikes Back
as Mr. White
(1978)
The Squeeze
as Captain Donati
(1978)
Perfect Gentlemen
as Ed Martin
(1978)
Fame
as Concierge
(1978)
Every Girl Should Have One
as Adam Becker
(1976)
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
as Richard Entwhistle
(1976)
I Will, I Will...For Now
as Dr. Magnus
(1976)
Holiday Hookers
as Client
(1976)
Bittersweet Love
as Ben
(1975)
The House of Exorcism
as Father Michael
(1975)
Cagliostro
as Pope Clement XIII
(1975)
Last Hours Before Morning
as Theo 'Lucky' English
(1973)
The Serpent
as Polygraph interrogator
(1969)
The Girl Who Knew Too Much
as Kenneth Allandice
(1967)
All Woman
as Wally
(1962)
Totò e Peppino divisi a Berlino
as Lo Bianco
(1962)
Musketeers of the Sea
as Vice Governatore Gomez
(1961)
The Devil's Hand
as Rick Turner
(1961)
Force of Impulse
as Warren Reese
(1960)
Cleopatra's Daughter
as Inuni, Pharaoh's Architect
(1960)
A Soldier and a Half
as Roy Harrison
(1960)
Revenge of the Barbarians
as Ataulf
(1959)
Imitation of Life
as Allen Loomis
(1955)
Beautiful But Dangerous
as Maestro Doria
(1955)
Assignment Abroad
as Major Bill Morgan
(1951)
Two Gals and a Guy
as Deke Oliver
(1951)
Mister Universe
as Fingers Maroni
(1950)
Tarzan and the Slave Girl
as Neil
(1950)
Hollywood Varieties
as Master of Ceremonies
(1949)
Homicide
as Andy
(1948)
April Showers
as Billy Shay
(1947)
Nora Prentiss
as Phil Dinardo
(1947)
The Beast with Five Fingers
as Bruce Conrad [Conrad Ryler in on-screen end credits]
(1946)
Cloak and Dagger
as Pinkie
(1946)
The Man I Love
as Nicky Toresca
(1946)
Cinderella Jones
as Tommy Coles
(1945)
Rhapsody in Blue
as George Gershwin