Robert Alda
| Robert Alda | |
|---|---|
 from the trailer for Rhapsody in Blue (1945) |
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| Born | Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo February 26, 1914 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 3, 1986 (aged 72) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1945–1983 |
| Spouse | Joan Browne (1932 - ?) Flora Martino (? - 1986) |
Robert Alda (February 26, 1914–May 3, 1986) was an American theatrical and film actor and father of actors Alan and Antony Alda. A talented 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).
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[edit] Life and career
Alda, an Italian American, was born Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo in New York City, New York, the son of Frances (née Tumillo) and Antonio D'Abruzzo, a barber born in Sant'Agata de' Goti, Benevento, Campania, Italy.[1] 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 onto burlesque.[2] He 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).
Alda's first wife, and mother of actor Alan Alda, Joan Browne, was a showgirl.[3] Alda was married to his second wife, Flora Martino, 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 youngest son by his second wife.
Alda died after a long illness following a stroke on May 3, 1986, aged 72.[4]
[edit] Broadway
- The Front Page (1969–1970)
- My Daughter, Your Son (1969-1969)
- What Makes Sammy Run? (1964–1965)
- Harbor Lights (1956)
- Guys and Dolls (1950–1953)
[edit] Selected filmography
- Rhapsody in Blue (1945) a fictionalized account of the life music composer George Gershwin, portrayed by Alda
- Cloak and Dagger (1946)
- The Man I Love (1947)
- Hollywood Varieties (1950) starring Alda watch film at TV4U
- Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950)
- Two Gals and a Guy (1951) with Janis Paige
- Revenge of the Barbarians (1960)
[edit] References
- ^ Robert Alda Biography (1914-1986)
- ^ Strait, Raymond (1983). Alan Alda: A Biography. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 7–9. ISBN 0312017030.
- ^ Alan Alda
- ^ Robert Alda dies at 72
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Robert Alda |
- Robert Alda at AllRovi
- Robert Alda at Find a Grave
- Robert Alda at the Internet Broadway Database
- Robert Alda at the Internet Movie Database
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