He is an American actor, director, screenwriter, comedian, and author. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he played Hawkeye Pierce in the war television series M*A*S*H(1972–1983). He has had recurring roles on television programs such as The West Wing, and has appeared in films such as The Four Seasons (1981), Bridge of Spies (2015), and Marriage Story (2019). In 2004, Alda was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in The Aviator.
In 1956, while attending Fordham, Alda met Arlene Weiss, who was attending Hunter College. 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. 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. In an intimate interview, Alda revealed that Arlene sometimes will call him “Fonzi” in reference to his birth name “Alphonso”.
The Aldas have been long-time residents of Leonia, New Jersey.
In Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself, Alda describes 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 admits to still praying on occasion, he said he wants to find meaning in this life rather than worrying about the next one. While he still talks to God on occasion, he admits it often comes at times of fear rather than out of a sense of belief.
On July 31, 2018, he appeared on CBS This Morning and announced he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease three years prior.
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| 1 |
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M*a*s*h: The Complete Collection |
$53.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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MASH The Complete TV Series + Movie |
$64.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
