01of 20Courtesy Alan AldaBorn in The Bronx, New York, on Jan. 28, 1936, Alan Alda had a “very unusual” childhood, he told PEOPLE. His dad, Robert (left), who was a vaudeville performer, “was a little controlling, but he was very gentle.” His mother, Joan, battled mental illness, and his parents divorced when he was in his 20s.
01of 20
Courtesy Alan Alda
Born in The Bronx, New York, on Jan. 28, 1936, Alan Alda had a “very unusual” childhood, he told PEOPLE. His dad, Robert (left), who was a vaudeville performer, “was a little controlling, but he was very gentle.” His mother, Joan, battled mental illness, and his parents divorced when he was in his 20s.
02of 20The LIFE Picture Collection/GettyAfter attending Fordham University and a brief stint in the Army Reserve, Alda married Arlene Weiss when he was 21.“I would work occasionally as an actor, but I was a cab driver and a doorman and tried to sell mutual funds,” he said.
02of 20
The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty
After attending Fordham University and a brief stint in the Army Reserve, Alda married Arlene Weiss when he was 21.
“I would work occasionally as an actor, but I was a cab driver and a doorman and tried to sell mutual funds,” he said.
03of 20The LIFE Picture Collection/GettyTogether, the longtime couple has three daughters — Eve, Elizabeth and Beatrice — and several grandchildren. “If I had to go through another generation of adolescence …” he joked of parenthood.
03of 20
Together, the longtime couple has three daughters — Eve, Elizabeth and Beatrice — and several grandchildren. “If I had to go through another generation of adolescence …” he joked of parenthood.
04of 20Everett"I just kept plodding along," said the actor of his pre-MAS*Hgigs, including the 1968 football moviePaper Lionwith costar Lauren Hutton, in which he played a sportswriter turned quarterback.
04of 20
Everett
“I just kept plodding along,” said the actor of his pre-MAS*Hgigs, including the 1968 football moviePaper Lionwith costar Lauren Hutton, in which he played a sportswriter turned quarterback.
05of 20
CBS Photo Archive/Getty
The surviving cast members ofMAS*H(including Gary Burghoff, left, in 1976) reunited for Alda’s podcastClear+Vividin 2019.
06of 20Mondadori Portfolio/GettyThe actor starred with Joanna Gleason in Woody Allen’s 1989 filmCrimes & Misdemeanors.
06of 20
Mondadori Portfolio/Getty
The actor starred with Joanna Gleason in Woody Allen’s 1989 filmCrimes & Misdemeanors.
07of 20EverettFor his role in 1993’sAnd the Band Played On(opposite Matthew Modine), Alda scored yet another Emmy nomination, for outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or special.
07of 20
For his role in 1993’sAnd the Band Played On(opposite Matthew Modine), Alda scored yet another Emmy nomination, for outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries or special.
08of 20EverettOnERin 1999, Alda played a doctor forced to resign from County General after it’s revealed he’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. For his part, he was — you guessed it — nominated for another Emmy, for outstanding guest actor in a drama series.
08of 20
OnERin 1999, Alda played a doctor forced to resign from County General after it’s revealed he’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. For his part, he was — you guessed it — nominated for another Emmy, for outstanding guest actor in a drama series.
09of 20EverettAlda joined forces with Goldie Hawn for 1996’sEveryone Says I Love You, a Woody Allen musical that featured a star-studded cast including Julia Roberts, Edward Norton, Drew Barrymore and Natalie Portman.
09of 20
Alda joined forces with Goldie Hawn for 1996’sEveryone Says I Love You, a Woody Allen musical that featured a star-studded cast including Julia Roberts, Edward Norton, Drew Barrymore and Natalie Portman.
10of 20EverettAlda’s sole Oscar nod was a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role as Senator Brewster in 2004’sThe AviatorwithLeonardo DiCaprio.
10of 20
Alda’s sole Oscar nod was a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role as Senator Brewster in 2004’sThe AviatorwithLeonardo DiCaprio.
11of 20Mitch Haddad/NBC/GettyThe actor (with costars Jimmy Smits and Martin Sheen in 2006) received his only nonMAS*H-related Emmy for his portrayal of a senator vying for the presidency in NBC’s hit seriesThe West Wing.
11of 20
Mitch Haddad/NBC/Getty
The actor (with costars Jimmy Smits and Martin Sheen in 2006) received his only nonMAS*H-related Emmy for his portrayal of a senator vying for the presidency in NBC’s hit seriesThe West Wing.
12of 20Richard Drew/AP/REX/ShutterstockAlda joined the faculty of Stony Brook University in 2009 as a visiting professor. He also cofounded the university’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science.“I started teaching scientists and engineers improvisation to see if it would help them relate better, and it did,” he shared.
12of 20
Richard Drew/AP/REX/Shutterstock
Alda joined the faculty of Stony Brook University in 2009 as a visiting professor. He also cofounded the university’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science.
“I started teaching scientists and engineers improvisation to see if it would help them relate better, and it did,” he shared.
13of 20Jessica Miglio/NBC/GettyAnother outstanding guest actor in a comedy series Emmy nomination came Alda’s way following his turn as Jack Donaghy’s biological father, Professor Milton Greene, on a 2009 episode of30 Rock.
13of 20
Jessica Miglio/NBC/Getty
Another outstanding guest actor in a comedy series Emmy nomination came Alda’s way following his turn as Jack Donaghy’s biological father, Professor Milton Greene, on a 2009 episode of30 Rock.
14of 20
15of 20David Giesbrecht/NBC/GettyAlda’s most recent outstanding guest actor in a drama series Emmy nomination came for his part as Assistant Director of National Intelligence Alan Fitch onThe Blacklist.
15of 20
David Giesbrecht/NBC/Getty
Alda’s most recent outstanding guest actor in a drama series Emmy nomination came for his part as Assistant Director of National Intelligence Alan Fitch onThe Blacklist.
16of 20EverettMost recently, Alda appeared onRay Donovanas Donovan’s psychiatrist Dr. Arthur Amiot. He appeared in the series' 2022 movie, too.
16of 20
Most recently, Alda appeared onRay Donovanas Donovan’s psychiatrist Dr. Arthur Amiot. He appeared in the series' 2022 movie, too.
17of 20"We’ve both gone through changes, but we’re still the same people. Arlene says the secret of a long marriage is a short memory," he joked of his nearly 65 years with wife Arlene. “It’s kind of surprising, but we still experience a kind of puppy love.”
17of 20
“We’ve both gone through changes, but we’re still the same people. Arlene says the secret of a long marriage is a short memory,” he joked of his nearly 65 years with wife Arlene. “It’s kind of surprising, but we still experience a kind of puppy love.”
18of 20John Nowak/Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc.In 2015, Alda was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease; he shared the news publicly in July 2018. Though he admitted it was “scary” at first, Alda learned that an exercise regimen could help stave off progression and he embraced boxing, a version of Tai Chi and — in a workout you’re not likely to see every day — marching to the boisterous compositions of John Philip Sousa.“My life hasn’t changed much,” said the actor, who first noticed a twitch in his thumb. “I just applied my curiosity to it. I’m constantly reading and trying to figure out the best approaches. So far it’s really interesting — I think it’s helped me understand a little better that everybody has something that they’re coping with.”
18of 20
John Nowak/Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc.
In 2015, Alda was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease; he shared the news publicly in July 2018. Though he admitted it was “scary” at first, Alda learned that an exercise regimen could help stave off progression and he embraced boxing, a version of Tai Chi and — in a workout you’re not likely to see every day — marching to the boisterous compositions of John Philip Sousa.
“My life hasn’t changed much,” said the actor, who first noticed a twitch in his thumb. “I just applied my curiosity to it. I’m constantly reading and trying to figure out the best approaches. So far it’s really interesting — I think it’s helped me understand a little better that everybody has something that they’re coping with.”
19of 20Michael Buckner/Variety/REX/ShutterstockIn 2019, Tom Hanks presented Alda with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.“You know, it’s really hard to describe to you what it feels like to look out and see my fellow actors, my colleagues, my heroes, to welcome me up there like this. It’s an extraordinary feeling,“he said. “The thing is this comes at a time where I’ve had a chance to look back at my life and to think about what it’s meant to be an actor. I see more than ever now how proud I am to be a member of our brotherhood and sisterhood of actors.”
19of 20
Michael Buckner/Variety/REX/Shutterstock
In 2019, Tom Hanks presented Alda with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
“You know, it’s really hard to describe to you what it feels like to look out and see my fellow actors, my colleagues, my heroes, to welcome me up there like this. It’s an extraordinary feeling,“he said. “The thing is this comes at a time where I’ve had a chance to look back at my life and to think about what it’s meant to be an actor. I see more than ever now how proud I am to be a member of our brotherhood and sisterhood of actors.”
20of 20Alan Alda.Alan Alda/TwitterThough the actor, like many, has remained out of the public eye since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s kept busy on his podcast, and evenposted his vaccine selfiein February 2021.
20of 20
Alan Alda.Alan Alda/Twitter
Though the actor, like many, has remained out of the public eye since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he’s kept busy on his podcast, and evenposted his vaccine selfiein February 2021.
source: people.com
