- Underwent emergency surgery in La Serena, Chile to clear an intestinal obstruction. [October 19, 2003]
"If you work very, very hard, this is the kind of actor, writer, and director you may turn out to be. And if you work extra hard, this is the kind of person you may turn out to be." - James Lipton, to students at New School University, where Alda gave an interview.
Harry Morgan was said to be one of his idols, who would later replaced McLean Stevenson, on "M*A*S*H" (1972), for the fourth season.
Richard Hooker, who wrote the novel on which the film (M*A*S*H (1970)) and TV show ("M*A*S*H" (1972)) were based, did not like the TV series and in particular did not like Alda's portrayal of Hawkeye Pierce.
1975 People's Choice Award: Favourite Male TV-Performer
Alda almost turned down the role of Hawkeye Pierce on "M*A*S*H" (1972) because he did not want war to be a "backdrop for lighthearted hijinks... "I wanted to show that the war was a bad place to be.".
Attended Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, NY.
Before his 2003 emergency surgery in Chile, the surgeon tried to explain the procedure he was about to perform in layman's terms. Alda confidently asserted that the operation is called an end-to-end anastomosis. The stunned surgeon asked how he knew that. Alda replied that he had done the procedure numerous times on "M*A*S*H" (1972).
Best known by the public for his starring role as Chief of Surgery - Dr. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce on "M*A*S*H" (1972).
Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith; pg. 7-8. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387
Born 5:07 AM.
Briefly considered a run for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in New Jersey after Bill Bradley announced his retirement in 1995.
Despite being an active Democrat, he has recently played two Republican senators in TV and film--the fictitious Arnold Vinick in "The West Wing" (1999) (which garnered him an Emmy win) and the real-life Owen Brewster in The Aviator (2004) (for which he received an Academy Award nomination).
Earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham University (New York City, USA) in 1956.
Earned a reported $200,000 a week for "M*A*S*H" (1972) in 1980.
Has been nominated three times for Broadway's Tony Award: in 1967, as best actor-musical for The Apple Tree, in 1992, as best actor-play for Jake's Women and in 2005 as best performance by a featured actor-play for Glengarry Glen Ross.
Has succeeded Donald Sutherland in two roles: Hawkeye Pierce in "M*A*S*H" (1972), and Flan in Six Degrees of Separation (1993). He played the latter part in an Audio Books recording. During an appearance both made at a ceremony/dinner for Queen Elizabeth II, the two happened to be standing in the reception line next to each other. As they waited for the Queen to make her way down the line, Alda whispered to Sutherland, "Thank you for my life.".
Has the distinction of playing three U.S. Senators--Sen. Joe Tynan in The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979), real-life Sen. Owen Brewster in The Aviator (2004) and Sen. Arnold Vinick in "The West Wing" (1999) . Furthermore, he received an Oscar nomination for his performance in The Aviator (2004).
Has three daughters: Eve (born on 18-12-1958), Elizabeth Alda (born on 20-8-1960) and Beatrice Alda(born on 10-8-1961).
He and Loretta Swit were the only two to appear in both the pilot episode of "M*A*S*H" (1972) and in the final show (with the exception of the opening credits, where Gary Burghoff's character Radar appears, albeit edited after his departure from the show, and Jamie Farr, who provides the voice of the PA announcer in the pilot episode).