Robert Alda - Turner Classic Movies

Robert Alda

Actor

About

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Also Known As

Alphonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo

Birth Place

New York City, New York, USA

Born

February 26, 1914

Died

May 03, 1986

Biography

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Darkly handsome lead, later an attractively graying character actor, a veteran performer in film, theatre and TV. Alda made his film debut as George Gershwin in the tuneful biopic "Rhapsody in Blue" (1945) and played the romantic lead in Robert Florey's stylish cult horror thriller, "The Beast with Five Fingers" (1947). His film career diminished in the 1950s, but Alda played occasional ...

Filmography

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Revenge of the Barbarians (2005)

Code Red (1981)

The Squeeze (1980)

Perfect Gentlemen (1978)

Spider-Man Strikes Back (1978)

Photos & Videos

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Nora Prentiss (1947) -- (Movie Clip) The Little Woman's Away

Imitation Of Life (1959) -- (Movie Clip) Ten Seconds Before You Die

Family & Companions

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Joan Alda

Wife

Biography

Darkly handsome lead, later an attractively graying character actor, a veteran performer in film, theatre and TV. Alda made his film debut as George Gershwin in the tuneful biopic "Rhapsody in Blue" (1945) and played the romantic lead in Robert Florey's stylish cult horror thriller, "The Beast with Five Fingers" (1947). His film career diminished in the 1950s, but Alda played occasional character roles such as Lana Turner's lecherous agent in "Imitation of Life" (1959). He also enjoyed notable success onstage beginning with his Tony-winning performance in the landmark musical "Guys and Dolls" (1950). In the 60s Alda lived in Italy and made a number of films there. TV also kept him busy in games shows and the adventure series "Secret File, U.S.A." during the early 50s; he later performed on the soaps "Love of Life" and "Secret Storm" and contributed a memorable guest performance as a general who cracks up on "M*A*S*H," starring his son Alan Alda.

Filmography

Cast (Feature Film)

Revenge of the Barbarians (2005)

Code Red (1981)

The Squeeze (1980)

Perfect Gentlemen (1978)

Spider-Man Strikes Back (1978)

Bittersweet Love (1976)

Last Hours Before Morning (1975)

Theo "Lucky" English

I Will...I Will...For Now (1975)

La Casa dell'Exorcismo (1975)

Cagliostro (1974)

Le Serpent (1973)

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1969)

All Woman (1967)

Cleopatra's Daughter (1963)

Force of Impulse (1961)

The Devil's Hand (1961)

Imitation of Life (1959)

All Woman (1958)

La Donna piu bella del mondo (1955)

Mister Universe (1951)

Two Gals and a Guy (1951)

Hollywood Varieties (1950)

Tarzan and the Slave Girl (1950)

Homicide (1949)

April Showers (1948)

The Man I Love (1947)

The Beast with Five Fingers (1947)

Conrad Ryler [also known as Bruce Conrad]

Nora Prentiss (1947)

Cloak and Dagger (1946)

Cinderella Jones (1946)

Rhapsody in Blue (1945)

George Gershwin

Music (Feature Film)

Hollywood Varieties (1950)

Cast (Special)

Lucy Moves to NBC (1980)

Rhapsody & Song: A Tribute to George Gershwin (1980)

The Rock Rainbow (1978)

Life Events

1943

Signed by Warner Brothers

1945

First film as actor, "Rhapsody in Blue"

1950

Broadway debut, "Guys and Dolls"

1954

Played Major Bill Morgan on the syndicated adventure series, "Secret File, U.S.A."

1979

Acted on the short-lived TV series, "Supertrain"

Photo Collections

Nora Prentiss - Lobby Card Set

Here is a set of Lobby Cards from Warner Bros' Nora Prentiss (1947), starring Ann Sheridan. Lobby Cards were 11" x 14" posters that came in sets of 8. As the name implies, they were most often displayed in movie theater lobbies, to advertise current or coming attractions.

Videos

Nora Prentiss (1947) -- (Movie Clip) The Little Woman's Away Finishing her number, night club singer Ann Sheridan (title character), with her straight-laced new physician Talbott (Kent Smith), grows skeptical, then apologetic, introducing her boss (Robert Alda), then sampling a tune by M.K. Jerome and Jack Scholl, in Nora Prentiss, 1947.

Imitation Of Life (1959) -- (Movie Clip) Ten Seconds Before You Die Out of work model and/or actress and single mom Lora (Lana Turner) has schemed her way into an after-hours meeting at the office of theatrical agent Loomis (Robert Alda) who, it turns out, lacks certain scruples, early in Douglas Sirk's Imitation Of Life, 1959.

Imitation Of Life (1959) -- (Movie Clip) Foolish Together Single mom and aspiring actress Lora (Lana Turner), embarrassed by Christmas attention from Steve (John Gavin), as housekeeper/roommate Annie (Juanita Moore) takes a call from agent Loomis (Robert Alda), representing Edwards (Dan O'Herlihy), in Douglas Sirk's hit Imitation Of Life, 1959.

Rhapsody In Blue (1945) -- (Movie Clip) I've Got Rhythm (Hazel Scott) The real Hazel Scott (seen here) likely never met George Gershwin (played by Robert Alda), but she was known for great performances of his songs, imagined here in the Warner Bros.’ bio-pic, in a Paris nightclub, where he’ll also meet Alexis Smith as fictional Christine, in Rhapsody In Blue, 1945.

Rhapsody In Blue (1945) -- (Movie Clip) I'm Just A Song Plugger Working in Tin Pan Alley, Robert Alda as George Gershwin (who would have been a teenager at the time) receives the improbably charming and fictional Julie Adams (Joan Leslie), samples his own famous tune, then gets fired by Charles Halton, in the Warner Bros.’ bio-pic Rhapsody In Blue, 1945.

Rhapsody In Blue (1945) -- (Movie Clip) The Blues Will Go On Bandleader Paul Whiteman and impresario George White play themselves after the failure of a Blues number by George Gershwin (Robert Alda), who commiserates with brother Ira (Herbert Rudley) and Professor Frank (Albert Basserman), as a new idea emerges, in the bio-pic Rhapsody In Blue, 1945.

Rhapsody In Blue (1945) -- (Movie Clip) Oscar Levant Oscar Levant carries this Hollywood version of his real-life first meeting with George Gershwin (played by Robert Alda) in director Irving Rapper's Warner Bros. bio-pic Rhapsody In Blue, 1945.

Rhapsody In Blue (1945) -- (Movie Clip) Send That Song Over To Me! Agent Max Dreyfus (Charles Coburn) is so impressed with new client George Gershwin (Robert Alda) that he introduces him to Al Jolson (as himself, in dreaded black-face) over the phone in Rhapsody In Blue, 1945.

Beast With Five Fingers, The (1947) -- (Movie Clip) Don't Leave Me Alone! Former musician Conrad (Robert Alda) visits the Italian Alpine villa where one-armed pianist Ingram (Victor Francen) and nurse Julie (Andrea King) await, creepy aide Hilary (Peter Lorre) lurking, early in Robert Florey's The Beast With Five Fingers, 1947.

Bittersweet Love (1976) -- (Movie Clip) Vancouver On Saturday Hollywood vets start appearing now, as about-to-marry Patricia (Meredith Baxter) and Michael (Scott Hylands) meet his parents (Celest Holm, Robert Lansing) in Canada, then we meet her parents (Lana Turner, Robert Alda), not in time for the wedding, in Bittersweet Love, 1976.

Bittersweet Love (1976) -- (Movie Clip) Quakers, Booksellers Lana Turner is called upon to emote in her second-to-last movie, when she realizes that the new husband (Scott Hylands) her daughter (Meredith Baxter) has brought home must be the son of her one-time lover, her husband (Robert Alda) not in the loop, in Bittersweet Love, 1976.

Imitation Of Life (1959) -- (Movie Clip) Title Song, Credits Earl Grant's vocal, Sammy Fain and Paul Thomas Webster's song, the especially evocative title sequence, from producer Ross Hunter and director Douglas Sirk's hit melodrama Imitation Of Life, starring Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee and Juanita Moore.

Imitation of Life (1959) - (Original Trailer) Two mothers, one white, one black, face problems with their rebellious daughters in Douglas Sirk's Imitation Of Life (1959) starring Lana Turner.

Cinderella Jones - (Original Trailer) Joan Leslie has to find and marry a genius to inherit $10 million in Busby Berkeley's musical Cinderella Jones (1946).

April Showers - (Original Trailer) A family vaudeville act is torn apart by the father's drinking problem in the 1948 musical drama, April Showers starring Jack Carson and Ann Sothern.

Beast With Five Fingers - (Original Trailer) After a famous pianist's murder, his hand returns to wreak vengeance in The Beast With Five Fingers (1946) starring Peter Lorre.

Homicide - (Original Trailer) A witness' suicide looks suspicious to Lt. "Mickey" Landers and, sure enough, it leads to Homicide (1949).

Man I Love, The - (Original Trailer) Night-club singer Ida Lupino gets involved with mobster Robert Alda in Raoul Walsh's The Man I Love (1947).

Nora Prentiss - (Original Trailer) Ambitious singer Ann Sheridan ruins a doctor's life in the film noir drama Nora Prentiss (1947).

Rhapsody in Blue - (Original Trailer) Robert Alda stars in Rhapsody in Blue (1945), a fictionalized biography of composer George Gershwin and his fight to bring serious music to Broadway.

Family

Alan Alda

Son

Actor, screenwriter, director.

Antony Alda

Son

Actor.

Companions

Joan Alda

Wife

Bibliography

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