Robert Alda

Acting

Robert Alda

Born 1914-02-26 · New York City, New York, USA

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Robert Alda (February 26, 1914 – May 3, 1986) was an American theatrical and film actor and father of actors Alan and Antony Alda. A 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). Alda, an American of Italian descent, was born Alphonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D'Abruzzo in New York, New York, the son of Frances (née Tumillo) and Antonio D'Abruzzo, a barber born in Sant'Agata de' Goti, Benevento, Campania, Italy. 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 on to burlesque. Alda 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). He was also the host of the short-lived DuMont TV version of the game show What's Your Bid? (May–June 1953). Alda's first wife, and mother of actor Alan Alda, Joan Browne, was a homemaker and former beauty pageant winner. Alda was married to his second wife, Flora Marino, an Italian actress whom he met in Rome, 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 younger son by his second wife. Alda appeared in an episode of The Feather and Father Gang in 1977. Alda died on May 3, 1986, aged 72, after a long illness following a stroke.

Acting credits

Imitation of Life poster
7.4

In 1940s New York, a white widow who dreams of being on Broadway has a chance encounter with a black single mother, who becomes her maid.

Imitation of Life

1959

Spider-Man Strikes Back poster
5.8

At the New York State University, one of Peter Parker's tutors has accidentally given three students all the materials they need to create an atomic bomb. While Peter Parker tries to find out what's happened, the police suspect him of the crime, and Peter has to deal with an attractive journalist determined to get an interview with Spider-Man. Then dastardly millionaire Mr. White shows up, and will stop at nothing to get his hands on the atomic bomb. Spider-Man must defeat this scheming villain and stop him blowing up the World Trade Centre.

Spider-Man Strikes Back

1978

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood poster
4.4

A would-be filmmaker and actress shake up the industry with a trick dog who gets discovered by a studio bus driver in the 1920s.

Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood

1976

Beautiful But Dangerous poster
5.9

Lina, a music hall singer, has fallen in love with Sergei, a Russian prince. Maestro Doria, who gives her voice lessons and who hopes to make her his mistress, takes her to Paris where she becomes the star of the "Folies-Plastiques".

Beautiful But Dangerous

1955

The Serpent poster
6.1

Vlassov is a Soviet spy who defects in France. He is whisked to the U.S, where Allan Davies takes over the case. After polygraph tests and cross-examinations, Vlassov names several Western European agents who are also spying for the Soviets. Davies wants to take the listed agents into custody; meanwhile, those on the list start dying under mysterious circumstances.

The Serpent

1973

The Squeeze poster
5.9

A retired safe cracker is recruited by a young conman to return to the "business" for a million dollar heist.

The Squeeze

1978

Mister Universe poster
6.3

A gullible and honest "Mr. Universe" winner, Tommy Tomkins, gets added to the stable of a con-man and a wrestling prompter.

Mister Universe

1951

The Beast with Five Fingers poster
6.4

Locals in an Italian village believe evil has taken over the estate of a recently deceased pianist where murder has taken place. The alleged killer: the pianist's severed hand.

The Beast with Five Fingers

1947

Fame poster
9.0

A waiter becomes a sudden overnight success as a playwright, and then begins negotiations with an Italian movie director to turn his play into a film. The results are unexpected.

Fame

1978

The Man I Love poster
6.1

Tough torch singer Petey Brown, visiting her family, finds a nest of troubles: her sister, brother, and the neighbor's wife are involved in various ways with shady nightclub owner Nicky Toresca. Petey has what it takes to handle Nicky, but then she meets San Thomas, a formerly great jazz pianist now on the skids, and falls hard for him.

The Man I Love

1946

Tarzan and the Slave Girl poster
5.6

The Lionians, a tribe of lion worshippers, make a desperate attempt to find a cure for the mysterious disease plaguing their village. Their Chief decides to kidnap Jane and Lola, a half-breed nurse, in order to help repopulate his civilization. Tarzan must rescue them while fending off blowgun attacks from people called the Waddies who are disguised as bushes.

Tarzan and the Slave Girl

1950

Cloak and Dagger poster
6.5

Italian partisans help a professor sent by the OSS to find an atomic scientist held by Nazis.

Cloak and Dagger

1946

Nora Prentiss poster
6.2

Quiet, organised Dr. Talbot meets nightclub singer Nora Prentiss when she is slightly hurt in a street accident. Despite her misgivings, they become heavily involved, and Talbot finds himself faced with the choice of leaving Nora or divorcing his wife. When a patient expires in his office, a third option seems to present itself.

Nora Prentiss

1947

I Will, I Will...For Now poster
4.8

Les Bingham takes umbrage that his ex-wife Katie has a new love in life. What he doesn't know is that her new paramour is lawyer Lou Springer. When Katie's sister Sally arrives and tells the two about her new, hip '70s marriage contract, Les and Katie decide to try to get together again under a more liberal marriage contract, like Katie's sister. But, unfortunately for the couple, the contract is planted with the seeds of self-destruction.

I Will, I Will...For Now

1976

Bittersweet Love poster
4.0

A pregnant woman and her husband discover they are half-brother and half-sister, thanks to his father and her mother.

Bittersweet Love

1976

The House of Exorcism poster
4.5

A re-edited version of Mario Bava's "Lisa and the Devil" for the U.S. market, including newly filmed scenes involving a possessed Lisa.

The House of Exorcism

1975

Cleopatra's Daughter poster
5.8

The beautiful young Sushila is forced into a political marriage with young Pharaoh Nemorat in order to consolidate power. However, the young Pharaoh is beset with mental illness and the marriage becomes dangerous, all the while the chief advisor Kefren and his scheming mistress plot to destroy the unstable pair.

Cleopatra's Daughter

1960

Last Hours Before Morning poster
4.5

An ex-cop, now a private detective, investigating a gambler's murder finds that there may be a connection between that crime and the jewel robbery at a beautiful movie star's home.

Last Hours Before Morning

1975

No artwork available
8.0

Sex. Drugs. Deviance. More sex. And at least one bad mustache.

All Woman

1967

The Girl Who Knew Too Much poster
6.0

A runaway truck containing the corpse of a slain gang leader rolls into a California nightclub owned by Johnny Cain, a hard bitten former free-lance adventurer. The gang threatens to kill Johnny, unless he solves the murder. The CIA also investigates - because it turns out that the slaying was part of a long-range Communist plan to take over the crime syndicate. Cain's search for clues leads him into a maze of beautiful girls, mysterious Oriental statues and murderous spies.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much

1969

Perfect Gentlemen poster
4.8

Women whose husbands are incarcerated decide to band together to rob a hotel safe.

Perfect Gentlemen

1978

Holiday Hookers poster
4.0

Madame is running a high class escort (and prostitution) service. She wants to quit the business as soon as she makes enough money to make her dreams come true. However, the relationship with her girls is deteriorating.

Holiday Hookers

1976

Homicide poster
5.7

Michael Landers, a police lieutenant, sets out to investigate an intricate murder case. But, the case is closed after the only witness is found dead. Will Michael be able to fathom the mystery?

Homicide

1949

Hollywood Varieties poster
9.0

Entertainment trade-paper headlines report the resurgence of vaudeville as the new medium of television searches for new talent. At the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, master of ceremonies Robert Alda introduces vaudeville performers while being frequently interrupted by several comedians

Hollywood Varieties

1950