Robert Alda's career began in vaudeville, as a singer-dancer. Graduating to performing on radio and in burlesque, he made a splashy film debut as George Gershwin in Rhapsody in Blue. His film career faltered somewhat after that, but he had much greater success on the Broadway stage in such productions as "Guys and Dolls" and "What Makes Sammy Run." Settling in Rome in the early 1960s, he appeared in many Italian and European films over the next 15 years. While many of them were quite successful in Europe, few made it to the United States. Alda is the father of actor Alan Alda and Antony Alda.


Father of Alan Alda and Antony Alda. Graduate of NYC's prestigious Stuyvesant High School. Father-in-law of Arlene Alda Was said to have vaguely resembled Cary Grant during his prime. Both actors were based at Warner Bros and each starred in two of the studio's biggest, ill-received fictional musical bios -- Grant as Cole Porter in Night and Day (1946) and Alda as George Gershwin in Rhapsody in Blue (1945). Alda's film career faltered badly after he was dropped by Warners. Because of his parents' disdain towards his interest in an entertainment career, he initially took night courses at New York University majoring in architecture while working as a draftsman for an architectural firm during the day. Second wife was Italian actress Flora Marino. Together they produced son Antony Alda, who died in 2009. Son Alan Alda was ten and a half when he was stricken with polio, but fully recovered.