Biography
Though a successful stage and film actor, Alan Alda made his most lasting impact playing Hawkeye Pierce, the suave, but goofy surgeon fond of homemade martinis and chasing after nurses on the classic television series "M*A*S*H" (CBS, 1972-1983). Because of his long, successful stint on what many considered the greatest show of all time, Alda managed to branch out of acting into writing and directing, becoming the only creative personality to …
Latest Tv Credits
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Career Milestones
1951 | Performed Abbott-and-Costello-style comic sketches with his father at the Hollywood Canteen |
1953 | Made theatrical debut at age 17, starring in "Charley's Aunt" in summer stock in Barnesville, PA |
1955 | While in Europe studying abroad, performed with father on stage in the Rome production of "Room Service" |
1956 | Made New York stage debut as an understudy in "The Hot Corner" |
1961 | Co-starred in "Purlie Victorious" on Broadway |
1963 | Appeared in the Broadway play "Fair Game for Lovers" |
1963 | Film acting debut in "Gone Are the Days"; repeating his role from the Broadway production "Purlie Victorious" |
1964 | Cast as a series regular on the NBC political and social satire program "That Was the Week That Was" |
1964 | First leading role on Broadway in "The Owl and the Pussycat" |
1967 | Starred in the Broadway musical "The Apple Tree"; earned a Tony Award nomination |
1968 | Portrayed George Plimpton in the biopic "Paper Lion" |
1972 | Breakthrough role of Capt. Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce in the TV adaptation of the 1970 film "M*A*S*H" (CBS); wrote 13 episodes and directed 32, including the show's 1983 two-and-a-half hour series finale "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen"; earned 25 Emmy nominations for acting, writing and directing and 11 Golden Globe nominations |
1972 | TV-movie debut in "The Glass House" (ABC) |
1974 | Co-directed and co-starred (with Carol Burnett) in the TV adaptation of the Broadway comedy "6 Rms Riv Vu" (CBS); earned an Emmy nomination for Best Actor |
1975 | Created and wrote pilot for the CBS sitcom "We'll Get By"; also executive produced |
1977 | Portrayed convicted killer Caryl Chessman in the NBC TV-movie "Kill Me If You Can"; earned an Emmy nomination |
1978 | Teamed with Ellen Burstyn in Robert Mulligan's feature adaptation of "Same Time, Next Year" |
1979 | Feature screenwriting debut, "The Seduction of Joe Tynan"; also starred as the titular politician |
1981 | Feature directing debut (also scripted) the ensemble "The Four Seasons"; again collaborated with Burnett who played his onscreen spouse |
1984 | Executive produced the short-lived CBS sitcom "The Four Seasons" based film; also appeared in pilot |
1986 | Directed and wrote second film, "Sweet Liberty" |
1988 | Helmed third film (also wrote and starred), "A New Life" |
1989 | Received critical acclaim for the role of an egotistical director in Woody Allen's "Crimes and Misdemeanors" |
1990 | Wrote and directed "Betsey's Wedding"; also co-starred |
1991 | Made London stage debut as the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" |
1992 | Returned to Broadway as star of Neil Simon's play "Jake's Women" |
1993 | Hosted the PBS series "Scientific American Frontiers" |
1993 | Portrayed scientist Robert Gallo in the acclaimed TV-movie "And the Band Played On" (HBO); received Emmy nomination |
1993 | Teamed again with Woody Allen for "Manhattan Murder Mystery" |
1994 | Offered an uncharacteristically nasty turn in the based-on-fact drama "White Mile" (HBO) |
1996 | Made third film with Woody Allen, the romantic musical comedy "Everyone Says I Love You" |
1996 | Reprised stage role in CBS TV adaptation of "Neil Simon's 'Jake's Women'" |
1997 | Appeared in Costa-Gavras' "Mad City" opposite Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta |
1998 | Played Jennifer Aniston's brother-in-law in "The Object of My Affection" |
1998 | Returned to Broadway, co-starring with Alfred Molina and Victor Garber in "Art" |
1999 | Had a recurring role on NBC's "ER" as a prominent surgeon in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease; earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor |
2001 | Played lead role of physicist Richard Feynman in the L.A. stage production of "Q.E.D."; reprised role in NYC |
2001 | Portrayed defense attorney Ernie Goodman in the Showtime original movie "The Killing Yard" |
2001 | Received 30th career Emmy nomination for the Showtime movie "Club Land" |
2004 | Cast as Senator Ralph Owen Brewster in Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator" based on the life of legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes; earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor |
2004 | Joined the cast of NBC's White House drama "The West Wing" playing a Republican from California with presidential aspirations; earned Emmy (2005) and SAG (2006) nominations for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series |
2005 | Published his memoir Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned |
2005 | Starred in Joe Mantello's revival of David Mamet's play "Glengarry Glen Ross"; earned a Tony nomination for his role |
2007 | Co-starred in the boxing film "Resurrecting the Champ" |
2009 | Earned an Emmy nomination for his guest starring role on NBC's "30 Rock" as Milton Greene, Jack's biological father |
2011 | Guest starred on Showtime's "The Big C" |
2011 | Teamed with Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy in the ensemble comedy "Tower Heist" |
2012 | Re-teamed with "The Object of My Affection" co-stars Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd in "Wanderlust" |
Awards
1968 | Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor |
1972 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1973 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1973 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Continued Performance By an Actor In a Leading in M*A*S*H |
1974 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1974 | Primetime Emmy Award for Actor of the Year-Series in M*A*S*H |
1974 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Lead Actor In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1974 | Primetime Emmy Award for Best Lead Actor In a Drama in 6 Rms Riv Vu |
1975 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1975 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1975 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1976 | Directors Guild of America Award for Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1976 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1976 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1976 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1977 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1977 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1978 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Same Time, Next Year |
1978 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In a Drama or Comedy Special in Kill Me If You Can |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1978 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1979 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1979 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series in M*A*S*H |
1979 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1979 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series in M*A*S*H |
1980 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1980 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1980 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1981 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in The Four Seasons |
1981 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1981 | Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture in The Four Seasons |
1981 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1981 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1982 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy Or Musical in M*A*S*H |
1982 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1982 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1982 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1983 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing In a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1983 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in M*A*S*H |
1989 | National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor in Crimes and Misdemeanors |
1989 | New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor in Crimes and Misdemeanors |
1990 | BAFTA Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Crimes and Misdemeanors |
1994 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television in White Mile |
1994 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor In a Miniseries or Special in And the Band Played On |
2000 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Drama Series in ER |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie in Club Land |
2002 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries in Club Land |
2004 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in The Aviator |
2004 | BAFTA Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in The Aviator |
2005 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2005 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in The Aviator |
2006 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2006 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2006 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in The West Wing |
2009 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor In a Comedy Series in 30 Rock |