The Life of Legendary MASH* Actor Alan Alda

Alan Alda was born Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo on January 28, 1936, in New York City. His father, Robert Alda, was already building a career as a singer, dancer, and actor, while his mother, Joan Browne, had once been a beauty-pageant winner.

The family’s life was tied closely to entertainment from the beginning. Robert’s work meant that young Alan spent much of his childhood around performers, theaters, and backstage routines, long before he understood how deeply show business would shape him.