ROBERT ALDA

February 26, 1914

Robert Alda was born Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D’Abruzzo in New York City to Italian-American immigrants. He began his performing career as a singer and dancer in vaudeville after winning a talent contest, and moved on to burlesque. His professional surname derives from the first two letters of each of his first name and his surname at birth: ALphonso D’Abruzzo.

“I learned my trade in the best of schools – burlesque.” ~ Robert Alda

In 1950 he won a Tony Award for his Broadway debut as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, although he was passed over for the film in favor of Marlon Brando. Over the next two decades he appeared in four more Broadway shows. 

Five years earlier he had made his screen debut playing George Gershwin in Rhapsody in Blue (1945).  The film also featured future Lucy cast members Jay Novello, Hans Moebus, Will Wright, Jack Chefe, Oliver Blake, Paul Cristo, and Bess Flowers.  It wouldn’t take more than twenty years, but Alda would also be added to this list. 

He made his TV acting debut on the 1949 anthology series “Your Show Time” episode “The Substitute”.  The program was repeated in 1951 on “Your Story Theatre”.  He also appeared as himself in “The Teen Club” in September 1949. 

In 1955 he hosted “The Robert Alda Show” although not much is known about the program. At the same time he played his first leading role on television in “Secret File USA” doing 8 out of the 22 episodes of the series. 

His first appearance with Lucille Ball (and with Desilu) came on January 13, 1964 in “Lucy Goes To Art Class” (TLS S2;E15).  Alda played Danfield’s most eligible bachelor – and both Lucy and Viv set their sights on him at the same time when he signs up for an art class.   

Six years later, Alda played himself as the emcee of the Secretary Beautiful Pageant when “Lucy Competes with Carol Burnett” (HL S2;E24) in March 1970. The role was originally written for Don Ameche, then re-cast with Ross Martin, before Alda was finally contacted for the part.  He got to use his musical theatre skills singing the pageant’s theme.  Coincidentally, his first wife Joan Browne (mother of actor Alan Alda), was a beauty contest winner. They  divorced in 1946 after 14 years of marriage. 

It wasn’t long before Alda was back, doing what was familiar, playing musical comedy in a revival of Harry’s 1928 college show. Alda played the Dean of Bullwinkle U in “Lucy, the Co-Ed” (HL S3;E6) in October 1970. 

Oddly, Robert Alda has a principal role in the musical-within-the-show but has no corresponding ‘real life’ character as the others do. Perhaps the character was cut from the opening scenes for time?  It is possible that Alda was playing himself again.

His final series appearance came a year later in the two-parter “Lucy Goes Hawaiian” (HL S3;E23 & E24) first aired February 15 & 22, 1971.  In both parts he played Captain MacClay, of the Hawaii-bound cruise ship USS Lurline.  

Again, Lucy and Viv compete for the handsome Alda’s attentions – until they find out that there is a Mrs. MacClay and she’s on the ship, too!  The surname MacClay is a tribute to Lucille Ball’s long-time publicist Howard McClay, who also loaned his name to characters on “The Lucy Show.”  The end credits, however, spell ‘McClay’ as ‘MacClay.’  Although Part Two ends with a musical revue, Tony-winning singer Alda is relegated to introductions and does not get a solo feature. 

Alda’s final collaboration with Lucille Ball was in 1980′s “Lucy Moves To NBC” special. Alda plays Mickey Ludin, Lucille Ball’s attorney, advising her about signing a contract with the peacock network. He shared his scene with Ruta Lee and Gary Imhoff as Fred Silverman. Coincidentally, Lucy gets a telephone call from Howard McClay, who was the real-life Executive Producer and was also the name of Alda’s character in “Lucy Goes Hawaiian”. 

Alda continued acting, notably making two appearances (1975 and 1980) on “M*A*S*H”, the series that starred his real-life sons Alan. In one episode his other son Anthony made it a family affair. Anthony’s mother was Alda’s second wife, Italian actress Flora Marino. 

His final screen appearance was on an episode of the Bea Arthur sitcom “Amanda’s Place” (a “Fawlty Towers” inspired failure) in 1983. Alda died on May 3, 1986, aged 72, after a long illness following a stroke.