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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Willie Aames to Steven Anderson
Alan Alda Biography (1936-)
Original name, Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo; born January 28, 1936, in New York,NY; son of Alphonso Giovanni Giuseppe Roberto (an actor and singer under stage name Robert Alda) and Joan (maiden name, Browne) D'Abruzzo; married ArleneWeiss (a teacher, photographer, and musician), March 15, 1957; children: Eve, Elizabeth, Beatrice. Addresses: Agent: United Talent Agency, 9560 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 500, Beverly Hills, CA 90212.; Contact: c/o Martin Bergman Productions, 641 Lexington Ave., New York, NY 10022.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Actor, writer, producer, director
- Birth Details
- January 28, 1936
- New York, New York, United States
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Television Appearances
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Series
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Secret File, U.S.A., 1955
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That Was the Week That Was, NBC, 1964
- (Uncredited) What's My Line?, syndicated, 1968
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Story Theatre, 1971
- Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce, M*A*S*H, CBS, 1972-83
- Jack Burroughs, The Four Seasons, CBS, 1984
- Host and narrator, Scientific American Frontiers, PBS, 1993-97
- Dr. Gabriel Lawrence, a recurring role, ER, NBC, 1999
- Host, The Museum of Television and Radio: Influences, Bravo, 2000
- Senator Arnold Vinick, The West Wing, NBC, 2004-
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Movies
- Marshall Barnett, Playmates, ABC, 1972
- Jonathan Paige, Truman Capote's "The Glass House" (also known as The Glass House), CBS, 1972
- Sheriff Dan Barnes, Isn't It Shocking?, ABC, 1973
- Paul Friedman, 6 Rms Riv Vu, 1974
- Caryl W. Chessman, Kill Me If You Can, NBC, 1977
- Captain Benjamin Franklin `Hawkeye' Pierce, M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewelland Amen, CBS, 1983
- Dr. Robert Gallo, And the Band Played On, HBO, 1993
- Dan Cutler, White Mile, HBO, 1994
- Jake, Neil Simon's "Jake's Women" (also known as Jake`s Women), CBS, 1996
- Willie Walters, Club Land, Showtime, 2001
- Ernie Goodman, The Killing Yard, Showtime, 2001
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Specials
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Hotel 90, CBS, 1973
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Lily, CBS, 1973
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Marlo Thomas and Friends in Free to Be ... You and Me, ABC, 1974
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Annie and the Hoods, ABC, 1974
- Cohost, CBS: On the Air, CBS, 1978
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Making M*A*S*H, PBS, 1981
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Scared Sexless (also known as Report on America: Scared Sexless), NBC, 1987
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The All-Star Salute to Our Troops, CBS, 1991
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Memories of M*A*S*H, CBS, 1991
- Host, One on One: Classic Television Interviews, CBS, 1993
- Host, About All You Can Eat (documentary), PBS, 1994
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The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts, CBS, 1994
- Interviewee, Woody Allen: A to Z, TCM, 1997
- Interviewee, Alan Alda: More Than Mr. Nice Guy, Arts and Entertainment, 1997
- Interviewee, CBS: The First 50 Years, CBS, 1998
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M*A*S*H, Tootsie & God: A Tribute to Larry Gelbart, PBS, 1998
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The Italian Americans II: A Beautiful Song, PBS, 1998
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The Great American History Quiz, History Channel, 1999
- Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Marlo Thomas (documentary), Lifetime, 2000
- Interviewee, The 70s: The Decade That Changed Television (documentary), ABC, 2000
- Interviewee, Television: The First 50 Years (documentary), PBS, 2001
- Interviewee, Intimate Portrait: Rita Moreno (documentary), Lifetime, 2001
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M*A*S*H: TV Tales (documentary), E! Entertainment Television, 2002
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M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion, Fox, 2002
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TV Guide 50 Best Shows of All Time: A 50th Anniversary Celebration, ABC, 2002
- Presenter, CBS at 75: A Primetime Celebration, CBS, 2003
- Interviewee, 100 Years of Hope and Humor, NBC, 2003
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Mouthing Off: 51 Greatest Smartasses, 2004
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Emmy`s Great Moments (also known as TV Land Presents: Emmy`s Greatest Moments), TV Land, 2004
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Awards Presentations
- Presenter, The 19th Annual Tony Awards, 1965
- Presenter, The 28th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1976
- Host, The 30th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, CBS, 1978
- Cohost, The 58th Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1986
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The 3rd Annual American Comedy Awards, ABC, 1989
- Presenter, The 46th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1992
- Presenter, The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, ABC, 1994
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The 10th Annual Television Academy Hall of Fame, The Disney Channel, 1994
- Presenter, The 48th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1994
- Presenter, The 51st Annual Golden Globe Awards, TBS, 1994
- Presenter, The Walt Disney Company Presents the American Teacher Awards, The Disney Channel, 1994
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The Television Academy Hall of Fame (also known as The Academyof Television Arts and Sciences's Hall of Fame), NBC, 1995
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The 77th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 2005
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Episodic
- Carlisle Thompson III, "Bilko, the Art Lover," The Phil Silvers Show, CBS, 1957
- Dr. Glazer, "Soda Pop and Paper Flags," Route 66, CBS, 1962
- Dr. John Griffin, "Many a Sullivan," The Nurses, CBS, 1963
- Dr. John Griffin, "Night Sounds," The Nurses, CBS, 1963
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The Shari Lewis Show, NBC, 1963
- Freddie Wilcox, "The Sinner," East Side, West Side, CBS, 1963
- Nick Staphos, "Picture Me a Murder," Trials of O'Brien, CBS, 1965
- Clay, "Six Months to Mars," Coronet Blue, 1967
- Frank St. John, "Higher and Higher," Premiere, 1968
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The David Frost Revue, syndicated, 1971
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The Carol Burnett Show, CBS, 1974
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Reflections on the Silver Screen with Professor Richard Brown, 1990
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The Rosie O'Donnell Show, syndicated, 1997, 1998
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Late Night with Conan O`Brien, NBC, 1998
- Interviewee, Inside the Actors Studio, 2000
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Travis Smiley, PBS, 2004
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The Tony Danza Show, syndicated, 2004
- "The Aviator," History vs. Hollywood, History Channel, 2004
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The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NBC, 2005
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The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, CBS, 2005
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Showbiz Tonight, CNN, 2005
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The View, ABC, 2005
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The Charlie Rose Show, PBS, 2005
- "Found," Getaway, Nine Network, 2005
- Also appeared as a guest in Memory Lane,
The Match Game, NBC, and the Today Show, NBC.
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Pilots
- Arnold Barker, Where's Everett?, CBS, 1966
- Frank St. John, Higher and Higher, Attorneys at Law, CBS, 1968
- Jack Burroughs, The Four Seasons, 1984
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Other
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The Tree and the Cross, ABC, 1964
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Out of the Flying Pan, National Educational Television (now PBS),1966
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It's Almost Like Being, National Educational Television, 1966
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Television Work
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Series
- (With Marc Merson) Executive producer, (with Allan Katz and Don Reo) producer, and creator, We'll Get By, CBS, 1975
- (With Martin Bregman) Executive producer and creator, The Four Seasons, CBS, 1984
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Television Director
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Specials
- Director, M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion, Fox, 2002
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Movies
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M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, CBS, 1983
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Television Work
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Episodic
- (With others) Director, M*A*S*H (including the episodes "BulletinBoard," "The Kids," "Dear Sigmund," "Dear Sis," "Comrades in Arms--Part I," "Dreams," "The Life You Save," "Where There's a Will, There's a War," and "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen"), CBS, between 1972-83
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Pilots
- Director and creator, Hickey vs. Anybody, NBC, 1976
- (With Marc Merson) Producer, Susan and Sam, NBC, 1977
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Film Appearances
- Charley Cotchipee, Gone Are the Days (also known as The Man from C.O.T.T.O.N. and Purlie Victorious), Hammer, 1963
- George Plimpton, Paper Lion, United Artists, 1968
- Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Morton Krim, The Extraordinary Seaman, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1969
- Delano, Jenny (also known as And Jenny Makes Three), Cinerama, 1969
- John J. "Son" Martin, The Moonshine War, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1970
- Myles Clarkson, The Mephisto Waltz, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1971
- Major Evelyn Ritchie, To Kill a Clown, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1972
- Bill Warren, California Suite (also known as Neil Simon's "California Suite"), Columbia, 1978
- George Peters, Same Time, Next Year, Universal, 1978
- Title role, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Universal, 1979
- Jack Burroughs, The Four Seasons, Universal, 1981
- Michael Burgess, Sweet Liberty, Universal, 1986
- Steve Giardino, A New Life, Paramount, 1988
- Lester, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Orion, 1989
- Eddie Hopper, Betsy's Wedding, Touchstone/Buena Vista, 1990
- Leo Green, Whispers in the Dark, Paramount, 1992
- Ted, Manhattan Murder Mystery (also known as The Dancing ShivaCouple Next Door), TriStar, 1993
- President, Canadian Bacon, Gramercy Pictures, 1995
- Bob, Everyone Says I Love You (also known as Woody Allen Fall Project), Miramax, 1996
- Richard Schlicting, Flirting with Disaster, Miramax, 1996
- National Security Advisor Alvin Jordan, Murder at 1600 (also knownas Executive Privilege and Murder at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue), Warner Bros., 1997
- Kevin Hollander, Mad City, Warner Bros., 1997
- Sidney Miller, The Object of My Affection, Twentieth Century-Fox,1998
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Keepers of the Frame (documentary), 1998
- Dan Wanamaker, What Women Want, Paramount, 2000
- Senator Ralph Owen Brewster, The Aviator, Miramax, 2004
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Film Director
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The Four Seasons, Universal, 1981
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Sweet Liberty, Universal, 1986
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A New Life, Paramount, 1988
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Betsy's Wedding, Touchstone/Buena Vista, 1990
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Stage Appearances
- Jack Chesney, Charley's Aunt, Barnesville, PA, 1953
- Leo Davis, Room Service, Teatro del Eliseo, Rome, 1955
- Understudy for the role of Clarence "Lefty" McShane, The Hot Corner, John Golden Theatre, New York City, 1956
- Billy Tuck, Nature's Way, Valley Playhouse, Chagrin Falls, OH, 1958
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The Book of Job, Cleveland Playhouse, Cleveland, OH, 1958-59
- David Williams, Who Was That Lady I Saw You With?, Cleveland Playhouse, 1958-59
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Monique, Cleveland Playhouse, 1958-59
- Toni, To Dorothy, a Son, Cleveland Playhouse, 1958-59
- Telephone man, Only in America, Cort Theatre, New York City, 1959
- Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls, Grand Theatre, Sullivan, IL, 1959
- Title role, Li'l Abner, Grand Theatre, 1960
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Darwin's Theories, Madison Avenue Playhouse, New York City, 1960
- David, The Woman with Red Hair, Teatro dei Servi, Rome, 1961
- Fleider, and understudy for the title role, Anatol, Boston Arts Center, Boston, MA, 1961
- Fergie Howard, Golden Fleecing, Southbury Playhouse, CT, 1961
- Charley Cotchipee, Purlie Victorious, Cort Theatre, 1961, then Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1961-62
- Howard Mayer, A Whisper in God's Ear, Cricket Theatre, New York City, 1962
- Benny Bennington, Fair Game for Lovers, Cort Theatre, 1963
- Dr. Gilbert, Cafe Crown, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1964
- Mike Mitchell, Sunday in New York, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA, 1964
- F. Sherman, The Owl and the Pussycat, American National Theatre and Academy (ANTA) Theatre, New York City, 1964-65
- Adam, "The Diary of Adam and Eve," Captain Sanjar, "The Lady or the Tiger?," and Flip, The Prince, Charming, "Passionella," in The Apple Tree (triple-bill), Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1966-67
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There's a Girl in My Soup, Playhouse-on-the-Mall, Paramus, NJ, 1968
- Stage manager, Our Town, Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 1991
- Jake, Jake's Women, Neil Simon Theatre, New York City, 1992, thenCenter Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre/James A. Doolittle Theatre, Los Angeles, 1992-93
- Marc, Art, Royale Theatre, New York City, 1998
- Richard Feynman, QED, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, 2001-2002
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The Play What I Wrote, Lyceum Theatre, New York City, 2003
- Shelly Levene, Glengarry Glen Ross, Royale Theatre, New York City,2005, then Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 2005
- Also appeared in stock productions as Wade in Roger the Sixth, Artie in Compulsion, Irwin Trowbridge in Three Men on a Horse, andHorace in The Little Foxes, all 1957.
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Major Tours
- Willie Alvarez, Memo, U.S. cities, 1963
- Francis X. Dignan, King of Hearts, U.S. cities, 1963
- Woodrow O'Malley, Watch the Birdie!, U.S. cities, 1964
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Stage Director
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The Midnight Ride of Alvin Blum, Westport Country Playhouse, CT, 1966, then Playhouse-on-the-Mall, 1966
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WRITINGS
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Screenplays
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The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Universal, 1979
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The Four Seasons, Universal, 1981
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Sweet Liberty, Universal, 1986
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A New Life, Paramount, 1988
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Betsy's Wedding, Touchstone/Buena Vista, 1990
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Television Movies
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M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, CBS, 1983
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Television Episodes
- (With others) M*A*S*H (including the episodes "Dear Sigmund," "Fallen Idol," "Follies of the Living, Concerns of the Dead," and "Inga") CBS, 1972-83
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Television Specials
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M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion, Fox, 2002
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Television Series
- (With Allan Katz, Susan Silver, and Peter Meyerson) We'll Get By,CBS, 1975
- (With others) The Four Seasons (based on his screenplay of the same title), CBS, 1984
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Television Pilots
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We'll Get By, CBS, 1974
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Hickey vs. Anybody, NBC, 1976
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Susan and Sam, NBC, 1977
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Stage Sketches
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Darwin's Theories (musical revue), produced at Madison Avenue Playhouse, 1960
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Other
- Co-author of dictionary The Language of Show Biz. Contributor to periodicals, including Ms.,
TV Guide, and Redbook.
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RECORDINGS
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Albums
- (With Marlo Thomas and others) Free to Be ... You and Me, Bell Records, 1973
- Other albums include The Apple Tree (original cast recording), Columbia Records.
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Books
- Strait, Raymond, Alan Alda: A Biography, St. Martin's, 1983
Periodicals
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American Film, April, 1981
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New York Times, April 19, 1981; May 18, 1994
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People, June 15, 1981
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The Washington Post, August 23, 2004
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TV Guide, October 23, 1999, pp. 34-36
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