Alan Alda was born in New York City on January 28, 1936, with the name Alphonso D'Abruzzo. His father, an actor, had taken the screen name Robert Alda, and when Alan decided to follow in his father's footsteps, he adopted the name as well. Alan Alda is most famous for playing Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H (1972-1983), a stint which earned him five Emmy Awards.