
Alan Alda (born January 28, 1936) is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series MASH. He is currently a visiting professor at the Stony Brook University School of Journalism.
Read moreShow less
Biography from TMDB.
- January 28, 1936 (90)
- Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
- Actor and writer, also director and producer
- 52 on Motif · 74 credits in all
What are Alan Alda's films like?
Across their 48 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.
Genres
Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 2 · Wry 3 · Earnest 41
A split, not a type: Light 24 · Serious 9 · Dark 13
Grounded 36 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 1
A split, not a type: Gentle 22 · Charged 16 · Intense 8
Steady 27 · Shifting 14 · Whiplash 5
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 17 · Some laughs 15 · Funny 14
Slow burn 25 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 1
A split, not a type: Casual 20 · Engaged 22 · Full focus 4
Easy watch 26 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 10
Resolved 39 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 2
Roles they play
Usually the Hero: 10 of 34 analyzed roles.
Show the 34 rolesHide the roles
- Heroas John W. (Son) Martin in The Moonshine War (1970)
- Shapeshifteras Myles Clarkson in The Mephisto Waltz (1971)
- Heroas Capt. Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce in M*A*S*H (1972)
- Tricksteras Capt. Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce in M*A*S*H (1972)
- Heroas Jonathon Paige in The Glass House (1972)
- Heroas Dan Barnes in Isn't It Shocking? (1973)
- Heroas Caryl W. Chessman in Kill Me If You Can (1977)
- Shapeshifteras George Peters in Same Time, Next Year (1978)
- Allyas Bill Warren in California Suite (1978)
- Heroas Joe Tynan in The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979)
- Mentoras Jack Burroughs in The Four Seasons (1981)
- Heroas Michael Burgess in Sweet Liberty (1986)
- Heroas Steve Giardino in A New Life (1988)
- Tricksteras Lester in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
- Threshold guardianas Eddie Hopper in Betsy's Wedding (1990)
- Mentoras Leo Green in Whispers in the Dark (1992)
- Allyas Ted in Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
- Mentoras Dr. Robert Gallo in And the Band Played On (1993)
- Shadowas Dan Cutler in White Mile (1994)
- Shadowas President of the United States in Canadian Bacon (1995)
- Tricksteras Richard Schlichting in Flirting with Disaster (1996)
- Heroas Jake in Jake's Women (1996)
- Shadowas Kevin Hollander in Mad City (1997)
- Shadowas Jordan in Murder at 1600 (1997)
- Heroas Willie Walters in Club Land (2001)
- Threshold guardianas Senator Ralph Owen Brewster in The Aviator (2004)
- Mentoras Ralph Metz in Resurrecting the Champ (2007)
- Shapeshifteras Uncle Rollie Zerbs in Diminished Capacity (2008)
- Mentoras Albert Burnside in Nothing But the Truth (2008)
- Shadowas Arthur Shaw in Tower Heist (2011)
- Heraldas Carvin Waggie in Wanderlust (2012)
- Mentoras Ira Levinson in The Longest Ride (2015)
- Threshold guardianas Thomas Watters Jr. in Bridge of Spies (2015)
- Mentoras Narrator in The Emperor's Newest Clothes (2018)
Moods and endings
- Happy16
- Bittersweet25
- Tragic2
- Ambiguous5
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Alan Alda's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 30 of their 52 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Pluto TV (10).
- Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) · actor · free
- The Aviator (2004) · actor · free
- Nothing But the Truth (2008) · actor · free
- Flirting with Disaster (1996) · actor · free
- Route 66 (1960) · actor · free
- Everyone Says I Love You (1996) · actor · free
- Resurrecting the Champ (2007) · actor · free
- Canadian Bacon (1995) · actor · free
- The Ratings Game (1984) · actor · free
- Diminished Capacity (2008) · actor · free
Subscription and free streaming for Alan Alda's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
74 credits, 52 with a Motif page; 47 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

The Four Seasons(2025)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows
Ray Donovan: The Movie(2022)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
Marriage Story(2019)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
The Good Fight(2017)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
Spielberg(2017)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Horace and Pete (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

Bridge of Spies(2015)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
The Longest Ride(2015)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Broad City(2014)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
The Blacklist(2013)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Wanderlust(2012)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Tower Heist(2011)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
The Human Spark (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)

Nothing But the Truth(2008)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Flash of Genius(2008)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films
Diminished Capacity(2008)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Resurrecting the Champ(2007)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
The Dame Edna Treatment (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

30 Rock(2006)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
Rachael Ray (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

The Aviator(2004)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
The Killing Yard (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2001)

Club Land(2001)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
What Women Want(2000)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
The West Wing(1999)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
Mad City(1997)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Murder at 1600(1997)
Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films
Everyone Says I Love You(1996)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Flirting with Disaster(1996)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
Jake's Women(1996)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
Canadian Bacon(1995)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
ER(1994)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
White Mile(1994)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
And the Band Played On(1993)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Manhattan Murder Mystery(1993)
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Whispers in the Dark(1992)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Scientific American Frontiers (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1990)

Betsy's Wedding(1990)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films
Crimes and Misdemeanors(1989)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
A New Life(1988)
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Sweet Liberty(1986)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
The Ratings Game(1984)
Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films
The Four Seasons (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

The Four Seasons(1981)
Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films
She's Nobody's Baby: American Women in the 20th Century (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1981)
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films
Same Time, Next Year(1978)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
California Suite(1978)
Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films
Kill Me If You Can(1977)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
We'll Get By (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

6 RMS RIV VU (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1974)

Juke and Opal (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

Lily (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

Isn't It Shocking?(1973)
Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films
Playmates (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

M*A*S*H(1972)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows
To Kill a Clown (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

The Glass House(1972)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
The Mephisto Waltz(1971)
Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films
The Moonshine War(1970)
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Jenny (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1970)

The Extraordinary Seaman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)

Paper Lion (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)
Premiere (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1968)

Coronet Blue (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1967)

Where's Everett? (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1966)

Gone Are the Days! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

The Nurses (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

Route 66(1960)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
Naked City(1958)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Career shape
Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 73 titles from 1958 to 2025; peak year 1996.

Biggest box office
What Women Want (2000)

Highest rated
Marriage Story (2019)

Most popular right now
M*A*S*H (1972)
Film career
Peak 1996 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 13 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1971Screen debut· The Mephisto Waltz
- 1971First top-billed film· The Mephisto Waltz
- 1972Primetime Emmy win· M*A*S*H
- 1978Golden Globe nomination· Same Time, Next Year
- 1981Golden Globe nomination· The Four Seasons
- 1993Primetime Emmy nomination· And the Band Played On
Show 6 more milestonesShow fewer
- 1994Primetime Emmy nomination· ER
- 1999Primetime Emmy win· The West Wing
- 2004Oscar nomination· The Aviator
- 2013Primetime Emmy nomination· The Blacklist
- 2015Career best· The Longest Ride
- 2019Independent Spirit Award win· Marriage Story
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
Awards
6 Primetime Emmys, 6 Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild Award and 6 other major awards from 69 major nominations, 1969–2020.
- Independent Spirit Award, won
- Screen Actors Guild Award, won
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Spoken Word Album
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
- Oscar, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
Show 18 earlier yearsShow fewer
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
+1 other major body · 1 win
- Writers Guild Award, won
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special
- BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Episodic Comedy
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
+1 other major body · 1 win
- Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
+2 other major bodies · 1 win and 1 nomination
- Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Comedy Written Directly for the Screen
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Episodic Drama
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, won · Best Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing in a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy or Comedy-Variety or Music Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
+2 other major bodies · 2 wins
- Directors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
- Writers Guild Award, won · Episodic Comedy
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, won · Best Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, won · Best TV Actor - Comedy or Musical
- Primetime Emmy, won · Actor of the Year - Series
- Primetime Emmy, won · Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Best Lead Actor in a Drama
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best TV Actor - Comedy or Musical
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best TV Actor - Comedy or Musical
- Golden Globe, nominated · Most Promising Newcomer - Male
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Alan Alda's films land?
Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 57th percentile, the median of all 42; across their 46 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up24
- 50th to 74th9
- 25th to 49th17
- Below 25th2
Shape of the crowd
17 of their 52 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved15
- Crowd Pleaser17
- Broadly Agreed10
- Mixed10
Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 39 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 52. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Alan Alda's work okay for kids?
Across up to 20 Motif titles with content scores, profanity runs heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Alan Alda work with?
People who share at least 2 of Alan Alda's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Martin Bregman shares the most, 6.
Directors
- Woody AllenShared titles: Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)See all 3 shared titles with Woody Allen

- Rod LurieShared titles: Nothing But the Truth (2008), Resurrecting the Champ (2007)See all 2 shared titles with Rod Lurie

Writers
- Neil SimonShared titles: Jake's Women (1996), California Suite (1978)See all 2 shared titles with Neil Simon

Actors
- Kerri KenneyShared titles: The Four Seasons (2025), Wanderlust (2012)See all 2 shared titles with Kerri Kenney

- William AthertonShared titles: Spielberg (2017), Mad City (1997)See all 2 shared titles with William Atherton

- Lolita DavidovichShared titles: The Longest Ride (2015), Jake's Women (1996)See all 2 shared titles with Lolita Davidovich

- Jennifer AnistonShared titles: Wanderlust (2012), The Object of My Affection (1998)See all 2 shared titles with Jennifer Aniston

Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Susan E. MorseShared titles: Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)See all 3 shared titles with Susan E. Morse
- Thomas NewmanShared titles: Bridge of Spies (2015), Whispers in the Dark (1992)See all 2 shared titles with Thomas Newman

- Dante SpinottiShared titles: Tower Heist (2011), Flash of Genius (2008)See all 2 shared titles with Dante Spinotti

- Larry GroupéShared titles: Nothing But the Truth (2008), Resurrecting the Champ (2007)See all 2 shared titles with Larry Groupé

Producers
- Martin BregmanShared titles: Whispers in the Dark (1992), Betsy's Wedding (1990), A New Life (1988), Sweet Liberty (1986), The Four Seasons (1981), The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979)See all 6 shared titles with Martin Bregman

- Louis A. StrollerShared titles: Betsy's Wedding (1990), A New Life (1988), Sweet Liberty (1986), The Four Seasons (1981), The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1979)See all 5 shared titles with Louis A. Stroller
- Robert GreenhutShared titles: Everyone Says I Love You (1996), Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)See all 3 shared titles with Robert Greenhut

- Michael S. BregmanShared titles: Whispers in the Dark (1992), Betsy's Wedding (1990), A New Life (1988)See all 3 shared titles with Michael S. Bregman

Mixed roles
- Saul RubinekShared titles: Club Land (2001), Sweet Liberty (1986)See all 2 shared titles with Saul Rubinek



