ROBERT ALDA - AUTOGRAPHED INSCRIBED PHOTOGRAPH - HFSID 315535

ROBERT ALDA
A vintage 3x5 candid photo of the film and stage actor standing on a busy sidewalk dressed in a sharp pinstriped suit, a cigarette hanging from his mouth. An excited boy can be seen rushing towards the star, and a small girl points at him as the photo is captured.
Inscribed Photograph Signed: "To Francis/Robert Alda," in blue ink. B/w, 3x5 image, 3½x5½ overall. Candid photo. Actor Robert Alda (1914-1986) began his show business career in vaudeville and later appeared in burlesque as a tenor and straight man. By 1934, he was well a well-known radio star. Alda starred as George Gershwin in his first film (Rhapsody in Blue, 1945), but played villains and character roles most of his career. He won a Tony Award for creating the role of Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls (1950). Robert, the father of actor Alan Alda, appeared with his son in two episodes of TV's M*A*S*H. This photograph is from the collection of Francis and Violet Zane, Hawaii natives who moved to California in the 1920's. Francis Zane had a job at the historic Curran Theater and the San Francisco Opera House, which is where he began his massive collection, with photographs and materials ranging from the 1920's to 1960's. The location and luck of his occupation would land him smack dab in the middle of the celebrity world, allowing him to capture some of the most unique and interesting pieces of Hollywood History. Lightly bowed. Corners and edges lightly creased. Lightly toned. Otherwise, fine condition.