**Robert Alda (1914-1986)** was an American actor, known for his prolific film and stage career. He rose to international prominence by portraying the celebrated composer George Gershwin in the biopic *Rhapsody in Blue* (1945), a role that highlighted his remarkable musical and dramatic talents.

Other notable films include the psychological thriller *The Beast with Five Fingers* (1946) and the spy film *Cloak and Dagger* (1946). Alda often specialized in playing charming men, sometimes with a dark or enigmatic side, characterized by sophisticated elegance and controlled intensity. He was the father of actor Alan Alda.