Alan Alda, Stepinac Grad, Reveals Parkinson's Diagnosis

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Actor Alan Alda, who starred in the television shows “M*A*S*H” and “The West Wing,” recently revealed he has Parkinson’s disease. Alda, 82, said on “CBS This Morning” Tuesday that three and a half years ago he was diagnosed with the disease.

“I’ve had a full life since then,” he said on the morning news show. “I’ve acted, I’ve given talks, I help at the Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook, I started this new podcast.”

During the interview on CBS, Alda said he noticed his thumb twitching during television appearances and wanted to announce his condition before somebody did a story “from a sad point of view.

“But that’s not where I am,” he said.

According to his website, Alda was born in New York City, the son of actor Robert Alda.

He graduated from Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains in 1952.

Alda has received seven EMMYs and has been nominated for the award 34 times.

His film appearances include “Crimes and Misdemeanors,” “Manhattan Murder Mystery,” “And the Band Played On,” “Same Time, Next Year” and “California Suite.”

For his new podcast, “Clear and Vivid,” Alda has had conversations with Renee Fleming, Judge Judy, Itzhak Perlman and Sarah Silverman, among others.

Get Patch’s daily newsletters and news alerts right in your inbox. Find and “Like” Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages.

Photo caption: Alan Alda arrives to the New York premiere of 'The Aviator' held at the Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City. Photo credit: Getty Images/Brian ZAK/Gamma-Rapho.