The Ultimate Guide To Alan Alda’s The Four Seasons: Why The 1981 Film Is Still A Must-Watch (and The Shocking 2025 Cameo)

Few films capture the bittersweet reality of long-term friendship and marriage with the same blend of wit and poignancy as Alan Alda's 1981 cinematic gem, The Four Seasons. Nearly 45 years after its release, the movie remains a foundational piece of character-driven comedy-drama, cementing Alda's status not just as a beloved actor, but as a formidable writer and director.

As of December 2025, the film is enjoying a massive resurgence in public interest, thanks to the recent, highly-anticipated Netflix limited series adaptation helmed by comedy titan Tina Fey. This renewed spotlight has brought the original's subtle genius—and a surprising, full-circle cameo from Alda himself—back into the cultural conversation, proving that the dynamics of middle-age relationships are truly timeless.

Alan Alda: A Complete Biography and Profile

Alan Alda is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author whose career has spanned seven decades, making him one of the most versatile and respected figures in Hollywood history. His work is characterized by a unique blend of intellectual curiosity, humanitarian advocacy, and a deep commitment to his craft.

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• Full Name: Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo
• Born: January 28, 1936, in New York City, New York
• Key Roles (Television):
  • Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce in M*A*S*H (1972–1983)
  • Arnold Vinick in The West Wing (2004–2006)
  • Dr. Robert Romano in ER (1999)
• Key Roles (Film):
  • Jack Burroughs in The Four Seasons (1981) - Also Writer and Director
  • Lester in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
  • Senator Ralph Owen Brewster in The Aviator (2004) - Nominated for an Academy Award
• Directing/Writing Credits: Alda wrote and/or directed 20 episodes of M*A*S*H and directed several feature films, including Sweet Liberty (1986) and Betsy's Wedding (1990), in addition to The Four Seasons.
• Awards and Honors: He is one of the few performers to win an Emmy Award for acting, directing, and writing on the same series (M*A*S*H). He has won six Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe.
• Advocacy: Alda is a passionate advocate for science communication, founding the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University.

The Enduring Appeal of the 1981 Box-Office Hit

Released at the height of Alda's fame from M*A*S*H, The Four Seasons was a critical and commercial triumph. It grossed over $50 million on a modest $6.5 million budget, making it one of the biggest box-office hits of 1981. The film resonated deeply with audiences for its honest, often uncomfortable look at the dynamics of middle-age relationships.

A Masterclass in Ensemble Acting and Character Study

The core of the film’s success lies in its stellar ensemble cast, a group of actors who embodied the comfortable, yet complicated, nature of long-term friendship. The movie centers on three affluent, middle-aged couples who take four annual vacations together, each trip corresponding to a season.

• Alan Alda as Jack Burroughs: The central, often anxious, figure struggling with his own marriage.
• Carol Burnett as Kate Burroughs: Jack's wife, a character actress navigating the changes in her life.
• Len Cariou as Nick Callan: The friend who initiates a major upheaval by leaving his wife.
• Sandy Dennis as Anne Callan: Nick's emotionally fragile wife, whose life is shattered by the divorce.
• Rita Moreno as Claudia Zimmer: A sharp-witted, pragmatic friend.
• Jack Weston as Danny Zimmer: Claudia's husband, the hypochondriac of the group.

The film is structured into a four-act narrative—Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter—each serving as a distinct chapter in the friends' evolving lives. This structural choice, inspired by the Vivaldi concertos of the same name, allowed Alda to explore how a major event (the divorce) ripples through the entire group over the course of a year. It’s a powerful examination of the "politics of friendship," revealing underlying jealousies, misunderstandings, and the quiet compromises of marriage.

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Behind the Scenes: Moo Shu Pork and Multi-Hyphenate Roles

Alda’s complete creative control—as writer, director, and star—was a key factor in the film’s cohesive tone. He was able to craft dialogue that felt natural and authentic to the characters. One charming anecdote from the set involves his co-star, Carol Burnett.

Alda has often shared that his favorite memory from shooting involved Burnett and a simple meal. During a break, the two were sitting down to lunch, and Alda recalls Burnett's genuine delight over a plate of moo shu pork. This small, human moment underscores the comfortable, real-life chemistry that translated onto the screen, a testament to the close working relationship between the veteran performers.

For Alda, The Four Seasons was a crucial step in his transition from television star to serious film auteur. It proved he could handle a complex, adult screenplay and manage an all-star cast, all while maintaining his signature intellectual warmth.

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The 2025 Netflix Remake and Alan Alda’s Surprise Cameo

The film’s legacy has been renewed with the 2025 Netflix limited series adaptation, also titled The Four Seasons, created by Tina Fey, Shari Springer Berman, and Robert Pulcini. This modern take updates the themes for a contemporary audience, featuring a new ensemble cast including Tina Fey and Colman Domingo.

A Perfect Homage: Alda’s New Role

The most exciting and talked-about detail surrounding the Netflix series is the surprise appearance by Alan Alda himself. Instead of reprising his original role as Jack Burroughs, Alda was brought in for a new, specially created character: Don, the father of Anne (a character inspired by Sandy Dennis’s role in the original film).

This cameo is not just a nod to the past; it’s a perfect piece of meta-commentary. Alda, the original film’s guiding hand, appears as the patriarch, blessing the new generation’s take on his material. His appearance in the second episode, flying in for a spontaneous vow renewal ceremony, was a highlight for fans of the original.

Tina Fey, who has openly expressed her love for the 1981 movie, ensured the adaptation honored Alda’s work while allowing the new version to stand on its own. The new series departs from the source material in several ways, such as altering the hypochondriac character of Danny, but the core theme—the complex, messy truth of enduring friendships—remains intact.

Topical Authority: Why The Four Seasons Endures

The Four Seasons is more than just a snapshot of 1980s cinema; it’s a timeless character study that serves as a topical authority on the psychology of long-term relationships. The film's enduring relevance stems from several key factors:

The movie masterfully avoids the easy answers often found in romantic comedies. It showcases the discomfort of watching friends change, the difficulty of maintaining a group dynamic when one couple breaks up, and the quiet desperation that can creep into even the happiest marriages. It explores deep LSI keywords like marital complacency, midlife crisis, and the politics of social circles.

Whether you are revisiting the original 1981 box-office success or exploring the new 2025 Netflix adaptation, the central message remains clear: friendship, like the seasons, is a cycle of renewal, loss, and inevitable change. Alda’s film is a bittersweet, essential piece of American cinema that every fan of character-driven storytelling should experience.