Alan Alda has dived into his third role as a U.S. senator, this time on "The West Wing." And he likes the drama's idealistic characters.
"They show what's possible in the democratic process rather than, 'Ain't it awful? See how they are,' " Alda said in a conference call with reporters. " 'Look at how they (politicians) are' is what we see each night in the news."
On Dec. 8, Alda appeared in his first of five "West Wing" episodes this season as Sen. Arnold Vinick, who announces that he's running for president. He's a Republican from California who's socially moderate and fiscally conservative.
Alda played another senator with presidential aspirations, a liberal, in the movie "The Seduction of Joe Tynan" (1979). And he plays a not-so-nice guy, Sen. Ralph Owen Brewster, in "The Aviator," the Howard Hughes biopic starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which recently landed in theaters.
In the Dec. 8 "West Wing," Alda's character refused to make an issue about a flag-burning by magicians Penn & Teller at a private White House birthday party. Instead, he talked about the need to respect civil liberties as President Josiah Bartlet (played by Martin Sheen) travels to China.
"I don't think the answer is for us to stop disagreeing with each other," Alda said during the conference call. "As I sit and watch, it seems to me that the essence of democracy is to continue to disagree with each other until we see deeply into the issue but do it respectfully."
When asked if his character represents California's socially moderate, fiscally conservative Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Alda said, "The first name is Arnold; there's a great chance. It'll be interesting to see."
But the episode showed that another comparison might be Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who tends to stick with issues and avoid negative campaigning.
Alda said he has agreed to appear in five "West Wing" episodes next season as well. He added that he doesn't know what the writers have planned for his character, but doesn't want to be part of the regular cast.
"There are no plans for me to take office," he said.
He said executive producer John Wells asked him to be on the series and that he accepted because of his positive experience working with Wells during a guest spot in November 1999 on another NBC show, "ER." He played Dr. Gabriel Lawrence, a mentor to the younger doctors. The story arc ended as Lawrence began to show early symptoms of Alzheimer's.
Alda, 68, praised the "West Wing" cast. "They're a lot like we were after we were on 'M*A*S*H' for a long time. They have a shorthand with each other because they know the characters so well, and they laugh between the scenes. It was almost like picking up when we left off on 'M*A*S*H.' "
Alda said he has found that he can ignore the TV stereotype that has followed him since his "Hawkeye" Pierce days: his image as a sensitive guy. He said it's now more a piece of trivia than a matter of typecasting that could limit roles.
"It comes up once in a while in interviews and only in interviews," he said.
He said he has played scoundrels in movies and that it's more fun playing villains than heroes. He also likes playing good guys with sharp edges or flaws.
In addition to "West Wing," Alda continues to host "Scientific American Frontiers" on PBS. Alda also said he will act in a revival of "Glengarry Glen Ross" on Broadway this spring.