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Alan Rachins | |
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 Rachins at the 1992 Emmy Awards | |
| Born | October 3, 1942 Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, writer, director |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
Alan Rachins (born October 3, 1942 [1] ) is an American television actor, known for his role as Douglas Brackman in L.A. Law which earned him both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, and his portrayal of Larry (Dharma's hippie father) on the television series Dharma & Greg .
Rachins graduated from Brookline High School. [2] He enrolled at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, ultimately dropping out, but managed to graduate from Empire State College in 1974. [3] [4]
He moved to New York to study acting. Over the next decade, he performed in a succession of plays, including the original Broadway productions of After the Rain and H'adrian the Seventh, as well as the original off-Broadway productions of The Trojan Women and the controversial Oh! Calcutta! [5]
In 1972, Rachins put his acting career on hold when he was accepted as a fellow in the writing and directing programs at the American Film Institute. He went on to sell scripts to a variety of shows, including The Fall Guy , Hill Street Blues , Knight Rider , Quincy , and Hart To Hart .
Despite these successes as a writer and director, Rachins returned to his acting career with a leading role in Henry Jaglom’s independent film, Always. This critically acclaimed film brought him widespread attention and ultimately led to his role on L.A. Law. He continued working in feature films, and provided the voice for the Clock King in two episodes of Batman: The Animated Series , and later in one episode of Justice League Unlimited .
Recent theatre appearances include the world premiere of Arthur Laurents' Attacks of the Heart at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey. At the Cape Playhouse, he played the part of Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit The Wind . He tackled the role of "Albin" in La Cage Aux Folles at the Jupiter Theater, was seen in Love Letters with Swoosie Kurtz at Beverly Hills' Coronet Theatre, and starred in a revival of Promises, Promises with Jason Alexander, Jean Smart and Alan Thicke at the Freud Theatre in Los Angeles.
Rachins appeared on the ABC television series Eli Stone , playing an attorney in consultation with Stone. The name "Brackman" can be seen in inverted letters on a translucent wall behind Rachins. For two seasons, he provided the voice of Norman Osborn on the cartoon series The Spectacular Spider-Man . He also appeared on the TNT television series Rizzoli & Isles as a recurring guest star, and guest starred as Frank (Bob's father, and Gabe, PJ and Teddy's granddad) in the Good Luck Charlie episode "It's a Charlie Duncan Thanksgiving".
Rachins was born in 1942 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to a Jewish family, the son of Edward and Ida Rachins. His father was in a family food manufacturing business called Snow Crest. [6]
Rachins and actress Joanna Frank have been married since 1978 and have a son. The couple has formed the production company Allofit Productions which has acquired books and original screenplays to develop for television and feature films. Rachins is a member of Mensa. [7] [8]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Thunder Run | Carlos | |
| 1994 | North | Defense Attorney | |
| 1995 | Showgirls | Tony Moss | |
| 1997 | Meet Wally Sparks | Judge Randal Williams | |
| 2011 | Answers to Nothing | Ryan's Dad | Voice |
| 2013 | Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt Menace | Dr. Ned Staples | Voice |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–1994 | L.A. Law | Douglas Brackman, Jr. | 171 episodes |
| 1990 | Ferris Bueller | Himself | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1991 | The Golden Girls | Jason Stillman | Episode: "Even Grandmas Get the Blues" |
| 1992–1994 | Batman: The Animated Series | Temple Fugate / Clock King | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Professor Jefferson Cole | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Rugrats | Lowell, Greek Bully, Donut Man | Voice, episode: "Chanukah" |
| 1996 | Diagnosis: Murder | Dr. Frank Donati | Episode: "Murder Can Be Murder" |
| 1997 | Stargate SG-1 | Colonel Kennedy | Episode: "The Enemy Within" |
| 1997–2002 | Dharma & Greg | Myron Lawrence "Larry" Finkelstein | 119 episodes |
| 2005 | Justice League Unlimited | Temple Fugate / Clock King, Priest | Voice, episode: "Task Force X" |
| 2008–2009 | The Spectacular Spider-Man | Norman Osborn | Voice, 15 episodes |
| 2011 | Good Luck Charlie | Frank Duncan | Episode: "It's a Charlie Duncan Thanksgiving" |
| 2011-2013 | Rizzoli & Isles | Stanley | 6 episodes |
| 2012 | American Dad! | Various | Voice, episode: "Ricky Spanish" |
| 2018 | Grey's Anatomy | Patient | Episode: "Blowin' In The Wind" |
| 2021 | Young Sheldon | Vern | Episode: "The Geezer Bus and a New Model for Education" |
| 2023 | NCIS | Bud |
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Composer Steve Reich is 87. Rock 'n' roll star Chubby Checker is 82. Actor Alan Rachins is 81. Singer Lindsey Buckingham is 74. Former astronaut Kathryn Sullivan is 72. Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield is 72. Baseball Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley is 69.See also:
Author Gore Vidal is 78. Actress Madlyn Rhue is 69. Singer Alan O'Day is 63. Rock and roll star Chubby Checker is 62. Actor Alan Rachins is 61. Singer Lindsey Buckingham is 54. Jazz musician Ronnie Laws is 53. Baseball Hall-of-Famer Dave Winfield is 52.
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