Alan Rachins
Birth dateOctober 3, 1942
Birth placeCambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death dateNovember 2, 2024 (aged 82)
Death placeLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active1967–2023
SpouseJoanna Frank (m. 1978)
RelativesSteven Bochco (brother-in-law)
Jesse Bochco (nephew)
OccupationActor · comedian · writer · director

Alan L. Rachins[a] (/reɪtʃɪns/;[1] October 3, 1942 – November 2, 2024) was an American actor and comedian, 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.

Early life

Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on October 3, 1942, Rachins was the only child of Edward and Ida Rachins of Brookline, Massachusetts.[2][3] Both his parents were Jewish, and his father worked in a family food manufacturing business, Snow Crest.[1] When Alan was eleven, his mother died, and because his father often lived away from home while working, Alan was often alone.[1] As a teenager, he saw the film Rebel Without a Cause, which motivated him to pursue acting as a way to channel the loneliness and grief he felt over his home life.[1]

After graduating from Brookline High School,[4] planning to enter the family business, Rachins enrolled at Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania, but he ultimately dropped out and moved to New York to study acting.[1][5] He later graduated from Empire State College in 1974.[6][7]

Career

Beginning in 1967, he performed in a succession of plays, including the original Broadway productions of After the Rain and Hadrian the Seventh, as well as the original off-Broadway productions of The Trojan Women and the controversial Oh! Calcutta![2] 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.[2] 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.[8]

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.[2] This critically acclaimed film brought him widespread attention and ultimately led to his role on L.A. Law.[5] 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.

His later theater appearances included 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 took the role of "Albin" in La Cage Aux Folles at the Jupiter Theater,[5] 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.[9]

Rachins appeared on the ABC television series Eli Stone, playing an attorney in consultation with Stone. For two seasons, he provided the voice of Norman Osborn in the animated 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".

Personal life and death

Rachins and actress Joanna Frank married in 1978 and had a son. The couple formed the production company Allofit Productions which acquired books and original screenplays to develop for television and feature films. Rachins was a member of Mensa International.[10][11] He supported Michael Dukakis in the 1988 Democratic presidential primaries.[12]

Rachins died from heart failure at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California on November 2, 2024, 30 days after his 82nd birthday.[2]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986Thunder RunCarlos[13]
1990Heart ConditionDr. Posner[13]
1994NorthDefense Attorney[5]
1995ShowgirlsTony Moss[5]
1997Meet Wally SparksJudge Randal Williams[13]
1997Leave It to BeaverFred Rutherford[13]
2011Answers to NothingRyan's DadVoice
2013Scooby-Doo! Mecha Mutt MenaceDr. Ned StaplesVoice; direct-to-video[14]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986–1994L.A. LawDouglas Brackman Jr.171 episodes
1987J.J. StarbuckPasban BapuEpisode: "The Circle Broken"
1990Ferris BuellerHimselfEpisode: "Pilot"
1991The Golden GirlsJason StillmanEpisode: "Even Grandmas Get the Blues"
1992–1994Batman: The Animated SeriesTemple Fugate / Clock KingVoice, 2 episodes[14]
1994Hart to HartDavid Kramer"Crimes of the Hart"
1996Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanProfessor Jefferson Cole2 episodes
1996RugratsLowell, Greek Bully, Donut ManVoice, episode: "Chanukah"[14]
1996Diagnosis: MurderDr. Frank DonatiEpisode: "Murder Can Be Murder"
1997Stargate SG-1Colonel KennedyEpisode: "The Enemy Within"
1997–2002Dharma & GregMyron Lawrence "Larry" FinkelsteinMain role (117 episodes)
2005Justice League UnlimitedTemple Fugate / Clock KingVoice, episode: "Task Force X"[14]
2008–2009The Spectacular Spider-ManNorman OsbornVoice, 15 episodes[14]
2011Good Luck CharlieFrank DuncanEpisode: "It's a Charlie Duncan Thanksgiving"
2011–2013Rizzoli & IslesStanley6 episodes
2012American Dad!VariousVoice, episode: "Ricky Spanish"
2018Grey's AnatomyPatientEpisode: "Blowin' In The Wind"
2021Young SheldonVernEpisode: "The Geezer Bus and a New Model for Education"
2023NCISBudEpisode: "Unusual Suspects"

Notes

  1. ^ Sources differ on whether Rachins's middle name was Leonard[2] or Lewis.[1][5]

References

  1. ^ Traub, Alex (November 3, 2024). "Alan Rachins, 'L.A. Law' and 'Dharma & Greg' Actor, Dies at 82". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  2. ^ Barnes, Mike (November 2, 2024). "Alan Rachins, Actor on 'L.A. Law' and 'Dharma & Greg,' Dies at 82". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  3. ^ "Today in History: Birthdays". Boston Globe. October 3, 2023. p. B2. Composer Steve Reich is 87. Rock 'n' roll star Chubby Checker is 82. Actor Alan Rachins is 81.
  4. ^ Brozan, Nadine (March 16, 1993). "Chronicle". The New York Times. Retrieved April 21, 2008. The year is being bracketed by two celebratory weekends -- one last June, one this June -- that include class reunions. Last year's event brought more than 2,000 graduates back to the school, including Mr. Wallace, Alan Rachins, a star of 'L.A. Law', and former Gov. Michael S. Dukakis of Massachusetts and his wife, Kitty.
  5. ^ Smith, Harrison (November 4, 2024). "Alan Rachins, versatile screen actor known for 'L.A. Law,' dies at 82". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  6. ^ Bonnabeau, Richard F. (1996). The Promise Continues: Empire State College: The First Twenty-five Years. Virginia Beach, Virginia: The Donning Company. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-89865-966-5. OCLC 34076720
  7. ^ Rachins, Alan (December 15, 2006). "Resume". alanrachins.com. Alan Rachins. Retrieved September 15, 2008.
  8. ^ "Alan Rachins, 'L.A. Law' and 'Dharma & Greg' Actor, Dies at 82". Variety. November 2, 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  9. ^ "Promises, Promises". Variety. May 16, 1997. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
  10. ^ "Prominent Mensans". Mensa International. Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  11. ^ "They're Accomplished, They're Famous, and They're MENSANS". Mensa Bulletin. ' (476): 23. American Mensa. July 2004. ISSN 0025-9543
  12. ^ Easton, Ninja (June 7, 1988). "Campaign '88 Gets the Star Treatment". LA Times
  13. ^ "Alan Rachins". TVGuide.com. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  14. ^ "Alan Rachins (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved June 3, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.