Alan Rachins
Encyclopedia
Alan Rachins is an American
television actor, best known for his role as Douglas Brackman in L.A. Law
, which earned him both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, as well as for his portrayal of Dharma's hippie father, Larry, on the hit television series, Dharma & Greg
. He was recently known for the voice for Norman Osborn
on The Spectacular Spider-Man.
. He enrolled the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
, ultimately dropping out, but managed to graduate from Empire State College
in 1974. A passion for acting compelled him to move to New York to study with teachers William Ball, Warren Robertson, Kim Stanley and Harvey Lembeck, among others. Over the next decade, 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.
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 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. Rachins continued to working in feature films such as Heart Condition co-starring with Denzel Washington and Bob Hoskins, Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls
and Rob Reiner’s North
. He also provided the voice for the Clock King in two episodes of Batman: the Animated Series
opposite Kevin Conroy
.
Recent theatre appearances include the world premiere of Arthur Laurents’ two-hander “Attacks Of The Heart” at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, N.J. directed by David Saint. At the Cape Playhouse, he played the part of Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit The Wind. Additionally, he tackled the role of ‘Albin’, the flamboyant transvestite in the famed Jupiter Theater production of La Cage Aux Folles, was seen in Love Letters with Swoosie Kurtz at the Coronet Theatre in Beverly Hills and starred in the Reprise production of Promises, Promises with Jason Alexander, Jean Smart and Alan Thicke at the Freud Theatre in Los Angeles.
Rachins recently appeared on the ABC-TV series Eli Stone, playing an attorney in consultation with Eli Stone. The name "Brackman" can be seen in inverted letters on a translucent wall behind Rachins. He also appeared on the TNT-TV series Rizzoli & Isles.
In 2011, Rachins guest starred as Frank, Bob's father and Gabe, PJ and Teddy's granddad in an episode of Good Luck Charlie
(It's a Charlie Duncan Thanksgiving).
, Massachusetts
, the son of Edward and Ida Rachins. His father was in a family food manufacturing business called Snow Crest. Rachins and actress Joanna Frank
have been married since 1978 and have a son, Robert. The couple has formed a production company, Allofit Productions, which has acquired books and original screenplays to develop for television and feature films. Alan is a member of Mensa
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television actor, best known for his role as Douglas Brackman in L.A. Law
L.A. Law
L.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...
, which earned him both Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, as well as for his portrayal of Dharma's hippie father, Larry, on the hit television series, Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from September 24, 1997, to April 30, 2002.It starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a couple who married instantly on their first date despite being complete opposites...
. He was recently known for the voice for Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
on The Spectacular Spider-Man.
Career
Rachins graduated from Brookline High SchoolBrookline High School
Brookline High School is a four-year public high school in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts, in the United States.As of the 2007-08 school year, the school had an enrollment of 1,826 students and 136 teachers , for a student-teacher ratio of 13.4 to 1 teacher.-Education:Almost every senior in...
. He enrolled the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
The Wharton School is the business school of the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Wharton was the world’s first collegiate business school and the first business school in the United States...
, ultimately dropping out, but managed to graduate from Empire State College
Empire State College
Empire State College, one of the thirteen arts and science colleges of the State University of New York, is a multi-site institution offering associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. It is primarily oriented towards the adult learner...
in 1974. A passion for acting compelled him to move to New York to study with teachers William Ball, Warren Robertson, Kim Stanley and Harvey Lembeck, among others. Over the next decade, 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.
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
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
. He went on to sell scripts to a variety of shows, including 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. Rachins continued to working in feature films such as Heart Condition co-starring with Denzel Washington and Bob Hoskins, Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls
Showgirls
Showgirls is a 1995 American drama film directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, and Gina Gershon...
and Rob Reiner’s North
North (film)
North is an American 1994 comedy film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dan Aykroyd, Reba McEntire, and Alan Arkin...
. He also provided the voice for the Clock King in two episodes of Batman: the Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series
Batman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
opposite Kevin Conroy
Kevin Conroy
Kevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
.
Recent theatre appearances include the world premiere of Arthur Laurents’ two-hander “Attacks Of The Heart” at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, N.J. directed by David Saint. At the Cape Playhouse, he played the part of Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit The Wind. Additionally, he tackled the role of ‘Albin’, the flamboyant transvestite in the famed Jupiter Theater production of La Cage Aux Folles, was seen in Love Letters with Swoosie Kurtz at the Coronet Theatre in Beverly Hills and starred in the Reprise production of Promises, Promises with Jason Alexander, Jean Smart and Alan Thicke at the Freud Theatre in Los Angeles.
Rachins recently appeared on the ABC-TV series Eli Stone, playing an attorney in consultation with Eli Stone. The name "Brackman" can be seen in inverted letters on a translucent wall behind Rachins. He also appeared on the TNT-TV series Rizzoli & Isles.
In 2011, Rachins guest starred as Frank, Bob's father and Gabe, PJ and Teddy's granddad in an episode of Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie
Good Luck Charlie is an original Disney Channel television sitcom, which premiered April 4, 2010. The series was created by Phil Baker and Drew Vaupen, who wanted to create a program that would appeal to entire families, as opposed to children only...
(It's a Charlie Duncan Thanksgiving).
Personal life
Rachins was born in October 1942 in CambridgeCambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, the son of Edward and Ida Rachins. His father was in a family food manufacturing business called Snow Crest. Rachins and actress Joanna Frank
Joanna Frank
Joanna Frank is an American actress who starred in The Outer Limits episode "ZZZZZ" , which aired January 27, 1964, as "Regina", the entomology lab assistant.-Career:...
have been married since 1978 and have a son, Robert. The couple has formed a production company, Allofit Productions, which has acquired books and original screenplays to develop for television and feature films. Alan is a member of Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
.
External links
- AlanRachins.com - Official website