Alan Rachins, ‘L.A. Law’ and ‘Dharma & Greg’ star, dies at 82
The Emmy nominee was also known for his roles in "Showgirls," "Rizzoli & Isles," and the popular animated series "The Spectacular Spider-Man."
Alan Rachins, who earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of Douglas Brackman Jr. on NBC’s hit legal drama L.A. Law, has died. He was 82.
Rachins died in his sleep of heart failure, his manager Mark Teitelbaum confirmed to Entertainment Weekly. He is survived by his wife, actress Joanna Frank, and son Robert.
Born in Cambridge, Mass. on Oct. 3, 1942, Rachins got his start in a series of plays, including the original Broadway productions of After the Rain and Hadrian the Seventh. He notably appeared in the controversial 1969 Off-Broadway production Oh! Calcutta!, the risqué musical that sparked controversy for including extended scenes of both male and female nudity. Rachins was one of the original disrobing cast members.
Gary Null/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Alan Rachins on 'L.A. Law'
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Reflecting on the experience in a 2019 New York Times oral history of the production, Rachins observed, "There were so many different elements to think about that the fact that you were standing naked onstage really receded into the background."
That said, he also referred to the show and its resulting backlash as "painful," "exciting," and "fun," adding, "You’re not just naked, you’re vulnerable. I felt extremely vulnerable."
In 1972, Rachins would hit pause on his acting career to pursue his interest in writing and directing. He sold scripts to such shows as The Fall Guy, Hill Street Blues, and Hart To Hart, but eventually returned to the spotlight with a leading role in the Henry Jaglom romantic drama, Always. In 1978, Rachins would marry Frank whose brother — legendary TV writer-producer Steven Bochco — would call upon his brother-in-law when he began developing NBC’s L.A. Law.
Rachins played lawyer Douglas Brackman Jr. for the entirety of the show’s eighth-season run, from 1986 to 1994 and also returned for the 2002 made-for-TV film, L.A. Law: The Movie. Frank had a part to play as well, recurring as Rachins’ onscreen wife, Shelia Brackman. For his tenure on the show, Rachins earned nominations for a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe.
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection
Susan Sullivan, Mitch Ryan, Thomas Gibson, Mimi Kennedy, Jenna Elfman, Nunzio, Alan Rachins in' Dharma and Greg'
After L.A. Law ended its acclaimed run, Rachins kept up his success with a radically different Primetime TV role: he next starred in the hit sitcom Dharma & Greg as Larry Finkelstein, the hippie father to Jenna Elfman’s Dharma.
A far cry from the buttoned up, self-serious Brackman, Larry was a wacky, hippie figure with a pothead persona and tendency to rant about conspiracy theories. The difference between the two characters was "like night and day," the actor said during a 2000 interview.
Rachins appeared in all 199 episodes of Dharma & Greg, which ran for five seasons, from 1997 to 2002.
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Outside of the two long-running series, Rachins made guest appearances on such shows as The Golden Girls, Stargate SG-1, Rizzoli & Isles, Grey’s Anatomy, Good Luck Charlie, and Young Sheldon. He also leant his voice to several animated series, including Batman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited. In Marvel’s The Spectacular Spider-Man, he voiced corrupt businessman and beloved comic book villain, Norman Osborn.
Rachins also appeared in films including Meet Wally Sparks, Leave It to Beaver, and Showgirls, in which he played sleazy director Tony Moss.
