Alan Rachins, a notable actor who received nominations for both Emmy and Golden Globe awards for his roles in the TV series “L.A. Law” and “Dharma & Greg,” passed away in the early hours of Saturday, November 2, 2024. He died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 82. Heart failure during sleep was identified as the cause of death, according to his manager Mark Teitelbaum.
Rachins was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and chose to follow his acting aspirations rather than join his family’s food processing business. He was inspired by “Rebel Without a Cause,” which led him to New York City to study under renowned acting coaches Kim Stanley and Warren Robertson.
He is best known for his portrayal of Douglas Brackman Jr. on NBC’s “L.A. Law,” a character described as “eloquent, mercenary, and obnoxious.” This performance earned him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations in 1988. Rachins was part of the show throughout its eight-season run from 1986 to 1994, and he reprised the role in the 2002 TV movie “L.A. Law: The Movie.”
After “L.A. Law,” Rachins played Lawrence “Larry” Finkelstein, a hippie father in the ABC sitcom “Dharma & Greg.” He appeared in all 199 episodes of the show, which ran for five seasons from 1997 to 2002.
In the early stages of his career, Rachins made a significant appearance in the 1969 Broadway production of “Oh! Calcutta!” where he was one of the cast members who disrobed. Before achieving TV success, he attended the American Film Institute in Los Angeles and started writing TV scripts.
Displaying his versatility, Rachins wrote episodes for TV series such as “Hill Street Blues,” “Hart to Hart,” and “The Fall Guy.” He also directed an episode of the CBS procedural “Paris.”
Besides his iconic roles, Rachins made guest appearances on shows like “Dallas,” “The Golden Girls,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” and “Mom.” He also lent his voice to characters, notably the Clock King in “Batman: The Animated Series.”
Rachins’ filmography includes roles in “Showgirls,” “Thunder Run,” “North,” and “Leave It to Beaver.” His last screen appearance was in a 2023 episode of “NCIS.”
Off-screen, Rachins was an active member of the Mensa International and backed Jesse Jackson’s 1988 presidential campaign. He met his future wife, actress Joanna Frank, in an acting class in 1977, and they got married the following year. Frank later played his on-screen wife on “L.A. Law.”
Rachins is survived by his wife, Joanna Frank, and their son, Robert.