Alan Rachins, known to TV fans as Douglas Brackman Jr. on L.A. Law and Jenna Elfman’s hippie father on Dharma & Greg, has died.
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The veteran actor passed away in his sleep from heart failure on November 2 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His wife, actress Joanna Frank, shared this news with The Hollywood Reporter. Rachins was 82.
Rachins and Frank tied the knot in 1978 after meeting in an acting class. She appeared repeatedly as Sheila Brackman, his contentious spouse, on L.A. Law. They also portrayed a married couple in the 1985 indie film Always.
Born on October 3, 1942, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Rachins grew up in Boston. He studied at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania for two years before relocating to New York to pursue a career in acting.
After studying under Warren Roberston and Kim Stanley, he made his Broadway debut in 1967 in After the Rain. In 1969, Rachins starred in the musical revue Oh! Calcutta! at the Eden Theater, performing for 18 months… in the nude.
In 1972, Rachins pivoted towards writing and directing, gaining acceptance into programs at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. He went on to write for acclaimed shows like Hill Street Blues, Hart to Hart, and The Fall Guy.
Alan Rachins Scores His Most Iconic Role in ‘L.A. Law’
However, Rachins was eventually drawn back to his acting career, portraying law partner Douglas Brackman, Jr. in all eight seasons of L.A. Law from 1986 to 1994. He reprised this role in 2002 for the television film L.A. Law: The Movie.
In 1988, Rachins earned nominations for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the NBC legal drama. Throughout all eight seasons, he appeared in 171 episodes—just one shy of a complete run.
The late actor attracted a new generation of fans by playing a very different sort of character in a sitcom. From 1997 to 2002, Rachins portrayed Larry Finkelstein throughout all five seasons of Dharma & Greg.
The veteran actor’s deep bench of credits also includes Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Batman: The Animated Series, Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer, The Middle, General Hospital, and Young Sheldon. Rachin’s last television appearance was in a 2023 episode of NCIS.
Rachins is survived by his wife, Joanna Frank, and their son, Robert.