Alan Ruck

Alan Ruck

Active - 1983 - 2023  |   Born - Jun 1, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, United States  |   Genres - Comedy, Drama, Thriller

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Biography by AllMovie

A supporting actor in theater, television, and feature films, Alan Ruck is best-known for playing the troubled Cameron opposite Matthew Broderick in John Hughes' Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and for co-starring on the ABC network situation comedy Spin City (1996-2002). A native of Cleveland, OH, Ruck's interest in acting began in high school. After earning a degree in theater from the University of Illinois, he spent five years actively involved in Chicago theater. Ruck made his feature film debut in 1983, appearing in two Chicago-produced films, Class and Bad Boys. Ruck's television career began around the same time, when he appeared in the telemovies First Steps and Hard Knox. His subsequent TV credits include guest appearances in shows such as Going Places and in movies like The Ransom of Red Chief. He took his first Broadway bow in the original 1985 production of Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues. Over the coming years, Ruck would remain active on screen, playing recurring characters on shows like The Bronx is Burning, Greek and Persons Unknown.

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Factsheet

  • Made his Broadway debut in 1985, originating the role of Don Carney in Neil Simon's Biloxi Blues, which costarred Matthew Broderick.
  • Breakout role was hypochondriacal high-school student Cameron Frye in the 1986 Broderick comedy Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
  • Before landing a part on Michael J. Fox's hit sitcom Spin City in 1996, he starred in several short-lived, early-'90s TV comedies, including Fox's The Edge, CBS' Daddy's Girls and the WB's Muscle.
  • Was nominated in 2005 for the Washington Theatre Awards Society's Helen Hayes Award for outstanding lead actor, nonresident production, for his performance as Leo Bloom in the Tony-winning The Producers.