William Russ (born October 20, 1950) is an American actor and television director. He is perhaps best known for his role as Alan Matthews on the sitcom Boy Meets World (1993–2000). Russ is also notable for his roles in the television series Wiseguy, the soap operas Another World and The Young and the Restless and the feature films Pastime (1991) and American History X (1998).

Biography

Russ is married to actress Clare Wren and has a daughter and son. He enjoys downhill skiing and windsurfing.




Filmography

Film


Year

Title

Role

Notes


1977

Death Bed: The Bed That Eats

Sharon's Brother




1979

Just You and Me, Kid

Demesta




1980

Cruising

Paul Gaines




1981

Cattle Annie and Little Britches

Little Dick Raidler




1982

The Border

Jimbo




1983

The Right Stuff

Slick Goodlin


1984

Courage

Sonny




1985

Beer

Merle Draggett




1987

Wanted: Dead or Alive

Danny Quintz




Dead of Winter

Rob Sweeney




1988

The Unholy

Luke




1989

Disorganized Crime

Nick Bartkowski




1991

Pastime

Roy Dean Bream




1992

Traces of Red

Michael Dobson




1993

Aspen Extreme

Dave Ritchie




1997

When Danger Follows You Home

Det. Tyler Barnes




1998

American History X

Dennis Vinyard




2001

Buck Naked Arson

Ranger Lightcap




Life as a House



Uncredited Role


2009

Gary's Walk

Vernon




Pawn

Justin Elliot Randolph

Short film


A Fork in the Road

Det. Ross




2010

1,001 Ways to Enjoy the Missionary Position

Evan




Green Guys

Peter Donnelly




Television


Year

Title

Role

Notes


1977–1978

Another World

Burt McGowan




1981

Crisis at Central High

J.O. Powell

TV-Movie


1982

CBS Library

Rattlesnake

Episode: Robbers, Rooftops and Witches


Rehearsal for Murder

Frank Heller

TV-Movie


The Dukes of Hazzard

Scroggins

Episode: The New Dukes


1983

Remington Steele

Chance McCormick

Episode: Steele's Gold


V

Brad

Miniseries


1985

Riptide

Mack McPherson

Episode: Polly Want an Explanation


Miami Vice

Evan Freed

Episode: Evan


Hunter

Jack Lachman

Episode: Fire Man


Command 5

J.D. Smith

TV-Movie


The Long Hot Summer

Jody Varner

TV-Movie


1986

St. Elsewhere

Patrick O'Casey

Episode: Time Heals (1)
Episode: Time Heals (2)


Blood & Orchids

Lloyd Murdoch

TV-Movie


Second Serve

Josh

TV-Movie


Houston: The Legend of Texas

William Travis

TV-Movie


Crime Story

Det. Wes Connelly

Episode: Pilot (1)
Episode: Pilot (2)
Episode: Crime Pays


1987

Tour of Duty

Sgt. Early Ray Michaels

Episode: War Lover


1988

The Loner

Jake Wilis




1988–1990

Wiseguy

Roger Lococco




1989

Nasty Boys

Ben Farlow

TV-Movie


1990

Capital News

Redmond Dunne




A Promise to Keep

Carl

TV-Movie


1991

Gabriel's Fire

Brad Fixx

Episode: Truth and Consequences


The Young Riders



Episode: Daisy


Crazy From the Heart

Dewey Whitcomb

TV-Movie


1992

Bad City Story

Jim Malone

Unsold TV-Pilot


Drive Like Lightning

Boll Donner

TV-Movie


Middle Ages

Terry




1993

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.

Jack Randolph

Episode: Socrates' Sister


CBS Schoolbreak Special

Coach Jim Doane

Episode: Other Mothers


seaQuest DSV

Rusty Thomas

Episode: Brothers and Sisters


1993–2000

Boy Meets World

Alan Matthews

120 episodes


1994

Viper

Mr. Townsend

Episode: Pilot


1995

Big Dreams and Broken Hearts: The Dottie West Story

Bill West

TV-Movie


The Marshal

Loyal Truscott

Episode: Pilot


Legend

Wild Bill Hickok

Episode: The Life, Death, and Life of Wild Bill Hickok


Trail of Tears

David

TV-Movie


1996

Have You Seen My Son

Van Stein

TV-Movie


A Husband, a Wife and a Lover

Art Maskin

TV-Movie


Nash Bridges

Scott Lamont/"The Monk"

Episode: Trackdown


1997

Night Sins

Sheriff Steiger

Miniseries


Stargate SG-1

Capt. Jonas Hansen

Episode: The First Commandment


1999

A Secret Life

Mark Whitman

TV-Movie


Replacing Dad

George Marsh

TV-Movie


Come On, Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story

Joseph Bonaduce

TV-Movie


2000

Ally McBeal

Michael Bassett

Episode: Two's a Crowd
Episode: Without a Net


Level 9

Agent Colter

Episode: A Price to Pay


2001

Touched by an Angel

Prof. Thomas North

Episode: Holy of Hollies


2002

The Division

Jesse Whalen

Episode: Shelby


Crossing Jordan

D.A. Jack Olson

Episode: There's No Place Like Home


MD's

James Wiles

Episode: A La Casa


Robbery Homicide Division

Elliot Ayers

Episode: City of Strivers


2003

Mister Sterling

Tommy Doyle

9 episodes


Dragnet

Ted Paris

Episode: Redemption


The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire

Rev. Deeker

Episode: Sleeping Lions


Finding John Christmas

Hank McAllister

TV-Movie


2004

Silver Lake

Phil Patterson

TV-Movie


Deadwood

Otis Russell

Episode: Jewel's Boot Is Made for Walking
Episode: Sold Under Sin


CSI: NY

Mr. Prescott

Episode: Creatures of the Night


JAG

Maj. Gen. Earl Watson

Episode: Fighting Words
Episode: This Just in from Baghdad


NYPD Blue

Hal Matheson

Episode: I Love My Wives, But Oh You Kid


2005

The West Wing

Dan

Episode: Message of the Week


Without a Trace

Max Cassidy

Episode: Freefall


2005–2008

Boston Legal

A.D.A Christopher Palmer

5 episodes


2006

The Sopranos

Paul Calviano

Episode: Moe n' Joe


Just Legal

Bartender

Episode: The Bar


Reunion

Congress Clark

Episode: 1995
Episode: 1996


2007

Demons

Senator Carney

Unsold TV-Pilot


Ghost Whisperer

Bill Bristow

Episode: Dead to Rights


Numb3rs

Michael Shannon

Episode: Money for Nothing


Standoff

Warren Keegan

Episode: Road Trip


CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Jonah Quinn

Episode: The Case of the Cross-Dressing Carp


2008

Wildfire

Congressman Dean Nichols

Episode: The More Things Change (1)
Episode: The More Things Change (2)
Episode: Friendship/Passion


The Ex List

Jimmy Bloom

6 episodes


2009

The Mentalist

Dooley Gerber

Episode: Black Gold and Red Blood


2009–2010

The Young and the Restless

Tucker McCall




2010

Cold Case

Tim Hudson

Season 7, Episode 18


2011

Home At Last

Bob

Episodes 1-6


2011

90210

Salty's Place owner

Episode: "Up in Smoke"


2011

Leverage

Morris Beck

Episode: "The Ten Li'l Grifters Job"


2012

Criminal Minds

Donald Collins

Episode: "A Family Affair"


2012

Awake

Jim Mayhew

Episode: "Guilty"


2012

NCIS

Phillip Wickes

Episode: "The Tell"


2014

Girl Meets World

Alan Matthews

Episode: Girl meets home for the holidays


Awards and nominations
Independent Spirit Awards


1992: Nominated, "Best Male Lead" - Pastime
References


External links
CLIParser at the Internet Movie Database
Home at Last