Actor Alan Douglas Ruck, more popularly known as Alan Ruck, began his professional acting career in 1983. Since then, he has starred in and co-starred with several Hollywood top actors. Off-screen, Alan Ruck is also known for his performances as a stage actor, debuting on Broadway in 1985, playing Don Carney in Biloxi Blues.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Alan Ruck obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1979. He has starred in over 100 acting roles in film and television. Honoring his talent and performances, these are the 10 best Alan Ruck movie roles.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Director John Hughes cast the then-29-year-old Alan Ruck to play the hypochondriac 17-year-old Cameron Frye in the teen comedy Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). Mathew Broderick led the cast as the titular character Ferris Bueller. Mia Sara played his girlfriend, with Jennifer Grey as Ferris’ sister. Ruck’s character is the best friend of Ferris Bueller. The chemistry between Alan Ruck and Matthew Broderick was believable since both have been close friends since their time as stage actors. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off was a commercial success and was selected by the Library of Congress in 2014 to be included in the National Film Registry.
Three for the Road (1987)
Alan Ruck plays a supporting role in Bill L. Norton‘s road comedy Three for the Road (1987). Ruck plays T.S., an aspiring writer and roommate of Paul Tracy (Charlie Sheen). T.S. agrees to follow Paul to deliver the delinquent daughter of Paul’s boss, Senator Kitteridge (Raymond J. Barry), to an institution for girls. Although the movie was a commercial failure and panned by critics, it is one of Ruck’s earliest roles where he gets a longer screen time as a supporting cast.
Three Fugitives (1989)
Three Fugitives (1989) is one of those films with negative reviews but an impressive box office haul. It raked almost $12 million in its first two weeks and starred Nick Nolte, Martin Short, and James Earl Jones. Alan Ruck played a supporting role as Inspector Tenner. He’s James Earl Jones’ character’s partner. Three Fugitives follows the story of a notorious bank robber, Daniel Lucas (Nick Nolte), who’s recently released from prison. While at a bank looking to open an account, Ned Perry (Martin Short) enters the bank to rob it and takes Daniel hostage.
Seeing Ned as a clumsy and novice bank robber, Daniel is instinctively led to help him escape the cops. Inspector Marvin Dugan (James Earl Jones) and his partner Inspector Tenner (Alan Ruck) believe Daniel and Ned are working together. While trying to prove his innocence, Daniel discovers Ned robbed the bank to treat his ailing daughter. Daniel is forced back into a life he had worked hard to escape.
Young Guns II (1990)
Young Guns II (1990) is the sequel to Christopher Cain‘s 1988 Young Guns. The film’s story is set in 1879, with Alan Ruck joining the cast as Hendry William French. The character was loosely based on Jim French and Henry Brown. Ruck’s character becomes a part of The Regulators after Billy the Kid desperately tries to rebuild the group. Young Guns II slightly surpassed its predecessor at the Box Office with $3 million. The movie is a great opportunity to watch Alan Ruck in a Western action.
Speed (1994)
Alan Ruck may only have been a supporting role in Jan de Bont‘s action movie Speed (1994), but he left an unforgettable performance for many audiences. Ruck was cast as Doug Stephens, an annoying tourist stuck on the famed bus in the film. With Speed‘s critical and commercial success, the movie helped elevate Ruck’s status in Hollywood and internationally. The star-studded cast of Speed includes Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton, and Jeff Daniels.
Star Trek Generations (1994)
Alan Ruck joined the cast of the Star Trek movie series, playing the role of Capt. Jonathan Harriman in Star Trek Generations (1994). This makes the character the fourth commander of the Enterprise. He joins legendary commanders like Captains Christopher Pike, Robert April, and James T. Kirk. While auditioning for the film, Ruck had thought he would be cast in an alien role. However, director David Carson thought otherwise. Like the films before, Star Trek Generations was a commercial success.
Twister (1996)
Alan Ruck worked again with Jan de Bont in the disaster film Twister (1996). With box office earnings of $495.7 million, Twister became the second highest-grossing movie of 1996. Again, despite not being the lead character, Ruck’s Robert “Rabbit” Nurick’s character was one of the viewer’s favorites. Rabbit was part of a team of tornado chasers hellbent on deploying a tornado research device in an active tornado to help predict future formations. Twister also starred Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Shanghai Calling (2012)
Shanghai Calling (2012) is Daniel Hsia‘s romantic comedy starring Bill Paxton, Daniel Henney, and Eliza Coupe. Alan Ruck plays the CEO of a billion-dollar technology company, Marcus Groff. Henney’s character is sent to Shanghai to help Ruck’s character acquire a next-generation smartphone from a Chinese investor. This forces Sam Chao (Daniel Henney) to travel to China to connect with his roots. However, things do not go according to plan. Sam Chao finds friendship and love in the most unexpected places.
War Machine (2017)
War Machine (2017) is a satirical war comedy with Brad Pitt as its lead cast. Although based on Michael Hastings‘ The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan (2012), War Machine takes a satirical, fictionalized narrative of its contents. Alan Ruck’s character, Lt. Gen. Pat McKinnon, is loosely based on Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry, a U.S. diplomat. War Machine is a must-watch for comedy-genre audiences interested in America’s war in Afghanistan.
The Burial (2023)
The actor is part of Maggie Betts‘ cast in the legal drama The Burial (2023). Alan Ruck is cast in a supporting role portraying Mike Allred in the movie. The Burial is based on the true story of Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe‘s lawsuit against Loewen Group. The Burial top cast comprises popular actors like Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Pamela Reed, and Jurnee Smollett. Mike Allred is a contract lawyer who has been Jerry O’Keefe’s attorney for almost three decades. However, after O’Keefe seeks representation from the unconventional and successful Willie E. Gary, Mike is dropped as lead attorney. One of Alan Ruck‘s best performances in the past decades, Mike Allred later chooses to step down from O’Keefe’s legal team after his racial history and relationship with the Ku Klux Klan is made public.
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