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Alan Ruck (born 1 July 1956; age 67) played Captain John Harriman in Star Trek Generations. He is probably most recognizable for his roles as Cameron Frye, Ferris Bueller's hypochondriacal best friend, in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986, with Michael G. Hagerty and Jonathan Schmock) and as Assistant Deputy Mayor Stuart Bondek in the television sitcom Spin City (in which he worked with Victoria Dillard).

Ruck hails from Cleveland, Ohio, and is a graduate of the University of Illinois. He made his film debut in the 1983 drama Bad Boys, with Clancy Brown. Later that year, Ruck appeared in the comedy film Class with Virginia Madsen.

After acquiring fame for his role in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ruck appeared in such films as Three Fugitives (1989, with Bruce McGill, Sherman Howard, Tim de Zarn, Brian Thompson, Scott Lincoln, Albert Henderson, and Gary Armagnac), Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989, with Ethan Phillips and Googy Gress), and Young Guns II (1990, with Christian Slater, Tracey Walter, Leon Rippy, Robert Knepper, and David Paul Needles). In 1990, he won a lead role on Going Places, opposite Hallie Todd. In this series, Ruck and Todd were among four writers who not only worked together shared a Los Angeles beach house, as well. Later in the show, the four began working for a talk show host played by Steve Vinovich, but the series was canceled in 1991 after only one season.

Later, Ruck became a regular on The Edge. He subsequently starred in CBS' Daddy's Girls, but this show was pulled from the schedule after only three episodes. His next show was the WB's Muscle with Dan Gauthier in 1995, which was also canceled after one season. He followed this with a recurring role on the hit NBC series Mad About You before he landed the role of Stuart Bondek on Spin City. This series was a success, running for six seasons from 1996 through 2002. Ruck was a regular on the show for all six seasons.

In between failed TV shows, Ruck expanded his film resume, appearing in Speed (1994, with Carlos Carrasco, Richard Lineback, Jordan Lund, and Bruce Wright) and Twister (1996, with Bruce Wright, Richard Lineback, Scott Thomson, Patrick Fischler, Zach Grenier, and Sean Whalen). Also during this time, Ruck guest-starred on such television shows as Picket Fences (with Leigh Taylor-Young and Ray Walston), Tales from the Crypt, and The Outer Limits.

In 1998 Ruck was one of the many Star Trek actors to appear in From the Earth to the Moon. His co-stars on this series included Sam Anderson, David Andrews, David Clennon, Ronny Cox, Brett Cullen, Robert Curtis Brown, Ann Cusack, Jerry Hardin, Clint Howard, Daniel Hugh Kelly, John Carroll Lynch, Dakin Matthews, Deborah May, Andy Milder, Holmes R. Osborne, Ethan Phillips, Harve Presnell, Mark Rolston, and Stephen Root; David Carson and Michael Grossman were among the directors.

In 2000 Ruck co-starred (again) with Ethan Phillips in the independent film Endsville. That same year Ruck appeared in Everything Put Together, with Matt Malloy. His more recent film credits include Cheaper by the Dozen (2003, with Holmes R. Osborne) and Kickin It Old Skool (2007, co-starring Christopher McDonald). He was also seen in The Happening (2008) and Paramount Pictures' Ghost Town (2008).

Since Spin City ended, Ruck has been seen on such shows as Scrubs (starring Ken Jenkins), Stargate: Atlantis (starring Paul McGillion and Robert Picardo), Medium, Ghost Whisperer, and Greek. He also appeared as a reporter on The Bronx Is Burning. In November 2008, he appeared on Boston Legal, playing an attorney whose client was played by Saul Rubinek. Series regulars John Larroquette and William Shatner, as well as guest star Bill Smitrovich, also appeared in Ruck's episode. In a 2015 episode of Major Crimes Alan Ruck guest starred in an episode that also included series regular Jonathan Del Arco.

Ruck reprised the role of Captain John Harriman (now much more competent) for the Star Trek fan film Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, directed by Tim Russ and co-starring Russ, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Garrett Wang, J.G. Hertzler, Chase Masterson, Gary Graham, and many other Star Trek veterans. Ruck has also reunited with Koenig for InAlienable, which Koenig wrote and which co-starred Erick Avari, Gary Graham, Richard Herd, J.G. Hertzler, Andrew Koenig, Judy Levitt, Lisa LoCicero, Bertrand Roberson, Jr., Patricia Tallman, and Next Generation star Marina Sirtis.

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