William Russ

Person Score

 
9.2 Superb
29 votes

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Biography

Recent Role:
Donald Collins on Criminal Minds
Gender:
Male
Birthplace:
Portsmouth, Virginia
AKA:
Rusty
The son of a naval officer, William Russ traveled all over the United States as a child. Russ studied drama at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. After graduation he toured Europe as a member of an Ann Arbor mime troupe. He later attended New York's Neighborhood Playhouse on a scholarship, and appeared on stage in several plays, including Macbeth. He has appeared in many films, taking a star turn as an aging baseball player in 1991's Pastime. Russ is best known for his TV work, including seven years playing blue-collar dad Alan Matthews on Boy Meets World. Russ is also a director. FromMore Boy Meets World's Alan Matthews to Wiseguy's Roger Lococco, Russ has earned a reputation as a talented, versatile character actor. More recently, he has turned to web tv, playing "Bob," a homeless man, on the web series Home At Last, set to be released in the fall of 2011.

William Russ, also known as Rusty, is married to actress Clare Wren (Young Guns), and has a son and a daughter. He enjoys thrill sports such as downhill skiing and high-wind surfing.

From the Forums

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  •  
    10 Perfect

    The best TV dad ever.

    hide show

    I was just feeling nostaglic for BMW and I watched like 10 episodes on YouTube. Then I came across an online show starring William Russ as a homeless guy. He's still playing a dad, but now that dad is homeless.


    It's actually a pretty good show, it's called home at last. Kind of reminds me of boy meets world in a weird way.


    http://www.homeatlastshow.com

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  •  
    9.5 Superb
    A talented and reliable actor. hide show

    William Russ has the "everyman" part down to perfection. In countless guest appearances, TV movies and as Alan Matthews in Boy Meets World Rusty made acting look easy, as we became engrossed in his characters, forgetting for a time that he was an actor. He won critical praise for a recurring role on Wiseguy, and had a shot at stardom, playing the lead, a professional baseball player, in a feature film. However, the chance to become a matinee idol eluded him when his film, "Pastime," barely registered a blip on the pop culture screen in 1991. Soon after he was cast as Alan Matthews, a steady job in a sitcom made for the next generation. Still, William Russ has never become a household name. Is he disappointed? I don't know. I think he can be proud of the work he has done, and happy that he has been able to make a living at what he clearly loves to do.

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    Excellent actor in TV and movies, he deserves to have a show of his own. hide show

    Probably best known for his role in Boy Meets World, William Russ is an extremely talented actor. He played the tole of Alan to perfection, perfectly personifying the role of a father. The way he interacted with each of his children accordingly stood him apart from other actors who act the same to each of their on screen children of the same sex.

    He was also fantastic in American History X, but this review was done for BMW fans, some of whom are younger and it would not be appropriate.

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