Alan grew up in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, a town famously linked to Fred Waring, outside of which he spent his formative years. Upon completing high school in 1969, Alan was awarded an extraordinary full scholarship from the United States Air Force, one of only 40 bestowed that year. Following his honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1971, he went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1972. However, his academic pursuits were soon interrupted by a draft notice for Vietnam, which led him to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. He was subsequently sent to Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia, where he earned his 2nd Lieutenant commission in December 1972.
The Marines then dispatched Alan to flight school at the United States Naval Academy in Pensacola, Florida, before sending him for advanced training in San Diego, California. Meanwhile, his acting career began to take off, with his theatre debut in a Jon Voight production of "The Basic Training of Pablo Hummel" in Los Angeles, which starred David Proval. This performance caught the attention of Renee Valente, head of casting at Columbia Pictures, who introduced Alan to director Buzz Kulik, who subsequently cast him in "The Lindbergh Kidnapping Case" (1976). This role marked the beginning of a successful career in television and film, punctuated by a few misfortunes, including the unreleased film "Ellipsis" alongside Billy Gray and Toni Basil, as well as the unsold MTM pilot "Nichols and Dymes" or "The Iron Cowboys".
In addition to his acting endeavors, Alan co-owned a vintage clothing store on Sunset Boulevard for a time and briefly relocated to Miami. He has since been involved in voice-over and looping work for notable shows such as "Magnum, P.I." (1980) and "Miami Vice" (1984). Currently, Alan resides in Studio City, California.
