Alan Dale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alan Dale
Dale in 2009
Born	Alan Hugh Dale (1947-05-06) 6 May 1947 (age 78) Dunedin, New Zealand
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Claire Dale ​ ​ (m. 1968; div. 1979)​ Tracey Pearson ​ (m. 1990)​
Children	4

Alan Hugh Dale (born May 6, 1947) is a famous actor from New Zealand. You might know him from popular TV shows like The O.C., Ugly Betty, Lost, and Once Upon a Time. He has also appeared in big movies, including Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

As a child, Dale loved both theatre and rugby. He decided to become a professional actor at age 27. He first became famous in Australia playing Dr. John Forrest in The Young Doctors and later as Jim Robinson in the popular soap opera Neighbours from 1985 to 1993.

After leaving Neighbours, Dale found it hard to get new roles in Australia because everyone saw him as his character, Jim Robinson. This is called typecasting. His career took off again when he moved to the United States in 2000. Since then, he has become a familiar face in many American TV shows and movies. From 2017 to 2021, he starred as Joseph Anders in the TV series Dynasty.

Early Life and First Jobs

Alan Dale was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1947. His family didn't have a lot of money, and they didn't own a television. Dale grew up loving the theatre and playing rugby. His first time on stage was in a school concert when he was 13.

He was a very good rugby player but chose to focus on acting. He felt acting could be a longer career. Because there weren't many acting jobs in New Zealand, he worked many different jobs to support his family. He was a car salesman, a real estate agent, and even a milkman.

One day, while working as a milkman, he heard a radio DJ quit on the air. Dale went to the radio station and told the managers he could do a better job. They gave him a chance, and he was hired for the afternoon show. At age 27, he finally decided to become a full-time professional actor.

Acting Career

Australian Fame with Neighbours

Dale's acting career began in the late 1970s. After moving to Australia, he was cast as Dr. John Forrest in the soap opera The Young Doctors, a role he played for over three years.

In 1985, he landed his most famous Australian role as Jim Robinson in the soap opera Neighbours. He was one of the original cast members and appeared in the show from its very first episode. He played the character for eight years.

Dale left Neighbours in 1993. He and other cast members felt they were not being paid fairly for their work. After leaving, he struggled to find new acting jobs in Australia. Many people only saw him as his character, Jim Robinson, which made it hard to be cast in different roles.

Success in the United States

Dale at the 2008 BAFTA Television Awards

In 2000, at the age of 52, Dale moved to the United States to restart his career. He started taking acting classes and looked for new opportunities. His hard work paid off when he got a role in the popular medical drama ER.

After that, Dale's career grew quickly. He appeared in many hit TV shows.

• The X-Files: He played the mysterious "Toothpick Man" in 2002.
• 24: He played Vice President Jim Prescott.
• NCIS: He was NCIS Director Tom Morrow for several seasons.
• The O.C.: From 2003 to 2005, he played the wealthy businessman Caleb Nichol.
• Ugly Betty: He starred as Bradford Meade, the owner of a magazine company, from 2006 to 2007.
• Lost: He played the powerful and mysterious Charles Widmore in many episodes from 2006 to 2010.
• Once Upon a Time: He played King George, the father of Prince Charming.
• Dynasty: From 2017 to 2021, he played the loyal majordomo (head of staff) Joseph Anders.

Dale is often cast as powerful, wealthy, or mysterious characters. He once said, "I either play rulers of the world or the guy who kills the ruler of the world."

Movie Roles

Besides television, Dale has also appeared in several major films. He often plays small but important parts. Some of his movie roles include:

• Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) as Praetor Hiren.
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) as General Ross.
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) as Detective Isaksson.
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) as Councilman Rockwell, a member of the World Security Council.

Personal Life

In 1968, Dale married his girlfriend, Claire. They had two sons, Simon and Matthew. The couple divorced in 1979.

In 1990, he married Tracey Pearson, who was Miss Australia in 1986. They have two children together, Daniel and Nick. His family lives in California, and they also own property in Australia.

Dale says his life philosophy comes from a quote by Winston Churchill: "Never, never, never give up."

Selected Filmography

Films

Television

See also

In Spanish: Alan Dale para niños