Dean Cain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dean Cain
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Cain in 2025
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| Born |
Dean George Tanaka
July 31, 1966 |
| Education | Princeton University (BA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1976–present |
| Known for | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Ripley's Believe It or Not! Hit the Floor |
| Children | 1 |
| College football career | |
| Princeton Tigers – No. 11 | |
| Position | Free safety |
| Major | History |
| Career history | |
| College |
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| High school | Santa Monica High School |
Dean George Cain (born July 31, 1966) is an American actor, producer, and television host. He is most famous for playing Clark Kent / Superman in the 1990s TV show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
Cain also hosted the show Ripley's Believe It or Not!. He later appeared in the popular sports drama series Hit the Floor.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Dean Cain was born Dean George Tanaka in Harrison Township, Michigan. His mother, Sharon Thomas, was an actress, and his father, Roger Tanaka, was in the U.S. military. Cain has Japanese, Welsh, Irish, and French-Canadian ancestry.
Soon after he was born, his mother moved with him and his older brother to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. In 1969, she married film director Christopher Cain. Christopher adopted Dean and his brother, and their last name was changed to Cain. The family moved to Malibu, California, where Dean's sister, Krisinda, was born.
Cain went to Santa Monica High School, where he was a talented athlete. He was friends and teammates with future actor Charlie Sheen. He graduated in 1984 and went to Princeton University.
College Football Star
At Princeton, Cain was a star football player. He played the free safety position. In his junior year, he set a school record with 12 interceptions in a single season. While at Princeton, he also dated actress Brooke Shields.
Cain graduated in 1988 with a degree in History. He wrote his final paper on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group that gives out the Oscar awards.
After college, Cain signed with the Buffalo Bills, a professional NFL team. Unfortunately, a knee injury during training camp ended his football career before it could begin.
Acting Career
Becoming Superman
After his football career ended, Cain decided to try acting. He appeared in commercials and had small roles in TV shows like Beverly Hills, 90210.
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In 1993, Cain landed his most famous role as Superman in the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The show was a huge hit, with over 15 million people watching each episode. It focused on the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane. The series ran for four seasons and made Cain a star.
Life After Lois & Clark
After the show ended in 1997, Cain continued to act. In 1998, he started his own production company called Angry Dragon Entertainment. His company produced the TV series Ripley's Believe It or Not!, which Cain also hosted.
He has appeared in many movies, including The Broken Hearts Club (2000) and Rat Race (2001). He also returned to the Superman universe twice. He played a villain in an episode of Smallville and had a recurring role as the foster father of Supergirl from 2015 to 2017.
Cain is also known for starring in many Christmas movies and faith-based films, such as God's Not Dead. In 2021, he directed his first movie, Little Angels, which he also starred in.
Personal and Public Life
Cain has a son, Christopher Dean Cain, who was born in 2000. He named his son after his adoptive father, director Christopher Cain.
In 2018, Cain became a reserve police officer for the St. Anthony Police Department in Idaho.
Political Views
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Cain has said that he used to be a registered Republican but is now an Independent voter. He has supported candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties over the years. He voted for Bill Clinton in the 1990s and later supported John McCain and Rick Perry in presidential elections. He supported Donald Trump in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 elections.
In 2018, Cain was elected to the board of directors of the National Rifle Association of America.
See also
In Spanish: Dean Cain para niños
