Alan Dale played the role of Charles Widmore. He is best known for his eight year role as Jim Robinson in the long running Australian soap opera Neighbours (1985), played Caleb in the hit Fox series The O.C. (2003), featured on Lost (2004) and has a long list of recurring roles. These include 24 (2001), NCIS (2003), The West Wing (1999), ER (1994) and The X Files (1993). His film credits include The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Priest (2011), After the Sunset (2004), Hollywood Homicide (2003) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). Alan has extensive theater credits. He played the lead role of King Arthur in "Spamalot" on the West End, London. He has hosted his own radio shows and is a successful voice-over artist in both Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Background[]
- Born May 6, 1947 in Dunedin, New Zealand.
- Has three grown sons.
- Is known for playing "villain" acting roles.
- First found international fame playing Jim Robinson on the Australian soap opera Neighbours.
- Played Vice President Jim Prescott in Seasons 2 and 3 of 24, as well as making an appearance in 24: The Game, (along with Daniel Dae Kim and John Terry).
- Played Caleb Nichol, a corporate tycoon, in the Fox show The O.C. for two seasons,.
- Played Secretary of Commerce Mitch Bryce on The West Wing.
- Recently played Bradford Meade on Ugly Betty.
- His series regular roles on Neighbors, The O.C., and Ugly Betty all ended with his character dying of a heart attack.
- Has appeared on many sci-fi themed TV shows and films including The X-Files, Space: Above and Beyond, Torchwood and Star Trek: Nemesis.
- Played the director Thomas Morrow on the TV series NCIS.
- Played a judge on the 2009 season of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
- Played an Australian ambassador on the TV series Flight of the Conchords.
- He is currently starring as Prince Charming's father in Once Upon A Time.
Trivia[]
- Alan Dale could be seen playing King Arthur in the West End production of Monty Python's Spamalot at Palace Theatre, London until June 23, 2008.
- Alan has played three characters that have died of heart attacks, in Ugly Betty, Neighbours and The OC.
- Alan Dale stopped watching Lost during its third season, stating "I got sick of following it. It went through a lull in scripts in the third season." He pinpointed "The Cost of Living" as when he gave up, saying that "Then, out of the bushes, came a black cloud, which grabbed a black man and threw him to the ground, and I thought 'I definitely can't watch this anymore'." Hollywood.com Interview
- According to Jorge Garcia on Geronimo Jack's Beard, Alan Dale eventually got back to watching the show by the time of Season Six, though he still couldn't make any sense out of it.
- According to Entertainment Weekly, Alan Dale's contract for season five included an option to be a series regular for the final season. However, the producers did not pick it up and he remained a recurring guest star. [1]