Wissenswertes

Is one of only 26 actors to have speaking roles in both the Star Trek and Doctor Who franchises. He played Praetor Hiren in Star Trek - Nemesis (2002) and Dr. Aaron Copley in Reset (2008).

He once considered becoming a Rugby player but had to stop playing at the age of twenty-one as this wasn't considered a workable career at the time, and he had to support his family.

Is the only actor to have appeared in the fictional television Cabinets of both President Jed Bartlet (The West Wing: Im Zentrum der Macht (1999), played by Martin Sheen) and President David Palmer (24: Twenty Four (2001), played by Dennis Haysbert). On "The West Wing", he plays Mitch Bryce, the Secretary of Commerce. On "24", he played Jim Prescott, the Vice President, who voted to remove the President from office temporarily using the 25th Amendment, on "The West Wing", he agreed to the President's temporary resignation.

He worked as a male model, car salesman, Realtor and milkman before he began acting. He decided to become a professional actor at the age of twenty-seven, but has no formal acting training.

All three of his best known characters (Jim Robinson of Nachbarn (1985), Caleb Nichol in O.C., California (2003) and Bradford Meade in Alles Betty! (2006)) were written out of their respective series through fatal heart attacks.

Describes Gene Hackman as his ''huge acting hero''.

Currently resides with his family in Manhattan Beach, California.

Has two young sons with his second wife, Tracy Dale - Daniel Dale and Nick Dale.

Son Simon Dale is a radio announcer for Kiss 100, one of London's most popular stations (3pm-6pm).

Children - Matthew Dale is an actor, musician and writer, dividing his time between Los Angeles, California and Melbourne, Australia where he is working in the theatre. Simon Dale is a radio announcer in the United Kingdom.

His parents both died in 2007.