Vital Stats

Dean's Biography

Written and compiled by Karen Vigeland

Dean Cain was born in Mt. Clemens, MI on July 31, 1966 (that makes him a Leo, or if you prefer the Chinese zodiac, a Horse).  His ethnic background is Welsh, French, and Japanese. He moved to California with his mother and older brother (Roger Cain, who is 2 years older than Dean).   His mother, Sharon Thomas, married director Christopher Cain.  Dean also has a younger sister, Krisinda, who was recently on "Stop The Presses".  Dean and his family lived in a trailer park  in Malibu during part of his childhood.  Some childhood friends were Rob and Chad Lowe (Dean was on student council with Rob), Emilio Estevez, Charlie Sheen, and Sean and Chris Penn.  Dean says he looked very Japanese growing up, and kids used to tease him and tell him that when he laughed, he could be blindfolded with dental floss.

He grew up in Malibu, California and attended Santa Monica High School (Class of '84), where he was named top athlete and excelled in academics. He was also a top athlete at Princeton University (although he originally wanted to go to Berkeley).  At Princeton, he earned first-team All-American football accolades, majored in history, set two NCAA records (one was a NCAA 1-AA record for most interceptions in a season, which still stands last time I checked), and was captain of the volleyball team. AND, he also dated Brooke Shields for 2 years.

He graduated with a BA in history in 1988, and was signed by the Buffalo Bills as a free safety (He signed on the day after the draft as a free agent).  Unfortunately, Dean got a knee-injury in mini-camp during pre-season.  He stayed off of it for a while and got treatment, and thought it had healed.  He came back to practice and took a hit on it, and had to have surgery on it.  That same year, he was forced to retire.

During his college years, Dean found he had a gift for and a fascination with screenwriting. His father, accomplished director Christopher Cain ("Young Guns", "The Next Karate Kid", "That Was Then, This Is Now", and "The Amazing Panda Adventure") encouraged and coached Dean, who went on to write screenplays for many companies, including an untitled project for Hollywood Pictures. After he retired from the Bills, he went back to California and took acting lessons. He also appeared in commercials, and filmed 35 of them in four years ( he filmed commercials for Frosted Flakes , Diet Coke, and El Pollo Loco Chicken, among others).  That lead to guest spots on many poular television shows, including "Beverly Hills, 90210", "Life Goes On", "A Different World", and "Grapevine". He also starred in a really schmucky movie called "Miracle Beach", in which he plays a jerk.

An accomplished writer as well as an actor, Dean continues to actively pursue both careers. He landed his role in L&C after auditioning several times. At first, the producers had reservations about his youth but were convinced soon enough, especially since the director of the pilot, Robert Butler, was pulling for him during the auditions. Butler commented in an article that Dean was inexperienced when they began work on the pilot and needed a lot of help, but that he had intense concentration and took direction well (which Butler attributed to his athletic training), so he learned very quickly. In addition to starring in the hit show, "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman", he is working on a number of feature film scripts. He also wrote, directed and produced the ABC special, "Off Camera With Dean Cain" ( which was originally titled "Naked TV", and interviewed Gabrielle Reece, Andrew Shue, Chris Weber,Daphne Zuniga, Debbe Dunning, Al Micheals, Dan Cortese, Matthew Fox, Holly Robinson, and Young MC).  He has written two episodes of "Lois & Clark" ("Season's Greedings" and "Virtually Destroyed").

Dean's long-term career goals are geared towards writing and directing. He's described himself in interviews as having a director's and/or a screenwriter's mentality. In fact, he says he majored in history because history was about people and stories and was good training for a prospective writer.

Dean will star in the upcoming Motion Picture Corp. of America drama, "Best Men", which also stars Drew Barrymore, Sean Patrick Flannery,  Mitchell Whitfield, and Andy Dick.   Dean describes this movie as a cross between "Dog Day Afternoon" and "Diner".  He has also appeared in the feature film, "The Stone Boy" with Robert Duvall and Glenn Close, directed by his father, as well as "Miracle Beach", "Dive", "With Deadly Intent",  and "Summer Rain".  A few years ago, he made a  screenwriting deal with Hollywood Pictures.  He has writtena script called "Marked Witness", among others.

In his limited spare time, Dean plays sports, including several Rock 'n Jock basketball games and appearances on "MTV Sports". (you'd be big into sports and exercise, too if you had to wear skintight spandex all the time) .  Also, he was recently on the first ever MTV Rock 'n Jock Super Bowl game.  He was voted most improved player(probably because he started the game by dropping the ball like a hot brick, but improved by making some good blocks and later making a touchdown.  Of course, many females thought his touchdown dance needed improvement)  and looked like he was having a wonderful time.  He also has a Harley and three dogs (two labs and a weimaraner). He also promotes the value of education. Dean was invited by House Speaker Tom Foley and Minority Leader Bob Michel to be the featured guest speaker on behalf of the prestigious Congressional Arts Caucus in Washington, D.C. Dean addressed hundreds of students and members of Congress on the importance of arts and education. While in Washington,Dean was also able to meet with President Clinton in the Oval Office.

Dean is currently engaged to 21-year old country singer Mindy McCready.  His mother met Mindy at the Country Music Awards -Mindy didn't quite know who Dean was.  They talked over the phone for a few months while Dean was in Toronto filming the upcoming Showtime movie "Backtracks" (formerly DogBoys) and dated a little while before Dean popped the question to her at his parents' house - he gave her a ring made of a green twist tie.  In the past, he's dated Ami Dolenz (daughter of Monkee Mickey Dolenz and actress - she was in "She's Out Of Control" in 1989), Gabby Reece, Pamela Anderson of Baywatch fame. Interesting extras: he's 6'0,  190lbs., afraid of heights (me too! ), and is most often described in articles and interviews and such as being nice and sweet : ) Tom Shales of the Washington Post, who apparantly makes a career out of not liking things,said he had the charm of a puppy-dog on Christmas morning -- and smiled alot -- .

Did ya know:

• Dean drives a Bronco, a Dodge Viper, and a green Harley-Davidson.
• he has three dogs - named Jay, Mocha, and Bosco.
• His fave junk foods are hot dogs and beer, but otherwise he eats very healthy.
• As a child, he read The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis
• Some fave role models - Tom Cruise, Wynona Rider, Harrison Ford, Michelle Pheiffer.
• He loves croissants from Chez Pierre bakery.
• His principle fault - working too hard.  He also annoys others on the set by chewing gum loudly, and often goes around looking like a slob.
• He helps manage his brother's band Christian Cain.
• He bought Teri a bike one year and a set of Ping golf clubs another year for her birthday.
• His music tastes are quite varied, but he likes Alanis Morrissette, Janet Jackson, Melissa Ethridge, Pearl Jam, the "Pulp Fiction" Soundtrack, and he secretly likes some Mariah Carey songs.
• His grandfather on his mother's side was a Navy commander.
• One of his most memorable football games was against Lehigh when he was in Princeton, where he made three interceptions (Lehigh just happens to be my dad's alma mater).
• His assistant is Anita, a Princeton grad (class of '93 - I decided not to tell her last name, just in case)
• He keeps in touch with his coaches from Princeton - Coach Verbit and Coach Tosches from football, and Coach Glenn Nelson from volleyball.
• He sits beneath Dean Martin's picture in his favorite Italian bistro.
• He helped recruit Keith Elias for the New York Giants.
• He holds the career record for interceptions at Princeton - 22 in his career.
• As a child, he got into trouble quite a bit.  He also was in some bar fights during college.

* Majority of information received from ABC Online , my assistant Cookie, many transcripts and interviews, and Bev Clark(bevnsag@NETCOM.COM)'s bio on Dean. Thanx!

More info on it's way...............

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Dean Lovers have been here since May 21 1998