Michael Strickland (Brad, SUNSET BEACH) isn't one to back down in the face of a challenge. Take his first big role - that of an, uh, overexposed, hypothermic frat boy on the prime-time sensation, ER. "It was pretty much trial by fire, because I was butt naked!" recalls Strickland, who, to his surprise, had to spend three hours on the set with nothing more than a strategically placed first-aid kit to cover him. "I expected at least to have a nylon thing on or something," he exclaims. "I'm trying to talk to Julianna Margulies [Carol] and [laughs] ... so, how do you start a conversation like that? 'So anyway, I'm naked !'"

Though the usually unflappable Strickland got a tad more exposure than he'd planned for that day, his ER debut did lead to several other (less-revealing) roles on MURPHY BROWN, SILK STALKINGS, USA HIGH and SAVED BY THE BELL. And when SUNSET BEACH offered him a gig last year, the actor jumped at the opportunity ... even though his character was doomed - literally.

"We were headed for the bottom," Strickland chuckles, regarding 1998's "Shockwave" storyline, in which Brad and cohort, Amy were supposed to go down with a cruise ship that was struck by a tsunami. But the writers had a change of heart and scripted a "life preserver" for the pair. "Every day, [Krissy Carlson, Amy, and I] would run through our scripts to see if we were dead yet," the actor recalls. "The last day, when Brad and Amy were saved, we were like 'Cool deal!' Then we found out that we got picked up for contract. So we had a nice celebration."

This summer, the actor has more reasons to celebrate: Lifeguard Brad is getting a love interest and a beefed-up storyline. As a result, the actor admits that he's anxious to beef up his physique. "Especially now," laughs Strickland good-naturedly. "Everything I do is with my shirt off. I've been going to the gym a lot. Think about who I have to stand next to: Timothy Adams [Casey] and Jason George [Michael]. Those guys are built! They're like, wham! When I'm standing next to them, I have to puff myself up."

Which might be easier since Strickland is getting such a workout at his suburban L.A. home. In fact, on the day of this interview, he had spent the better part of the morning laying heavy grass sod in his yard. "I had to truck it with a wheelbarrow," he signs. "back and forth, laying it down. It was a pain, but I have grass!" Which is apparently better than what had been growing there when he purchased the adobe-style house three years ago. "It was a wreck," Strickland shares. "There was moss growing on the walls where my bedroom is."

With his home coming together, a newly purchased Nissan Xterra in the driveway, a new dog, Java, romping about, and his three-year relationship with his girlfriend, actress Kathleen Quinn, right on track ("I could see marriage in our future," he muses), Strickland admits that he's pretty settled - a once-foreign concept. Due to his father's career in the oil business, Strickland's family relocated every couple of years to places like Alaska, Singapore, San Diego and Texas. "I'm freaking out," he confesses. "Having a house is no big deal because I can sell it tomorrow. But now I bought a new car, I have a lawn, I've got a dog ? oh, my gosh!"

Which is not to say that this actor isn't appreciative of his happily harried life. "What do I have to worry about?" he asks with a grin. "I mean, come on. It's almost the year 2000! I may as well have fun."