Alan Hugh Dale (born 6 May 1947 in Dunedin, New Zealand) is an actor from New Zealand. He's perhaps most widely known for his role as Jim Robinson in the immensely popular soap opera Neighbours. He spent eight years playing 'Australia's favorite Dad' before leaving the series due to some uncomfortable conversations with the producers.
His career struggled against typecasting, but upon moving to the United States it was revitalized. Dale has since become a regular face on television and film, and is something of an institution on cult TV shows. Throw a rock at Science-Fiction/Fantasy television and you'll end up hitting Alan Dale.
Tropes:
- Chronically Killed Actor: It comes with playing so many villains. It's notable that three of his largest roles ended with his character having a heart attack.
- Fake Nationality: Some of Dale's best known roles involve him being a Fake Brit or Fake American.
- Typecasting: He's largely cast as villains, and even when he's cast as good guys he tends to play stern authority figures.
Film Roles
- 2002 Star Trek: Nemesis as Praetor Hiren
- 2008 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as General Ross
- 2011 Priest as Monsignor Chamberlain
- 2011 Don't Be Afraid of the Dark as Jacoby
- 2011 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) as Detective Isaksson
- 2014 Captain America: The Winter Soldier as Councilman Rockwell
Television Roles
- 1985–1993 Neighbours as Jim Robinson
- 2000–2001 ER as Al Patterson
- 2002 The X-Files as Toothpick Man
- 2002–2003 The West Wing as Secretary of Commerce Mitch Bryce
- 2003 JAG as NCIS Director Tom Morrow
- 2003–2004 24 as Vice President Jim Prescott
- 2003–2005 The O.C. as Caleb Nichol
- 2003–2013 NCIS as Director Tom Morrow
- 2006–2010 Lost as Charles Widmore
- 2006–2007 Ugly Betty as Bradford Meade
- 2008 Torchwood as Dr. Aaron Copley
- 2008–2011 Entourage as John Ellis
- 2009 Flight of the Conchords as Australian Ambassador
- 2011 Person of Interest as Ulrich Kohl
- 2011–2012 The Killing as Senator Eaton
- 2011–2013 Once Upon a Time as King George/Albert Spencer
- 2012-2013 Hot in Cleveland as Sir Emmett Lawson
- 2014 Dominion as General Edward Riesen
- 2017 Dynasty (2017) as Anders