DREAMS AND SCREAMS

Article from US Magazine, May 1989

In a worn leather jacket, Levi's and tan suede boots, Dale Midkiff strides across the floor of a run-down diner in Hoboken, New Jersey. He leans across the counter and smiles at the pretty, young waitress. "Corn muffin to go, doll," he says. Suddenly a man with jet black hair slicked into a long ponytail approaches Midkiff from behind. "You got something for me?" he demands. "I got nothing for you," Midkiff retorts. "You better at least tell me something!" says the hood angrily. "Sure, Joey," says Midkiff coolly, but wit the barest hint of malice. "Have a good day."

"Cut!" yells the first assistant director on the set of Dream street, NBC's new series from the same people who created thirtysomething. Midkiff, 29, plays Denis Debeau, a young, streetwise guy who has recently taken over his dad's refrigeration business. Midkiff finds the character of Debeau immensely appealing. "He's the epitome of an American--a nice guy," says Midkiff, himself the product of a blue-collar upbringing. "It's like anybody in the street who was brought up tough, the kind of people who go, 'Aw f--- you--- I love you!' You know? That's how they show it."

Dream Street producer Mark Rosner says he had almost given up finding the right actor before Midkiff came along. "We couldn't find anyone. Then Dale came in," he had a charisma no one else had."

Between takes on the set, Midkiff nervously drums his hands on any available surface. It's a quirk that helped win him his biggest role before Dream Street -- that of Elvis Presley in last year's TV miniseries Elvis and Me. "Priscilla (Presley) and one of Elvis' best friends, Jerry Schilling, were making the final decision," explains Midkiff. "Jerry told me afterwards that he knew it was me because during the screen test, before they said 'Action, ' I was doing this..." He drums on the counter. "He said it freaked him out, because Elvis did it before every take he ever did in a film."

If portraying Elvis on film was a scary undertaking, as Midkiff claims, he must have been terrified to find himself in the Stephen King horror movie Pet Sematary. "It was difficult, " he admits. "Dealing with death for a couple of months took its toll." But Midkiff, who is cast as a doctor determined to bring his son back to life, says the movie had its up side as well. "I got to work with Fred Gwynne, which is something I've been dying to do, "he explains. "I've loved him ever since he was on The Munsters. He's and incredible actor and a prince of a man. That was probably the best part of Pet Sematary."

Midkiff hasn't done badly for a kid who used to haul oysters every summer on the Maryland shore. Raised with six brothers and a sister in the tiny fishing community of Chance, Midkiff takes pride in his working-class roots. "My uncles, my grandfather, they are all water men,"he says fondly. "It's a very simple life, but I loved it."

Midkiff started acting in school plays as early as the fourth grade. Still, he claims to have been the archetypal shy kid. That is, the young Midkiff wasn't too smooth with the ladies. "When I was crazy about a girl, I used to punch her, " he recalls sheepishly. "One time, I stepped on this girl's foot and sprained it, and I was crazy about her!"

Fortunately, he has acquired more than a few social graces. These days he has apartments on both coasts and a non-showbiz girlfriend he has been seeing for several months. "Long-term for Dale," he says with a grin. He even has some charm to spare: For a cameo appearance in 1988's Casual Sex? he was billed simply but accurately as the Attractive Stranger.

So, A major film, a hot series. Is there anything he doesn't have that he still desires? "I want to do a light comedy," he says wistfully. "I mean, drama has always been there and I'm grateful, but gimme a break, let me lighten up!It'll take me a while,"he says. "But anything can happen."