Dean Cain

Dean George Cain (né Tanaka; July 31, 1966) is an American actor, producer, writer, director, and television show host. He is known for his role as Superman in the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

Early life

Cain was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan, the son of Roger Tanaka and actress Sharon Thomas. He is of French Canadian, Irish, Japanese, and Welsh descent. In 1969, Cain's mother married film director Christopher Cain, who adopted Dean and his brother, musician Roger Cain; they became his sons and the family moved to Malibu, California. The couple later had a daughter, actress Krisinda Cain.

Cain attended Santa Monica High School, where he excelled in sports. Among his schoolmates were Chad and Rob Lowe and Charlie Sheen, the latter playing on the same baseball team as Cain when they were children. He graduated from high school in 1984 and attended Princeton University, where he played football. He dated actress Brooke Shields while at the university. He graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts in history; his senior thesis was titled "The History and Development of the Functions of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences".