Dale Swann

William Dale Swann (January 21, 1948 – April 9, 2009) was an American character actor known for his numerous roles in television, film and commercials.

Biography

Early life Dale Swann was born on January 21, 1948, in Harrisburg, Illinois. After his family had relocated to the St. Louis Metro East area, he graduated from East Alton-Wood River High School, then attended Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where received his bachelor's degree in fine arts. and he spent three weeks filming on location in Yugoslavia during the production of the 1991 film, Born to Ride, in which Swann appeared opposite John Stamos.

Swann's television credits included parts in Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, Adam-12, Quantum Leap, Hunter, Baywatch, Beauty and the Beast and L.A. Law. He also appeared in the miniseries The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory and in numerous made-for-television movies, including Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure, Do You Know the Muffin Man?, Buried Alive, The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson, Switched at Birth and Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader Story.

To earn income between jobs, Swann worked as a telemarketing representative and in the admitting and billing departments of the UCLA Medical Center.

Later life Swann returned to his native Alton, Illinois, in 2003, taking a position with Fabrication Specialists of Illinois, a precision custom manufacturer.

He suffered a stroke in February 2009 and died at his home in Alton on April 9, 2009, at the age of 61. He was survived by his sister, Betty Swann, who described her brother as "...a good actor. He loved acting; he really did. He was able to express a lot of his emotions while acting," in an April 2009 interview with The Telegraph of Alton. Swann never married and had no children. "He loved being independent. He loved just one woman his whole life, even though they never got married or had children," his sister told the paper.

Filmography Year Title Role1989 Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II Bearded warrior 1989 Tango & Cash Captain 1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Clamp Center Surveillance Supervisor 1991 Born to Ride Sheriff Greaves 1992 We're Talkin' Serious Money Guard 1994 Drop Zone 747 Captain 1995 Demon Knight Bus driver 1995 Black Day Blue Night Patrolman