TV lady-killer prefers the quiet life

Press, 2 December 1985, Page 14

TV lady-killer prefers the quiet life

By

JOANNE WILLS

Features International

Michael Nader’s success as “Dynasty’s” Dex Dexter has all the hallmarks of a classic Hollywood overnight success story. An unknown actor discovers international fame as a screen sex symbol . . . another good-looking guy discovered from nowhere. Yet nothing could be further from the truth as 40-year-old Nader has spent more than 20 years working towards the big time. “I began acting in the 1960 s with small parts in endless low-budget movies about beach parties,” he says. “We were all supposed to be ‘typical Californian teenagers,’ surfing, swimming and sex mad! “We were all shown trying to cope with Hollywoods idea of the adolescent problems of the swing-

ing sixties. “I made a lot of those movies. The trouble was that we were all practically indistinguishable from each other.

“All the girls wore bikinis, and the guys had deep tans over their muscles.”

He finally shook off the Malibu sands and headed for New York to develop his talents by joining an actors’ workshop. “It was invaluable experience which led to roles in off-Broadway productions, all of which I thoroughly enjoyed, and then, finally, before joining ‘Dynasty,’ I spent four years with another popular afternoon soap saga.” In spite of his screen image, however, there is nothing Nader enjoys better away from the television studios than a remarkably quiet life for a soap opera superstar. He is devoted to his wife.

Robin, their 18-month-old daughter Lindsay is the apple of his eye, and much of his spare time is spent as a voluntary worker for an organisation which aims to wean youngsters away from drugs abuse. “I was one of the hippy generation and we were all caught up, one way or another, in the middle-class drugs explosion,” he says. “In my early years, I didn’t know anybody who didn’t experiment with LSD. Today, I don’t see any of that around, but there’s a massive abuse of drugs generally — it’s quadrupled in recent years and there are

kids dying like flies because of it

“It’s one menace that I’ve dedicated myself to helping to stamp out.” The birth of his daughter also made Nader even more worried about the violence that’s rife throughout United States society. After Lindsay's birth, he spent thousands of dollars on security'’ devices and alarms for their’home.

“I became absolutely terrified when I read all about the soaring cases of child molestation and about all the hundreds of youngsters who are disappearing into thin air.

“It’s just as if there’s a society at war all around us and in Hollywood, we have more than our fair share of weirdos.” What does Michael Nader say about the rumours that were recently flying around of an off-screen romance with Joan Collins, who plays Alexis in “Dynasty?” “Well, if there were those rumours, I’m not only surprised, but very flattered. It shows just how convincing we are as Dex and Alexis,” he says. “Of course, I like Joan, but I never fell in love with her or anything like that. “She’s a professional actress, who takes her work very seriously!”