Darren Jack Dalton (born February 9, 1965) is an American actor, screenwriter, and film producer. He is best known for playing Randy the Soc in The Outsiders (1983) and Daryl in Red Dawn (1984),
Life and career Dalton was born in Powell, Wyoming and raised in Worland, Wyoming. He spent a lot of his time at Big Trails Ranch outside Ten Sleep, where his grandparents raised cattle along the Nowood River. There, Dalton learned to cowboy, riding horses and exploring caves with what he imagined were conquistador inscriptions. The family moved to Albuquerque when he was 13 where Dalton discovered his high school offered a stagecraft elective.
When the drama department needed actors for smaller roles performing Shakespeare, he auditioned and got hooked.
Dalton's career began in 1982 when cast as Randy Anderson by Francis Ford Coppola during a nationwide talent search for the teen ensemble The Outsiders.
Dalton rejoined his The Outsiders co-stars C. Thomas Howell and Patrick Swayze in Red Dawn (1984), a story of a group of teenagers fighting Soviet Union troops who had invaded the United States. Dalton portrayed Daryl Bates, the son of the mayor.
After Red Dawn, Dalton's first made-for-television movie was Brotherhood of Justice (1986) as a rebellious teenager, and he appeared in the short-lived TV ensemble drama The Best Times (1985). He also had TV guest appearances in the late 1980s on Highway to Heaven, Quantum Leap, Alien Nation and as General Custer on Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman. Shortly after, he returned to film, including in Dancing in the Forest (1989) and The Wolves (1996).
Turning to screenwriting full-time, Dalton did not appear in other TV shows or movies until 2007's The Stolen Moments of September. He then returned to acting in War of the Worlds 2, Children of the Hunt, Darkroom (which he also executive produced and provided music for), the 3-D zombie thriller Day of the Living and The Day the Earth Stopped which Dalton also wrote and produced, and The Land That Time Forgot, which Dalton adapted from the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1983 The Outsiders Randy Anderson 1984 National Lampoon's Joy of Sex Ed Ingalls 1984 Red Dawn Daryl 1986 Brotherhood of Justice Scottie TV movie1987 Daddy John Sparks TV movie1988 Freddy's Nightmares Zach Episode: "Freddy's Tricks and Treats"1989 Dancing in the Forest Sy 1990 Montana Jimbo TV movie1992 To Protect and Serve Hall 1994 Scanner Cop Officer Longo 1995 Hourglass Pete the bartender / Dog Man 1996 The Wolves Blackie 1996 Pure Danger Cook 1997 The Big Fall Larry 1997 Sleeping Dogs Dexter 2007 The Stolen Moments of September Det. Scott Kawalski 2008 Darkroom Baron Bradley 2008 War of the Worlds 2 Shackleford 2008 The Day the Earth Stopped Prewitt 2009 The Jailhouse Donnie 2009 The Land That Time Forgot Cole Stevens 2009 Vault of Darkness Malcolm 2009 Children of the Hunt Mayor Paulo 2010 The Auctioneers Tucson 2012 The Cottage Detective Martin
References
External links
http://darrenjdalton.com/