`Superman' Dean Cain Ventures `Off Camera'

Sure, he's a busy guy . . . but even the Man of Steel needs something to occupy him in his spare time.

At the very least, that applies to the actor who's currently playing the superhero weekly on television. Dean Cain - alias the powerful native of the planet Krypton, and the alter ego of Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, in ABC's "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" - is both the host and executive producer of "Off Camera," Monday's new ABC special (8 p.m. KOMO-TV) in which he surveys the athletics-oriented activities of many entertainment and sports personalities when they step away from the limelight.

Among them: Andrew Shue ("Melrose Place"), whose background in soccer comes in handy in a match against Cain; the NBA's 1993-94 Rookie of the Year, Chris Webber of the Washington Bullets; volleyball player and model Gabrielle Reece (whom many tabloids have identified as Cain's girlfriend, though he's mostly preferred to stay private on that subject); and Debbe Dunning, the "Tool Time" lady on "Home Improvement," who joins Cain on the ski slopes.

Also seen during the hour are ABC sportscaster Al Michaels, Matthew Fox ("Party of Five"), Holly Robinson ("Hangin' With Mr. Cooper") and rap singer Young MC, who also supplied the theme song for "Off Camera."

"We had this finished much earlier," Cain says, "but they gave us an air date I didn't like, so I negotiated and negotiated for what I thought was a better one. They wanted to show it on Saturday of Labor Day weekend or something like that, but I wanted it to be on a weekday night, because I think there's a specific audience this reaches. I didn't want to let go of that, and I think we've gotten a perfect time."

Cain spent considerable time developing the approach of "Off Camera" beforehand, and believes it largely lives up to his hopes.

"In retrospect," he adds, "I might have stuck in a little more substance here and there. It's entertainment, though, not the Barbara Walters type of thing. This is about seeing a different side of people in environments that they're relaxed and comfortable in, and that they're also in a lot."

Easy to talk to

Cain believes that in being an actor, it was natural for other actors to open up to him for "Off Camera," since their shared profession has yielded common thoughts and experiences. However, he claims that also applies to the athletes on the program.

"You can see that very clearly in the Chris Webber interview," Cain adds, "He says, `I'm sure you want to talk about things other than Superman,' just as I'm sure he wants to talk about things other than basketball. In that sense, I think people really do drop any facade. I told them as clear as day, `Be comfortable. Say anything you want to. I'll show it to you before I air it,' In essence, I guaranteed them that nothing would be out there that they didn't like." Cain adds that ultimately, he wasn't asked to make "a single change, by anyone."

Those featured are individuals he knows outside of business. "They're all people I genuinely like, and I can't say that about every actor I know. Once they don't have lines to say or a character to play, I think they're generally very likable, and that's an important thing in being on this show.

"Because it's done in a documentary style, the idea is for the audience to be very involved, and to feel like they're part of the action. There are points where it slows down and you're watching people do normal, mundane things, except that they happen to be people you know as characters on television shows."

As a graduate of Princeton who played football (setting the NCAA record for most interceptions in a single season) and volleyball, Cain appreciates personalities who allow time for sports-related pursuits. Taking another step

Becoming a producer is yet another big career step for Cain, and he was anxious to get the reaction to his first project in that role from the man he considers his ultimate critic: his stepfather, Christopher Cain, the director of such movies as "That Was Then, This Is Now" and "The Stone Boy."

According to the younger Cain, "He basically is responsible for everything I've done. He has taught me my values, and he's been the most inspirational figure in my life. That doesn't mean I follow his advice all the time, and he's certainly encouraged me to be an individual, so I followed my own vision in this case."