Born in New York City, Dale is the only child of actor, Dancer, and Choreographer Grover Dale (born 1935) and Actress and singer Anita Morris (1943–1994). At age 10, he was picked out of his fifth grade class at Wonderland Elementary School in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles to test for the role of Simon in Lord of the Flies, which he was cast in. After five months on location in Jamaica, he returned to his schooling at Wonderland Elementary.