The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 52

4 Friday, Apt 2S. 1997 Waatand THE DAILY QKLAHOMAN Actor's Road to Success Erupts in 'Volcano Family Film Guide His parents, Donald and Betty Cheadle, his talents and helped him win a partial scholarship to the California Institute of the Arts in nearby Va? lencia. After graduation, he and some classmates began pounding Hollywood's door. They often aG" tended auditions together, and; for one film, "Colors," all were chosen. "I heard 500 'no's before I ever heard a yes," he remarked.

"Fortunately, I had a very close, sup? portive family who very often; helped me out here. It is very often not a sane place to be." Cheadle, 32, helps maintain his sanity by living in a quiet section of Venice with his two young daughters and their mother. Since he looks different in every role, he is rarely recognized. He'd like to keep it that way, but realizes that may not be possible. After "Volcano," what? "I don't know," he said.

"It depends what I am offered, what I see. I'd like to continue doing a lot of different work. That's the most fun: to go from 'Rosewood' to 'Boogie Nights' to 'Volcano' to 'Devil in a Blue To be able to span the globe and expand myself as an actor. "To me, success would mean longevity. I want Paul Newman's career, Morgan Freeman's career, Gene Hackman's career.

He's been working for 30 years. That's what I mean by success." el, starring Denzel Washington as a 1950s private eye, Easy Rawlins. The movie did moderate business, but Cheadle won rave notices as Mouse, Rawlins trigger-happy friend. The Los Angeles film critics' association named him best supporting actor of the year, and some writers complained when he wasn't nominated for an Academy Award. "I got a lot of press out of it," Cheadle said, quite happily.

"I also got John Singleton (the director) called me as soon as he got out of a screening." Largely as a result of "Devil," Cheadle enjoyed five film assignments last year. He also appeared for two years as District Attorney John Littleton on the acclaimed TV series "Picket Fences." Cheadle spent his childhood in Kansas City, Lincoln, and Denver, his father moving the family as he won scholarships to pursue his psychology studies. Cheadle knew he wanted to be an actor from the time in Denver when he played Tem-pleton the Rat in a sixth-grade production of "Charlotte's Web." "I was really knocked out," he recalled, "not just from the applause and the adulation. I really liked playing something else and seeing my friends becoming a spider or a pig or a goose. There was a lot of singing, and I'm pretty musical." LOS ANGELES (AP) Don Cheadle doesn't even get singed in the new spectacular "Volcano." He spends most of the movie on the phone to his beleaguered boss, Tommy Lee Jones, who is in the field fighting lava, panic and other hazards.

In the movie, both men work for L.A.'s Office of Emergency Management, which has a new kind of disaster a volcano erupting out of the La Brea Tar Pits on Wilshire Boulevard's Museum Row. Since the two actors' scenes together are largely on the telephone, they naturally rehearsed on the telephone. "The first time I met Tommy was on the set," says Cheadle. "He had been in New York making 'Men in and I was in Toronto shooting a film. He and I rehearsed our lines over the phone, which actually worked out pretty good, because that's what we do in the movie.

Ninety percent of our scenes together are on the phone. "It was more realistic in rehearsal than during the movie. Because then, I wasn't talking to him, I was talking to Mick Jackson, the director." "Volcano," which opened Friday, marks the biggest movie yet for Cheadle, who a few years ago was merely part of the mass of Hollywood actors looking for a break. It came for him in "Devil in a Blue Dress," a whodunit based on the Walter Mosley nov This gtdde cams to heip parents determine the suitabiiity of movies (rested to PG-13) far their children. Capsules are by entertainment writers Sandi Dims and Bobby BockeL 12 and Up Anaconda (PG-13) This film's big-time cast starring a really big snake, along with Jon Voight, Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Eric State and Kari Wuhrer can do little with a small-time script.

Predictability is the order of the day in this lame attempt to pull "Jaws" from the grave. This fiflm is loaded with violence. Liar, Liar (PG-13) Any child who has had a rough time with a parent keeping promises may like mis movie about a boy who wishes his dad wouldn't lie. There is adult humor in this, bat the movie's message is good. The Saint (PG-13) Starring Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shoe, mis film resurrects the 1960s British TV series with Kilmer as Simon Templar, a master thief who is equally adept at disguises.

Shoe plays Dr. Emma Russell, whose cold fusion invention could put an end to a worldwide heating shortage unless it falls into the wrong hands. There's plenty of action and violence. That Old Feeling (PG-13) Divorce has never been so funny with Bette Midler, Dennis Farina, Paula Marshall and Danny NuccL Midler and Farina play a divorced couple who rekindle the flames at their daughter's (Marshall) wedding. The two disappear, igniting a host of hilarious events.

Adult subject matter and langiiagp makes this for older kids only. Volcano (PG-13) There are some scenes of violence and death that may be quite scary for any child under 10 or so, and the language can border on bad; otherwise this movie is a great thrill ride. AP Photo Actor Dan Cheadle poses for a portrait April 17 in Los Angeles. Cheadle co-stars in the new disaster film Man Has Magic Feet, Mean Right Hook Visit Omniplex for a high-tech adventure during The JASON Project Journey From the Center of the Earth JOIN SCIENTISTS LIVE VIA SATELLITE and explore Earth's geothermal "hot spots" from the geysers of Yellowstone Park to the volcanoes of Iceland. per second.

"I know I can go faster, but recording it for the Guinness Book was a pretty arduous process, so we held at 28." While Flatley can announce this without blushing, he's far more effusive when talking about his 40-member troupe, none of whom danced professionally before "Lord of the Dance." "They're what this is all about," he says. "That's why people love this dance so much. They're up there every night giving out such amazing, beautiful energy. They're beaming because they love this so much, and no one can help but smile watching them." Tfw JASON Project Is SIM per person plus admission to Omnipkt. Special student group ntnMBtble.

I (405) 4244066 to mile your students man JA5QN NEW YORK (AP) In most corners of America, an 11-year-old boy in tap shoes would be an easy target for neighborhood bullies. Not Michael Flatley already a boxing champ in his native Chicago, he took up Irish step dance to honor a family legacy and please his parents. In the process, he discovered he was brilliant Teachers bowed down. Girls swooned. And no bully dared tease the boy with the magic feet and the mean right hook.

Flatley, 38, is arguably the best step dancer in the world and stars in his own show, "Lord of the Dance," which had 12 sold-out shows at New York's Radio City Music Hall earlier this year. "Lord of the Dance" is an offshoot of "Riv-erdance," the slightly more traditional show that opened to similar fervor in 1995- Flatley choreographed and starred in "River-dance" until last year, when he was either fired, for an ego running wild, or quit, ap Photo, Dancer Michael Flatley appears In the show Dancer Michael Flatley 'Lord of the Dance" in this 1997 publicity photo Klrkpatriek Science and Air Space Museum at SQPLAREDO'S eyes, Flatley looks and sounds like a pumped-up leprechaun the kid from Chicago even has a touch of an Irish ac 9 MEXICAN RESTAURANT 4 EVERYDAY B-CL0SE 3 "LGMO-OR-POUO-FIIITO" Beef or Chicken Fairta Meat. Cooked with Green Peppers Onions a Tomatoes cent he says it 2100 NE 52ND STREET OKLAHOMA CITY (405) 424-5545 from his parents and time." Those ideas turn tradition on its head. Typically, Irish step dance looks like a stringent, highly aerobic tap routine. Dancers maintain ramrod-straight spines, with arms at their sides and little expression on their faces.

Flatley injected elements of tap, ballet and flamenco, marrying the radical choreography to a rock-influenced score. A seeking more money and creative control. Neither Flatley nor "Riverdance" officials will fully explain, but Flatley today says his departure gave him a chance to shine. "I didn't want someone to tell me that I couldn't use my arms, or do a triple spin, or a moon walk," he said. "When I got to my own show, I had all these ideas that had been trying to burst out for such a long pounding beat, skimpy costumes, electric fiddles and flashing lights are all part of the package.

"This has always been my vision, to take Irish dance and make it into something that can compete with rock and roll shows. I thought it deserved that kind of attention," says Flatley. With thick reddish hair and bright blue ItUllg .111 CA1 -UV troupe. Sleek and muscular, he is poured into tight black jeans and a leather top. He speaks as fast and lively as he dances, which, for It's Olikihoma's Largest Pro Rodeo! 89er Days PRCA Rodeo the record, is 28 taps CVihi' (in tin' irri'mrs iurinot itiitr ilinriti' fiWsnt iMtriilmfnits SUNDAY BRUNCH Only 6.95 Radisson April p.m.

April p.m. i p.m Singer Rosie Flores Joins 'Asleep at the Wheel' See more than 600 Contestants if VJfiS aninnr fnr thnr skarp if srv mmm in of this yi BUFFET LUNCH DINNER OF Wheel." Although she's been based in Los Angeles since 1990, Flores still hopes to move back to her home state. KnlgM-Rlrldar Nw Itrvlca Oklahoma 1 Ivtbitm Art Gallery-, Come visit our booth at the Art 's Festival Announcing the arrival of King Fisher, an Indian Beer. First time In OK City. Available exclusively at Qopuram.

N.W. 23rd Meridian OKC 948-7373 which will be released May 20 on Sony's new imprint, Lucky Dog. This is "as permanent as it can be, aside from needing to take the time off to promote my own records," says Flores, who recently released a collaboration with Ray Campi called "A Little Bit of Heartache" on Watermelon Records. "We will try it in six-month increments. I would like to imagine this will last for the whole year, maybe beyond that I'm not putting a lot of emphasis on my own career until next year.

Right now I will be putting all my energy into Asleep at the Negotiations with Benson and his Wheel musicians began in Austin during the South by Southwest conference. Flores was part of an all-woman band called Hen House with the Wheel's dobro player, Cindy Cashdollar, who informed Flores that Benson was looking for a female lead singer. Flores, who recently signed a three-album solo deal with Rounder Records, informs us she has committed six months to the band for rehearsals and touring. However, she joined too late to be part of the Wheel's new live album, By Mario Tarradell Thm DallM Morning Hew Rosie Flores, the San Antonio-born country singer who was the female spearhead of the late-'80s new-traditionalist movement, has joined the revered band Asleep at the Wheel. That's an honor," Flores said by phone from her Los Angeles apartment.

"To me, Asleep at the Wheel is the perfect Western swing band." Flores will share lead vocals with Wheel's Ray Benson and handle some guitar parts. Her debut performance with the Boup will be today in ouston. 2.1VSW44 OKC 4MMilnlfi2 IWKMV.ll2 Tii-Fn 12-6 But lll-d The advantages of with an Official Rolex Jeweler are clear. ROLEX Canine Could Cash In on Video Caper AUTHENTIC STAGECOACH FURNISHED BVjJJL The video shows the destruction her dog Sparky, a male Boston Torrier, caused when he was left home alone one day. He ripped foam from the furniture and tore into the Christmas presonts.

Kellle Oentllns's video of "Dog Tears Up House earned her a spot as one of three finalists on "America's Funnhwt Home Videos," which airs at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Gentling, of Edmond, could win either $10,000, $3,000 or $2,000. For more information, Call 282-RIDE lAEl 1 N. FWH unu M4MB A..