Chattanooga kid is heating things up in Hollywood

His mother says George Dalton started his acting career writing, directing and acting in his own productions.

He was 2 years old.

That progressed to performing shows in his Soddy-Daisy living room, says his mother, Tracie Calfee-Dalton.

Photo by Deidhra Fahey

Ten-year-old George Dalton co-stars in the Netflix original series,"Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp."

"I would sing in the living room and put on little stupid shows," George recalls. "I knew I wanted to have an audience. I also saw musicals and it had drawn me to the world of acting."

Eight years later, that nonstop pull has led the vivacious 10-year-old to co-starring in a Netflix original series, "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp," that premieres Friday. He is in each of the eight episodes.

George plays the role of Arty, a deejay at Camp Firewood. George describes his character as "funny, crazy, outgoing and weird." He co-stars alongside an impressive cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Paul Rudd, Kristen Wiig, Chris Pine, Jon Hamm, Elizabeth Banks, David Hyde Pierce and Christopher Meloni.

"(Auditioning) started around February," George recalls. "Everybody is always nervous because you don't know what could happen. Sometimes you get intimidated by some of the kids but once you get in the auditioning room you feel a bit more comfortable. You read your lines and they tell you you did a great job. But if you're in the business, which I am, you never know because anything could happen. I just went on with life.

"I was actually in my house in Tennessee when I found out I got the role," he says. "I screamed my head off and jumped on the floor."

George and his mom now live most of the time in Los Angeles, but they've also kept a home in Battery Place on the Tennessee River, coming back to Chattanooga every few months for short visits. George's father, local physician Barry Dalton, died of brain cancer six years ago.

"I really knew I wanted to do acting at a young age," George says. "When my father died when I was 4, I knew that life was too short so (Mom and I) decided to go out there."

So how did a 10-year-old boy from Chattanooga, make it to Hollywood - then succeed?

Dedication, says his mom.

"Sometimes he'll get up at 5:30 a.m. and write a script," the 41-year-old says. "We gave him an Apple computer when he was 2 and I could see that he was amazed what this machine could do and what he could do with it. He was self-taught. It was interesting to see him put all these things together and do his own storyline."

Calfee-Dalton fostered her son's passion by sending him to acting camps at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. It was during camp that he realized how much he loved being onstage in front of an audience. Driven by desire, the youngster convinced his mom to send him to theater camps in Los Angeles. So, just two years ago, they went to Los Angeles. Not only did he fare well at the camps, he fell in love with the city, which prompted them to move there.

Calfee-Dalton says she is dedicated to supporting her son's dream.

"I had him when I was in my early 30s, and I think it made a little bit of difference to be committed to him and help him succeed, whether it's running him to an audition or answering emails," she says. "He has an amazing talent. I wouldn't feel right if I didn't foster or encourage that because life is short. How amazing it is that this child, at this age, knows what he wants to do. Some of us spend most of our lives wondering what we want to do."

And it's not so bad living among the "stars," she says.

"It's fun. It's different to go to a party and Johnny Depp's there," she says. "I've never been starstruck, but it's exciting. I just look. At the end of the day, I'm there for George. It's a full-time job. I'm not a stage mom. He has his own manager and agent."

Working with the celebrities is nothing new to George. He's also landed roles in "Two Broke Girls," "Microchip Jones" and "Second Chances," and his video, a cover of rapper Fetty Wap's "Trap Queen," premiered July 19 on YouTube. He says he's got two more videos in the works.

Among George's goals is to have a "very tiny role" on Fox network's "American Horror Story" - not surprising when he says his favorite movies are "Goonies," "Stage Fright," and "Repo! the Genetic Opera."

He offers encouraging words to youngsters who share his passion for theater.

First, don't get upset with rejections, George says. They happen.

"It's just an audition. If you don't get a role, it's good that the casting director saw you because they could consider you for another role on the show," he says. "For instance, I was a guest star on 'Two Broke Girls.' They cut me and two other kids out of it. Everyone was pretty devastated, but I knew that it was a very small part any way and I was fine with it."

Calfee-Dalton says she's proud of her son's workmanlike attitude.

"He does his job," she says. "You do your job. You study. You rehearse. You learned your lines. That's it. They may pick somebody with brown hair, blonde hair or red hair. You may be too tall or too short. There may be a million reasons you don't get the role. You have to remember that always."

George advises youngsters with the acting bug to take acting classes and get involved in community theater productions.

"Take as many classes as you can, including voice lessons, and go to your local theater and audition, audition, audition. You'll get a callback or you won't, but one day you're most likely be on a stage or in a film.

"My advice would be to live your dream and go right towards it. Try your hardest."

But when you do get a role you're excited about, like playing a deejay in "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp," it's OK to go a little crazy, he says.

Contact Karen Nazor Hill at khill@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6396.