Born as Scott Layne Treger in Los Angeles, California, he started his career in the film industry as an actor in the '80s with roles in films such as the horror comedy The Midnight Hour (1985, with LeVar Burton, Kurtwood Smith, Mickey Morton, and Joe Gieb), the comedy Soul Man (1986, with Wallace Langham, James B. Sikking, and Donald Hotton), the comedy Back to the Beach (1987, with Tommy Hinkley, Todd Bryant, Rick Avery, and Noon Orsatti), and as a Starship Trooper in the fantasy musical Moonwalker (1988, with Nikki Cox). Early television work include featured parts in CBS Schoolbreak Special (1986, with Michael Durrell) and Simon & Simon (1987, with Mary Carver, Jimmy Ortega, and Matt Roe).