Lane Smith
| Lane Smith | |
|---|---|
 Smith as Perry White in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, 1993 | |
| Born |
Walter Lane Smith III April 29, 1936 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died |
June 13, 2005 (aged 69) Northridge, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, presenter |
| Years active | 1966–2005 |
| Spouse(s) |
Sydne MacCall[1] (1985–?; divorced; 1 child) Debbie Benedict (2000–2005; his death; 2 children) |
Walter Lane Smith III, known as Lane Smith (April 29, 1936 – June 13, 2005), was an American actor. Some of his well known roles included portraying collaborator entrepreneur Nathan Bates in the NBC television series V, Mayor Bates in the film Red Dawn, newspaper editor Perry White in the ABC series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Coach Jack Reilly in The Mighty Ducks, district attorney Jim Trotter III in My Cousin Vinny and American President Richard Nixon in The Final Days, for which he received a Golden Globe award nomination.
Early life
Lane Smith was born in 1936 in Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from The Leelanau School, a boarding school in Glen Arbor, Michigan and spent one year boarding at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania before going off to study at the Actors Studio in the late 1950s and early 1960s along with Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino; there he was recognized with their Hall of Fame. Smith served two years in the United States Army.[2][3]
Career
After his graduation, he found steady work in New York theater before making his film debut in Maidstone in 1970. During the 1970s, he regularly made appearances in small film roles including Rooster Cogburn in 1975 and Network in 1976. In 1981 he appeared in the Sidney Lumet-directed film Prince of the City. He also acted on television, notably playing a United States Marine in Vietnam in the television miniseries A Rumor of War and in the 1980 Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie Gideon's Trumpet starring Henry Fonda, José Ferrer and John Houseman. He is also credited for playing McMurphy 650 times in the 1971 Broadway revival of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest.
He made a major breakthrough in 1984 with significant roles in Red Dawn, Places in the Heart and the television series V. He also played on Quincy, M.E. in season 8, episode 7, "Science for Sale" as an oncologist searching for a cure to cancer. In 1989, Smith gained great recognition for his portrayal of former Pres. Richard Nixon in the docudrama The Final Days. Newsweek praised Smith's role by stating, "[Smith] is such a good Nixon that his despair and sorrow at his predicament become simply overwhelming." Smith later earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. He also appeared in the original Broadway stage production of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross as James Lingk. For his role, he received a Drama Desk Award.[2]
In 1990, he appeared in Air America playing a United States Senator, a role for which he was selected based on his resemblance to then-Minority Leader Bob Dole. Two years later, he played a small-town district attorney opposite Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny, followed by a role as Coach Jack Reilly in The Mighty Ducks. However, it was not until 1993 that Smith landed his first major television role as Perry White in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, for four seasons before ending in 1997. In 1994, he portrayed New York Yankees front officeman Ron in The Scout, along with Albert Brooks (Al Percolo, Yankees scout) and Brendan Fraser (player Steve Nebraska). In 1998, Smith appeared in a major role as fictional television anchorman Emmett Seaborn in the HBO miniseries From The Earth to the Moon. Smith's final film appearance was in The Legend of Bagger Vance in 2000.
Death
Smith was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease) in April 2005. He died of the disease at his home in Northridge, California on June 13, 2005 at the age of 69.[2] He was survived by his wife, Debbie Benedict Smith and his son Robert Smith.[4]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Unholy Matrimony | Partygoer | Uncredited |
| 1970 | Maidstone | ||
| 1973 | Last American Hero, TheThe Last American Hero | Rick Penny | |
| Cops and Robbers | Perpetrator | ||
| 1974 | Man on a Swing | Virginia De Leo | |
| 1975 | Rooster Cogburn | Leroy | |
| Everybody Rides the Carousel | |||
| 1976 | Network | Robert McDonough | |
| 1977 | Between the Lines | Roy Walsh | |
| Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, TheThe Bad News Bears in Breaking Training | Officer Mackle | ||
| 1978 | Blue Collar | Clarence Hill | |
| On the Yard | Blake | ||
| 1980 | On the Nickel | Preacher | |
| Honeysuckle Rose | Brag, Cotton's manager | ||
| Resurrection | Don | ||
| 1981 | Prince of the City | Tug Barnes | |
| Soggy Bottom, U.S.A. | Smilin' Jack | ||
| 1982 | Frances | Dr. Symington | |
| 1984 | Purple Hearts | Cmdr. Markel | |
| Red Dawn | Mayor Bates | ||
| Places in the Heart | Albert Denby | ||
| 1986 | Native Son | Britton | |
| 1987 | Weeds | Claude | |
| 1988 | Prison | Warden Eaton Sharpe | |
| 1989 | Race for Glory | Joe Gifford | |
| Night Game | Witty | ||
| 1990 | Air America | Senator Davenport | |
| 1992 | My Cousin Vinny | D.A. Jim Trotter, III | |
| Mighty Ducks, TheThe Mighty Ducks | Coach Jack Reilly | ||
| Distinguished Gentleman, TheThe Distinguished Gentleman | Dick Dodge | ||
| 1993 | Son in Law | Walter Warner | |
| 1994 | Flight of the Dove, TheThe Flight of the Dove | Stephen Hahn | |
| Scout, TheThe Scout | Ron Wilson | ||
| 1996 | War at Home, TheThe War at Home | Uncredited | |
| 1998 | Getting Personal | Dr. Maddie | |
| Why Do Fools Fall in Love | Ezra Grahme | ||
| Hi-Lo Country, TheThe Hi-Lo Country | Steve Shaw | ||
| 2000 | Caprice, TheThe Caprice | Thunderhead[5] | |
| Legend of Bagger Vance, TheThe Legend of Bagger Vance | Grantland Rice |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Kojak | Clyde Regan | Episode: Queen of the Gypsies |
| Valley Forge | Spad | NBC television film | |
| 1975, 1979 | Rockford Files, TheThe Rockford Files | Willet CIA Agent Donnegan |
Episode: Claire Episode: The Battle-Ax and the Exploding Cigar |
| 1977 | Displaced Person, TheThe Displaced Person | Television film | |
| Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer, TheThe Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer | NBC television film | ||
| 1978 | Death in Canaan, AA Death in Canaan | Bob Hartman | CBS television film |
| Crash | Flight Engineer Romano | ABC television film | |
| 1979 | Solitary Man, TheThe Solitary Man | Jack Collins | CBS television film |
| Disaster on the Coastliner | John Carlson | ABC television film | |
| 1980 | City in Fear | Brian | ABC television film |
| Gideon's Trumpet | Fred Turner | CBS television film | |
| Rumor of War, AA Rumor of War | Sgt. William Holgren | CBS miniseries | |
| Georgia Peaches, TheThe Georgia Peaches | Randolph Dukane | CBS television film/unsold television pilot | |
| Mark, I Love You | Don Payer | CBS television film | |
| 1981 | Dallas | Prosecutor | Episode: Gone, But Not Forgotten |
| Dark Night of the Scarecrow | Harless Hocker | CBS television film | |
| Hart to Hart | Roy Hamlin | Episode: Hart, Line, and Sinker | |
| 1982 | Prime Suspect | Tom Keating | CBS television film |
| Thou Shalt Not Kill | Clarence Blake | NBC television film | |
| Lou Grant | Dr. Lawrence | Episode: Unthinkable | |
| Quincy, M.E. | Dr. Paul Flynn | Episode: Science for Sale | |
| Member of the Wedding, TheThe Member of the Wedding | Mr. Addams | Television film | |
| 1983 | Special Bulletin | Morton Sanders | NBC television film |
| Chiefs | Hoss Spence | CBS miniseries | |
| 1984 | Something About Amelia | Officer Dealy | ABC television film |
| 1984–1985 | V | Nathan Bates | 13 episodes |
| 1985 | Hill Street Blues | Mike | Episode: El Capitan |
| Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues | Captain Max Rosenberg | CBS television film | |
| Bridge Across Time | Anson Whitfield | NBC television film | |
| 1986 | Amazing Stories | Dr. Caruso | Episode: Dorothy and Ben |
| Twilight Zone, TheThe Twilight Zone | Professor Joseph Fitzgerald | Segment: Profile in Silver | |
| Dress Gray | Col. King | NBC television film | |
| If Tomorrow Comes | Warden Brannigan | CBS miniseries | |
| Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Robert Warren | Episode: Happy Birthday | |
| Kay O'Brien | Doctor Robert Moffitt | 13 episodes | |
| 1987 | A Place to Call Home | Sam | CBS television film |
| 1988 | In the Heat of the Night | Sonny Mims | Episode: Road Kill |
| Killer Instinct | Dr. Butler | NBC television film | |
| 1989 | Murder, She Wrote | Pol. Chief Underwood | Episode: The Search for Peter Kerry |
| Final Days, TheThe Final Days | Richard Nixon | ABC television film Golden Globe Award (nominated) | |
| 1990 | Challenger | Larry Mulloy | ABC television film |
| Blind Vengeance | Col. Blanchard | NBC television film | |
| 1991 | Good Sports | R.J. Rappaport | 21 episodes |
| Good & Evil | Harlan Shell | ||
| False Arrest | Martin Busey | ABC television film | |
| 1992 | Duplicates | Mr. Fryman | USA Network television film |
| 1993–1997 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Perry White | 84 episodes |
| 1994 | Murphy Brown | Danger Duke | Voice only Episode: Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio? |
| 1995 | Dweebs | Episode: The Cyrano Show | |
| 1996 | Clueless | Dan Hafner | Episode: Romeo & Cher |
| 1997 | Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy | Senator Silverthorne | FOX television film |
| 1998 | Outer Limits, TheThe Outer Limits | Dr. Malcolm Boussard | Episode: Glyphic |
| From the Earth to the Moon | Emmett Seaborn | HBO television film | |
| 1999 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Reverend Thornton Powers | Episode: Power Angels |
| Inherit the Wind | Reverend Jeremiah Brown | Showtime television film | |
| 2000 | King of the Hill | Charlie Fortner Nate Hashaway |
Voice only Episode: Hanky Panky (1) Episode: Meet the Propaniacs Episode: Flush with Power |
| 2001 | Bull | Russell Dantly | Episode: Amen |
| DAG | Agent Baxter | Episode: The Triangle Report | |
| WW3 | John Sullivan | Fox television film | |
| Practice, TheThe Practice | Judge H. Finkel | Episode: The Candidate (1) | |
| 2002 | Judging Amy | Mr. Radford | Episode: People of the Lie |
| 2003 | Out of Order | Frank | Showtime television film |
References
- ↑ "Lane Smith - About This Person - Movies & TV - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. 2007-01-18. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
- 1 2 3 Oliver, Myrna (2005-06-15). "Lane Smith, 69; Character Actor Gained Fame Playing Nixon in 'The Final Days'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
- ↑ Garfield, David (1980). "Appendix: Life Members of The Actors Studio as of January 1980". A Player's Place: The Story of The Actors Studio. New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc. p. 280. ISBN 0-02-542650-8.
- ↑ "Lane Smith Obituary: The Obituary and Death Notice of Lane Smith". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
- ↑ "Lane Smith Biography (1936-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
External links
- Lane Smith at the Internet Movie Database
- Lane Smith at the Internet Broadway Database
- Lane Smith at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Lane Smith at the TCM Movie Database
- Lane Smith at AllMovie
- Lane Smith at Find a Grave
- Lane Smith. Yahoo! accessed August 9, 2011.