Lane Smith
Known for Acting · 100 credits
- Born
- 1936-04-29
- Died
- 2005-06-13
- Place of birth
- Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Also known as
- Лейн Смит
Biography
Lane Smith (April 29, 1936 – June 13, 2005) was an American actor . 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; he was recognized in their Hall of Fame. Smith served two years in the United States Army.
After graduating, Smith 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, Smith 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. Smith is also credited for playing McMurphy 650 times in the 1971 Off-Broadway revival of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.
Smith 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 recognition for his portrayal of Richard Nixon in the docudrama The Final Days. Newsweek praised the performance, writing, "Smith] is such a good Nixon that his despair and sorrow at his predicament become simply overwhelming." Smith 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. He received a Drama Desk Award for his performance.
In 1990, Smith 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. In 1993 Smith landed the role of Perry White in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, which he played for four seasons until 1997. In 1994, he portrayed New York Yankees front officeman Ron in The Scout, alongside Albert Brooks and Brendan Fraser. In 1998, Smith appeared in a major role as fictional television anchorman Emmett Seaborn in the HBO miniseries From The Earth to the Moon. His final film appearance was in The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000).
Smith was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease) in April 2004. He died of the disease at his home in Northridge, California on June 13, 2005 at the age of 69. He was survived by his wife, Debbie Benedict Smith and his son Robert Smith.
Known For
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
King of the Hill
1997
as Nate Hashaway (voice) / Charlie Fortner (voice)
Murder, She Wrote
1984
as Pol. Chief Miles Underwood
Hill Street Blues
1981
as Mike
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993
as Perry White
The Practice
1997
as Judge H. Finkel
TV Shows (32)
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self
King of the Hill
1997
as Nate Hashaway (voice) / Charlie Fortner (voice)
Murder, She Wrote
1984
as Pol. Chief Miles Underwood
Hill Street Blues
1981
as Mike
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993
as Perry White
The Practice
1997
as Judge H. Finkel
Quincy, M.E.
1976
as Dr. Paul Flynn
Judging Amy
1999
as Mr. Radford
The Rockford Files
1974
as CIA Agent Donnegan / Willett
Hart to Hart
1979
The Twilight Zone
1985
as (segment "Profile in Silver")
The Outer Limits
1995
as Dr. Malcolm Boussard
Lou Grant
1977
as Dr. Lawrence
Walker, Texas Ranger
1993
as Reverend Thornton Powers
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
1985
as Robert Warren
Kojak
1973
as Clyde Regan
Amazing Stories
1985
as Dr. Caruso
From the Earth to the Moon
1998
as Emmett Seaborn
V
1984
as Nathan Bates
Clueless
1996
as Dan Hafner
Bull
2000
Hollywood Beat
1985
as Cp. Milton Treadwell
Good Sports
1991
as R.J. Rappaport
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Spad / Fred Turner
DAG
2000
as Agent Baxter
If Tomorrow Comes
1986
as Warden Brannigan
Chiefs
1983
as Hoss Spence
MacGruder and Loud
1985
as Richard
Out of Order
2003
as Frank
A Rumor of War
1980
as Sgt. Willliam Holgren
Dress Gray
1986
as Col. King
Kay O'Brien
1986
Movies (68)
Red Dawn
1984
as Mayor Bates
My Cousin Vinny
1992
as Jim Trotter III
Network
1976
as Robert McDonough
The Mighty Ducks
1992
as Jack Reilly
Places in the Heart
1984
as Albert Denby
The Legend of Bagger Vance
2000
as Grantland Rice
Rooster Cogburn
1975
as Leroy
Air America
1990
as Senator Davenport
Son in Law
1993
as Walter Warner
The Distinguished Gentleman
1992
as Dick Dodge
The Scout
1994
as Ron Wilson
Frances
1982
as Docteur Symington
Prince of the City
1981
as Tug Barnes
The Hi-Lo Country
1998
as Steve Shaw
Dark Night of the Scarecrow
1981
as Harless Hocker
Disaster on the Coastliner
1979
as John Carlson
Prison
1987
as Warden Eaton Sharpe
Blue Collar
1978
as Clarence Hill
Purple Hearts
1984
as Cmdr. Markel
Inherit the Wind
1999
as Reverend Jeremiah Brown
Over the Edge
1979
as Sloan
Night Game
1989
as Whitty
Weeds
1987
as Claude
The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer
1977
Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy
1997
as Senator Silverthorne
Between the Lines
1977
as Roy Walsh
Prime Suspect
1982
as Tom Keating
The Last American Hero
1973
as Rick Penny
The War at Home
1996
as Marjorie's Husband
WW3
2001
as John Sullivan
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
1977
as Officer Mackie
The Crash of Flight 401
1978
Man on a Swing
1974
as Ted Ronan
Special Bulletin
1983
as Morton Sanders
Resurrection
1980
as Don
Honeysuckle Rose
1980
as Brag
Native Son
1986
as Britton
Gideon's Trumpet
1980
as Fred Turner
Challenger
1990
as Larry Mulloy
Terror at London Bridge
1985
as Anson Whitfield
False Arrest
1991
as Martin Busey
A Place to Call Home
1987
as Sam
Everybody Rides the Carousel
1976
as Stage 1 (voice)
The Final Days
1989
as Richard Nixon
City in Fear
1980
as Brian
Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues
1985
as Captain Max Rosenberg
The Solitary Man
1979
as Jack Collins
Mark, I Love You
1980
as Don Payer
Unholy Matrimony
1966
as Partygoer
The Spy Within
1994
as Stephen Hahn
Blind Vengeance
1990
as Col. Blanchard
Getting Personal
1998
as Dr. Maddie
Something About Amelia
1984
as Officer Dealy
The Displaced Person
1977
as Mr. Shortley
The American Snitch
1983
as Chuck Maxwell
Maidstone
1971
The Member of the Wedding
1982
as Mr. Addams
Duplicates
1992
as Mr. Fryman
On the Nickel
1980
as Preacher
Thou Shalt Not Kill
1982
as Clarence Blake
Killer Instinct
1988
as Dr. Butler
Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys
1976
as Tyler
A Death in Canaan
1978
as Bob Hartman
The Georgia Peaches
1980
as Randolph Dukane
Valley Forge
1975
as Spad
On the Yard
1978
as Blake
The Caprice
2000
as Lane
Well Received the Death of an Artist
2012
About Lane Smith
Lane Smith (April 29, 1936 – June 13, 2005) was an American actor . 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; he was recognized in their Hall of Fame. Smith served two years in the United States Army. After graduating, Smith found steady work in New York theater before making his film debut in Maidstone in 1970… With 100 credits spanning from 1951 to 2012, Lane Smith has appeared in 68 films and 32 TV shows.
Fans searching for Lane Smith movies, Lane Smith filmography, or the latest projects starring Lane Smith can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Lane Smith Movies
- Red Dawn (1984) — as Mayor Bates
- My Cousin Vinny (1992) — as Jim Trotter III
- Network (1976) — as Robert McDonough
- The Mighty Ducks (1992) — as Jack Reilly
- Places in the Heart (1984) — as Albert Denby
Where to Watch Lane Smith Films
Most Lane Smith movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Lane Smith, check our movies catalogue and browse page.