Lane Smith
Born
April 29, 1936
Died
June 13, 2005 (69 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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.
Well Received the Death of an Artist
2012
Out of Order
Frank · (5 episodes)
2003
WW3
John Sullivan
2001
DAG
Agent Baxter · (1 episode)
2000
The Caprice
2000
The Legend of Bagger Vance
Grantland Rice
2000
Bull
(1 episode)
2000
Judging Amy
Mr. Radford · (1 episode)
1999
Inherit the Wind
Reverend Jeremiah Brown
1999
The Hi-Lo Country
Steve Shaw
1998
Getting Personal
Dr. Maddie
1998
From the Earth to the Moon
Emmett Seaborn · (6 episodes)
1998
Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy
Senator Silverthorne
1997
The Practice
Judge H. Finkel · (2 episodes)
1997
King of the Hill
Charlie Fortner (voice) · (2 episodes)
1997
King of the Hill
Nate Hashaway (voice) · (1 episode)
1997
Clueless
(1 episode)
1996
The Outer Limits
Dr. Malcolm Boussard · (1 episode)
1995
The Scout
Ron Wilson
1994
The Flight of the Dove
Stephen Hahn
1994
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Perry White · (87 episodes)
1993
Son in Law
Walter Warner
1993
Walker, Texas Ranger
Reverend Thornton Powers · (1 episode)
1993
The Distinguished Gentleman
Dick Dodge
1992
The Mighty Ducks
Jack Reilly
1992
Duplicates
Mr. Fryman
1992
My Cousin Vinny
Jim Trotter III
1992
False Arrest
Martin Busey
1991
Good Sports
R.J. Rappaport · (15 episodes)
1991
Blind Vengeance
Col. Blanchard
1990
Air America
Senator Davenport
1990
Challenger
Larry Mulloy
1990
The Final Days
Richard Nixon
1989
Night Game
Whitty
1989
Killer Instinct
Dr. Butler
1988
Prison
Warden Eaton Sharpe
1987
Weeds
Claude
1987
A Place to Call Home
Sam
1987
Native Son
Britton
1986
Kay O'Brien
(12 episodes)
1986
Dress Gray
Col. King · (2 episodes)
1986
If Tomorrow Comes
Warden Brannigan · (1 episode)
1986
Terror at London Bridge
Anson Whitfield
1985
Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues
Captain Max Rosenberg
1985
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Robert Warren · (1 episode)
1985
Amazing Stories
Dr. Caruso · (1 episode)
1985
The Twilight Zone
(segment "Profile in Silver") · (1 episode)
1985
Hollywood Beat
Cp. Milton Treadwell · (1 episode)
1985
MacGruder and Loud
Richard · (1 episode)
1985
V
Nathan Bates · (13 episodes)
1984
Murder, She Wrote
Pol. Chief Miles Underwood · (1 episode)
1984
Places in the Heart
Albert Denby
1984
Red Dawn
Mayor Bates
1984
Purple Hearts
Cmdr. Markel
1984
Something About Amelia
Officer Dealy
1984
Chiefs
Hoss Spence · (3 episodes)
1983
Special Bulletin
Morton Sanders
1983
The American Snitch
Chuck Maxwell
1983
The Member of the Wedding
Mr. Addams
1982
Frances
Dr. Symington
1982
Thou Shalt Not Kill
Clarence Blake
1982
Prime Suspect
Tom Keating
1982
Dark Night of the Scarecrow
Harless Hocker
1981
Prince of the City
Tug Barnes
1981
Hill Street Blues
Mike · (1 episode)
1981
Mark, I Love You
Don Payer
1980
The Georgia Peaches
Randolph Dukane
1980
Resurrection
Don
1980
A Rumor of War
Sgt. Willliam Holgren · (2 episodes)
1980
Honeysuckle Rose
Brag
1980
On the Nickel
Preacher
1980
Gideon's Trumpet
Fred Turner
1980
City in Fear
Brian
1980
Disaster on the Coastliner
John Carlson
1979
The Solitary Man
Jack Collins
1979
Hart to Hart
(1 episode)
1979
Over the Edge
Sloan
1979
The Crash of Flight 401
1978
On the Yard
Blake
1978
A Death in Canaan
Bob Hartman
1978
Blue Collar
Clarence Hill
1978
The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer
1977
Lou Grant
Dr. Lawrence · (1 episode)
1977
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
Officer Mackie
1977
Between the Lines
Roy Walsh
1977
The Displaced Person
Mr. Shortley
1977
Network
Robert McDonough
1976
Quincy, M.E.
(1 episode)
1976
Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys
Tyler
1976
Valley Forge
1975
Rooster Cogburn
Leroy
1975
Everybody Rides the Carousel
Stage 1 (voice)
1975
The Rockford Files
CIA Agent Donnegan · (1 episode)
1974
The Rockford Files
Willett · (1 episode)
1974
Man on a Swing
Ted Ronan
1974
Kojak
Clyde Regan · (1 episode)
1973
The Last American Hero
Rick Penny
1973
Maidstone
1971
Unholy Matrimony
Partygoer
1966
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
1962
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Spad · (1 episode)
1951
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Fred Turner · (1 episode)
1951