11
Born · April 29, 1936
Died · June 13, 2005 (69 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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; 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.
0.0
2012
Frank · (5 episodes)
5.3
2003
John Sullivan
5.6
2001
Agent Baxter · (1 episode)
7.0
2000
0.0
2000
Grantland Rice
6.6
2000
(1 episode)
6.8
2000
Mr. Radford · (1 episode)
7.5
1999
Reverend Jeremiah Brown
6.4
1999
Steve Shaw
6.2
1998
Dr. Maddie
2.0
1998
Emmett Seaborn · (6 episodes)
8.2
1998
Senator Silverthorne
5.6
1997
Judge H. Finkel · (2 episodes)
7.7
1997
Nate Hashaway (voice) · (1 episode)
7.3
1997
Charlie Fortner (voice) · (2 episodes)
7.3
1997
(1 episode)
6.0
1996
Dr. Malcolm Boussard · (1 episode)
7.7
1995
Ron Wilson
5.2
1994
Stephen Hahn
5.5
1994
Perry White · (87 episodes)
7.0
1993
Walter Warner
6.0
1993
Reverend Thornton Powers · (1 episode)
7.0
1993
Dick Dodge
6.0
1992
Jack Reilly
6.6
1992
Mr. Fryman
5.9
1992
Jim Trotter III
7.5
1992
Martin Busey
4.7
1991
(11 episodes)
6.0
1991
R.J. Rappaport · (15 episodes)
6.0
1991
Col. Blanchard
0.0
1990
Senator Davenport
5.8
1990
Larry Mulloy
6.2
1990
Richard Nixon
7.2
1989
Whitty
4.4
1989
Dr. Butler
6.5
1988
Warden Eaton Sharpe
5.7
1987
Claude
5.2
1987
Sam
7.0
1987
Britton
5.6
1986
(12 episodes)
5.0
1986
Warden Brannigan · (1 episode)
7.3
1986
Anson Whitfield
5.1
1985
Captain Max Rosenberg
5.1
1985
Robert Warren · (1 episode)
7.3
1985
Dr. Caruso · (1 episode)
7.5
1985
(1 episode)
7.7
1985
(1 episode)
5.0
1985
Richard · (1 episode)
5.0
1985
Nathan Bates · (13 episodes)
6.9
1984
Pol. Chief Miles Underwood · (1 episode)
7.5
1984
Albert Denby
7.2
1984
Mayor Bates
6.3
1984
Cmdr. Markel
5.6
1984
Officer Dealy
5.4
1984
Hoss Spence · (3 episodes)
7.8
1983
Morton Sanders
7.0
1983
Chuck Maxwell
6.0
1983
Mr. Addams
5.0
1982
Dr. Symington
6.9
1982
Clarence Blake
6.5
1982
Tom Keating
6.6
1982
Harless Hocker
6.4
1981
Tug Barnes
7.0
1981
Mike · (1 episode)
7.6
1981
Don Payer
0.0
1980
Randolph Dukane
5.7
1980
Don
6.5
1980
Sgt. Willliam Holgren · (2 episodes)
6.0
1980
Brag
5.6
1980
Preacher
6.0
1980
Fred Turner
6.2
1980
Brian
6.2
1980
John Carlson
5.3
1979
Jack Collins
8.0
1979
(1 episode)
6.8
1979
Sloan
7.2
1979
7.5
1978
Blake
5.8
1978
Bob Hartman
6.5
1978
Clarence Hill
7.4
1978
0.0
1977
(1 episode)
7.2
1977
Officer Mackie
5.8
1977
Roy Walsh
5.1
1977
Mr. Shortley
7.0
1977
Robert McDonough
7.8
1976
(1 episode)
7.5
1976
Tyler
6.0
1976
0.0
1975
Leroy
6.4
1975
Stage 1 (voice)
5.8
1975
CIA Agent Donnegan · (1 episode)
7.5
1974
Willett · (1 episode)
7.5
1974
Ted Ronan
5.8
1974
Clyde Regan · (1 episode)
6.9
1973
Rick Penny
5.6
1973
4.4
1971
Partygoer
4.0
1966
Spad · (1 episode)
8.7
1951
Fred Turner · (1 episode)
8.7
1951