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Lane Smith

Lane Smith

Known For Acting
Birthday Apr 29, 1936
Died Jun 13, 2005 (69)
Birthplace Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Popularity 0.7 (history)
Updated Aug 09, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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

Headshots

Profile
Profile
Filmography

WW 3

WW 3

2001

as John Sullivan

The Legend of Bagger Vance

The Legend of Bagger Vance

2000

as Grantland Rice

Inherit the Wind

Inherit the Wind

1999

as Reverend Jeremiah Brown

Getting Personal

Getting Personal

1998

as Dr. Maddie

The Hi-Lo Country

The Hi-Lo Country

1998

as Steve Shaw

Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy

Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy

1997

as Senator Silverthorne

The Flight of the Dove

The Flight of the Dove

1994

as Stephen Hahn

The Scout

The Scout

1994

as Ron Wilson

Son in Law

Son in Law

1993

as Walter Warner

The Distinguished Gentleman

The Distinguished Gentleman

1992

as Dick Dodge

The Mighty Ducks

The Mighty Ducks

1992

as Jack Reilly

Duplicates

Duplicates

1992

as Mr. Fryman

My Cousin Vinny

My Cousin Vinny

1992

as Jim Trotter III

False Arrest

False Arrest

1991

as Martin Busey

Blind Vengeance

Blind Vengeance

1990

as Col. Blanchard

Air America

Air America

1990

as Senator Davenport

Challenger

Challenger

1990

as Larry Mulloy

The Final Days

The Final Days

1989

as Richard Nixon

Night Game

Night Game

1989

as Whitty

Killer Instinct

Killer Instinct

1988

as Dr. Butler

A Place to Call Home

A Place to Call Home

1987

as Sam

Prison

Prison

1987

as Warden Eaton Sharpe

Weeds

Weeds

1987

as Claude

Native Son

Native Son

1986

as Britton

Terror at London Bridge

Terror at London Bridge

1985

as Anson Whitfield

Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues

Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues

1985

as Captain Max Rosenberg

Something About Amelia

Something About Amelia

1984

as Officer Dealy

Purple Hearts

Purple Hearts

1984

as Cmdr. Markel

Red Dawn

Red Dawn

1984

as Mayor Bates

Places in the Heart

Places in the Heart

1984

as Albert Denby

The American Snitch

The American Snitch

1983

as Chuck Maxwell

Special Bulletin

Special Bulletin

1983

as Morton Sanders

Prime Suspect

Prime Suspect

1982

as Tom Keating

The Member of the Wedding

The Member of the Wedding

1982

as Mr. Addams

Thou Shalt Not Kill

Thou Shalt Not Kill

1982

as Clarence Blake

Frances

Frances

1982

as Dr. Symington

Dark Night of the Scarecrow

Dark Night of the Scarecrow

1981

as Harless Hocker

Prince of the City

Prince of the City

1981

as Tug Barnes

The Georgia Peaches

The Georgia Peaches

1980

as Randolph Dukane

On the Nickel

On the Nickel

1980

as Preacher

Mark, I Love You

Mark, I Love You

1980

as Don Payer

Gideon's Trumpet

Gideon's Trumpet

1980

as Fred Turner

Honeysuckle Rose

Honeysuckle Rose

1980

as Brag

Resurrection

Resurrection

1980

as Don

City in Fear

City in Fear

1980

as Brian

The Solitary Man

The Solitary Man

1979

as Jack Collins

Over the Edge

Over the Edge

1979

as Sloan

Disaster on the Coastliner

Disaster on the Coastliner

1979

as John Carlson

On the Yard

On the Yard

1978

as Blake

Blue Collar

Blue Collar

1978

as Clarence Hill

A Death in Canaan

A Death in Canaan

1978

as Bob Hartman

The Displaced Person

The Displaced Person

1977

as Mr. Shortley

Between the Lines

Between the Lines

1977

as Roy Walsh

Network

Network

1976

as Robert McDonough

Rooster Cogburn

Rooster Cogburn

1975

as Leroy

Everybody Rides the Carousel

Everybody Rides the Carousel

1975

as Stage 1 (voice)

Man on a Swing

Man on a Swing

1974

as Ted Ronan

The Last American Hero

The Last American Hero

1973

as Rick Penny

Unholy Matrimony

Unholy Matrimony

1966

as Partygoer

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Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

as Perry White

Episodes: 87

First Aired: Sep 12, 1993

Good Sports

as R.J. Rappaport

Episodes: 15

First Aired: Jan 10, 1991

V

as Nathan Bates

Episodes: 13

First Aired: Oct 26, 1984

From the Earth to the Moon

as Emmett Seaborn

Episodes: 6

First Aired: Apr 05, 1998

Out of Order

as Frank

Episodes: 5

First Aired: Jun 01, 2003

Chiefs

as Hoss Spence

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Nov 13, 1983

The Practice

as Judge H. Finkel

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Mar 04, 1997

King of the Hill

as Charlie Fortner (voice)

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Jan 12, 1997

A Rumor of War

as Sgt. Willliam Holgren

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Sep 24, 1980

Dress Gray

as Col. King

Episodes: 2

First Aired: May 09, 1986

Murder, She Wrote

as Pol. Chief Miles Underwood

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 30, 1984

Judging Amy

as Mr. Radford

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 19, 1999

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents

as Robert Warren

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 29, 1985

Walker, Texas Ranger

as Reverend Thornton Powers

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 21, 1993

Kojak

as Clyde Regan

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 24, 1973

Hallmark Hall of Fame

as Spad

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 24, 1951

Hollywood Beat

as Cp. Milton Treadwell

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 21, 1985

DAG

as Agent Baxter

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Nov 14, 2000

MacGruder and Loud

as Richard

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 21, 1985

The Outer Limits

as Dr. Malcolm Boussard

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 26, 1995

Amazing Stories

as Dr. Caruso

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 29, 1985

King of the Hill

as Nate Hashaway (voice)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 12, 1997

Hallmark Hall of Fame

as Fred Turner

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 24, 1951

The Rockford Files

as CIA Agent Donnegan

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 13, 1974

The Rockford Files

as Willett

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 13, 1974

If Tomorrow Comes

as Warden Brannigan

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 16, 1986

Hill Street Blues

as Mike

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 15, 1981

Lou Grant

as Dr. Lawrence

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1977

Kay O'Brien

Episodes: 12

First Aired: Sep 26, 1986

Good & Evil

Episodes: 11

First Aired: Sep 25, 1991

The Twilight Zone

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 27, 1985

Quincy, M.E.

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 03, 1976

Clueless

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 20, 1996

Hart to Hart

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Sep 22, 1979

Bull

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Aug 15, 2000

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Oct 01, 1962

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 6 12 19 7
2024 7 22 45 8
2024 8 17 48 6
2024 9 13 25 6
2024 10 8 14 4
2024 11 5 11 2
2024 12 11 25 4
2025 1 12 19 4
2025 2 6 10 1
2025 3 4 9 1
2025 4 1 1 1
2025 5 2 3 1
2025 6 1 2 1
2025 7 0 1 0
2025 8 1 5 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
No trending metrics available.

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