
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
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

The Practice
1997
as Judge H. Finkel

Judging Amy
1999
as Mr. Radford

Quincy, M.E.
1976
as Dr. Paul Flynn

Hill Street Blues
1981
as Mike

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
1993
as Perry White

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

Walker, Texas Ranger
1993
as Reverend Thornton Powers

Lou Grant
1977
as Dr. Lawrence

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

DAG
2000
as Agent Baxter

Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
as Spad / Fred Turner

Hollywood Beat
1985
as Cp. Milton Treadwell

Good Sports
1991
as R.J. Rappaport

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)

My Cousin Vinny
1992
as Jim Trotter III

Red Dawn
1984
as Mayor Bates

Network
1976
as Robert McDonough

The Scout
1994
as Ron Wilson

The Mighty Ducks
1992
as Jack Reilly

Places in the Heart
1984
as Albert Denby

The Legend of Bagger Vance
2000
as Grantland Rice

Air America
1990
as Senator Davenport

Rooster Cogburn
1975
as Leroy

Son in Law
1993
as Walter Warner

Frances
1982
as Docteur Symington

The Distinguished Gentleman
1992
as Dick Dodge

Special Bulletin
1983
as Morton Sanders

Prison
1987
as Warden Eaton Sharpe

Prince of the City
1981
as Tug Barnes

Dark Night of the Scarecrow
1981
as Harless Hocker

The Hi-Lo Country
1998
as Steve Shaw

WW3
2001
as John Sullivan

The Last American Hero
1973
as Rick Penny

Inherit the Wind
1999
as Reverend Jeremiah Brown

Night Game
1989
as Whitty

Purple Hearts
1984
as Cmdr. Markel

Disaster on the Coastliner
1979
as John Carlson

Man on a Swing
1974
as Ted Ronan

Resurrection
1980
as Don

Blue Collar
1978
as Clarence Hill

Gideon's Trumpet
1980
as Fred Turner

The War at Home
1996
as Marjorie's Husband

Over the Edge
1979
as Sloan

Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy
1997
as Senator Silverthorne

Between the Lines
1977
as Roy Walsh

The Solitary Man
1979
as Jack Collins

Native Son
1986
as Britton

Weeds
1987
as Claude

Blind Vengeance
1990
as Col. Blanchard

The Court-Martial of George Armstrong Custer
1977

Valley Forge
1975
as Spad

Honeysuckle Rose
1980
as Brag

Challenger
1990
as Larry Mulloy

The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
1977
as Officer Mackie

False Arrest
1991
as Martin Busey

The Crash of Flight 401
1978

Maidstone
1971

Terror at London Bridge
1985
as Anson Whitfield

The Final Days
1989
as Richard Nixon

Something About Amelia
1984
as Officer Dealy

Getting Personal
1998
as Dr. Maddie

Mark, I Love You
1980
as Don Payer
A Place to Call Home
1987
as Sam

The American Snitch
1983
as Chuck Maxwell

The Member of the Wedding
1982
as Mr. Addams

Prime Suspect
1982
as Tom Keating

Unholy Matrimony
1966
as Partygoer

The Spy Within
1994
as Stephen Hahn

City in Fear
1980
as Brian

Everybody Rides the Carousel
1976
as Stage 1 (voice)

Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues
1985
as Captain Max Rosenberg

A Death in Canaan
1978
as Bob Hartman

The Georgia Peaches
1980
as Randolph Dukane

On the Nickel
1980
as Preacher

Thou Shalt Not Kill
1982
as Clarence Blake

Killer Instinct
1988
as Dr. Butler

On the Yard
1978
as Blake

Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys
1976
as Tyler

The Displaced Person
1977
as Mr. Shortley

Duplicates
1992
as Mr. Fryman
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 CineFlixo, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Lane Smith Movies
- My Cousin Vinny (1992) — as Jim Trotter III
- Red Dawn (1984) — as Mayor Bates
- Network (1976) — as Robert McDonough
- The Scout (1994) — as Ron Wilson
- The Mighty Ducks (1992) — as Jack Reilly
Where to Watch Lane Smith Films
Most Lane Smith movies and series are available to stream on CineFlixo 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.