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 Gideons 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 Cuckoos 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 Mamets 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 Gehrigs 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.
Robert McDonough
Film 1976
Walter Warner
Film 1993
Film 1978
Dr. Maddie
Film 1998
Officer Mackie
Film 1977
Warden Eaton Sharpe
Film 1987
Don
Film 1980
Sam
Film 1987
Chuck Maxwell
Film 1983
Ted Ronan
Film 1974
Don Payer
Film 1980
John Sullivan
Film 2001
Mr. Shortley
Film 1977
Stage 1 (voice)
Film 1975
Fred Turner
Film 1980
Anson Whitfield
Film 1985
Officer Dealy
Film 1984
Bob Hartman
Film 1978
Col. Blanchard
Film 1990
Dr. Butler
Film 1988
Mr. Addams
Film 1982
Brag
Film 1980
Mr. Fryman
Film 1992
Captain Max Rosenberg
Film 1985
Partygoer
Film 1966
Preacher
Film 1980
Film 1975
Tyler
Film 1976
Clarence Blake
Film 1982
Film 1971
Film 2000
Film 2012
Film 1977
Tv 1977
Pol. Chief Miles Underwood
Tv 1984
Mr. Radford
Tv 1999
Tv 1985
Tv 1976
Robert Warren
Tv 1985
Reverend Thornton Powers
Tv 1993
Tv 1996
Clyde Regan
Tv 1973
Judge H. Finkel
Tv 1997
Tv 1979
R.J. Rappaport
Tv 1991
Tv 1985
Tv 1991
Tv 2000
Richard
Tv 1985
Dr. Malcolm Boussard
Tv 1995
Tv 1986
Dr. Caruso
Tv 1985
Emmett Seaborn
Tv 1998
Nate Hashaway (voice)
Tv 1997
Charlie Fortner (voice)
Tv 1997
Nathan Bates
Tv 1984
Warden Brannigan
Tv 1986