- Born
- Died
- Birth nameWalter Lane Smith III
- Height6′ 0½″ (1.84 m)
- Lane Smith was born on April 29, 1936 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor, known for My Cousin Vinny (1992), Red Dawn (1984) and The Mighty Ducks (1992). He was married to Deborah Lynn Price and Sydnee Roberta Balaber. He died on June 13, 2005 in Northridge, California, USA.
- SpousesDeborah Lynn Price(September 24, 2000 - June 13, 2005) (his death, 2 children)Sydnee Roberta Balaber(February 16, 1986 - December 3, 1998) (her death, 1 child)
- Children
- Suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease) in later years.
- Won critical praise and earned a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of a disgraced Richard Nixon in The Final Days (1989). Ardent supporters of Nixon thought that the TV docudrama was a smear campaign, while his worst critics thought that it was far too sympathetic.
- He was survived by his wife, Debbie; a 19-year-old stepson; a son from a previous marriage, Lane Smith Jr.; a brother, and a sister.
- An alumnus of the Actors Studio, he appeared on the stage in such plays as the original production of David Mamet's play, "Glengarry Glen Ross", and in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
- Studied drama for two years at what is now named Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh but dropped out for a two-year hitch with the Army.
- It's an actor's dream to play something like this. I consider this my masterwork...Playing Nixon gave me tremendous recognition. I'd long been known in the business, but it pulled everything together. Finally people could put the name Lane Smith with my face.
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