Richard Lane
Biography
Richard Lane was a fast-talking American character actor and television announcer who often played assured, slick types: press agents, policemen, detectives, and occasionally swindlers. Born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, in 1899, he first performed in circuses and as a touring drummer before finding work in motion pictures. He made over 150 films between 1937 and 1951 and was best known for playing Inspector Farraday in the Boston Blackie mystery-comedies. He also took the role of Faraday in Boston Blackie's first radio version. At Columbia, he and Gus Schilling formed a popular comedy team in a series of two-reel slapstick shorts from 1945 to 1950. On KTLA he worked as a news presenter and sports announcer, covering wrestling and roller derby, and he later made a cameo in Kansas City Bomber (1972). He was among the first honorees on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.
83years old at death
- Born Rice Lake
- Died Newport Beach
- Star sign: GeminiThe sign runs May 21 to June 20
Movie Career
- Films
- 21
- Career span
- 38 years1938 to 1976
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A first
Lane was the first to use the exclamatory phrase "Whoa, Nellie!" during a wrestling or roller derby broadcast, not ABC sports announcer Keith Jackson as many believed.
A change of course
Before films, Lane performed an "iron jaw" routine in circuses around Europe as a teenager and toured Australia as a drummer with a band.
A first
Lane worked for Paramount Pictures, which let him get a job at the experimental TV station KTLA. After it went commercial in 1947, he became a news presenter, and one early career highlight was covering the first atomic explosion shown on a television newscast.
Richard Lane movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
H. Bruce Humberstone directed two of these films. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Allen Jenkins's page
Paul Guilfoyle's page
Mickey Rooney's page
Elisha Cook Jr.'s page
Robert Barrat's page
Edward Brophy's page
H. Bruce HumberstoneDirector, 2 films, 1938 to 1945
All films by H. Bruce Humberstone
Also two films together11 more actors
- Addison RichardsAir Force (1943) and A-Haunting We Will Go (1942)
- Oliver HardyThe Bullfighters (1945) and A-Haunting We Will Go (1942)
- Willard RobertsonAir Force (1943) and Union Pacific (1939)
- John RidgelyAir Force (1943) and Brother Orchid (1940)
- Stan LaurelThe Bullfighters (1945) and A-Haunting We Will Go (1942)
- Charles ColemanArabian Nights (1942) and Boom Town (1940)
- Stanley RidgesAir Force (1943) and Union Pacific (1939)
- Edward GarganWonder Man (1945) and A-Haunting We Will Go (1942)
- Lester DorrQuicksand (1950) and The Saint in New York (1938)
- Emory ParnellTwo O'Clock Courage (1945) and Arabian Nights (1942)
- Shemp HowardArabian Nights (1942) and Hellzapoppin' (1941)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Awards
Two awards and honors.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
| Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.