Actor Lane Smith dead at age 69 from Lou Gehrig's Disease

[savafan]

I think my favorite Lane Smith role has to be from Son In Law with Pauley Shore.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movi....ap/index.html

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Lane Smith, a longtime character actor who played a small-town district attorney who crossed words with Joe Pesci in "My Cousin Vinny," died Monday. He was 69.

Smith, who also played Richard Nixon in the TV movie "The Final Days" and Daily Planet editor Perry White in "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," died at his home in Los Angeles, according to his wife, Debbie Benedict Smith.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Smith appeared in numerous films and television shows. Most recently, he appeared in the 2000 movie "The Legend of Bagger Vance," starring Will Smith and Matt Damon.

Lane Smith also appeared in the original stage production of "Glengarry Glen Ross" and the revival of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

Film credits include "The Distinguished Gentleman," "Son in Law," "The Mighty Ducks" and "The Hi-Lo Country."

Besides his wife, Smith is survived by his son Robbie, 18, and a brother and sister. He also has a 19-year-old stepson.

[pedro]

He was a great character actor.

Glengarry Glen Ross and The Son in Law. That's a lot of range.

[WMR]

He was great as the coach of the Hawks in The Mighty Ducks.

[savafan]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

He was great as the coach of the Hawks in The Mighty Ducks.

I'd forgotten about that role. He was truly a great character actor. Like many character actors, he tended to be overlooked because he wasn't the leading man.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by savafan

I'd forgotten about that role. He was truly a great character actor. Like many character actors, he tended to be overlooked because he wasn't the leading man.

Sava, yep, you are exactly right. He could display such a wide variety of emotion, and was such a believable actor,,, it's no surprise to me that he "earned his salt" on the stage.