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Richard Lane

Richard Lane

Acting1899Rice Lake, Wisconsin, USA

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Richard Lane (May 28, 1899 – September 5, 1982) was an American television announcer and actor who made his mark broadcasting wrestling and roller derby shows on KTLA-TV, mainly from the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Lane was born in 1899 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin to a farm family. Early in life he developed talents for reciting poetry and doing various song-and-dance acts.

By his teenage years, he was doing an "iron jaw" routine in circuses around Europe and worked as a drummer touring with a band in Australia. After the decline of vaudeville, Lane obtained extensive work in motion pictures and was best known at the time for playing Inspector John or William Faraday or Farraday (depending on the film) in all fourteen Boston Blackie Columbia Pictures features starring Chester Morris, starting with Meet Boston Blackie in 1941. During World War II, he appeared as emcee with USO troops entertaining G.I.s. His unit appeared at Fort MacArthur in September 1944. Lane also announced for the Jalopy Derby and Destruction Derby at Ascot Park, Gardena California.

Lane also played Faraday in the first radio version of Boston Blackie, which ran on NBC from June 23, 1944 to September 15, 1944.

Acting History

1976
The Shaggy D.A.
as Roller Rink Announcer
1972
1951
1950
Everybody's Dancin'
as Colonel Ed Harrison
Quicksand
as Lt. Nelson
The Admiral Was a Lady
as Marty Gruber
1949
Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture
as Inspector William R. Farraday
The Big Wheel
as Reno Riley
There's a Girl in My Heart
as Sergeant Mullin
Miss Mink of 1949
as Herbert Pendelton
Flung by a Fling
as Sgt. Dick Lane
1948
Trapped by Boston Blackie
as Insp. William R. Farraday
The Babe Ruth Story
as Boston Braves' coach
The Creeper
as Insp. Fenwick
The Return of the Whistler
as Gaylord Traynor
Tenth Avenue Angel
as Street Vendor
Pardon My Lamb Chop
as Dick, Shell-shocked Veteran
Two Nuts in a Rut
as Richard Lane, producer
1947
Out of the Blue
as Detective Noonan
Devil Ship
as Capt. Biff Brown
Training for Trouble
as Richard Lane
Wedding Belle
as Dick Lane
1946
Boston Blackie and the Law
as Inspector Farraday
The Phantom Thief
as Inspector John Farraday
A Close Call for Boston Blackie
as Inspector Farraday
Girl on the Spot
as Weepy McGurk
Sioux City Sue
as Jefferson Lang
Ain't Love Cuckoo?
as Dick Lane
Talk About a Lady
as Duke Randall
Hot Water
as Dick
1945
Boston Blackie's Rendezvous
as Inspector Farraday
Here Come the Co-Eds
as Near-Sighted Man at Ballroom
Wonder Man
as Assistant District Attorney
The Bullfighters
as 'Hot Shot' Coleman
What a Blonde
as Pomeroy
1944
One Mysterious Night
as Inspector Farraday
Brazil
as Edward Graham
Louisiana Hayride
as J. Huntington McMasters
Mr. Winkle Goes to War
as Sgt. 'Alphabet' Czeidrowski
Bermuda Mystery
as Detective Sergeant Donovan
Bowery to Broadway
as Walter Rogers
Take It Big
as Eddie Hampton
Slightly Terrific
as Mike Hamilyon
1943
The Chance of a Lifetime
as Insp. John Farraday
Air Force
as Maj. W.G. Roberts
Gung Ho!
as Capt. Dunphy
Crazy House
as S. E. Hanley
It Ain't Hay
as Slicker
Corvette K-225
as Vice Admiral
Thank Your Lucky Stars
as Barney Johnson (uncredited)
Fired Wife
as Orin Tracy
Don't Be a Sucker!
as Soapbox Orator
1942
Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood
as Inspector Farraday
Alias Boston Blackie
as Inspector Farraday
Arabian Nights
as Corporal
Dr. Broadway
as Patrick Doyle
Time to Kill
as Lt. Breeze
Butch Minds the Baby
as Harry the Horse
1941
Meet Boston Blackie
as Inspector Faraday
Ride, Kelly, Ride
as Dan Thomas
Confessions of Boston Blackie
as Inspector John Farraday
Navy Blues
as 'Rocky' Anderson
Ride 'Em Cowboy
as Pete Conway (uncredited)
For Beauty's Sake
as Mr. Jackman
Hellzapoppin'
as Director
Time Out for Rhythm
as Mike Armstrong
San Antonio Rose
as Charles J. Willoughby
I Wanted Wings
as Flight Commander
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
as Recruiting Officer
The Penalty
as Craig
Respect the Law
as George Johnson
1940
Brother Orchid
as Mugsy O'Day
Boom Town
as Assistant D.A.
City of Chance
as Marty Connors
Two Girls on Broadway
as Buddy Bartell
Hired Wife
as McNab
The Biscuit Eater
as Harvey McNeil
Sandy Is a Lady
as Philip Jarvis
Free, Blonde and 21
as Lieutenant Lake
1939
Union Pacific
as Sam Reed
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
as Police Commissioner Gordon
It Could Happen to You
as District Attorney
Stronger Than Desire
as Jerry Brody
The Amazing Mr. Williams
as Reagan (uncredited)
Sued for Libel
as Smiley Dugan
The Escape
as David Clifford
News Is Made at Night
as Barney Basely
Main Street Lawyer
as Ballou, Marco's Lawyer
Unexpected Father
as Leo Murphy - Booking Agent
1938
The Saint in New York
as Dispatcher (Uncredited)
The Jitters
as Dance Studio Manager
Crashing Hollywood
as Hugo Wells
His Exciting Night
as Homer Carslake
Joy of Living
as Harvey (Uncredited)
The Last Warning
as Richard Lane
Blind Alibi
as Bowers
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
as Assistant Coach Jones
Exposed
as Tony Mitchell
Everybody's Doing It
as Steve Devers
I'm from the City
as Captain Oliver 'Ollie' Fitch
1937
Saturday's Heroes
as Red Watson
Super-Sleuth
as Barker
Flight from Glory
as Mr. Hanson
Wise Girl
as Detective
The Life of the Party
as Hotel Manager
The Woman I Love
as Florence's Boyfriend
There Goes My Girl
as Tim J. Whelan
You Can't Buy Luck
as Det. McGrath
1936
For the Love of Pete
as McSwat's Cornerman
Punch and Beauty
as Russ Biff

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Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
5/27/1899
Day of Death
9/5/1982
Place of Birth
Rice Lake, Wisconsin, USA