Richard Lane (May 28, 1899 – September 5, 1982) was an American actor and television announcer/presenter. In movies, he played assured, fast-talking slickers: usually press agents, policemen and detectives, sometimes swindlers and frauds. He is perhaps best known to movie fans as "Inspector Farraday" in the

Boston Blackie Boston Blackie is a fictional character created by author Jack Boyle (1881–1928). Blackie, a jewel thief and safecracker in Boyle's stories, became a detective in adaptations for films, radio and television—an "enemy to those who make him ...

mystery-comedies. Lane also played Faraday in the first radio version of ''

'', which ran on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

from June 23, 1944 to September 15, 1944. Lane was an early arrival on television, first as a news reporter and then as a sports announcer, broadcasting

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat s ...

and

roller derby Roller derby is a roller skating contact sport played by two teams of fifteen members. Roller derby is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, mostly in the United States. Game play consists of a series of short scrimmages (jam ...

shows on KTLA-TV, mainly from the

Grand Olympic Auditorium The Grand Olympic Auditorium is a former sports venue in southern Downtown Los Angeles, California. The venue was built in 1924 at 1801 South Grand Avenue, now just south of the Santa Monica Freeway. The grand opening of the Olympic Auditorium ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

Biography

Early years

Lane was born in 1899 in

Rice Lake, Wisconsin Rice Lake is a city in Barron County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 9,040. The city is located mostly within the Town of Rice Lake. History Rice Lake was named in 1870 after nearby Rice La ...

to a farm family. Early in life he developed talents for reciting poetry and doing various song-and-dance acts. By his teenage years, Lane 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 Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

, Lane found work in motion pictures. He started in small roles but producers and directors saw how well he handled dialogue, and he soon became one of Hollywood's busiest actors, equally skilled at drama and comedy. A shrewd businessman, Lane insisted on a two-week guarantee for every assignment. He might work for only a few days on a picture, but still be paid for the two weeks. This allowed him to accept multiple jobs weekly, and with the extra pay he soon became a seasoned investor. During one six-month period Richard Lane appeared in 29 feature films. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, he appeared as emcee with USO troops entertaining G.I.s. His unit appeared at

Fort MacArthur Fort MacArthur is a former United States Army installation in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California (now the port community of Los Angeles). A small section remains in military use by the United States Air Force as a housing and administrative annex ...

in September 1944. Lane also announced for the Jalopy Derby and Destruction Derby at Ascot Park, Gardena, California. Lane appeared in character roles in more than 150 films between 1937 and 1951. He was so firmly established as a rapid-fire sharpie that

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

producer

Jules White Jules White (born Julius Weiss; hu, Weisz Gyula; 17 September 190030 April 1985) was a Hungarian-American film director and producer best known for his short-subject comedies starring The Three Stooges Early years White began working in m ...

co-starred him with "nervous" comedian

Gus Schilling August "Gus" Schilling (June 20, 1908 – June 16, 1957) was an American film actor who started in burlesque comedy and usually played nervous comic roles, often unbilled. A friend of Orson Welles, he appeared in five of the director's films � ...

for a series of two-reel slapstick comedies. Schilling and Lane were a popular team at Columbia, second only to

The Three Stooges The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy team active from 1922 until 1970, best remembered for their 190 short subject films by Columbia Pictures. Their hallmark styles were physical farce and slapstick. Six Stooges appeared ...

. The series ran from 1945 to 1950. Lane's only starring roles were in the Schilling and Lane shorts and a single feature film, ''Devil Ship'' (1948), in which he played tough ship's captain "Biff Brown."

Work with KTLA

Because he had been working for

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

, Lane was able to obtain work at experimental TV station KTLA, which was owned by the studio at the time. When the station went commercial in 1947, Lane appeared before the camera as a news presenter. One of the early highlights of his career was reporting on the first atomic explosion covered by a television newscast. When KTLA agreed to broadcast wrestling matches from the Olympic Auditorium in 1946, Lane was assigned to comment on the action. He started announcing (as Dick Lane) for Roller Derby in 1951, and for Roller Games for 15 years starting in 1961. Because Lane was part of the Hollywood establishment, he gave Roller Games a measure of respectability. Announcing games for the L.A. Thunderbirds at trackside, with cigarette dangling, Lane's oversized personality became closely associated with the sport. For pro wrestling, his broadcasts featured such personalities as

Gorgeous George George Raymond Wagner (March 23, 1915 – December 26, 1963) was an American professional wrestler known by his ring name Gorgeous George. In the United States, during the First Golden Age of Professional Wrestling in the 1940s–1950s, Gorgeous ...

, Mr. Moto, and Dr. Lee Grable. Contrary to popular opinion it was Lane, not former ABC sports announcer

Keith Jackson Keith Max Jackson (October 18, 1928 – January 12, 2018) was an American sports commentator, journalist, author, and radio personality, known for his career with ABC Sports (1966–2006). While he covered a variety of sports over his caree ...

, who first coined the exclamatory expression "Whoa, Nellie!" when something exciting happened in the ring or on the track.Andrew Krebs
Wide world of Jackson
, ''The Daily Collegian'', November 8, 1997. In the late 1940s, Lane became a character actor in westerns and outdoor adventures; his role as a tale-spinning windbag alongside bandleader

Spade Cooley Donnell Clyde "Spade" Cooley (December 17, 1910 – November 23, 1969) was an American convicted murderer and former Western swing musician, big band leader, actor, and television personality. In 1961 he was arrested and convicted for the Ap ...

in the feature film '' Everybody's Dancin''' won him the role of "Leather Britches" on Cooley's TV series for KTLA. As movie production wound down after World War II, Lane devoted more of his time to television, particularly his wrestling shows. He spoke with great enthusiasm, improvising exotic names for the various wrestling holds, like "the Boston land-crab." When one wrestler pretended to bite the ear of his opponent, Lane would cry, "Meat on the table!" Another call familiar to viewers was "Wow, what action!" which invariably preceded a commercial break.

Later years

After Lane retired from television full-time in 1972, he accepted few offers for screen work; in later years he was typecast as a sports announcer. He did make a notable cameo appearance (as a roller-derby commentator) in

Raquel Welch Jo Raquel Welch ( Tejada; September 5, 1940) is an American actress. She first won attention for her role in '' Fantastic Voyage'' (1966), after which she won a contract with 20th Century Fox. They lent her contract to the British studio Hamm ...

's film ''

Kansas City Bomber ''Kansas City Bomber'' is a 1972 American sports drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Jerrold Freedman and starring Raquel Welch. It also marks one of the earliest film appearances of Jodie Foster. Plot The film is an ins ...

''. In 1974 he moved to a home in the Deep Well neighborhood of

Palm Springs, California Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by lan ...

. Lane was among the initial honorees on the

Walk of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

with his official ceremony date being listed as taking place on February 8, 1960. Lanes's Hollywood Walk of Fame star in on the north side of the 6300 block of

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

. Lane died in

Newport Beach, California Newport Beach is a coastal city in South Orange County, California. Newport Beach is known for swimming and sandy beaches. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries however today, it is used mostly for recreation. Balboa Island draws v ...

on September 5, 1982. He was buried in

Pacific View Memorial Park Pacific View Memorial Park is a cemetery located in the Corona del Mar neighborhood of Newport Beach, in Orange County, California. It first opened in 1958, and is known as the final resting place of Academy Award winning actor John Wayne and ba ...

, Orange County

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. In 1996, Lane was posthumously inducted into the

Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling and mixed martial arts hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to their professions. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of t ...

. In 2008, Lane was inducted into the 'Announcers Wing' of the Roller Derby Hall of Fame.

Selected filmography

* '' The Woman I Love'' (1937) as Florence's Boyfriend (uncredited) * '' The Outcasts of Poker Flat'' (1937) as 'High-Grade' * '' You Can't Buy Luck'' (1937) as Detective Mac McGrath * ''

There Goes My Girl ''There Goes My Girl'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Ben Holmes, written by Harry Segall, and starring Gene Raymond, Ann Sothern, Gordon Jones, Richard Lane, Frank Jenks and Bradley Page. It was released on May 21, 1937, by RKO P ...

'' (1937) as Editor Tim J. Whelan * ''

You Can't Beat Love ''You Can't Beat Love'' is a 1937 American comedy film directed by Christy Cabanne and written by Maxwell Shane and David Silverstein. The film stars Preston Foster, Joan Fontaine, Herbert Mundin, William Brisbane and Alan Bruce. The film was r ...

'' (1937) as Iceman (uncredited) * ''

New Faces of 1937 ''New Faces of 1937'' is a 1937 American musical film directed by Leigh Jason and starring Joe Penner, Milton Berle and Harriet Hilliard. Its plot is similar to '' The Producers'' (1968). Intended as the first film of an annual RKO Pictures revu ...

'' (1937) as Broker Harry Barnes * ''

Super-Sleuth ''Super-Sleuth'' is a 1937 comedy film directed by Ben Stoloff. It was an early lead role for Jack Oakie. ''Super Sleuth'' was a remade in 1946 as ''Genius at Work'', with comedy team of Wally Brown and Alan Carney. Plot A film detective believ ...

'' (1937) as Tourist Bus Driver * '' Flight From Glory'' (1937) as Mr. Hanson * '' The Life of the Party'' (1937) as Hotel Manager * '' Should Wives Work?'' (1937, Short) * '' Saturday's Heroes'' (1937) as Red Watson * '' Danger Patrol'' (1937) as Bill * ''

Hitting a New High ''Hitting a New High'' is a 1937 comedy film directed by Raoul Walsh. It stars Lily Pons and Jack Oakie. It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1938 in the category Best Sound Recording ( John O. Aalberg). Plot Corny Davis, a press agent of ...

'' (1937) as Owner of the Chez Suzette Nightclub (uncredited) * '' Wise Girl'' (1937) as Detective * '' Crashing Hollywood'' (1938) as Hugo Wells * '' Everybody's Doing It'' (1938) as Steve Devers * ''

Radio City Revels ''Radio City Revels'' is a 1938 American musical comedy film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Bob Burns, Jack Oakie and Ann Miller. The film's sets were designed by the art director Van Nest Polglase. Although set in New York City, sp ...

'' (1938) as Crane * ''

Bringing Up Baby ''Bringing Up Baby'' is a 1938 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. It was released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film tells the story of a paleontologist in a number of predi ...

'' (1938) as Circus Manager (uncredited) * '' Maid's Night Out'' (1938) as Barker for Octopus Concession (uncredited) * ''

This Marriage Business ''This Marriage Business'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Christy Cabanne from a screenplay by Gladys Atwater and J. Robert Bren, based on a story by Mel Riddle and Alex Rubin. The film stars Allan Lane, Jack Carson, Victor Moore, ...

'' (1938) as Joe Selby * '' Go Chase Yourself'' (1938) as Nails * ''

Joy of Living ''Joy of Living'' is a 1938 American musical comedy film directed by Tay Garnett and starring Irene Dunne and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. with supporting performances from Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Jean Dixon, Eric Blore and Lucille Ball. It features the ...

'' (1938) as Harvey (uncredited) * ''

Blind Alibi ''Blind Alibi'' is a 1938 American drama film directed by Lew Landers and written by Lionel Houser, Harry Segall and Ron Ferguson. The film stars Richard Dix, Whitney Bourne, Eduardo Ciannelli, Frances Mercer and Paul Guilfoyle. The film was r ...

'' (1938) as Bowers * ''

I'm from the City ''I'm From the City'' is a 1938 American Western film directed by Ben Holmes who also wrote the story which was adapted into a screenplay by Nicholas T. Barrows, Robert St. Clair, and John Grey. William Sistrom produced the film for RKO Radio ...

'' (1938) as Captain Oliver 'Ollie' Fitch * '' Carefree'' (1938) as Henry - Country Club Headwaiter (uncredited) * ''

Mr. Doodle Kicks Off ''Mr. Doodle Kicks Off'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Bert Granet. The film stars Joe Penner, June Travis, Richard Lane, Ben Alexander and Billy Gilbert. The film was released on October 7, 1938, by ...

'' (1938) as Assistant Coach 'Offsides' Jones * ''

Exposed Expose, exposé, or exposed may refer to: News sources * Exposé (journalism), a form of investigative journalism * '' The Exposé'', a British conspiracist website Film and TV Film * ''Exposé'' (film), a 1976 thriller film * ''Exposed'' (1932 ...

'' (1938) as Tony Mitchell * ''

His Exciting Night ''His Exciting Night'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Gus Meins and written by Pat C. Flick, Edward Eliscu and Morton Grant. It is based on the 1934 play ''Adam's Evening'' by Katharine Kavanaugh. The film stars Charlie Ruggles, Ric ...

'' (1938) as Homer Carslake * ''

The Last Warning ''The Last Warning'' is a 1928 American mystery film directed by Paul Leni, and starring Laura La Plante, Montagu Love, and Margaret Livingston. ''The Last Warning'' was also one of the very last silent films Universal made — except it was ...

'' (1938) as Steve Felson * '' Charlie Chan in Honolulu'' (1938) as Joe Arnold * '' Mr. Moto in Danger Island'' (1939) as Commissioner Gordon * ''

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pac ...

'' (1939) as Sam Reed * '' For Love or Money'' (1939) as Foster * '' It Could Happen to You'' (1939) as District Attorney Gibson * ''

Unexpected Father ''Unexpected Father'' is a 1939 American comedy drama film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Baby Sandy, Shirley Ross and Dennis O'Keefe.Rowan p.199 Plot When a former dancing partner is killed, an entertainer looks after his baby son wi ...

'' (1939) as Leo Murphy - Booking Agent * '' Stronger Than Desire'' (1939) as Jerry Brody * ''

News Is Made at Night ''News Is Made at Night'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Alfred L. Werker and written by John Larkin. The film stars Preston Foster, Lynn Bari, Russell Gleason, George Barbier, Eddie Collins and Minor Watson. The film was released ...

'' (1939) as Barney Basely * ''

Mutiny on the Blackhawk ''Mutiny on the Blackhawk'' is a 1939 American adventure film, directed by Christy Cabanne. It stars Richard Arlen, Andy Devine, and Constance Moore, and was released on September 1, 1939. Cast list *Richard Arlen as Captain Robert Lawrence *And ...

'' (1939) as Kit Carson * ''

The Day the Bookies Wept ''The Day the Bookies Wept'' is a 1939 American comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and written by Bert Granet and George Jeske. The film stars Joe Penner, Betty Grable, Richard Lane, Tom Kennedy and Thurston Hall. The film was released on ...

'' (1939) as Ramsey Firpo * '' Hero for a Day'' (1939) as Abbott * '' The Escape'' (1939) as David Clifford * ''

Sued for Libel ''Sued for Libel'' is a 1939 American mystery film directed by Leslie Goodwins from a screenplay by Jerry Cady, based on Wolfe Kaufman's story. Released on October 27, 1939, by RKO Radio Pictures (who also produced it), the film stars Kent Tay ...

'' (1939) as Smiley Dugan * ''

Drunk Driving Drunk driving (or drink-driving in British English) is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash. In the United States, alcohol is i ...

'' (1939, Short) as Rick * ''

Main Street Lawyer ''Main Street Lawyer'' is a 1939 American crime film directed by Dudley Murphy and written by Joseph Krumgold and Devery Freeman. The film stars Edward Ellis, Anita Louise, Robert Baldwin, Harold Huber, Clem Bevans and Margaret Hamilton. The ...

'' (1939) as Ballou, Marco's Lawyer * '' The Amazing Mr. Williams'' (1939) as Reagan (uncredited) * ''

Nick Carter, Master Detective ''Nick Carter, Master Detective'' was a Mutual radio crime drama based on tales of the fictional private detective Nick Carter from Street & Smith's dime novels and pulp magazines. Nick Carter first came to radio as ''The Return of Nick Carte ...

'' (1939) as Sam Vaughn (uncredited) * '' City of Chance'' (1940) as Marty Connors * ''

Free, Blonde and 21 ''Free, Blonde and 21'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Ricardo Cortez and written by Frances Hyland. The film stars Lynn Bari, Mary Beth Hughes, Joan Davis, Henry Wilcoxon, Robert Lowery, Alan Baxter and Kay Aldridge. The film was ...

'' (1940) as Lt. Lake * '' Two Girls on Broadway'' (1940) as Buddy Bartell * ''

Sandy Is a Lady ''Sandy Is a Lady'' is a 1940 American comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and written by Charles Grayson. The film stars Baby Sandy, Billy Lenhart, Kenneth Brown, Eugene Pallette, Nan Grey, Tom Brown, Mischa Auer, Billy Gilbert and Edgar Ke ...

'' (1940) as Philip Jarvis * '' The Biscuit Eater'' (1940) as Harvey McNeil * ''

Brother Orchid ''Brother Orchid'' is a 1940 American crime/ comedy film directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothern and Humphrey Bogart, with featured performances by Donald Crisp, Ralph Bellamy and Allen Jenkins. The screenplay was wr ...

'' (1940) as Mugsy O'Day * ''

Boom Town A boomtown is a community that undergoes sudden and rapid population and economic growth, or that is started from scratch. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although ...

'' (1940) as Assistant District Attorney * ''

Hired Wife ''Hired Wife'' is a 1940 American romantic comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Rosalind Russell, Brian Aherne and Virginia Bruce. Plot When Stephen Dexter (Brian Aherne), boss of Dexter Cement, competes with the giants in ...

'' (1940) as McNab * '' The Bride Wore Crutches'' (1940) as Bill Daly * ''

Yesterday's Heroes ''Yesterday's Heroes'' is a 1940 American drama film directed by Herbert I. Leeds and written by Irving Cummings Jr. and William Conselman Jr.. The film stars Jean Rogers, Robert Sterling, Ted North, Kay Aldridge, Russell Gleason and Richard " ...

'' (1940) as Cleats Slater * '' Margie'' (1940) as Mr. Dixon * ''

Youth Will Be Served ''Youth Will Be Served'' is a 1940 American musical film directed by Otto Brower and starring Jane Withers and Jane Darwell. Plot A southern girl (Withers) goes to a National Youth Association camp after her father goes to jail for bootlegging. Wh ...

'' (1940) as Mr. Hewitt * ''

Ride, Kelly, Ride ''Ride, Kelly, Ride'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Norman Foster and written by William Conselman Jr. and Irving Cummings Jr.. The film stars Eugene Pallette, Marvin Stephens, Rita Quigley, Mary Healy, Richard Lane and Charles D. ...

'' (1941) as Dan Thomas * ''

Meet the Chump ''Meet the Chump'' is a 1941 American film starring Hugh Herbert. Plot A man desperately attempts to avoid giving up the ten million dollar trust that he's been administering so well that there's barely any money left. Cast * Hugh Herbert as H ...

'' (1941) as Slugs Bennett * ''

Meet Boston Blackie ''Meet Boston Blackie'' is a 1941 crime film starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie, a notorious, but honorable jewel thief. Although the character had been the hero of a number of silent films, this was the first talking picture. It proved po ...

'' (1941) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob ''A Girl, a Guy and a Gob'' is a 1941 film produced by Harold Lloyd and starring George Murphy, Lucille Ball, and Edmond O'Brien. Plot summary When Stephen Herrick, a sedate, mild-mannered shipping magnate, loses his opera tickets, Mrs. Grange, ...

'' (1941) as Recruiting Officer * '' The Penalty'' (1941) as Craig * '' I Wanted Wings'' (1941) as Flight Commander * ''

The Cowboy and the Blonde The Cowboy and the Blonde is a 1941 American Western comedy film directed by Ray McCarey and released by 20th Century Fox. Cast * Mary Beth Hughes as Crystal Wayne * George Montgomery as Lank Garrett * Alan Mowbray Alan Mowbray (born A ...

'' (1941) as Gilbert * '' Sunny'' (1941) as Reporter * ''

Time Out for Rhythm ''Time Out for Rhythm'' is a 1941 musical comedy film directed by Sidney Salkow and starring Rudy Vallée, Ann Miller and the Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Curly Howard). Six Hits and a Miss perform, as well as Glen Gray and His Ca ...

'' (1941) as Mike Armstrong * ''

For Beauty's Sake ''For Beauty's Sake'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Shepard Traube and written by Walter Bullock, Ethel Hill and Wanda Tuchock. The film stars Ned Sparks, Marjorie Weaver, Ted North, Joan Davis, Pierre Watkin and Lenita Lane. The ...

'' (1941) as Mr. Jackman * '' Tight Shoes'' (1941) as Allan McGrath * ''

San Antonio Rose "San Antonio Rose" is a swing instrumental introduced in late 1938 by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Quickly becoming the band's most popular number, Wills and band members devised lyrics, which were recorded on April 16, 1940, and release ...

'' (1941) as Charles J. Willoughby * '' Navy Blues'' (1941) as 'Rocky' Anderson * ''

Man at Large ''Man at Large'' is a 1941 American mystery film directed by Eugene Forde and written by John Larkin. The film stars Marjorie Weaver, George Reeves, Richard Derr, Steven Geray, Milton Parsons and Spencer Charters. The film was released on Sept ...

'' (1941) as Editor Grundy * ''

Riders of the Purple Sage ''Riders of the Purple Sage'' is a Western novel by Zane Grey, first published by Harper & Brothers in 1912. Considered by scholars to have played a significant role in shaping the formula of the popular Western genre, the novel has been called ...

'' (1941) as Steve Oldring * '' Confessions of Boston Blackie'' (1941) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Hellzapoppin''' (1941) as Director * '' Ride 'Em Cowboy'' (1942) as Pete Conway (uncredited) * ''

Butch Minds the Baby ''Butch Minds the Baby'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell and written by Leonard Spigelgass, based on the short story of the same name by Damon Runyon. The film stars Virginia Bruce, Broderick Crawford, Dick Foran, Po ...

'' (1942) as Harry the Horse * '' To the Shores of Tripoli'' (1942) as Lieutenant * '' Junior G-Men of the Air'' (1942, Serial) as Agent Don Ames * '' Alias Boston Blackie'' (1942) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Drums of the Congo'' (1942) as Coutlass * ''

Dr. Broadway ''Dr. Broadway'' is a 1942 American mystery film directed by Anthony Mann (as his directorial debut) and written by Art Arthur. The film stars Macdonald Carey, Jean Phillips, Eduardo Ciannelli, Richard Lane, J. Carrol Naish, Joan Woodbury and Ar ...

'' (1942) as Police Sgt. Patrick Doyle * '' A-Haunting We Will Go'' (1942) as Phillips * ''

Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood ''Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood'' is a 1942 American crime film, fourth of the fourteen Boston Blackie films of the 1940s Columbia's series of B pictures based on Jack Boyle's pulp-fiction character. Plot summary Boston Blackie (Chester Mor ...

'' (1942) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Time to Kill'' (1942) as Lt. Breeze * ''

Arabian Nights ''One Thousand and One Nights'' ( ar, أَلْفُ لَيْلَةٍ وَلَيْلَةٌ, italic=yes, ) is a collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as the ''Arabian ...

'' (1942) as Corporal * ''

Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...

'' (1943) as Maj. W.G. Roberts * ''

It Ain't Hay ''It Ain't Hay'' is a 1943 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. Plot Cab driver Wilbur Hoolihan accidentally kills a hack horse owned by King O'Hara and his daughter, Princess O’Hara, by feeding it candy. In hopes of raising e ...

'' (1943) as Slicker * ''

After Midnight with Boston Blackie ''After Midnight with Boston Blackie'' is a 1943 crime film directed by Lew Landers. It is the fifth of a series of 14 Columbia Pictures films starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie. When a recently paroled friend of Boston Blackie is killed, ...

'' (1943) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Swing Your Partner'' (1943) as Mr. Lane * ''

Fired Wife ''Fired Wife'' is a 1943 comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring Robert Paige, Diana Barrymore and Louise Allbritton. It was produced and distributed by Universal Pictures. This was one of the final films in Barrymore's short-lived Un ...

'' (1943) as Orin Tracy * '' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1943) as Barney Johnson (uncredited) * ''

Corvette K-225 ''Corvette K-225'' is a 1943 American war film starring Randolph Scott and James Brown, with Ella Raines making her feature film debut. Directed by Richard Rosson, the film was released in the UK as ''The Nelson Touch''. Robert Mitchum, credi ...

'' (1943) as Vice Admiral * '' Crazy House'' (1943) as S. E. Hanley * '' The Chance of a Lifetime'' (1943) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Gung Ho!'' (1943) as Captain Dunphy * '' Slightly Terrific'' (1944) as Mike Hamilton * ''

Bermuda Mystery ''Bermuda Mystery'' is a 1944 American mystery film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and written by Scott Darling. The film stars Preston Foster, Ann Rutherford, Charles Butterworth, Helene Reynolds, Jean Howard and Richard Lane. The film was rele ...

'' (1944) as Detective Sergeant Donovan * ''

Take It Big ''Take It Big'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Howard J. Green and Joe Bigelow. The film stars Jack Haley, Harriet Hilliard, Mary Beth Hughes, Richard Lane, Arline Judge and Fritz Feld. Also featured i ...

'' (1944) as Eddie Hampton * ''

Louisiana Hayride ''Louisiana Hayride'' was a radio and later television country music show broadcast from the Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday from 1948 to 1960 helped to launch the careers of some of the ...

'' (1944) as J. Huntington McMasters * '' Mr. Winkle Goes to War'' (1944) as Sgt. 'Alphabet' Czeidrowski * ''

A Wave, a WAC and a Marine ''A WAVE, a WAC and a Marine'' is an American 1944 musical comedy film directed by Phil Karlson (in his directorial debut) for low-budget Monogram Pictures. Plot Sally Eilers runs a talent agency and sets out to put a couple of Broadway stars ...

'' (1944) as Marty Allen * ''

One Mysterious Night ''One Mysterious Night'' is a 1944 crime film, the seventh in a Columbia Pictures series of fourteen starring Chester Morris as reformed crook Boston Blackie. It was preceded by '' The Chance of a Lifetime'' and followed by '' Boston Blackie Book ...

'' (1944) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

Bowery to Broadway ''Bowery to Broadway'' is a 1944 American film starring Maria Montez, Jack Oakie, and Susanna Foster. Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan also had a small specialty act, and it was the only film they were in together where they didn't have a name or ...

'' (1944) as Walter Rogers * ''

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

'' (1944) as Edward Graham * ''

What a Blonde ''What a Blonde'' is a 1945 American screwball comedy film directed by Leslie Goodwins and starring Leon Errol, Richard Lane, Michael St. Angel, and Elaine Riley. The screenplay, by Charles Roberts, was based on a story by Oscar Brodney. The f ...

'' (1945) as Pomeroy * ''

Here Come the Co-Eds ''Here Come The Co-Eds'' is a 1945 American comedy film starring the comedy team Abbott and Costello. Plot Oliver Quackenbush, Molly McCarthy and her brother Slats who acts as her publicity agent work for the Miramar Ballroom as taxi dancers. Sla ...

'' (1945) as Near-sighted Man at Ballroom * '' Two O'Clock Courage'' (1945) as Al Haley * '' The Horn Blows at Midnight'' (1945) as Furness - Radio Announcer (uncredited) * '' Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion'' (1945) as Inspector John Farraday * '' The Bullfighters'' (1945) as 'Hot Shot' Coleman * ''

Wonder Man Wonder Man (Simon Williams) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in '' The Avengers'' #9 (October 1964). The c ...

'' (1945) as Assistant District Attorney * '' Boston Blackie's Rendezvous'' (1945) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

Girl on the Spot ''Girl on the Spot'' is a 1946 musical crime film directed by William Beaudine and starring Lois Collier, Jess Barker and George Dolenz.Leese p.126 Partial cast * Lois Collier as Kathy Lorenz * Jess Barker as Rick Crane * George Dolenz as ...

'' (1946) as 'Weepy' McGurk * ''

A Close Call for Boston Blackie A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes' ...

'' (1946) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

Talk About a Lady ''Talk About a Lady'' is a 1946 American musical film directed by George Sherman and starring Forrest Tucker and Jinx Falkenburg. Plot References External links *''Talk About a Lady''at Library of Congress''Talk About a Lady''at TCMDB Tur ...

'' (1946) as Duke Randall * '' The Phantom Thief'' (1946) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Pardon My Terror'' (1946, Short)Special to the New York Times. "Grofe Will Write Music for Films" (''The New York Times'', July 18, 1945, p. 21)
/ref> as Dick * ''

Gentleman Joe Palooka ''Gentleman Joe Palooka'' is a 1946 film directed by Cy Endfield. It was the second of the ''Joe Palooka'' series. Plot The prizefighter Joe Palooka's popularity soars after his manager, Knobby Walsh, explains to reporters how "clean living" is ...

'' (1946) as Phillips * '' Sioux City Sue'' (1946) as Jefferson Lang * ''

Boston Blackie and the Law ''Boston Blackie and the Law'' is the twelfth of fourteen Columbia Pictures films starring Chester Morris as reformed crook Boston Blackie. Plot When Boston Blackie performs magic tricks at a Thanksgiving Day party for the inmates of a women's ...

'' (1946) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

Song of Scheherazade ''Song of Scheherazade'' is a 1947 American musical film directed by Walter Reisch. It tells the story of an imaginary episode in the life of the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Jean-Pierre Aumont), in 1865, when he was a young naval ...

'' (1947) as Lieutenant * ''

Hit Parade of 1947 ''Hit Parade of 1947'' is a 1947 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Mary Loos. The film stars Eddie Albert, Constance Moore, Joan Edwards, Gil Lamb, Bill Goodwin and William Frawley. The film was released on March 2 ...

'' (1947) as Serial Director * '' Out of the Blue'' (1947) as Detective Noonan * '' Devil Ship'' (1947) as Capt. 'Biff' Brown * ''

Tenth Avenue Angel ''Tenth Avenue Angel'' is a 1948 American film directed by Roy Rowland and starring Margaret O'Brien, Angela Lansbury, and George Murphy. It chronicles the life and family of Flavia Mills (Margaret O'Brien) in the late 1930s. Filming took place 1 ...

'' (1948) as Street Vendor * ''

The Return of the Whistler ''The Return of the Whistler'' is a 1948 American mystery film noir based on the radio drama ''The Whistler''. Directed by D. Ross Lederman, the production features Michael Duane, Lenore Aubert, and Dick Lane. This is the eighth and final e ...

'' (1948) as Gaylord Traynor * ''

Trapped by Boston Blackie ''Trapped by Boston Blackie'' is a 1948 American crime drama directed by Seymour Friedman. It is the thirteenth of fourteen Columbia Pictures films starring Chester Morris as reformed crook Boston Blackie, and the final film with George E. Stone ...

'' (1948) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

The Babe Ruth Story ''The Babe Ruth Story'' is a 1948 biographical film of Babe Ruth, the famed New York Yankees slugger. It stars William Bendix (New York Yankee batboy in the 1920s) as the ballplayer and Claire Trevor as his wife Claire Merritt Hodgson. Critics ...

'' (1948) as Boston Braves' coach * '' The Creeper'' (1948) as Insp. Fenwick * '' He's in Again'' (1949, Short) as Dick * ''

Miss Mink of 1949 ''Miss Mink of 1949'' is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Glenn Tryon (his last film as a director) and written by Arnold Belgard. It stars Jimmy Lydon, Lois Collier (in her final film role), Dick Lane (TV announcer), Richard Lane, Barbara ...

'' (1949) as Herbert Pendelton * ''

Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture ''Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture'' is a 1949 mystery film directed by Seymour Friedman, starring Chester Morris. This was the last of Columbia's 14 ''Boston Blackie'' pictures (1941–49). Richard Lane, as long-suffering Inspector Farraday, wa ...

'' (1949) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

Take Me Out to the Ball Game "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is a 1908 Tin Pan Alley song by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer which has become the unofficial anthem of North American baseball, although neither of its authors had attended a game prior to writing the song ...

'' (1949) as Michael Gilhuly * '' Mighty Joe Young'' (1949) as City Attorney (uncredited) * '' That Midnight Kiss'' (1949) as Radio D.J. (uncredited) * '' The Big Wheel'' (1949) as Reno Riley * '' There's a Girl in My Heart'' (1949) as Sergeant Mullin * '' Quicksand'' (1950) as Lt. Nelson * '' Everybody's Dancin''' (1950) as Colonel Ed Harrison * '' The Jackie Robinson Story'' (1950) as

Clay Hopper Robert Clay Hopper (October 3, 1902 – April 17, 1976) was an American professional baseball player and manager in minor league baseball. Hopper played from 1926 through 1941 and continued managing through 1956. Managing the Montreal Royals ...

, Montreal Manager * '' The Admiral Was a Lady'' (1950) as Marty Gruber * ''

I Can Get It for You Wholesale ''I Can Get It for You Wholesale'' is a musical, produced by David Merrick, music and lyrics by Harold Rome, and book by Jerome Weidman, based on his 1937 novel of the same title. It marked the Broadway debut of 19-year-old Barbra Streisand, ...

'' (1951) as Kelley * ''

Visit to a Small Planet ''Visit to a Small Planet'' is a 1960 American black-and-white science fiction comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Jerry Lewis, Joan Blackman, Earl Holliman, and Fred Clark. Distributed by Paramount Pictures, it was produced by ...

'' (1960) as Superbo Television Spokesman (uncredited) * ''

The Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...

'' (1964) as Demolition Derby Announcer (uncredited) * '' Dear Brigitte'' (1965) as Racetrack Announcer (uncredited) * ''

'' (1972) as Len * ''

The Shaggy D.A. ''The Shaggy D.A.'' is a 1976 American comedy film and a sequel to '' The Shaggy Dog'' (1959) produced by Walt Disney Productions. It was directed by Robert Stevenson and written by Don Tait. As with the first film in the series, it takes some ...

'' (1976) as Roller Rink Announcer * '' The One and Only'' (1978) (uncredited) (final film role)

References

Sources

* "Dick Lane, Pioneer TV Announcer, Dead at 83", ''Los Angeles Times'', September 6, 1982.

External links

Rare online clips of Dick Lane calling wrestling matches

“Whoah, Nellie!” Happy Birthday, Richard “Dick” Lane
*
Richard Lane
at the American Film Institute Catalog
Richard Lane
at

Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie-oriented pay-TV network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasting campus in the Midtown business district of ...

Richard Lane
at

AllMovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was founded by popular-cul ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lane, Dick 1899 births 1982 deaths Male actors from Los Angeles Male actors from Wisconsin American male film actors Television anchors from Los Angeles People from Rice Lake, Wisconsin People from Palm Springs, California Professional wrestling announcers Roller derby 20th-century American male actors Burials at Pacific View Memorial Park