Lane Chandler-Nancy Shubert in Sagebrush Trail

Lane Chandler (born Robert Clinton Oakes, June 4, 1899 – September 14, 1972) was an American actor specializing mainly in Westerns.

Biography

Early life

Chandler was raised on a ranch near Culbertson, Montana, the son of a horse rancher. The family relocated to

Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the capital city of Montana, United States, and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush, and established on October 30, 1864. Due to the gold rush, Helena would be ...

, when he was a youngster, and he graduated from high school there. He briefly attended Montana Wesleyan College (which later merged and became part of Rocky Mountain College), but quit to drive a

tour bus A tour bus service is an escorted tour (sometimes a package holiday) or bus service that takes visitors sightseeing, with routes around tourist attractions. Information Double-decker buses and open top buses are commonly used, for provi ...

Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowst ...

Career

In the early 1920s he moved to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, and started working as an auto mechanic. His real-life experiences growing up on a horse ranch landed

bit part In acting, a bit part is a role in which there is direct interaction with the principal actors and no more than five lines of dialogue, often referred to as a five-or-less or under-five in the United States, or under sixes in British televi ...

s for him in westerns from 1925, 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 ...

. Studio executives suggested changing his name to Lane Chandler, and as such he began achieving leading roles opposite stars like

Clara Bow Clara Gordon Bow (; July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to " talkies" in 1929. Her appearance as a plucky shopgirl in the ...

Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragic ch ...

Betty Bronson Elizabeth Ada Bronson (November 17, 1906 – October 19, 1971) was an American film and television actress who began her career during the silent film era. Early years Bronson was born in Trenton, New Jersey, to Frank and Nellie Smith Brons ...

and Esther Ralston. His first lead role was in ''

The Legion of the Condemned ''The Legion of the Condemned'' (aka ''Legion of the Condemned'') is a 1928 American silent film directed by William A. Wellman and produced by Jesse L. Lasky, Wellman, and Adolph Zukor and distributed by Paramount Pictures.Wynne 1987, p. 62. Wr ...

''. As a

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

star Chandler performed well, but when talkies arrived he was cast more in supporting roles, as in ''

The Great Mike ''The Great Mike'' is a 1944 American film directed by Wallace Fox. The film is also known as ''Great Mike Wins'' (American TV title). Plot summary Young Jimmy Dolan, who sounds like he's about to burst into tears any minute throughout the film ...

'' of 1944. He starred in a few low-budget westerns in the 1930s, but was more often cast as the leading man's partner, or saddle pal, or a sheriff or army officer. Many of his films featured alliterative titles such as ''

Riders of the Rio ''Riders of the Rio'' is a 1931 American western film directed by Robert Emmett Tansey and starring Lane Chandler, Sheldon Lewis and Ben Corbett.Pitts p.280 It is an independently-produced second feature, shot partly on location around Palm S ...

'' (1931), '' Primrose Path'' (1931), ''

The Cheyenne Cyclone ''The Cheyenne Cyclone'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Marie Quillan and Frankie Darro.Pitts p.205 It is a remake of the 1928 silent film ''Phantom of the Range''. Main cast * Lane Ch ...

'' (1931), ''

The Hurricane Horseman ''The Hurricane Horseman'' is a 1931 American Western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Marie Quillan and Walter Miller.Pitts p.205 It was shot at the Iverson Ranch. Cast * Lane Chandler as 'Gun' Smith * Marie Q ...

'' (1931), ''

Battling Buckaroo ''Battling Buckaroo'' is a 1932 American western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Doris Hill and Yakima Canutt.Pitts p.22 Synopsis A young outlaw Jack Winslow steps in to rescue a Mexican woman and her father who are ...

'' (1932), ''

The Wyoming Whirlwind ''The Wyoming Whirlwind'' is a 1932 American western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Adele Lacy and Harry Todd.Pitts p.406 It was produced by the independent Willis Kent as a second feature Synopsis Outlaw Keene Walla ...

'' (1932), ''

The Reckless Rider ''The Reckless Rider'' is a 1932 American western film directed by Armand Schaefer and starring Lane Chandler, Phyllis Barrington and Neal Hart.Pits p.135 It was a loose remake of the 1928 FBO Pictures film ''When the Law Rides'' also written by ...

'' (1932), and '' The Texas Tornado'' (1932); all but one of these films starred Chandler top-billed with his name above the title. With the advent of

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

Chandler began making appearance on numerous series, often in Westerns such as '' The Lone Ranger'', '' The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok'', '' Lawman'', ''

Have Gun – Will Travel ''Have Gun – Will Travel'' is an American Western series that was produced and originally broadcast by CBS on both television and radio from 1957 through 1963. The television version of the series starring Richard Boone was rated number t ...

'', '' Rawhide'', ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Bure ...

'', ''

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. Their Cheyenne language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Today, the Cheyenne people are split into two federally recognized nations: the Southern Cheyenne, who are enr ...

'', and ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'' (as “Trumbull” in the S7E10 titled “Indian Ford” in 1961); many of these TV series appearances were bit parts with no billing at all. He continued acting on TV and in films through 1966, retiring comfortably due to his holdings in both residential and commercial properties. He died in Los Angeles of

heart disease Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, h ...

in 1972, aged 73.

Selected filmography

*'' The Last Outlaw'' (1927) – Rancher (uncredited) *'' Open Range'' (1927) – Tex Smith *'' Love and Learn'' (1928) – Anthony Cowles *''

Red Hair Red hair (also known as orange hair and ginger hair) is a hair color found in one to two percent of the human population, appearing with greater frequency (two to six percent) among people of Northern or Northwestern European ancestry and ...

'' (1928) (with

) – Robert Lennon *''

'' (1928) (with

Fay Wray Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian/American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film ''King Kong''. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray attained international r ...

and

Gary Cooper Gary Cooper (born Frank James Cooper; May 7, 1901May 13, 1961) was an American actor known for his strong, quiet screen persona and understated acting style. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and had a further three nominations, a ...

) – Charles Holabird *'' The Big Killing'' (1928) – George Hicks *'' The First Kiss'' (1928) (with Fay Wray and Gary Cooper) – William Talbot *'' The Wolf of Wall Street'' (1929) – (uncredited) *'' The Studio Murder Mystery'' (1929) – Bill Martin (uncredited) *''

The Single Standard ''The Single Standard'' is a 1929 American romantic drama film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer directed by veteran John S. Robertson and starring Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, and Johnny Mack Brown. This was Greta Garbo's fifteenth film and her second co ...

'' (1929) (with

) – Ding Stuart *'' The Forward Pass'' (1929) – "Assistant Coach Kane" *''

Firebrand Jordan ''Firebrand Jordan'' is a 1930 American pre-Code western film directed by Alan James and starring Lane Chandler, Sheldon Lewis and Yakima Canutt.Munden, p. 247 Cast * Lane Chandler as Firebrand Jordan * Aline Goodwin as Joan Howe * Yakima ...

'' (1930) – Firebrand Jordan *'' The Lightning Express'' (1930, Serial) – Jack Venable *''

Rough Waters ''Rough Waters'' is a 1930 American pre-Code all-talking adventure drama film that directed by John Daumery and starring Rin Tin Tin. The film was adapted by James A. Starr from a story by Lillie Hayward, and was the last Rin Tin Tin film prod ...

'' (1930) – Cal Morton * '' Beyond the Law'' (1930) – Jack-Knife *'' Under Texas Skies'' (1930) – Singer Martin – Secret Service Agent *''

'' (1931) * '' Primrose Path'' (1931) * ''

'' (1931) * ''

'' (1931) * '' Guns for Hire'' (1932) * ''

'' (1932) * ''

'' (1932) * '' Lawless Valley'' (1932) * '' The Texas Tornado'' (1932) *'' Sagebrush Trail'' (1933) (with

John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Go ...

and

Yakima Canutt Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt (November 29, 1895 – May 24, 1986) was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director. He developed many stunts for films and the techniques and technology to protect stuntmen in performing t ...

) * '' Via Pony Express'' (1933) * '' Trouble Busters'' (1933) * '' The Outlaw Tamer'' (1935) * '' Idaho Kid'' (1936) * '' The Magnificent Brute'' (1936) * '' Winds of the Wasteland'' (1936) (with

) *'' Heroes of the Alamo'' (1937) –

Davy Crockett David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of ...

*''

Come On, Rangers ''Come On, Rangers'' is a 1938 American Western musical film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Roy Rogers. Plot The Texas Rangers are disbanded, so Roy joins the Cavalry but deserts when the Cavalry can't stop the outlaws and his brother di ...

'' (1938) *''

Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars ''Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars'' is a 1938 Universal Pictures 15–chapter science-fiction movie serial based on the syndicated newspaper comic strip ''Flash Gordon''. It is the second of the three Flash Gordon serials made by Universal between 1 ...

'' (1938, Serial) – Flight Commander hs. 2–3* ''

Two Gun Justice ''Two Gun Justice'' is a 1938 American Western film directed by Alan James from a screenplay by Fred Myton. The film stars Tim McCoy and Betty Compson. Cast list *Tim McCoy as Tim Carson *Betty Compson as Kate * Joan Barclay as Nancy Brown *Jo ...

'' (1938) *'' The Man in the Iron Mask'' (1939) * '' The Taming of the West'' (1939) *'' Hi-Yo Silver'' (1940) * ''

Wild Horse Rustlers ''Wild Horse Rustlers'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Sam Newfield and written by Joseph O'Donnell. The film stars Robert Livingston as the Lone Rider and Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy Jones", with Lane Chandler, Linda Lei ...

'' (1943) * ''

Law of the Saddle ''Law of the Saddle'' is a 1943 American Western film directed by Melville De Lay and written by Fred Myton. The film stars Robert Livingston as the Lone Rider and Al St. John as his sidekick "Fuzzy Jones", with Betty Miles, Lane Chandler, ...

'' (1943) * '' Rustlers' Hideout'' (1944) * '' Terror Trail'' (1946) *''

Behind Prison Walls ''Behind Prison Walls'' is a 1943 American crime film directed by Steve Sekely and written by Van Norcross. The film stars Alan Baxter, Gertrude Michael, Tully Marshall, Edwin Maxwell, Jacqueline Dalya and Matt Willis. The film was released on ...

'' (1946) *''

Gunning for Vengeance ''Gunning for Vengeance'' is a 1946 American Western film directed by Ray Nazarro, which stars Charles Starrett, Marjean Neville, and The Trailsmen. Cast list * Charles Starrett as Steve Landry aka The Durango Kid * Marjean Neville as Elaine Je ...

'' (1946) *''

The Hawk of Wild River ''The Hawk of Wild River'' is a 1952 American Western (genre), Western film directed by Fred F. Sears and written by Howard J. Green. The film stars Charles Starrett, Smiley Burnette, Jock Mahoney, Clayton Moore, Eddie Parker (actor), Eddie Par ...

'' (1946) *''

The Vigilantes Return ''The Vigilantes Return'' is a 1947 Western film directed by Ray Taylor. Produced by Universal Pictures in Cinecolor, it was shot in Iverson Ranch in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California. Plot Marshal Johnnie Taggart, posing as an outlaw named ...

'' (1947) * ''

Cattle Queen ''Cattle Queen'' is a 1951 American Western film directed by Robert Emmett Tansey and starring Maria Hart, Drake Smith and William Fawcett.Pitts p.57 It was shot at the Iverson Ranch. Sets were designed by the art director Vin Taylor. It was ...

'' (1951) *'' Thunder Over the Plains'' (1953) (with

Randolph Scott George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor whose career spanned the years from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of ...

and Phyllis Kirk) *'' Border River'' (1954) (with

Joel McCrea Joel Albert McCrea (November 5, 1905 – October 20, 1990) was an American actor whose career spanned a wide variety of genres over almost five decades, including comedy, drama, romance, thrillers, adventures, and Westerns, for which he bec ...

and

Yvonne De Carlo Margaret Yvonne Middleton (September 1, 1922January 8, 2007), known professionally as Yvonne De Carlo, was a Canadian-American actress, dancer and singer. She became a Hollywood film star in the 1940s and 1950s, made several recordings, and later ...

) *'' Quantrill's Raiders'' (1958)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chandler, Lane 1899 births 1972 deaths 20th-century American male actors American male film actors American male silent film actors Male Western (genre) film actors Male actors from Montana Male actors from South Dakota People from Helena, Montana People from Roosevelt County, Montana Rocky Mountain College alumni