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

and roller derby 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 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 ...

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 Lak ...

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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, he appeared as emcee with

USO The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...

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 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, 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 Roller Games was the name of a sports entertainment spectacle created in the early 1960s in Los Angeles, California — This source is detailed but not neutral; better sources are needed for all of its claims. as a rival to the Jerry Seltzer-owned ...

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 Mr. Moto is a fictional Japanese secret agent created by the American author John P. Marquand. He appeared in six novels by Marquand published between 1935 and 1957. Marquand initially created the character for the ''Saturday Evening Post'', whi ...

, and Dr. Lee Grable. Contrary to popular opinion it was Lane, not former ABC sports announcer Keith Jackson, 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' ''Everybody's Dancin is the tenth studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee ...

'' 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''. In 1974 he moved to a home in the Deep Well neighborhood of Palm Springs, California. 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 on September 5, 1982. He was buried in Pacific View Memorial Park,

Orange County Orange County most commonly refers to: *Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area Orange County may also refer to: U.S. counties *Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando *Orange County, Indiana *Orange County, New ...

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 "The Outcasts of Poker Flat" (1869) is a short story written by writer of the American West Bret Harte. An example of naturalism and local color of California during the first half of the nineteenth century. The story was first published in Janua ...

'' (1937) as 'High-Grade' * ''

You Can't Buy Luck ''You Can't Buy Luck'' is a 1937 murder mystery film directed by Lew Landers and starring Onslow Stevens and Helen Mack. Plot Superstitious New York gambler Joe Baldwin (Onslow Stevens), owner of the thoroughbred racing horse Sarcasm, believes ...

'' (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 r ...

'' (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 ''Saturday's Heroes'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Edward Killy from a screenplay by Paul Yawitz, Charles Kaufman, and David Silverstein based on George Templeton's story. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, the film ...

'' (1937) as Red Watson * ''

Danger Patrol ''Danger Patrol'' is a 1937 American drama film directed by Lew Landers from a screenplay by Sy Bartlett based on a story by Helen Vreeland and Hilda Vincent. Produced and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, it was released on December 3, 1937 ...

'' (1937) as Bill * '' Hitting a New High'' (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 predic ...

'' (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 ''Go Chase Yourself'' is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Paul Yawitz and Bert Granet. The film stars Joe Penner, Lucille Ball, Richard Lane, June Travis, Fritz Feld and Tom Kennedy. The film was released ...

'' (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 ...

'' (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 rele ...

'' (1938) as Bowers * '' I'm from the City'' (1938) as Captain Oliver 'Ollie' Fitch * '' Carefree'' (1938) as Henry - Country Club Headwaiter (uncredited) * '' Mr. Doodle Kicks Off'' (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'' (1938) as Homer Carslake * '' The Last Warning'' (1938) as Steve Felson * ''

Charlie Chan in Honolulu ''Charlie Chan in Honolulu'' is a 1939 American film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone, starring Sidney Toler as the fictional Chinese-American detective Charlie Chan. The film is the first appearance of both Toler as Chan and Victor Sen Yung as ...

'' (1938) as Joe Arnold * ''

Mr. Moto in Danger Island ''Mr. Moto in Danger Island'' is a 1939 American mystery film directed by Herbert I. Leeds and starring Peter Lorre, Jean Hersholt and Amanda Duff. It is part of the Mr. Moto series of films. The film was based on the novel '' Murder in Trinid ...

'' (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 with ...

'' (1939) as Leo Murphy - Booking Agent * ''

Stronger Than Desire ''Stronger Than Desire'' is a 1939 American drama film directed by Leslie Fenton and starring Virginia Bruce, Walter Pidgeon and Ann Dvorak. It is a remake of 1934 film ''Evelyn Prentice'', itself based on the 1933 novel '' Evelyn Prentice'' by ...

'' (1939) as Jerry Brody * '' News Is Made at Night'' (1939) as Barney Basely * '' Mutiny on the Blackhawk'' (1939) as Kit Carson * '' The Day the Bookies Wept'' (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'' (1939, Short) as Rick * '' Main Street Lawyer'' (1939) as Ballou, Marco's Lawyer * '' The Amazing Mr. Williams'' (1939) as Reagan (uncredited) * '' Nick Carter, Master Detective'' (1939) as Sam Vaughn (uncredited) * ''

City of Chance ''City of Chance'' is a 1940 American crime drama film directed by Ricardo Cortez and written by John Larkin and Barry Trivers. The film stars Lynn Bari, C. Aubrey Smith, Donald Woods and Amanda Duff. The film was released on January 13, 1940, b ...

'' (1940) as Marty Connors * '' Free, Blonde and 21'' (1940) as Lt. Lake * ''

Two Girls on Broadway ''Two Girls on Broadway'' is a 1940 musical film directed by S. Sylvan Simon and starring Lana Turner and Joan Blondell. The film is a remake of ''The Broadway Melody'' (1929). Plot Molly Mahoney (Joan Blondell) forms a vaudeville act with her fi ...

'' (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 K ...

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

The Bride Wore Crutches ''The Bride Wore Crutches'' is a 1941 American comedy film directed by Shepard Traube and written by Edward Verdier. The film stars Lynne Roberts, Ted North, Edgar Kennedy, Robert Armstrong, Lionel Stander and Richard Lane. The film was release ...

'' (1940) as Bill Daly * '' Yesterday's Heroes'' (1940) as Cleats Slater * ''

Margie Margie is a feminine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Margaret, Marjorie or Margarita. Margie may refer to: People * Margie Ackles (born 1939), American retired figure skater * Marjorie Margie Alexander (1948–2013), American ...

'' (1940) as Mr. Dixon * '' Youth Will Be Served'' (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. B ...

'' (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'' (1941) as Recruiting Officer * '' The Penalty'' (1941) as Craig * ''

I Wanted Wings ''I Wanted Wings'' is a 1941 American drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and based on a book by Lieutenant Beirne Lay Jr. The film stars Ray Milland and William Holden. The supporting cast includes Wayne Morris, Brian Donlevy, Constance Mo ...

'' (1941) as Flight Commander * '' The Cowboy and the Blonde'' (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'' (1941) as Mr. Jackman * '' Tight Shoes'' (1941) as Allan McGrath * '' San Antonio Rose'' (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 Sep ...

'' (1941) as Editor Grundy * '' Riders of the Purple Sage'' (1941) as Steve Oldring * ''

Confessions of Boston Blackie ''Confessions of Boston Blackie'' is a 1941 American crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Chester Morris and Harriet Hilliard. A woman consigns a family heirloom to a pair of unscrupulous art dealers in order to raise money to help ...

'' (1941) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Hellzapoppin''' (1941) as Director * '' Ride 'Em Cowboy'' (1942) as Pete Conway (uncredited) * '' Butch Minds the Baby'' (1942) as Harry the Horse * ''

To the Shores of Tripoli ''To the Shores of Tripoli'' is a 1942 American Technicolor film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone and starring John Payne, Maureen O'Hara and Randolph Scott. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. Its cinematography was nominated for an Ac ...

'' (1942) as Lieutenant * ''

Junior G-Men of the Air ''Junior G-Men of the Air'' is a 1942 Universal film serial starring the Dead End Kids and the Little Tough Guys. A group of youthful flying enthusiasts join the "Junior G-Men" to help break up a planned attack on the United States. Plot During ...

'' (1942, Serial) as Agent Don Ames * ''

Alias Boston Blackie ''Alias Boston Blackie'' (1942) is the third in a series of fourteen Columbia Pictures "B" movies starring Chester Morris as Boston Blackie. It was preceded by ''Meet Boston Blackie'', ''Confessions of Boston Blackie'' and followed by '' Boston ...

'' (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 ...

'' (1942) as Police Sgt. Patrick Doyle * '' A-Haunting We Will Go'' (1942) as Phillips * '' Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood'' (1942) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Time to Kill'' (1942) as Lt. Breeze * '' Arabian Nights'' (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'' (1943) as Slicker * '' After Midnight with Boston Blackie'' (1943) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

Swing Your Partner ''Swing Your Partner'' is a 1943 American comedy film directed by Frank McDonald and written by Dorrell McGowan and Stuart E. McGowan. The film stars Myrtle Wiseman, Scotty Wiseman, Barbara Jo Allen, Dale Evans, Ransom M. Sherman and Harry Ch ...

'' (1943) as Mr. Lane * '' Fired Wife'' (1943) as Orin Tracy * '' Thank Your Lucky Stars'' (1943) as Barney Johnson (uncredited) * '' Corvette K-225'' (1943) as Vice Admiral * '' Crazy House'' (1943) as S. E. Hanley * '' The Chance of a Lifetime'' (1943) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

Gung Ho! ''Gung Ho!'' (full title: ''Gung Ho!: The Story of Carlson's Makin Island Raiders'') is a 1943 American war film directed by Ray Enright and starring Randolph Scott. The story is based somewhat on the real-life World War II Makin Island raid led ...

'' (1943) as Captain Dunphy * ''

Slightly Terrific ''Slightly Terrific'' is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Edward F. Cline and written by Edward Dein and Stanley Davis. The film stars Leon Errol, Anne Rooney, Eddie Quillan, Richard Lane, Betty Kean, Ray Malone, Lillian Cornell, Donald ...

'' (1944) as Mike Hamilton * '' Bermuda Mystery'' (1944) as Detective Sergeant Donovan * '' Take It Big'' (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 ''Mr. Winkle Goes to War'' is a 1944 war comedy film starring Edward G. Robinson and Ruth Warrick, based on a novel by Theodore Pratt. Plot On June 1, 1942, after fourteen years working in a bank, mild-mannered 44-year-old Wilbert G. Winkle s ...

'' (1944) as Sgt. 'Alphabet' Czeidrowski * '' A Wave, a WAC and a Marine'' (1944) as Marty Allen * '' One Mysterious Night'' (1944) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Bowery to Broadway'' (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 ...

'' (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 ''Two O'Clock Courage'' is a 1945 American film noir directed by Anthony Mann and written by Robert E. Kent, based on novel written by Gelett Burgess. The drama features Tom Conway and Ann Rutherford. It is a remake of ''Two in the Dark'' (1936). ...

'' (1945) as Al Haley * '' The Horn Blows at Midnight'' (1945) as Furness - Radio Announcer (uncredited) * ''

Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion ''Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion'' (also known as ''Booked on Suspicion'') is the eighth of 14 Columbia Pictures B movies starring Chester Morris as reformed thief Boston Blackie. Plot Boston Blackie's (Chester Morris) wealthy friend, Arthu ...

'' (1945) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

The Bullfighters ''The Bullfighters'' is the penultimate feature film starring Laurel and Hardy, the sixth and final film the duo made under 20th Century Fox as well as the last released in the United States. Plot Private detectives Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy ...

'' (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 ''Boston Blackie's Rendezvous'' is a 1945 American crime film directed by Arthur Dreifuss. The working title of this film was ''Surprise in the Night''. Plot Boston Blackie's life gets complicated when maniac murderer James Cook (Steve Cochran) ...

'' (1945) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Girl on the Spot'' (1946) as 'Weepy' McGurk * '' A Close Call for Boston Blackie'' (1946) as Inspector John Farraday * '' Talk About a Lady'' (1946) as Duke Randall * '' The Phantom Thief'' (1946) as Inspector John Farraday * ''

Pardon My Terror ''Pardon My Terror'' is a 1946 short film starring Richard Lane and Gus Schilling. The supporting cast also includes Christine McIntyre, Lynne Lyons, Philip Van Zandt, Kenneth McDonald, Dick Wessel, Vernon Dent, Emil Sitka and Dudley Dickerson ...

'' (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'' (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'' (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'' (1948) as Boston Braves' coach * '' The Creeper'' (1948) as Insp. Fenwick * ''

He's in Again ''He's in Again'' is a 1918 American silent comedy film starring Billy West and also featuring Oliver Hardy. It is one of the several films where West adopts Chaplin's tramp persona. Plot A Chaplin type figure (Billy West) tries to evade a bo ...

'' (1949, Short) as Dick * '' Miss Mink of 1949'' (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 ''That Midnight Kiss'' is a 1949 Technicolor American musical romance film also starring Mario Lanza (in his first leading role) and Kathryn Grayson. Among the supporting cast were Ethel Barrymore, conductor/pianist Jose Iturbi (playing himself) ...

'' (1949) as Radio D.J. (uncredited) * '' The Big Wheel'' (1949) as Reno Riley * ''

There's a Girl in My Heart ''There's a Girl in My Heart'' is a 1949 American musical comedy film directed by Arthur Dreifuss, starring Lee Bowman, Elyse Knox, and Gloria Jean. It was made by Allied Artists with many former contract stars from Universal. Filming started ...

'' (1949) as Sergeant Mullin * ''

Quicksand Quicksand is a colloid consisting of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it creates a liquefied soil that los ...

'' (1950) as Lt. Nelson * ''

'' (1950) as Colonel Ed Harrison * ''

The Jackie Robinson Story ''The Jackie Robinson Story'' is a 1950 biographical film directed by Alfred E. Green (who had directed ''The Jolson Story'', "one of the biggest hits of the 40s") and starring Jackie Robinson as himself. The film focuses on Robinson's struggle ...

'' (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 ''The Admiral Was a Lady'' is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Albert S. Rogell and starring Edmond O'Brien and Wanda Hendrix. The working title of the film was ''Once Over Lightly'', taken from one of the film's songs. Plot After the ...

'' (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) * '' Kansas City Bomber'' (1972) as Len * '' The Shaggy D.A.'' (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 The ''AFI Catalog of Feature Films'', also known as the ''AFI Catalog'', is an ongoing project by the American Film Institute (AFI) to catalog all commercially-made and theatrically exhibited American motion pictures from the birth of cinema in ...

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 At ...

Richard Lane
at AllMovie * {{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