From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard Lane (May 28, 1899 – September 5, 1982) was an American television announcer and actor who made his mark broadcasting wrestling and roller derby shows on KTLA-TV, mainly from the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Lane was born in 1899 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin to a farm family. Early in life he developed talents for reciting poetry and doing various song-and-dance acts.
By his teenage years, he was doing an "iron jaw" routine in circuses around Europe and worked as a drummer touring with a band in Australia. After the decline of vaudeville, Lane obtained extensive work in motion pictures and was best known at the time for playing Inspector John or William Faraday or Farraday (depending on the film) in all fourteen Boston Blackie Columbia Pictures features starring Chester Morris, starting with Meet Boston Blackie in 1941. During World War II, he appeared as emcee with USO troops entertaining G.I.s. His unit appeared at Fort MacArthur in September 1944. Lane also announced for the Jalopy Derby and Destruction Derby at Ascot Park, Gardena California.
Lane also played Faraday in the first radio version of Boston Blackie, which ran on NBC from June 23, 1944 to September 15, 1944.
Known For
Gung Ho!
(1943)
Capt. Dunphy
Hellzapoppin'
(1941)
Director
Ride 'Em Cowboy
(1942)
Pete Conway (uncredited)
Arabian Nights
(1942)
Corporal
Wonder Man
(1945)
Asst. District Attorney
Union Pacific
(1939)
Sam Reed
Boom Town
(1940)
Assistant D.A.
Brother Orchid
(1940)
Mugsy O'Day
The Shaggy D.A.
(1976)
Roller Rink Announcer
Full Filmography
Acting
Shake, Mr. Shakespeare
(1936)
Mr. Smith
Punch and Beauty
(1936)
Russ Biff
For the Love of Pete
(1936)
McSwat's Cornerman
Wise Girl
(1937)
Detective
Flight from Glory
(1937)
Mr. Hanson
The Outcasts of Poker Flat
(1937)
High-Grade
Saturday's Heroes
(1937)
Red Watson
There Goes My Girl
(1937)
Tim J. Whelan
The Life of the Party
(1937)
Hotel Manager
You Can't Buy Luck
(1937)
Det. McGrath
New Faces of 1937
(1937)
Broker
Super-Sleuth
(1937)
Barker
The Woman I Love
(1937)
Florence's Boyfriend
Should Wives Work?
(1937)
Danger Patrol
(1937)
Bill
Many Unhappy Returns
(1937)
Doctor
Charlie Chan in Honolulu
(1938)
Joe Arnold
Crashing Hollywood
(1938)
Hugo Wells
This Marriage Business
(1938)
Joe Selby
The Dummy Owner
(1938)
Radio City Revels
(1938)
Crane
Exposed
(1938)
Tony Mitchell
Go Chase Yourself
(1938)
Nails
Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
(1938)
Assistant Coach Jones
Everybody's Doing It
(1938)
Steve Devers
Blind Alibi
(1938)
Bowers
His Exciting Night
(1938)
Homer Carslake
Ears of Experience
(1938)
The Boss
The Jitters
(1938)
Dance Studio Manager
I'm from the City
(1938)
Captain Oliver 'Ollie' Fitch
The Saint in New York
(1938)
Dispatcher (Uncredited)
Joy of Living
(1938)
Harvey (Uncredited)
The Last Warning
(1938)
Richard Lane
Mr. Moto in Danger Island
(1939)
Police Commissioner Gordon
It Could Happen to You
(1939)
District Attorney
Stronger Than Desire
(1939)
Jerry Brody
Sued for Libel
(1939)
Smiley Dugan
The Day the Bookies Wept
(1939)
Ramsey Firpo
Union Pacific
(1939)
Sam Reed
The Escape
(1939)
David Clifford
The Amazing Mr. Williams
(1939)
Reagan (uncredited)
Mutiny on the Blackhawk
(1939)
Kit Carson
News Is Made at Night
(1939)
Barney Basely
Nick Carter, Master Detective
(1939)
Sam Vaughn
Main Street Lawyer
(1939)
Ballou, Marco's Lawyer
For Love or Money
(1939)
Foster
Unexpected Father
(1939)
Leo Murphy - Booking Agent
Drunk Driving
(1939)
Rick
Hero for a Day
(1939)
Abbott
Brother Orchid
(1940)
Mugsy O'Day
City of Chance
(1940)
Marty Connors
Boom Town
(1940)
Assistant D.A.
Hired Wife
(1940)
McNab
Two Girls on Broadway
(1940)
Buddy Bartell
The Biscuit Eater
(1940)
Harvey McNeil
Sandy Is a Lady
(1940)
Philip Jarvis
Free, Blonde and 21
(1940)
Lieutenant Lake
Youth Will Be Served
(1940)
Mr. Hewitt
Confessions of Boston Blackie
(1941)
Inspector John Farraday
Meet Boston Blackie
(1941)
Inspector Faraday
Time Out for Rhythm
(1941)
Mike Armstrong
The Cowboy and the Blonde
(1941)
Gilbert
The Penalty
(1941)
Craig
Ride, Kelly, Ride
(1941)
Dan Thomas
A Girl, a Guy, and a Gob
(1941)
Recruiting Officer
Navy Blues
(1941)
'Rocky' Anderson
Riders of the Purple Sage
(1941)
Steve Oldring
Respect the Law
(1941)
George Johnson
Hellzapoppin'
(1941)
Director
San Antonio Rose
(1941)
Charles J. Willoughby
I Wanted Wings
(1941)
Flight Commander
For Beauty's Sake
(1941)
Mr. Jackman
Arabian Nights
(1942)
Corporal
A-Haunting We Will Go
(1942)
Phillips
Alias Boston Blackie
(1942)
Inspector Farraday
Boston Blackie Goes Hollywood
(1942)
Inspector Farraday
Time to Kill
(1942)
Lt. Breeze
Dr. Broadway
(1942)
Police Sgt. Patrick Doyle
Drums of the Congo
(1942)
Coutlass
Ride 'Em Cowboy
(1942)
Pete Conway (uncredited)
To the Shores of Tripoli
(1942)
Lieutenant
Dead End Kids Go To War
(1942)
Don Ames
Butch Minds the Baby
(1942)
Harry the Horse
After Midnight with Boston Blackie
(1943)
Inspector Farraday
The Chance of a Lifetime
(1943)
Insp. John Farraday
Fired Wife
(1943)
Orin Tracy
Air Force
(1943)
Maj. W.G. Roberts
Swing Your Partner
(1943)
Mr. Lane
Corvette K-225
(1943)
Vice Admiral
Crazy House
(1943)
S. E. Hanley
It Ain't Hay
(1943)
Slicker
Gung Ho!
(1943)
Capt. Dunphy
Don't Be a Sucker!
(1943)
Soapbox Orator
One Mysterious Night
(1944)
Inspector Farraday
A Wave, a WAC and a Marine
(1944)
Marty Allen
Louisiana Hayride
(1944)
J. Huntington McMasters
Bermuda Mystery
(1944)
Detective Sergeant Donovan
Mr. Winkle Goes to War
(1944)
Sgt. 'Alphabet' Czeidrowski
Take It Big
(1944)
Eddie Hampton
Bowery to Broadway
(1944)
Walter Rogers
Brazil
(1944)
Edward Graham
Slightly Terrific
(1944)
Mike Hamilyon
Two O'Clock Courage
(1945)
Al Haley
Boston Blackie's Rendezvous
(1945)
Inspector Farraday
Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion
(1945)
Insp. John Farraday
The Bullfighters
(1945)
'Hot Shot' Coleman
What a Blonde
(1945)
Pomeroy
Wonder Man
(1945)
Asst. District Attorney
Here Come the Co-eds
(1945)
Near-Sighted Man at Ballroom
High Blood Pleasure
(1945)
Dick
A Close Call for Boston Blackie
(1946)
Inspector Farraday
Boston Blackie and the Law
(1946)
Inspector Farraday
The Phantom Thief
(1946)
Inspector John Farraday
Girl on the Spot
(1946)
Weepy McGurk
Sioux City Sue
(1946)
Jefferson Lang
Ain't Love Cuckoo?
(1946)
Dick Lane
Pardon My Terror
(1946)
Dick
Gentleman Joe Palooka
(1946)
Phillips
Hot Water
(1946)
Dick
Talk About a Lady
(1946)
Duke Randall
Out of the Blue
(1947)
Detective Noonan
Training for Trouble
(1947)
Richard Lane
Wedding Belle
(1947)
Dick Lane
Song of Scheherazade
(1947)
Lieutenant
The Return of the Whistler
(1948)
Gaylord Traynor
Trapped by Boston Blackie
(1948)
Insp. William R. Farraday
The Creeper
(1948)
Insp. Fenwick
Tenth Avenue Angel
(1948)
Street Vendor
The Babe Ruth Story
(1948)
Boston Braves' coach
Pardon My Lamb Chop
(1948)
Dick, Shell-shocked Veteran
Two Nuts in a Rut
(1948)
Richard Lane, producer
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
(1949)
Michael Gihuly
Boston Blackie's Chinese Venture
(1949)
Inspector William R. Farraday
The Big Wheel
(1949)
Reno Riley
There's a Girl in My Heart
(1949)
Sergeant Mullin
Miss Mink of 1949
(1949)
Herbert Pendelton
Flung by a Fling
(1949)
Sgt. Dick Lane
He's in Again
(1949)
Dick
The Jackie Robinson Story
(1950)
Hopper
The Admiral Was a Lady
(1950)
Marty Gruber
Quicksand
(1950)
Lt. Nelson
Everybody's Dancin'
(1950)
Colonel Ed Harrison
I Can Get It for You Wholesale
(1951)
Kelley
Kansas City Bomber
(1972)
Len
The Shaggy D.A.
(1976)
Roller Rink Announcer