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