Lane Smith

Lane Smith, an American actor born in 1936, graduated from the Leelanau School and studied at the Actors Studio with luminaries like Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino. His career blossomed in New York theater before he made his film debut in 1970’s “Maidstone.” Notable roles in the 1970s included “Rooster Cogburn” and “Network.” A breakthrough came in 1984 with significant parts in “Red Dawn,” “Places in the Heart,” and the TV series “V.” Smith’s portrayal of Richard Nixon in “The Final Days” earned him critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination. He played Perry White in “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” for four seasons and later appeared in “The Legend of Bagger Vance.” Diagnosed with ALS in 2004, Smith passed away in 2005 at 69.