Vale Don Lane
Defamer Australia was sad to learn that entertainer Don Lane has passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Reports The Age:
Entertainment legend Don Lane was charismatic and funny until the very end, his close friend and biographer Janise Beaumont says.
Lane, 75, died this morning after battling Alzheimer’s disease.
‘He didn’t want this to happen, but he was still Don,’’ Ms Beaumont told Macquarie Radio.
‘‘And pretty much up to the end he was very tactile … he loved hugs, he still could make eye contact, still be funny, still be charismatic – but this bastard of Alzheimer’s… we’ve got to find a cure. I’ll go on any committee, I’ll dress up in a chicken suit to raise money to help find a cure because it robs people of so much.’’
Hear, hear, Janise.
Born in New York, Don Lane emigrated to Australia in 1965.
Lane was originally hired to fill in for someone at Channel Nine for six weeks. He went on to become one of the country’s most popular stars and at one time was the highest paid person on Australian television.
Celebrities, including Robin Williams, Billy Connolly, Dame Edna, Tony Curtis, Peter Sellers and Kiss all appeared on The Don Lane Show, which became must-see late night entertainment between 1975 and 1983.
In some ways, Don Lane was the Todd McKenney of his time.
In the late 1968, Lane was charged with importing marijuana. He strenuously protested his innocence, claiming that a vengeful former business associate had planted the drugs in his jacket pocket. He was eventually found not guilty, after being defended by barrister Marcus Einfeld.
The Courier Mail’s tribute to Don contains quite a few good stories, including the time Uri Geller fan Don told a sceptic to “piss off”, but this would have to be my favourite.
In the early 80s, Lane was ejected from the Logie Awards ceremony after attempting to punch TV identity Ernie Sigley, with whom he had developed a long-running feud.
Rest in peace, lanky American.
MORE:
TV legend Don Lane dead (The Age)
Television star Don Lane dead at 75 (Courier Mail)
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Comments
Don Lane (along with Bert and Graham) pioneered a fearless era of television that has no resemblance to the Danoz Direct-era garbage of today.
The likes of star-f**king hacks like Rove McManus could never hope to match that era of live television.
Must correct your psychic story re Don Lane. He was a big fan of the dreadful Doris Stokes who peddled her tawdry wares in Australia during the 70’s.
Lane invented long time sceptic James Randi onto the show. As Randi explained how Uri Geller bent spoons Lane went mental, yelled at him for doubting a lovely woman like Stokes and stormed off, sweeping the spoons to the ground.
It wasn’t his finest moment.
what a sad day, i grew up watching don lane all through the late sixtys, seventys and eightys, he was mr entertainment, to say that i feel a personal sense of loss would be an understatement, we will miss you but more importantly we will remember you, thanks for the happiness and zany entertainment you brought to your fans loungerooms through your various tonight shows, rest in peace don, you certainly earned it