Allan Lane

Allan Lane
Born	Harry Leonard Albershart September 22, 1909(1909-09-22) Mishawaka, Indiana
Died	October 27, 1973 (aged 64) Woodland Hills, California
Occupation	Film, television actor
Years active	1929 – 1966
Spouse(s)	Sheila Ryan (1945-1946) (divorced) Gladys Leslie (?-?) (divorced)

Allan "Rocky" Lane (September 22, 1909-October 27, 1973) was a studio leading man and the star of many cowboy B-movies in the 1940s and 1950s. He appeared in more than 125 films and TV shows in a career lasting from 1929 to 1966. He also did the voice of the talking horse on the television series Mr. Ed, beginning in 1958.

Biography

Lane was born Harry Leonard Albershart in Mishawaka, Indiana to William H. Albershart and his wife Linnie Anne.^[1] He grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan,^[2] and is said to have studied at Notre Dame University, where he played on the football, basketball, and baseball teams. However, he dropped out to pursue an acting career. A Fox Studios talent scout spotted him for his good looks and sent to Hollywood. The studio rechristened him Allan Lane.

Film career

Lane's Hollywood career began in 1929 with his role in Not Quite Decent. From 1929 through 1936, he appeared in twenty-four films. In 1937 his career began to soar; he was a hit in 1938's The Law West of Tombstone. In 1940, he portrayed "RCMP Sergeant Dave King," the role becoming one of his most notable successes. The first was King of the Royal Mounted, a 1940 serial adaptation of Zane Grey's King of the Royal Mounted, with Lane playing the lead role. He starred in several Canadian Mounted Police films, including the serial's The Yukon Patrol and King of the Mounties. He is best remembered for these today. In 1946 and 1947, he portrayed "Red Ryder" in seven films. In 1947 he became "Rocky Lane" in western films.

Between 1940 through 1966, Lane made eighty-two film and television series appearances, mostly in westerns. Between 1947 and 1953, he made over 30 B-movie westerns (as "Rocky" Lane) with his faithful horse 'Black Jack'. His last roles were in voice over acting, including providing the speech for Mr. Ed. In 2003 he won the TV Land Award for the category "Favorite Pet-Human Relationship" as Mr. Ed.^[3]

As Red Ryder

• 1946 Santa Fe Uprising
• 1946 Stagecoach to Denver
• 1947 Vigilantes of Boomtown
• 1947 Homesteaders of Paradise Valley
• 1947 Oregon Trail Scouts
• 1947 Rustlers of Devil's Canyon
• 1947 Marshal of Cripple Creek

Death

Lane retired after 1966, and was residing in Woodland Hills, California at the time of his death to cancer in 1973 at the age of 64. He is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery.

1. ^ US Census 1910, St Joseph Co., Indiana
2. ^ http://www.b-westerns.com/film-al.htm Rocky Lane westerns
3. ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0485226/

External links

• Allan Lane at the Internet Movie Database
• Allan Lane at Allmovie
• Rocky Lane westerns
• Recollections of Allan Lane

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