Author Topic: R.I.P. Lane Smith  (Read 12956 times)

Offline Count Zero

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R.I.P. Lane Smith
« on: June 16, 2005, 09:50:53 AM »
Sad news this week: Lane Smith, who did such a wonderful job playing the newsman in "From the Earth to the Moon" died this week.

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/15/obit.smith.ap/

Although episode 8 featured him most prominently, I liked his speech at the end of episode 12 best.
"The men in this room will make moon landings."

Offline LunarOrbit

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Re: R.I.P. Lane Smith
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2005, 10:11:14 AM »
That's too bad. He's one of those actors people see a lot but they don't necessarily know who he is.

I think I first became aware of him (by name) because of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman", where he played Perry White. After that I would recognize him in all sorts of movies.

He was great in "From the Earth to the Moon". I have said that I wish they hadn't focused the Apollo 13 episode on a fictional character, and I still believe that, but it certainly wasn't his fault. He did a great job making us care about the character.
" We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard..."
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Offline spacecat27

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Re: R.I.P. Lane Smith
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2005, 06:50:39 PM »
That's a shame- he must have been a humble fellow, as I don't think it was publically known that he had ALS until his death.
He certainly had a pivotal role in From The Earth To The Moon- and a necessary one since most of the world received the story of Apollo from a 'Walter Cronkite-like person' on a TV screen.  As for the episode about 13- nobody I know cares for it and probably now in retrospect the producers are kicking themselves and saying 'why didn't we think of something else.'  Of course they were the same producers who did the movie of Apollo 13 just a year or so before- and the FTETTM series forced them to present it from a different angle.  It does make some points though- about the privacy of astronauts and their families, and as such stands up with the "First Wives Club" episode to illuminate that issue and gives a glimpse at the public mentality of those times.  It's a point in history that will never be repeated- if and when the time comes that we return to the moon or set foot on Mars, I doubt the media coverage will be as rampant.... sadly.
Anyway, like L.O., I'll always remember Lane Smith as Perry White as well- and can remember him in many other TV and film roles through my life.


Offline Ottawan

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Re: R.I.P. Lane Smith
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2005, 08:34:49 AM »
Well said spacecat!

I too felt that the A13 episode of FTETTM was the weakest, but you do bring up some valid points. I liked your comparison of that episode to the "First Wives Club" episode in that it showed the personal effects of the space program on specific individuals.

I think with the new "vision" and the new administrator that we will return to the moon within the next 10 to 15 years and I only hope that the media coverage will be up to par.

Interesting to note that Grumman is one of the bidding contractors for the CEV.

I always liked that "Spider" episode :D
Man must explore . . . and this is exploration at its greatest

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