Nathan Lane Biography
Summary
"Nathan Lane" (born February 3, 1956) is a Tony Award- and Emmy Award-winning actor of the stage and screen.
Biography
Early life
Lane was born "Joseph Lane" in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of Irish American Catholic
parents. He was named after a paternal uncle, a Jesuit priest. His father, Daniel, was a truck driver and an aspiring tenor who died from alcoholism when Lane was eleven; his mother, Nora, was a manic-depressive housewife and secretary who died in 2000. He has two brothers, Robert and Daniel. Lane attended Roman Catholic schools in Jersey City, including Jesuit-run St. Peter's Preparatory High School where he was elected Best Actor in 1974.
Career
Deciding between college and an acting career, Lane opted for the latter, saying that college was for people who didn't know what they wanted to do, while he did. Because there already was a Joseph Lane registered with Actors Equity, he changed his name to Nathan after the character Nathan Detroit from the musical "Guys and Dolls". He moved to New York City where, after a long struggle, his career began to take off, first with off-Broadway productions at Second Stage Theatre, the Roundabout Theatre, and the Manhattan Theatre Club, and then his 1982 Broadway debut in a revival of Noel Coward's "Present Laughter" with a cast headed by George C. Scott, Kate Burton, Dana Ivey, and Christine Lahti.
His second Broadway appearance was in the 1983 box-office failure "Merlin", starring Chita Rivera, and magician Doug Henning. Commenting on the show, Lane later said, 'Doug Henning's greatest magic trick was getting the show produced.' This was followed by "The Wind in the Willows" as Toad, "Some Americans Abroad" at Lincoln Center, and "On Borrowed Time" at Circle in the Square Theatre with George C. Scott again. In 1992, he starred in the revival of "Guys and Dolls", receiving his first Tony nomination, playing the character who lent him his name, opposite Peter Gallagher and Faith Prince.
His professional association with his close friend the playwright Terrence McNally includes roles in "Lips Together, Teeth Apart", "The Lisbon Traviata", "Bad Habits", "Love! Valour! Compassion!", and "Dedication". The early 1990s began a highly successful stretch of Broadway shows for Lane. In 1993, he portrayed Sid Caesar-like Max Prince in Neil Simon's "Laughter on the 23rd Floor", inspired by Simon's early career writing sketches for "Your Show of Shows". In 1994, he starred in the highly successful revival of Larry Gelbart's "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", for which he won a Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical. His association with Sondheim continued when he appeared with Victor Garber in the workshop of "Wise Guys" (later "Bounce") and again in 2004 when he revised the original book for and starred in the Broadway debut of the composer's "The Frogs" at Lincoln Center. He also sang a song written especially for him by Sondheim in the film "The Birdcage". In 1999 he starred in the Roundabout revival of "The Man Who Came to Dinner" as Sheridan Whiteside, with Jean Smart and Harriet Harris. Prior to that he starred in the Encores production of "Do, Re, Mi". In addition to the McNally plays, Lane has appeared in numerous other Off Broadway productions, including "Love" (the musical version of Murray Schisgal's "Luv"), "Measure For Measure" in Central Park, "The Film Society", "Mizlansky/Zilinsky or 'Schmucks", "In a Pig's Valise", "Trumbo", "She Stoops to Conquer", and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
In 1995 he performed in "The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True" a musical performance of the popular story at Lincoln Center to benefit the Children's Defense Fund. The performance was originally broadcast on Turner Network Television (TNT), and issued on CD and video in 1996. Lane won his second Tony Award for his portrayal of Max Bialystock in the musical version of Mel Brooks's "The Producers" opposite Matthew Broderick, with whom he competed for the honor. He later replaced Richard Dreyfuss in the role at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane at the last minute and went on to win the "Olivier Award" as Best Actor in a Musical. He recreated his performance for the film version, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy.
Lane has performed two roles originated by Zero Mostel, Pseudolus in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and Max Bialystock in "The Producers". He declined the role of Tevye in the 2004 Broadway revival of "Fiddler On The Roof" because he didn't want to be seen as always following in Mostel's footsteps. Coincidentally, both of Lane's Tony Awards were for Mostel's roles.
In 2005, Lane rejoined Broderick for a wildly successful limited run of "The Odd Couple". In 2006, he changed gears to take on a primarily dramatic role in a revival of Simon Gray's "Butley". He and Broderick were awarded adjacent stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a joint ceremony on January 9, 2006. They were also immortalized as Max and Leo at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.
Personal life
When he was 21 and told his mother he was gay, her reply was: 'I'd rather you were dead.' Lane shot back: 'I knew you'd understand'.
Lane, who came out publicly after the death of Matthew Shepard, jokingly describes himself as 'one of those old-fashioned homosexuals, not one of the newfangled ones who are born joining parades.' When he was asked once by a reporter whether he was gay, rather than providing a blunt yes-or-no answer, he famously declared, 'I'm 40, single and I work a lot in the musical theatre. You do the math.' He has been a long-time board member of and fundraiser for B'way Cares/Equity Fights Aids, and he has been honored by The Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and The Trevor Project for his work in the gay community.
Though he played a chef in "Mousehunt", as mentioned on an episode of "Martha" in which he appeared as a guest, he is not good in the kitchen. He resides in New York, has a long-time partner, and remains very good friends with Matthew Broderick, Mel Brooks and Ernie Sabella.
Awards and nominations
Television
He has received three nominations and won two Daytime Emmy Awards, in 1995 for Disney's "Timon and Pumbaa" and in 2000 for Disney's "Teacher's Pet". He has also received two Emmy nominations for guest appearances on Frasier and Mad About You. In 1999 he won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer in a New TV Series.
Film
1997 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy ("The Birdcage", nominee)
1997 MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo ("The Birdcage", nominee along with Robin Williams)
1997 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role ("The Birdcage", nominee)
1997 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast ("The Birdcage", won)
2006 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy ("The Producers", nominee)
1996 American Comedy Award for Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture-The Birdcage
2002 National Board of Review Award for Best Ensemble Performance-Nicholas Nickleby
Theatre
1983 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play ("Present Laughter", nominee)
1984 St.Clair Bayfield Award for Shakespearean Performance in 'Measure For Measure', winner
1990 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play ("The Lisbon Traviata", winner)
1992 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance
1992 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical ("Guys and Dolls", winner)
1992 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical ("Guys and Dolls", nominee)
1995 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play ("Love! Valour! Compassion!", winner)
1995 Obie Award for Ensemble Acting ("Love! Valour! Compassion!")
1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", winner)
1996 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", winner)
2001 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical ("The Producers", winner)
2001 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical ("The Producers", winner)
2005 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical ("The Producers", winner)
2006 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play ("Dedication or The Stuff of Dreams", nominee)
As well as four Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Lucille Lortel Award for "The Lisbon Traviata".
Additional honors
2002 GLAAD Media Awards Vito Russo Award
2007 The Trevor Project Hero Award
2007 Human Rights Campaign Equality Award
2006American Theatre Wing Honor for his commitment to and achievement in theatre
Work
Television
His television credits include a recurring role on "One of the Boys" with Mickey Rooney and Dana Carvey, "The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd" (1989), the title role in "The Man Who Came to Dinner" (2000), the voice of the title character in the animated series "Teacher's Pet", as well as "Timon & Pumbaa" and "George and Martha", and guest appearances on "Mad About You", "Sex and the City", "Frasier", "Saturday Night Live", "The Tony Awards" as host and co-host four times, "Great Performances- The Last Mile" and as host for the 30th anniversary, "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Absolutely Fabulous" and most recently "30 Rock". He has starred in two television films, "The Boys Next Door" and "Laughter on the 23rd Floor". His attempts at a regular series of his own "Encore! Encore!" (1998) and "Charlie Lawrence" (2003), were ratings disappointments.
Filmography
"Ironweed" (1987) as Harold Allen
"The Lemon Sisters" (1990) as Charlie Sorrell
"Joe Versus the Volcano" (1990) as Baw, Waponi Advance Man
"He Said, She Said" (1991) as Wally Thurman
"Frankie and Johnny" (1991) as Tim
"Addams Family Values" (1993) as Desk Sergeant
"Life with Mikey" (1993) as Ed Chapman
"The Lion King" (1994) as Timon (voice)
"Jeffrey" (1995) as Father Dan
"The Birdcage" (1996) as Albert Goldman
"Mousehunt" (1997) as Ernest 'Ernie' Smuntz
"The Lion King II: Simba's Pride" (1998) as Timon (voice)
"Stuart Little" (1999) as Snowbell (voice)
"Love's Labours Lost" (2000) as Costard
"Isn't She Great" (2000) as Irving Mansfield
"Titan AE" (2000) as Preed (voice)
"Trixie" (2000) as Kirk Stans
"Nicholas Nickleby" (2002) as Vincent Crummles
"Stuart Little 2" (2002) as Snowbell (voice)
"Austin Powers in Goldmember" (2002) as Mysterious Disco Man
"The Lion King 1 1/2" (2004) as Timon
"Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!" (2004) as Richard Levy the Driven
"The Producers" (2005) as Max Bialystock
"Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild" (2006) as Snowbell (voice)
"Trumbo" (2007) documentary, as himself
"Swing Vote" (2008) as Art Crumb
"Nutcracker: The Untold Story" (2008) as Uncle Albert
External links
(Nathan Lane official website)
(Lane interview, 2004, Guardian Unlimited)
(Lane interview, 1996, TIME Magazine)
(Return To Broadway) - "Working in the Theatre Seminar" video at American Theatre Wing.org, April 1996
(Performance) - "Working in the Theatre Seminar" video at American Theatre Wing.org, April 1994
(TonyAwards.com Interview with Nathan Lane)
(BroadwayWorld Photo Preview: Nathan Lane in 'November')
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Nathan Lane.
