Don Lane passed away in Sydney on Thursday 22 October. He was 75 years old.

Born Morton Donald Isaacson in New York, Don Lane was embraced by Australian fans. His variety show ran on the Nine Network from the 1970s until 1983. He won more than 15 Logies during his career and in 2003 he was inducted in the Australian Logies Hall of Fame.

Dubbed the “Lanky Yank” Don Lane was the first American I ever cared for…….before Bogart, before Kerouac, before indie rock.

I grew up watching him on television, but it wasn’t his vaudevillian song and dance routines that I fell in love with. Don Lane was a “Souths man” and it was his passion for the South Sydney Rugby League Football Club that initially drew me to him. Away from television, Don’s passion for rugby league – and the South Sydney Rabbitohs – was legendary, and he would often sing the virtues of our club on National television (in fact he was the first “personality” that I remember mixing sport with their “on air” persona).

I never met Don Lane but felt but due to his on-air honesty that i did know him, and that if I did ever get that opportunity that we would have enjoyed each others company. I felt that I could always trust and rely on Don Lane to do what was good and right…not just for my football club but for all time and causes…like a good friend should.

Don has been described by those that knew him as charismatic; funny; enormously generous; talented; kind until the very end. Long time friend and TV producer Peter Faiman was quoted as saying that he loved Lane’s street sense. “He was tremendously fatalistic, tremendously supportive of other people, subjugated his ego for other people, and was an avid entertainer who deeply touched the people he worked with.”

He was a passionate Souths fan who was intrinsic in the constant battles over the years to save the Rabbitohs from extinction. Along with many other media personalities in 2006 Don Lane was at the fore of a high-profile group of supporters backing Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe’s privatisation bid for South Sydney. Before then he helped save Souths licensed club in 1973; helped the club re-invent itself in the 80’s; embodied the spirit of the 14th Man; and continued to be involved in his desire to keep Souths alive during the “Super League” war. A legendary anecdote was when he was invited to address the players after a dismal first half, he famously smashed a $4000 gold rolex by throwing it against a wall in disgust.

Don Lane helped define for me what is Australian cultural life. A Jewish emigre from New York made good, he will be remembered forever as the Lanky Yank.

Don Lane – A great man, forever our 14th man!
Vale Don Lane.