Lawrence Dane obit

Lawrence Dane, ‘Bride of Chucky’ P.I., Dies at 84

The Canadian performer had early roles on 'Mannix' and 'The Mod Squad' before starring in homegrown movies and TV shows.

 

 He was not on the list.

Lawrence Dane, a Canadian actor known for his TV roles on Mod Squad, Mannix and Bonanza before starring in homegrown series like Side Effects and The Red Green Show, has died. He was 84 years old.

Dane passed away March 21 at his home in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, with his wife, Laurel, and family members at his side after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, his publicist told The Hollywood Reporter. Born April 3, 1937, in Masson, Quebec, as the youngest of six children in a Lebanese family, Dane grew up in Ottawa and took early acting classes to overcome shyness.

Turns out the craft stuck with Dane. “Between then and my exit stage left on (March 21, 2022) I had the good fortune of becoming a member of a highly respected brotherhood of Canadian performers where I got to meet and work with hundreds of other struggling fellow actors. They were all an inspiration to me,” he said in a self-written obit that was unveiled on his death.

In 1958, pioneering Canadian TV producer Frank “Budge” Crawley hired Dane as an extra on a TV drama R.C.M.P., a stand-on part that led to key roles in six episodes of the series about the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Two years later, Dane went to Toronto to play a young convict on the CBC drama Shadow of a Pale Horse, and in 1965 the Canadian actor first went to Los Angeles to try his luck in Hollywood.

At 6′ 1″ in size and broad-shouldered, Dane realized his immediate future lay in playing bad guys in U.S. series, which he did on Bonanza, Mannix and The Mod Squad. “If I’d been short and cherubic, I would have starved to death. There are only two major parts on any television show, the hero and the villain. The economics of the medium don’t allow for anything else,” Dane told a 1976 profile in Maclean’s magazine.

His other U.S. TV credits included appearances on Mission: Impossible, The Virginian, The F.B.I. and Lancer. And Dane’s movie credits included It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, Rituals, Running, Hedda Gabler, David Cronenberg’s Scanners, Millennium, It Takes Two and as private investigator Lt. Preston in the 1998 horror comedy Bride of Chucky.

Dane eventually went on to star in a number of Canadian TV shows, including Street Legal, E.N.G., La Femme Nikita and Flashpoint. He also turned to producing in the 1970s, which included projects like Gordon Pinsent’s script of The Rowdyman, the comedy Only God Knows and the 1977 indie movie Rituals, which starred Dane and Hal Holbrook.

He began acting at the stage as an old policeman in the play Our Town at Ottawa's Fisher Park Community Centre under Lynne Gorman's direction in 1958. His screen career began when he met film maker F. R. Crawley in the same year. Crawley gave him a job as an extra and stand-in for John Perkins as Constable Frank Scott in the TV series R.C.M.P.. In addition to acting, he cowrote and directed the film drama Heavenly Bodies (1984). His producing credits include The Rowdyman, written by and starring Gordon Pinsent, and the slasher film Rituals.

Filmography

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1974      Only God Knows               Vincenzo              Producer

The Heatwave Lasted Four Days                 Jerry Cuozzo      

1975      It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time Broom

1976      The Clown Murders         Philip    

Find the Lady     Broom

1977      The Creeper       Mitzi      Producer

1979      Running               Coach Walker   

Bear Island          Paul Hartman    

1980      Nothing Personal              Ralston

Head On               Frank Keys         

1981      Scanners              Braedon Keller

Happy Birthday to Me    Hal Wainwright                

1982      Love       Mr. Wiseman (Segment: Julia)   

1983      Of Unknown Origin          Eliot Riverton    

1987      Rolling Vengeance           Big Joe Rosso    

1989      Millennium         Vern Rockwell   

1992      Twin Sisters        Boone   Video

1995      Darkman II: The Return of Durant              Dr. Alfred Hathaway        Video

National Lampoon's Senior Trip Senator John Lerman     

It Takes Two       Mr. Kensington

1998      Bride of Chucky                 Lt. Preston         

2000      Waking the Dead              Governor Kinosis             

2001      Fall: The Price of Silence                Joseph King        

2002      Duct Tape Forever           Prosecutor         

2005      King's Ransom   Officer Holland

2007      Still Small Voices               Henry Waiverly

2008      Behind the Wall                Father Hendry  

2010      Sofia      Professor Campbell         Short

2017      Undercover Grandpa      Wolf     

Television

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1959      The Unforeseen               Granz    1 Episode: The Freedom Fighters

1960      Shadow of a Pale Horse Jem        TV Movie

R.C.M.P.               James Morton / Harry Benson / Johnny Wolf       4 Episodes: Three Big Men, Johnny Wolf, Tourist Bait, The Extortionist

Point of Departure           Mathias                TV Movie

1960-61               Encounter           Phil         2 Episodes: Rehearsal for Invasion, Riel: Part 1

1960-62               Festival                 Maupa 2 Episodes: Julius Caesar, The Queen and the Rebels

1961      Macbeth              Seyton TV Movie

First Person                        1 Episode: Wise Guy

1961-62               Playdate               Gerry Roach / Charlie     2 Episodes: Stop the World and Let Me Off, One Man to Beat

Wayne and Shuster                         3 Episodes: The Mona Lisa Mystery, Bandana, The Touchables

1962      On the Road                       1 Episode

1963      ITV Play of the Week       John James Davis              1 Episode: The Fixers

Wayne and Shuster         El Rojo 1 Episode: Theresa

1964      Espionage            Guard    1 Episode: The Liberators

The Detective    Jeff Pastor           1 Episode: The Night of the Horns

The Sullavan Brothers    Capt. Hersch       1 Episode: One for the Day of Judgement

1965      The Forest Rangers          John Mandamin / Indian               2 Episodes: Santa Macleod, The Choice

The Mask of Janus           Bob Miller           2 Episodes: The Cold Equation, The Arranger

1966      This Man Craig Bardossy              1 Episode: Three's Company

1967      Jericho Colonel Baumer                1 Episode: A Switch in Time

I Spy       Boris      1 Episode: Blackout

The Invaders      Josef Dansk         1 Episode: The Captive

1967-69               Felony Squad     Jack Heath / Protector (Garth) / Metz      3 Episodes: Let Him Die!, The Pat Hand of Death, The Last Man in the World

1967-71               Mission: Impossible        Martin Stoner / Commandante Juan Acero / Dr. Anton Yubov       3 Episodes: The Survivors, Commandante, Encounter

1968      It Takes a Thief Capt. Van Zandt                1 Episode: A Matter of Royal Larceny

1968-69               The Virginian      Jacques / Tasker               3 Episodes: The Decision, The Wind of Outrage, Journey to Scathelock

1968-73               The F.B.I.             Lorne Joseph Staley / Frank Sawyer / Julian Young             3 Episodes: Wind It Up and It Betrays You, The Inside Man, Memory of a Legend

1969      Bonanza               Paul Rodgers      1 Episode: Sweet Annie Laurie

Lancer   Dave Macall        1 Episode: The Wedding

1970      House on Greenapple Road         Reverend Ryan Hagen    TV Movie

The Young Rebels                             1 Episode: Father and I Went Down to Camp

The Mod Squad                 John Mackey / Major Sarif            2 Episodes: The Exile, Just Ring the Bell Once

1976      Our Man Flint: Dead on Target                   TV Movie

1978      Hedda Gabler     Judge Brack        TV Movie

1980      A Question of the Sixth Garnet Burton   TV movie

1982      Little Gloria... Happy at Last                         1 Episode: Part 1

Shocktrauma      Dr. Jordan Tracy                TV Movie

1983      The Littlest Hobo              Alistair McLeod 1 Episode: Lumberjacks

A Case of Libel   Coles     TV Movie

1985      In Like Flynn       Gavin     TV Movie

The Park Is Mine               Commissioner Keller       TV Movie

The Hitchhiker   Surgeon / Cop    1 Episode: Out of the Night

1986-88               Danger Bay         Montgomery Dunn          2 Episodes: Poison Bay, To Glimpse a Unicorn

1987      Seeing Things     Jonathan              1 Episode: Eye of the Beholder

Airwolf Commander Kirov            2 Episodes: Stavograd: Part 1 & 2

1987-88               Alfred Hitchcock Presents             Joe Metcalf / Mr. Adams               2 Episodes: If the Shoe Fits, Prosecutor

1988      The Equalizer     Arthur Trent       1 Episode: The Mystery of Manon: Part 2

Memories of Manon       Arthur Trent       TV Movie

The Christmas Wife         Michael Rosten TV Movie

Uncredited

1989      E.N.G.   Mayor Dane       3 Episodes: Dirty Trick, E.N.G. Pilot: Part 1 & 2

Day One                               TV Movie

Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman       General Dzerinsky            TV Movie

In Opposition     Joe Reynolds      1 Episode

1990      Counterstrike    Inspector Dantley             1 Episode: The Dealbreaker

Top Cops              Paul LeBeouf      1 Episode: Paul LeBoeuf/Johnny Kai

The Last Best Year            John Dennis        TV Movie

Star Runner        Fenton TV Movie

1990-92               Rin Tin Tin: K-9 Cop         Nelson Beck        3 Episodes: Endangered Species, Counterfeit Love, Trapped

1991-92               Street Legal        Judge Appleby   7 Episodes

1992      Devlin   Art Wolfe             TV Movie

Secret Service    Nooch   1 Episode: Curiosity Killed the Cat/Murder, He Broke

Tropical Heat     Plentera               1 Episode: White Hot

Scales of Justice                                1 Episode: Regina vs. Pappajohn

The Good Fight Tom Rothermill                 TV Movie

Amy Fisher: My Story     Elliot Fisher         TV Movie

1993      African Skies       Tom Dutton        1 Episode: The Hunted

1993-94               The Red Green Show      Reg Hunter         5 Episodes

1994      Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Sibert    1 Episode: Out of the Woods

1995      Vanished             Judge Morrison                 TV Movie

Black Fox             Colonel McKensie            TV Movie

Black Fox: Good Men and Bad     Colonel McKensie            TV Movie

Almost Golden: The Jessica Savitch Story               Emmertz Canterbury      TV Movie

1994-96               Side Effects         Tom Stockton    15 Episodes

1996      Double Jeopardy              Judge Thornim TV Movie

The Outer Limits0            General Covington           1 Episode: Trial by Fire

Mr. and Mrs. Loving        Sheriff   TV Movie

1996-97               Poltergeist: The Legacy Ned Gregson / Sir Edmund Tremain         2 Episodes: A Traitor Among Us, Silent Partner

1997      On the Second Day of Christmas                Mr. Limber          TV Movie

1998      Moonlight Becomes You               Malcolm Moore                TV Movie

Mr. Headmistress            Rawlings              TV Movie

Escape: Human Cargo     Pinder   TV Movie

The Long Island Incident                Tommy                 TV Movie

Highlander: The Raven   Charlie Johnson Sr.          1 Episode: So Shall You Reap

1999      Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke   John Radford      TV Movie

Lethal Vows        Detective Rick Mauser   TV Movie

Thrill Seekers     FBI Agent Baker                TV Movie

Tales from the Cryptkeeper         John (voice)        1 Episode: Too Cool for School

2000      The Hunger         Barry Seecam     1 Episode: I'm Very Dangerous Tonight

Rated X                 Robert De Salvo                TV Movie

La Femme Nikita               Maurice Grenet                2 Episodes: Face in the Mirror, Up the Rabbit Hole

The Last Debate                Sidney Robert Mulvane TV Movie

2001      Stargate SG-1     Major General Bauer      1 Episode: Chain Reaction

Fall: The Price of Silence                Joseph King         TV Movie

Queer as Folk     Jack Kinney         3 Episodes: Babylon Boomerang, A Change of Heart, Surprise Kill

MythQuest         King Minos          1 Episode: The Minotaur

Doc                        1 Episode: Gypsies, Janitors and Thieves

2002      Guilty Hearts      Les Moran           TV Movie

Crossing the Line              Coach Tom Holliday        TV Movies

Breaking News Donald Simms   1 Episode: Wall-To-Wall Plane Crash

2003      Phenomenon II Rawlings              TV Movie

2005      Puppets Who Kill              The Colonel        1 Episode: Buttons on a Hot Tin Roof

2006      The Perfect Marriage      Donald Danforth               TV Movie

Angela's Eyes     August Lambert                1 Episode: Open Your Eyes

Absolution          Bishop Edward Werther                TV Movie

2008      The Perfect Marriage      Wade, Nugget's Dad       1 Episode: Pill for Men

2009      Everything She Ever Wanted       George Allanson               Mini-Series

2010      You Lucky Dog   Clay Rayborn      TV Movie

2011      Flashpoint           Arthur Bell          1 Episode: The War Within

2013      A Very Merry Mix-Up     Charles TV Movie

Stage

Year       Title       Role       Notes

1959      Dark of the Moon             Mr. Allen              run started on 12 January at Ottawa Little Theatre

1962      Macbeth              Angus    18 June – 29 September at Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario

The Tempest      various roles       18 June – 29 September at Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario

Cyrano de Bergerac                         18 June – 29 September at Festival Theatre, Stratford, Ontario