Don Lane
| Don Lane | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Morton Donald Isaacson 13 November 1933 New York City, New York, US |
| Died | 22 October 2009 (aged 75) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Resting place | Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium |
| Occupation | TV presenter, actor, singer, sportscaster |
| Years active | 1965-2001 |
Don Lane (13 November 1933 – 22 October 2009), born as Morton Donald Isaacson, was an American-born talk show host and singer, best known for his television career in Australia, especially for hosting The Don Lane Show which aired on the Nine Network from 1975 to 1983.
Lane was born Morton Donald Isaacson at the Manhattan "Flower Hospital" in New York City to a Jewish father (Jacob) and a Catholic mother (Dolly), who later converted to Judaism. Jacob "Jack" Isaacson was a sergeant in the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and Dolly was a homemaker. He was raised in The Bronx, where he attended DeWitt Clinton High School and was classmates with Judd Hirsch and Garry Marshall. By his mid-teens, due to his mother's influential personality, Isaacson had decided he wanted to be in show business. He even placed a star on his bedroom door. He started to entertain at parties he attended with his parents, usually doing a mixture of singing and comedy. He also played varsity football and basketball for DeWitt Clinton High School. Later, he gained a football and basketball scholarship to Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he spent three years.
After leaving college, Isaacson formed a double act with his best friend Manny Glasser called "Donny and the Duke". The duo worked in local New York nightclubs for a few months before Isaacson was drafted into the US Army at age 21. He was commissioned as an officer and served in the artillery. While in the army he formed a double act with fellow soldier Murray Levine, Isaacson usually playing the comic while his partner was the straight man. The double act went on to win the All-Army entertainment contest and earned them an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1955. One year later Isaacson won the All-Army entertainment contest again as a solo act. After his mandatory service in the army, he later toured for two years entertaining troops all over the United States.
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