Cabaret Performer
Because of his Las Vegas nightclub background, Lane would work in clubs and theatres throughout Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. He would work nightclubs, theatres and theater restaurants when he was not working on television. When first arriving in Australia and hosting his tonight show, an agent named Richard Gray saw the appeal that Lane had and asked him to come and do his "act" at South Sydney Junior Rugby League Club, which was one of Sydney's premier venues. Lane then worked in clubs all over Sydney when his show was not in season, perfecting his act and carrying on from his early nightclub experience.
During the era of The Don Lane Show, Lane would perform at Melbourne's premier theatre venues such as The Princess Theatre and Her Majesty's Theatre. Don Lane in Concert was a television special in 1980 which showed Lane's 90 minute stage act live on Channel 9. The musical director for The Don Lane Show, Graeme Lyall, was under contract with the network, so any song which Lane liked was made into an arrangement for an 18-piece orchestra with three backing vocals. During the Don Lane in Concert television special, Lane performed his signature tunes such as "76 Trombones" and "Trouble". But Lane also performed songs that were new at the time such as; "I Still Call Australia Home", "They're Playing Our Song" and "'She's Out of My life"'. Each song was arranged to accommodate Lane's "crooning" style by musical director Graeme Lyall. Entertainment reporter Peter Ford of radio 2UE described Lane's club act as such:
"Don was a terrific television personality. But when you saw Don doing his floor show, whether in clubs or theaters, when he had a live audience and band he really owned that stage. Don Lane knew how to work a room and gave us Las Vegas 'pizazz' whenever he performed."
Lane was responsible for the name of the original club entertainment awards, the "MO" Awards. Originally named the New South Wales Star Awards, the awards took on the name coined by Lane when they went national. His suggestion not only proved to be a popular name for the awards, it also honours the memory of one of Australia's greatest clowns and comics - Roy Rene, who became a legend in the entertainment industry using the stage name of "MO" McCackie. Lane was a recipient of five Mo Awards.
Lane was a patron of the Australian Club Entertainment (ACE) Awards, and was honored in 2006 when he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the ACE Awards ceremony.
Lane was still performing in 2005 in nightclubs all over Sydney.
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Famous quotes containing the word performer:
“Celebrity is a mask that eats into the face. As soon as one is aware of being “somebody,” to be watched and listened to with extra interest, input ceases, and the performer goes blind and deaf in his overanimation. One can either see or be seen.”
—John Updike (b. 1932)