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His birth
He was originally born Joesph Lane in Jersey City, New Jersey. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nathan-Lane -
The death of his father
His father, Daniel Joseph Lane, was a truck driver and an aspiring tenor who died in 1967 from alcoholism when Lane was 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane -
Voted Best Actor by his High School
Lane attended Catholic schools in Jersey City, including Jesuit-run St. Peter's Preparatory School, where he was voted Best Actor in 1974 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane -
Coming out to his family
When he was 21 and came out to his mother about his homosexuality, her reaction was, ''I would rather you were dead.'' Lane responded, ''I knew you'd understand.'' https://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/02/magazine/this-is-it-as-happy-as-i-get-baby-nathan-lane.html -
Post Secondary education
Accepted to Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia on a drama scholarship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane -
Unable to attend University
Discovering that the scholarship would not cover enough of his expenses, he decided to leave, and work for a year to earn some money. His brother said, "I remember him saying to me, 'College is for people who don't know what they want to do' https://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/02/magazine/this-is-it-as-happy-as-i-get-baby-nathan-lane.html -
Name Change
Born Joseph Lane, he had to change his first name in order to join Actors Equity because there was already another actor named Joseph Lane. He chose the name Nathan after the character Nathan Detroit from the Broadway musical "Guys and Dolls". Coincidentally, he later played that role in the hugely successful 1992 revival of "Guys and Dolls" on Broadway. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001447/bio/ -
Professional Debut
Lane made his professional theatre debut in 1978 in an off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane -
Broadway Debut
Lane made his broadway debut when he opened in Present Laughter, where he played a character named "Roland Maule" https://www.playbill.com/person/nathan-lane-vault-0000027060 -
Second Broadway Appearance
A musical Merlin, starring Chita Rivera and magician Doug Henning. https://www.playbill.com/person/nathan-lane-vault-0000027060 -
Obie Award
In 1992 he won an Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane -
Broadway success
He starred in the hit revival of Stephen Sondheim's A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. For his performance he won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical as well as the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane -
The Start of a Friendship
In 2001, he starred as Max Bialystock in the blockbuster musical version of Mel Brooks's The Producers. He acted alongside Matthew Broderick. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane#1994%E2%80%932009:_Breakthrough_and_acclaim -
Short Notice
That same year he replaced Richard Dreyfuss in The Producers in the West End. Dreyfuss was let go just a week before the show's first preview at London's Theatre Royal Drury Lane. https://www.playbill.com/person/nathan-lane-vault-0000027060 -
Olivier Awards
Lane went on to win the Olivier Award as Best Actor in a Musical from the play he took on one week notice. The Olivier Awards are recognized internationally as the highest honor in British theatre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane#:~:text=He%20was%20a%202008%20American,Absolutely%20Fabulous%2C%20and%2030%20Rock. -
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Lane and Broderick received adjacent stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a joint ceremony on January 9, 2006. https://walkoffame.com/nathan-lane/ -
American Theater Hall of Fame
In 2008 Nathan Lane was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Nathan-Lane/ -
25 Broadway credits
Since his Broadway Debut in 1982 Nathan Lane has earned 25 Broadway Credits, making him without a doubt among the greatest https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane#1994%E2%80%932009:_Breakthrough_and_acclaim -
Career Awards
13 Awards and 31 Nominations
Tony Awards 3 Wins 6 Nominations
Drama Desk Awards 6 Win 11 Nominations
Primetime Emmy Awards 1 Wins 7 Nominations
Daytime Emmy Awards 2 Wins 3 Nominations
Golden Globe Awards 0 Wins 2 Nominations
Screen Actors Guild Awards 1 Win 2 Nominations -
Quote
I'm still the fat kid from high school who never had a date. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/nathan_lane_262740 -
REFERENCES
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Lane
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nathan-Lane
https://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/02/magazine/this-is-it-as-happy-as-i-get-baby-nathan-lane.html
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001447/bio/
https://www.playbill.com/person/nathan-lane-vault-0000027060
https://walkoffame.com/nathan-lane/
https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Nathan-Lane/
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/nathan_lane_262740