Highlights of Don Lane's life and career

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The life and times of Don Lane:

- Born Morton Donald Isaacson on November 13, 1933 in New York.

- Began his career performing comedy and music in nightclubs, alongside showbiz legends like Sammy Davis Junior and Johnny Carson.

- Got his break on Australian television in 1965 when he was recommended for a hosting role on Channel Nine's Tonight Show.

- Within a month Nine took on Lane as permanent host, and his initial six-week contract was extended to the rest of the year.

- After a short sint back in the US, Lane returned to Australia in 1975 to host The Don Lane Show, the highest-rating talk show in Australian history.

- The Don Lane Show ended on 13 November 1983. His final episode ran for two and a half hours and featured such stars as Sammy Davis Jr., Phyllis Diller, David Bowie, and John Farnham.

- After two years living in Los Angeles, Lane returned to Australia in 1987, hosting Network Ten programs like You've Got to Be Joking and Late Night Australia, as well as the the TV Week Logie Awards.

- Lane won 16 Logie Awards throughout his career, including a Gold Logie.

- Inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame in 2003. - Diagnosed with dementia in 2005 and was cared for by his son PJ Lane. - Died of a dementia-related illness on October 22, 2009.

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Legendary entertainer Don Lane has died from a dementia-related illness, his manager Jayne Ambrose has announced.

Ambrose said Lane passed away this morning.

"He son is devastated and Australia has suffered a great loss today," Ambrose told AAP.

Ambrose said the funeral for the 75-year-old would be held on Friday with a public memorial to be announced.

"He passed away late this morning. It was a dementia-related illness," she said. "It's a very sad day for the family."

Lane had been living in a care facility since 2008, when reports surfaced that he was suffering from dementia.

The American-born Lane was best known for his work on the hugely successful Don Lane Show, which ran on the Nine Network from the 1970s until 1983.

It was on the show that he formed a close friendship with fellow entertainer Bert Newton.

Lane won more than 15 Logies during his career and in 2003 he was inducted in the Australian Logies Hall of Fame.

He made a guest appearance on the ABC's Late Show in 1993 and hosted American NFL broadcasts for the ABC in the 1990s.

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Don Lane was the "lanky Yank" who arrived down under in 1965 for a six-week stint and ended up casting a long shadow over four decades of Australian television.

The sports-loving singer and comedian became one of the most enduring and popular entertainers on the box, forming a strong showbiz partnership and friendship with Bert Newton, the man he nicknamed "Moonface".

Lane won a sackful of Logies - more than 15 - and was inducted into the Logies hall of fame in 2003 before sliding into the dementia illness which claimed his life today aged 75.

Born Morton Donald Isaacson in New York in 1933, Lane was a roustabout nightclub performer when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan program in the late 1950s in a double act.

He worked alongside Johnny Carson, Sammy Davis Jr and Wayne Newton, but took his stage name from Frankie Laine.

He was first invited to Australia to fill in as host of the Nine Network's Sydney-based Tonight Show after the abrupt departure of Irish comic Dave Allen.

It was supposed to be a temporary gig, but Lane was soon offered a 40-week contract that set him on his way to stardom.

His show, Tonight with Don Lane, was an instant hit and lasted for six years. One innovation in those days was a live split-screen link with Melbourne's Tonight "king" Graham Kennedy, who on one occasion held up a placard reading "Yank go home".

Lane returned to the US club scene but was recalled to Australia to link up with Bert Newton for what was supposed to be two episodes of In Melbourne Tonight.

Like his first engagement, that stretched out, too, to eight-and-a-half years. He became the highest paid performer on Australian television.

The final episode of The Don Lane Show in 1983 ran for two-and-a-half hours and featured Sammy Davis Jr, Phyllis Diller, David Bowie and John Farnham.

After several years back in the US, he returned to Australia for Network Ten, hosting programs including You've Got to Be Joking, Late Night Australia and the 1987 TV Week Logie Awards.

He made a guest appearance on the last episode of the ABC comedy program The Late Show, and hosted American NFL broadcasts and basketball matches.

He was honoured in a 1996 episode of This is Your Life, which featured tributes from Farnham, Newtown and Billy Connolly.

His career was not without controversies. In 1968, he was charged with importing marijuana.

He vigorously denied the charge, claiming the drugs were planted on him by a vengeful former business associate. He was found not guilty.

Curiously his barrister was Marcus Einfeld, who was jailed this year for lying to avoid a speeding fine.

Lane was ejected from a Logies ceremony in the early 1980s for punching Ernie Sigley after the rival TV host allegedly made insulting remarks about Lane's partner.

When Lane was inducted into the Logies hall of fame, the former US military draftee quipped: "The last time I was inducted to anything I ended up in the army for three years". Lane was re-united with his old sparring partner Newton in 2006 for a Nine Network lunch to commemorate 50 years of television.

The function was attended by numerous network stars along with then network owner James Packer and chief executive Eddie McGuire. Lane's biographer Janise Beaumont summed up the feelings of many saddened by his death when she said: "I preferred the world with him in it".

Don Lane, born November 13, 1933, died October 22, 2009, is survived by a son, entertainer P.J.Lane.

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Australian politicians and celebrities have paid tribute to Don Lane, who has died aged 75 after battling Alzheimer's disease.

The American-born performer died at a Sydney care facility with his ex-wife and manager Jayne Ambrose, and son PJ by his side.

He was 75 years old. "His son is devastated and Australia has suffered a great loss today," Ambrose said.

"It's a very sad day for the family."

PJ Lane, who had been caring for his father, was due to play at Melbourne Alzheimer's fundraiser Show Compassion 2009 on Thursday night.

He recently said he had come to know "just how difficult it can be for the families of those stricken with the disease and how much care is required to ensure a quality of life for their loved ones".

The show was changed to a tribute concert dedicated to Lane and his family. Lane was best known for his work on the hugely successful Don Lane Show on the Nine Network from 1975 until 1983.

Bert Newtown pays tribute to 'Lanky Yank'

His old sparring partner Bert Newton say Don Lane was the most generous performer in showbiz. 

It was on the Don Lane Show that he formed a close friendship with fellow entertainer Newton.

Newton said that despite his first words to Lane on the show being "go home Yank", the pair "clicked" immediately.

"He was one of the leading Australian television stars and certainly one of the most successful in the history of television," Newton told reporters at Sydney's Capitol Theatre, where he's performing in the musical Wicked.

"He was certainly the most generous performer that I worked with - he didn't mind where the laughs were coming from and who was getting the laughs.

"All I can say is that I can't think of anyone who I liked more in the industry, anyone I enjoyed working with, more than Don Lane."

Lane 'one of Australia's finest entertainers'

Nine Network chief executive David Gyngell also paid tribute to Don Lane, calling him one of Australia's finest entertainers.

"Today Australia lost one of its finest all-round entertainers," Mr Gyngell said in statement.

"Don Lane was a stalwart of the industry and a great mate to so many of us here at Nine.

"While Don may have passed, the memories and the laughs he provided will remain with us for many years to come.

"Our deepest condolences are conveyed to Jayne Ambrose, PJ and Don's extended family."

Lane 'a household name'

Federal Arts Minister Peter Garrett said "the very popular Australian entertainer" was a "household name".

"On behalf of the government I pass on to his family friends and colleagues the tragic sympathies for his loss," he told parliament.

Opposition frontbencher Steven Ciobo said Lane made "a fine contribution to Australian culture" and would be missed by millions.

"(He was) someone who made a very marked impact on Australian cultural life," he told parliament.

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