Jeffrey Lane, 1954 – 2026

TV and theater writer Jeffrey Lane, 71, died on May 20. Lane was Tony-nominated for his Broadway shows Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, and he wrote and/or produced such TV shows as Mad About You, Ryan's Hope, Lou Grant, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, and Bette Midler’s disastrous sitcom Bette. Of this last show, Lane admitted, “It was frustrating. We went into it with the best intentions. No matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't make it jell. If I were happy with how the show came out, I could say, 'We did a great show and nobody watched it.' But that's not true.” He was nominated five times for Emmys, winning three. Lane started his career as a production assistant on Ryan’s Hope, quickly moving up to writing. He also wrote and produced the American Film Institute’s salutes to Gregory Peck, Gene Kelly, Billy Wilder, Barbara Stanwyck, and Jack Lemmon. He told Playbill of his AFI wok, “When I met Audrey Hepburn, I went mute, and had to bring myself back. It's great when you meet these people and think: 'Jesus, I'm sitting here, talking to Gregory Peck.' He was the kindest, warmest, most generous man — a true gentleman . . . an amazing experience!"