Australian TV legend Don Lane has died aged 75.

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by nine

Australian TV legend Don Lane has died aged 75.

He had been living in a nursing home in Melbourne and was suffering from dementia.

PHOTOS: An Aussie entertainment icon

Lane's son and carer, PJ, was scheduled to play at Melbourne Alzheimer's fundraiser Show Compassion 2009 tonight.

Lane was diagnosed with the degenerative disease in 2005.

PJ recently relocated to Australia to be near his father after playing professional basketball in the US and Europe. (ACA VIDEO: Don's son tipped for success)

"His son is devastated and Australia has suffered a great loss today," Lane's manager Jayne Ambrose said.

"He passed away late this morning. It was a dementia-related illness."

Lane's funeral will take place on Friday while a public memorial in also in planning.

"It's a very sad day for the family," Ms Ambrose said.

Along with Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton, he will be remembered as part of a trio of legendary TV stars from the 1970s and 80s who ruled the airways when variety shows drew millions of viewers each week.

Lane was rewarded with nationwide fame and many Logie Awards and was later inducted in the organisation's Hall of Fame, but his physical and mental decline followed and he was not seen in public over the last few years. (ACA VIDEO: Lane's final TV interview)

The American-born performer, talk show host and singer was born Morton Donald Isaacson in New York in 1933.

He got his break on Australian television in 1965 while working in a well-known nightclub called the Copacabana in Hawaii, when he was recommended for a hosting role on Channel 9.

He was most famous for his variety show, The Don Lane Show, which debuted on Channel 9 in 1975.

The final episode of his TV show aired in 1983 ran for two and a half hours, featuring such stars as Sammy Davis, Jr, Phyllis Diller, David Bowie and John Farnham.

He moved back to the US for two years after the show finished, living in Los Angeles before returning to Australia to host various programs.

Lane's career was not without controversy: in March 1968, he was imprisoned after being charged with importing marijuana into Australia.

He claimed the drugs were planted into his jacket pocket by a former business associate and was eventually found not guilty after being defended by now-notorious barrister Marcus Einfeld.

Lane's long-time friend, radio personality Chris Kearns, announced in 2008 on radio station 2UE that the 74-year-old entertainer had dementia.

Very sad day for Australian TV

R.I.P Don

many a fond memory as a family watching your antics on the box

[Jason[98.EL]]

another news artical

Originally Posted by nine

Entertainment legend Don Lane was charismatic and funny until the very end, his close friend and biographer Janise Beaumont says.

Lane, 75, died on Thursday morning after battling Alzheimer's disease.

"He didn't want this to happen, but he was still Don," Ms Beaumont told Macquarie Radio.

"And pretty much up to the end he was very tactile ... he loved hugs, he still could make eye contact, still be funny, still be charismatic - but this bastard of Alzheimer's...

"We've got to find a cure.

"I'll go on any committee, I'll dress up in a chicken suit to raise money to help find a cure because it robs people of so much."

Ms Beaumont said she noticed Lane was "starting to be a bit fragile" when she began working on his biography more than three years ago.

"A lot of people did drop off like flies in Don's life, and I know that above all else Don would want me to say to people `if you know anybody with Alzheimer's, there's still a person in there, and don't walk away from them'," she said.

She said she had been friends with the American-born television personality for almost 40 years.

"I know him incredibly well and I love him very much," she said.

"I preferred the world with him in it."

Ms Beaumont said she was proud of Lane for completing the book because it had been hard for him at times.

"But he had such a story to tell, such a story about adventures, talent and dreams, and a lot of women," she said.

"He was so charismatic and I am one of the women who fell under his spell for a short time many years ago ... but that was nothing compared to the friendship."

A private funeral service with very few in attendance would be held on Friday, but a public memorial would be held "down the track", Ms Beaumont said.

His manager Jayne Ambrose said Lane's son was devastated by the loss and Australia has suffered a great loss today

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

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Saturday Night is the loneliest night of the week...

Genuinely sad when you lose an icon of Australian TV, back when TV was clean, but a lot of fun.

Condolences to the family.

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RIP Don.
When Graeme Kenedy moved on Don had big shoes to fill and fill them he did. Don and Bert gave myself (and undoubetly many Australians) many hours of pleasure he was a truly great entertainer

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Grew up with Don & Bert - sad news indeed, another icon to the great gig in the sky.

RIP Don.

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sad to hear. He had a great run and was entertaining to watch