Nathan Lane
Panelist, "The Marriage Ref"
Nathan Lane is a multi-talented performer who's been recognized for his excellence on stage, in the movies, and on television.
Born Joseph Lane to Irish-American Catholic parents in Jersey City, New Jersey, Lane attended St. Peter's Preparatory High School where he was elected Best Actor in 1974. Learning that there already was a Joseph Lane registered with Actors Equity, he changed his name to Nathan after the character Nathan Detroit from the musical "Guys and Dolls." After struggling early on, Nathan debuted on Broadway in a 1982 revival of Noel Coward's "Present Laughter" with a cast that included George C. Scott, Kate Burton, Dana Ivey, and Christine Lahti. He went on to flourish on Broadway, winning two Tony awards for Best Actor: 1996's "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," and 2001's "The Producers."
He has appeared in nearly 50 films, including "Ironweed," "Love's Labours Lost, " "Nicholas Nickleby," "Mouse Hunt," "Frankie and Johnny," "Stuart Little" and its sequel, "Stuart Little 2," "Jeffrey," "The Lion King," "Joe Versus the Volcano," "Addams Family Values," "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!," "Austin Powers in Goldmember," and "Isn't She Great," in which he played Irving Mansfield opposite Bette Midler's Jacqueline Susann.
His television credits include a recurring role on "The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd" (1989), the title role in "The Man Who Came to Dinner" (2000), and guest appearances on "Mad About You," "Sex and the City," "Frasier," and "Saturday Night Live." He was one of several actors considered for the role of George Costanza on "Seinfeld."
He has been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was recently inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. He is currently starring with Bebe Neuwirth on Broadway in "The Addams Family."