Who Played The Banker In Places In The Heart?
By Christopher Ramos
The banker in "Places in the Heart" was played by Lane Smith. Prior to his death in 2005, he was a staple in movies and television since the 1970s, making a guest appearance in the crime drama TV series "Kojak" in 1975, and playing Robert McDonough in the 1976 Oscar Best Picture nominee "Network." 1984 also saw Smith appear in the invasion drama "Red Dawn," in which he plays the town's Mayor, Mayor Bates. Smith also played Nathan Bates in the science fiction miniseries "V," alongside Robert Englund and Michael Ironside.
Smith's most famous movie roles came in 1992, when he starred in the comedy "My Cousin Vinny," playing prosecuting attorney Jim Trotter III, who squares off against Vinny Gambini, played by Joe Pesci. 1992 also saw Smith appear in the sports comedy-drama "The Mighty Ducks," in which he plays Coach Jack Reilly, the former coach and current nemesis of Gordon Bombay, played by Emilio Estevez.
Smith's most notable television role came in the ABC series "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman." In the series, Smith plays Perry White, the lead editor of the newspaper The Daily Planet, where both Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher) and Superman's alter-ego, Clark Kent (Dean Cain) work. Smith remained a main cast member for the duration of the show's run, appearing in all 87 episodes.
