Lane Bradford, whose birth name was John Myrtland Le Varre, Jr., was born in 1922 in Yonkers, New York, the son of American actor John Merton. Merton himself also had an extensive acting career between 1927 and 1959, performing almost exclusively in films, although he appeared as well in some early television series. Bradford was also the brother of actor Robert Lavarre.
In the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, Bradford guest-starred on nearly all of the Western series broadcast on American television during that period. He was cast on the ABC/Warner Brothers series, Colt .45 as Pete Jesup in the 1959 episode "The Devil's Godson". He also appeared on Hopalong Cassidy, The Lone Ranger (fifteen times), Buffalo Bill, Jr. (six times), Laredo (five times), The Cisco Kid, Tales of the Texas Rangers (twice), Jefferson Drum, Johnny Ringo, Maverick, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (five times), Lassie (TV series) (1965), The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (six times), Cheyenne (seven times), Wagon Train (eight times), The High Chaparral (twice), The Restless Gun (four times), Bonanza (fourteen times), Gunsmoke (thirteen times), The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, Storefront Lawyers, and Ripcord. Sergeant Preston of the Yukon< episode titled "The Jail Breaker" 1957, 1955 titled "Skagway Secret".
Bradford appeared in many television series and "B" western movies. On stage, he co-starred in Desperadoes' Outpost (1952), The Great Sioux Uprising (1953), and Apache Warrior (1957).
Bradford guest-starred on the religion anthology series Crossroads. He made two appearances on CBS's Perry Mason, including the role of Detective Arnold Buck in the 1962 episode "The Case of the Absent Artist."
In early June 1973, Bradford suddenly collapsed while boating in Hawaii. Rushed to Kaiser Memorial Hospital in Honolulu, the 50-year-old actor died at that facility four days later of a cerebral hemorrhage. Although most biographical profiles of Bradford cite his death date as June 7, 1973, that date is actually incorrect. His official death certificate, which was issued by Kaiser Memorial Hospital, documents that he died on June 6, 1973. In accordance with Bradford's wishes, the Oahu Cemetery Association administered the cremation of his remains.
