Legendary American-born entertainer Don Lane has died from a dementia-related illness aged 75.

"Australia has suffered a great loss today," his manager, Jayne Ambrose, said.

Lane began his career as a nightclub singer before emigrating to Australia in the early 1960s.

He quickly rose to fame as the host of several television variety programs for the Nine Network.

Lane was best known for his work on The Don Lane Show, which debuted on the Nine Network in 1975 and ran until 1983.

It was on that show that he formed a close on and off-screen relationship with fellow entertainer Bert Newton.

In the 1990s, Lane hosted American NFL broadcasts for the ABC. He also made a guest appearance on ABC TV's Late Show in 1993.

Lane - who was once the highest paid man on Australian television - won an astounding 15 Logie Awards during his long career.

In 2003, he was inducted in to the Logies Hall of Fame.

Frank Crook, editor of TV Week in the 70s, has shared his memories of 'The Lanky Yank' with ABC's NewsRadio.

"I'd been out to places for dinner with him and there have been people in the restaurant and they've looked at him and [said] 'Oh, it's Don Lane'. He loved that kind of thing," Crook said.

"At one stage he carried a pocketful of little necklaces with him and when people would give him a wave he'd go over to the table, and if they had children he'd put the necklaces on them. That kind of thing.

"I think he always left a lasting impression with everybody that he met," he added.

Lane was diagnosed with dementia in 2005.

Ms Ambrose says a private funeral will be held on Friday.

Details of a public memorial are yet to be announced.

- ABC/AAP