  This is the first in a series of papers studying the variable stars in Large
Magellanic Cloud globular clusters. The primary goal of this series is to
better understand how the RR Lyrae stars in Oosterhoff-intermediate systems
compare to those in Oosterhoff I/II systems. In this paper we present the
results of our new time-series BV photometric study of NGC 1466. A total of 62
variables were identified in the cluster, of which 16 are new discoveries. The
variables include 30 RRab stars, 11 RRc's, 8 RRd's, 1 candidate RR Lyrae, 2
long-period variables, 1 potential anomalous Cepheid, and 9 variables of
undetermined classification. We present photometric parameters for these
variables.
  For the RR Lyrae stars physical properties derived from Fourier analysis of
their light curves are presented. The RR Lyrae stars were used to determine a
reddening-corrected distance modulus of (m-M)0 = 18.43 +/- 0.15. We discuss
several different indicators of Oosterhoff type and find NGC 1466 to be an
Oosterhoff-intermediate object.
