TV’s Original “Lois Lane,” Phyllis Coates, Has Died

The first actress to play Lois Lane on television, Phyllis Coates, passed away Wednesday at the age of 96.

Coates starred along George Reeves in the black-and-white first season of The Adventures of Superman as well as the Superman and the Mole Men film. She only stayed for one season, at which point Noel Neill, who portrayed Lois in the Kirk Alyn Superman movie serials, took over for the rest of the series.

Younger fans might remember Ms. Coates from her appearance as Lois Lane’s mother, Ellen, in the Season 1 finale of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. She also did two episodes of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman around that time. Like the classic Adventures of Superman, she never returned beyond Season 1 of Lois & Clark; in future appearances, Ellen was played by the late Beverly Garland.

Coates’ performance as Lois Lane, although only for that one season, was very well remembered and is one of the reasons that some fans actually prefer the early black-and-white stories. She started on a path on live-action television later taken by such great actresses as Noel Neill, Teri Hatcher, Erica Durance, and Bitsie Tulloch. Our condolences go to her friends and family.