Phyllis Coates dead at 96: Actress who played television’s original Lois Lane in 1950s series Adventures Of Superman passes away from natural causes

Phyllis Coatess, a pioneering actress who played the original TV movie Lois Lane in the 1950s, has died aged 96.

The popular thespian died of natural causes on Wednesday at the Film and Television Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif., her daughter Laura Press confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday.

Coates was best known for starring opposite George Reeves in the black and white series Adventures of Superman which ran from 1952 to 1958.

She only appeared in all 26 episodes of the first season of the series, however, she was later replaced by Noel Neill.

The show ran for six seasons with a seventh planned, but was canceled after Reeves’ death at age 45 in 1959.

Season 1 of Adventures Of Superman had been a bit of an overnight hit and runaway success, and Coates was asked to reprise her role, but she had already signed on to star in a pilot that would star Jack Caron and Allen Jenkins, the which never actually. came to fruition.

This wasn’t the first time she played Superman’s love interest, as she starred as Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane in the 1951 film Superman And The Mole Men.

Coates was born Gypsie Ann Evarts Stell on January 15, 1927 in Wichita Falls, Texas before moving with her family to Hollywood and starting her Tinseltown career in the 1940s.

Earlier in her career she often toured with the United States Organization (USO) where she entertained the US Armed Forces and their family members.

Years later she was able to get smaller supporting roles in films, including 1958’s Smart Girls Don’t Talk and 1949’s My Foolish Heart.

In 1951, she landed the part for the low-budget Superman film, followed by the first year of the series.

Regardless, she went on to have a successful television career with roles in iconic series including The Abbott And Costello Show in 1953, The Lone Ranger from 1953 to 1955, Lassie in 1955, as well as Gunsmoke and Perry Mason from 1958 to 1964.

She also had a role alongside Barbara Hershey in the 1970s TV movie The Baby Maker.

Coates enjoyed a career spanning over 140 credits with her final television role as Mrs. Howard in two episodes of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman in 1994.

She was later portrayed by actress Lorry Ayers in the 2006 film Hollywoodland, which was about an investigator, played by Adrien Brody, who looks into the death of her Superman co-star Reeves (portrayed by Ben Affleck), which was announced as a suicide.

Coates was married four times including to TV director Richard L Bare, musician Robert Nelms, Leave It To Beaver director Norman Tokar and doctor Howard Press after all four marriages ended in divorce.

The talented actress is survived by the aforementioned daughter Laura, another daughter Zoe and granddaughter Olivia.