Phyllis Coates, Original Lois Lane on 'Adventures of Superman,' Dies at 96

Overview

• Phyllis Coates, who originated the role of Lois Lane in the 1951 film 'Superman and the Mole Men,' has died at age 96.
• Coates played Lois Lane for the full first season of the TV series 'Adventures of Superman' from 1952-1953.
• She declined to return for the second season due to conflicts and was replaced by Noel Neill as Lois Lane.
• Over her five-decade career, Coates appeared in numerous films and TV shows including 'I Was a Teenage Frankenstein' and 'Perry Mason.'
• Coates later had a cameo as the mother of Lois Lane in the 1990s TV series 'Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.'