Actress Phyllis Coates, TV’s first Lois Lane in her role in the series “Adventures of Superman,” starring George Reeves, has died.
Her daughter, Laura Press, confirmed that her mother died of natural causes at the Motion Picture & Television Country House & Hospital in Woodland Hills.
Decades after appearing as the intrepid reporter on “Adventures of Superman,” Coates played Lois Lane’s mother when she appeared with Teri Hatcher on an episode of “‘Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” in 1994. In a statement, Hatcher said, regarding Coates’ role on “Lois & Clark,” “‘I’m sure she was aware of how much the fans would enjoy that inside nod to her work on the original TV series.”
That same year, Coates recounted her earlier role to the “The Los Angeles Times,” confiding “My makeup man was Harry Thomas, who made up every monster in Hollywood.”
She remained on the show through the first season, choosing to leave because she had committed to filming a pilot. The pilot did not become a series.
Coates was born Gypsie Ann Stell in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1927. Moving to Los Angeles after graduating high school, she became a chorus girl in shows produced by Earl Carroll. She performed on a European USO tour and signed a contract with Warner Bros in 1948.
Coates’ credits include playing opposite George O’Hanlon in Warner Bros.’ long-running series of Joe McDoakes’ comedic shorts. Other film roles included “Panther Girl of the Kongo” and “I Was a Teenage Frankenstein.” Her guest-starring TV roles includes “Gunsmoke,” “Perry Mason,” “Rawhide,” and “Leave it to Beaver.”
Coates was married and divorced four times. She is survived by a second daughter, Zoe, and a granddaughter, Olivia.