Actress Phyllis Coates has died at the age of 96.
Coates made her big motion picture debut as Lois Lane in 1951’s “Superman” and the “Mole-Men.” Two years later she reprised the role in the first television adaptation of Superman from 1952 to 1953.
Her daughter Laura Press confirmed to the news to The Hollywood Reporter that Coates died of natural causes in a manner that was “very peaceful.” at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills where she resided.
“She gave a lot to the industry,” said Press. “Her career passed through so many genres,” she added referring to Coates’ career that spanned over 50 years.
Her film career included roles in the Western and in the Western “Panther Girl of the Congo” (1955), “Girls in Prison” (1956), “I Was a Teenage Frankenstein” (1957), “Blood Arrow” (1958), “Cattle Empire” (1958), “The Incredible” Petrified World” (1959), “The Baby Maker (1970) and “Goodnight, Sweet Marilyn” (1989).
Despite her expansive film carer, Coates was most known for her role as Lois Lane. She appeared in 26 episodes of the series on the small screen and prided herself on the serious stunt work she mastered.
“We were nearly blown up, beaten up, exploded, exploited — I guess it was because we were young and dumb, but we put up with a lot of stuff,” Coates said in an interview with Tom Weaver for the book “Science Fiction Stars and Horror Heroes.” “Not too long ago I saw an episode [“Night of Terror”] where I got knocked out!”
She earned just $350 an episode working opposite George Reeves, Jack Larson, John Hamilton and Robert Shayne.
The stunts may have been too much for Coates. After season 1 wrapped, she was offered five times her salary to return for season 2 but declined.
“I really wanted to get out of Superman,” she confessed in the book.
In a funny twist of fate, Coates took on the role of Lois Lane’s mother in ABC’s “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” whom was played by “Desperate Houswives” alum Terri Hatcher.
Her final acting gig according to IMDb was as part of the 1996 video project titled “Hollywood: The Movie.”
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