Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, Phyllis Coates moved to Hollywood as a teenager with intentions of enrolling at UCLA. A chance encounter with 'Ken Murray , she began to divide her time among TV, B-movie assignments and serials at Republic.
Years after gaining fame as TVs first Lois Lane on "Adventures of Superman" (1952) , she played Lois Lanes mother on an episode of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" .
She accepted the role in 1957s The Incredible Petrified World as a favor to its director, Jerry Warren , who was a former boyfriend. The actress originally cast in the lead couldnt do it and Warren couldnt find anyone else in time. He persuaded Coates to do it by telling her that the film would not be shown in California. However, after it was completed, she found out that Warren did indeed release the film in California, and she was told by at least one studio executive at Columbia that the film was so inferior and shoddy that the studio would not be hiring her again. On top of that, Warren never paid her.
The first actress to appear as Lois Lane with George Reeves. Although Noel Neill played Lois Lane before Phyllis, it was not with Reeves but rather Kirk Alyn.
In what can be considered the "first sitcom," she appeared opposite George OHanlon , as Alice McDoakes, from 1948-56 in the "Joe McDoakes" movie shorts.
Along with Jack Larson and Jack Kruschen , she is one of only three actors to appear in both "Adventures of Superman" (1952) and "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" .
In May 2008 she appeared at Captain Celluloids Movie and TV World Convention.
She has two roles in common with both Noel Neill and Teri Hatcher : (1) Neill played Lois Lane in Superman , Atom Man vs. Superman and "Adventures of Superman" (1952) , Coates played her in Superman and the Mole-Men and "Adventures of Superman" (1952) and Hatcher played her in "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" and Neill played Lois mother Ellen Lane in Superman , Coates played her in "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" {The House of Luthor (#1.21)} and Hatcher played her in "Smallville" {Abandoned (#10.8)} .
Was accidentally punched during filming of "Adventures of Superman" (1952) {Night of Terror } , knocking her unconscious. The actor who punched her apologized profusely, but the actual punch was left in the episode, as there was no time to reshoot the scene.
Former Earl Carroll showgirl.
Profiled in the book "Johnny Mack Browns Saddle Gals" by Bobby Copeland.
With the death of Noel Neill on July 3, 2016, she is the last surviving regular cast member of "Adventures of Superman" (1952) .
