Noel Neill, Who Played Louis Lane In 1940s & 50s ‘Superman’ Projects, Dies At 95

Noel Neill, the actress who is best known for playing Louis Lane in Superman movie serials and TV shows in the 1940s & 50s, has died. She was 95.

Noel Neill Dies

Neill died at her home in Tuscon, Arizona, Sunday. Larry Ward, her biographer, confirmed her passing to The New York Times.

Neill first played Louis Lane when she was 28-years-old in the 1948 movie serial Superman opposite Kirk Alyn, who had been cast in the titular role. She went on to reprise the part of The Daily Planet reporter in the serial Atom Man vs. Superman. Neill once again played Louis Lane in TV series Adventures of Superman, taking over the part for Phyllis Coates, who had quit after just one season. She starred alongside George Reeves until Adventures of Superman went off the air in 1958 after six seasons.

After Adventures of Superman was canceled, Neill stepped away from acting and worked in public relations.

In the 70s, Neill was once again closely associated with Superman due to the popularity of Superman reruns. Embracing her revived popularity, Neill made appearances at fan conventions and appeared as the mother of a young Lois Lane in Christopher Reeve’s debut as Superman in the 1978 feature film. She also appeared as a dying woman in 2006’s Superman Returns.