Happy Belated Birthday to Noel Neill, Our Lois Lane!

Technically, Jamie is Our Lois Lane, and I hate to play favorites when it comes to the great talent that has come to the role in radio, movies and television.  But I'd be lying if I didn't admit to tremendous affection for actress Noel Neill in her role as Lois Lane in The Adventures of Superman, and her affiliation with Superman as a character in other ways.

November 25th marked Neill's 95th, and we want to wish her a very happy belated birthday.

Ms. Neill was not in the first season of The Adventures of Superman when the role was played by actress Phyllis Coates.  She arrived in Season 2, and brought her own spark to the part.

She had practice!  Neill also played Lois in the 1948 Superman serials starring Kirk Alyn as The Man of Steel.

Fans of Superman know that part of Superman movie and TV making includes a passing of the torch by having cameos and guest-spots for the actors who appeared in previous incarnations.  Here, Neill plays the mother of a very young Lois Lane as she spots Clark Kent running as fast as their train as it races past Smallville in Superman: The Movie (that's Kirk Alyn as Lois' father).

Neill also appeared in Superman Returns as the elderly Gertrude Vanderworth.

This summer I visited Metropolis, Illinois where I saw the Lois Lane statue based on Noel Neill.  This isn't one of my photos as there was a lot of activity around the statue while Stuart and I tried to get some snaps, but this gives you a great idea of what the statue is like.

and from the dedication of the statue.

and here's a great birthday tribute from a Tucson affiliate wishing Ms. Neill a happy birthday



We're great fans of what Ms. Neill brought to the screen, and we hope she had a super birthday!