The Early History of Lois Lane
Superman's Girlfriend is Forever Needing Rescuing From Peril
Dec 16, 2008
When Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster needed to add a female presence as a love interest for their creation, they hired Joanne Carter to model for the physical form of the character. They decided that she should be a reporter working alongside Superman's alter ego Clark Kent and used a then popular woman reporter's character from a film series, Torchy Blane, as a template for the woman's personality. One of three actresses who portrayed Torchy Blane was named Lola Lane. Siegel tweaked the actress's name to create the name of the new character.
Two enduring items came out of this creative mix: The character of Lois Lane and the marriage of Siegel to his one time model, Joanne. The two were still married at the time of Siegel's death in 1996.
Radio
Not long after the debut of the Superman character in the comics, he flew onto the radio waves and Lois came along for the ride. While Bud Collyer would provide the voices of Superman and Clark Kent for the decade long run of the radio show, with the exception of a short period in 1950 and 1951 when the show was briefly retooled and recast just before being canceled for good, three different actresses portrayed Lois Lane.
Rollie (or Rolly) Bester was the original Lois, but was replaced by Helen Choate. Choate was eventually replaced as well, with Joan Alexander being the third and final voice of Lois on radio.
Classic Animation
Joan Alexander would continue to voice Lois Lane as the intrepid reporter followed Superman into the realm of animation. Fleischer Studios and then Paramount Studios produced a total of seventeen short animated films about Superman and Joan Alexander's Lois Lane was in most of them. All seventeen films are now in the public domain and are therefore legally free to download from various sources.
From Serial Art to Serial Film
Two 15 chapter serial films were made about Superman in 1948 and 1950 respectively. Both starred Kirk Alyn as Superman and Noel Neill as Lois Lane. Superman's origin and his battles with a villain known as the Spider Lady are the subject of Superman, while he and Lois confront the evil Lex Luthor in the sequel, Superman Vs. the Atom Man
Full Length Feature
In 1951, Superman and the Mole Men was released in theaters. Starring George Reeves as the Man of Steel and Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane, this movie served to test the waters for the launch of the new television series, Adventures of Superman. The film was later split into two parts and aired as two episodes of the show.
Television
Phyllis Coates would portray Lois Lane for the first season of Adventures of Superman, but was to be replaced from season two onwards by Noel Neill. Neill would serve as Lois Lane until the end of the series' six season run.
Broadway
Superman also flew onto the stages of Broadway for a time. Though not very successful, the production of It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman did earn Patricia Marand a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Lois Lane in 1966.
Back to Television
Just before what is considered the dawn of the modern era of Superman, a television production of the Broadway musical was made for television. Lesley Ann Warren, who would later unsuccessfully audition for the role of Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve, played Lois for the special. Superman was played by actor David Wilson. It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman was broadcast in 1975.
Next: Lois gets Animated
