“Forgotten Hollywood”- Goodbye to Lois Lane…
Manny P. here…
Noel Neill was a popular actress of the silver screen and television. She’s best known for her portrayal of Lois Lane in the film serials Superman and Atom Man vs. Superman, as well as the 1950s television series, Adventures of Superman. Over the decades, she appeared in various productions of the franchise, often playing the relative of one of the main characters, including Superman in 1978, the small screen show Superboy, the 1990s Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman; and 2006 film Superman Returns. NOEL NEILL / GEORGE REEVES —>
Neill continued in the role of Lois Lane for five seasons until the series went off the air in 1958. She was scheduled to appear with co-star Jack Larson (Jimmy Olson), but after George Reeves’ (Superman) tragic and sudden passing, the final season was cancelled, officially ending the program. Neill embraced her association as Lois Lane, giving frequent talks on college campuses during the 1970s, endearing herself to audiences with her warmth and humor.
Signing a contract with Paramount Pictures led to appearances in many of the studio’s feature films. Noel had a leading role in one of Monogram Pictures melodramas, and she became a familiar face in Monogram features for the next several years, especially in the recurring role of Betty Rogers. She appeared in the last of the original Charlie Chan movies, and also played damsels in distress in Westerns and Republic Pictures serials. Overall, Neill appeared in more than 40 flicks, including Here Comes the Waves, The Big Clock, Duffy’s Tavern, Son of a Badman, and An American in Paris.
In her teens, she was a popular photographic model. Betty Grable’s pin-up was #1 among GIs during World War II, and Neill was ranked #2. For a time, Neill crooned with Bob Crosby and his orchestra. She also sang at the Del Mar Turf Club, which was owned by Bing Crosby. In 1951, she guest starred in an episode of The Lone Ranger. She eventually worked in the television department at United Artists. In 2010, the southern Illinois city of Metropolis (the city that calls itself the official home of Superman), unveiled a statue of Lois Lane. It was modeled on the likeness of Neill. She was honored to be memorialized at the unveiling.
Representing truth, justice, and the American way, Noel Neill was 95.
Until next time> “never forget”
This entry was posted on Monday, July 4th, 2016 at 4:30 pm and is filed under Blog by Manny Pacheco. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
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