Madelyn Earle Jones, a future actress, was born in South Carolina in 1919, with a childhood dream of becoming a missionary in China. However, after gaining a taste of acting in school plays, her aspirations shifted towards a career on stage. Her mother, supportive of her decision, entered her picture in a CBS Radio contest for a part in a radio play in Hollywood, which Madelyn won, adopting the name of the character she played, Lois Collier, as her professional moniker.
As Lois Collier, she landed more radio work, and soon began to appear in small parts in local stage productions, as well as securing some film roles for Republic Pictures. It was on stage, however, where she was discovered by a Universal Pictures scout, and subsequently offered a seven-year contract. Despite possessing a beautiful singing voice, Universal rarely afforded her the opportunity to showcase it, and instead, she was relegated to a string of B pictures and serials.
When her contract expired, Lois freelanced, taking on a few comedies and westerns for Monogram, as well as serials for Republic. In 1951, she secured a role on the Boston Blackie (1951) television series, and remained with the show until its cancellation in 1954, subsequently retiring from the entertainment industry.
