Ida Lupino: Actress, Director, Writer & Diva

[EndtheMadnessNow]

Ida Lupino, Actress, Director, Writer & Diva, Hollywood’s Forgotten Trailblazer Who Could Talk To The Spirit World.



Though Paramount had imported her from England as an ingénue, Ida Lupino proved more than merely wise beyond her years when she landed in Hollywood in 1934. The 16-year-old scion of a British acting dynasty, Lupino evinced a husky sensuality that had won her a reputation in her homeland as the British Jean Harlow.

"My father once said to me, 'You're born to be bad,' she recalled. 'And it was true. I made eight films in England before I came to America, and I played a tramp or a slut in all of them." -From The Hollywood Reporter, August 7, 1995.

Ida Lupino was born in London on Feb. 4, 1918. In the weeks leading up to her birth during the First World War, German triplanes had rained bombs down on the city, killing 68. The terror from above had yielded to dense fog, punctured by a thunderstorm - a dramatic beginning for a future world class actress. Born into a theatrical dynasty, Lupino's father Stanley was a music hall sensation and her ancestry was rich in actors, dancers, singers, puppeteers and tightrope walkers. The success of Lupino's father, grandfather and uncles had resulted in family friendship with such literary figures as Charles Dickens and "Peter Pan" creator J. M. Barrie, while Edward VII, son of Britain's long-seated Queen Victoria, had dubbed the Lupino clan "The Royal Family of Greasepaint." With Stanley Lupino's increasing fortunes as a popular entertainer, the family was able to relocate from a modest home in Dulwich to a Tudor mansion in Streatham. Ida Lupino grew up in a home full of theatrical memorabilia, and sang her first songs with her younger sister and parents around the family piano.



She Had A Secret Acting Hack

Why did Ida take these incidents so far? Well, she’d already unlocked her superpower: lying to herself. She once said, “I believed my own lies completely so that others believed me". Call it whatever you want, delusion or genius, it might have been the secret to her acting. But this self-determination and penchant for dramatics later sparkled turmoil for Ida and everyone around her.

She lasted less than a year in school. In 1933, fifteen-year-old Ida dropped out of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to pursue one audition. That seems insane, but it was not an ordinary role: It was for the lead role in Alice in Wonderland. Becoming a dropout and moving from London to Hollywood was a gamble, but it came with a potential jackpot.

Teenage Ida and her stage took a massive risk: She dropped out of a prestigious school in hopes of landing the lead in Alice in Wonderland. Unfortunately, Ida failed to secure what would’ve been a life-changing role. But she was unphased and joked, “I would have played her as a hooker and danced on the table tops". This was merely one of many obstacles Ida faced.

Ida's beauty dragged her down again. And again. And again. Eventually, Ida became notorious for being too beautiful; she was cursed with good looks. Young Ida couldn’t help but steal the limelight from grown leading actresses—even from one of the most important women in her life...Her own mother.

Stanley—her father, mentor, and biggest supporter—died of cancer an ocean away. After his passing, she broke down. Ida was not only convinced of the supernatural, but she insisted she could communicate with his spirit. Her fame and fortune couldn’t save Stanley. It was also useless against the global conflict, which showed no signs of ending.

It wouldn’t save her husband or marriage either. But Ida refused to surrender without a fight.


Ronald Reagan as the sympathetic Russian.


Ida was one of a kind. She wasn’t just one of the only female directors and producers, she made movies about untouchable topics. These included gender violence (Film-Noir "Outrage" 1950), bigamy (The Bigamist, 1953), and unwanted pregnancies. Her magnum opus is thought to be "The Hitch-Hiker" (Director/Writer 1953; film distributor Howard Hughes RKO Radio Pictures) the only film noir from the genre's classic period directed by a woman, a movie about a serial killer. At the time, this topic was taboo. Ida didn’t just make it work, she made herself into a legend.

Throughout her career, she directed at least a hundred television episodes and appeared in 59 films. Her work spans decades and genres. While Ida came from a legendary Renaissance family, she surpassed them all and became the ultimate Lupino and Renaissance woman.

However, sometimes she had to tap into her dark side in order to get her movies made. Ida did wild things to fund her movies. After all, independent films about taboo topics weren’t exactly enticing to investors. She had to sexualize her film proposals to entice business partner Howard Hughes—a notorious ladies' man—to fund them. Ida also pretended she was a damsel in distress to sway industry men. It worked.



When a house earns the nickname “the Hotel,” you know it’s crazy. Ida’s house, or hotel, was open 24/7 to her friends. As a result, there was a chaotic stream of celebrities, parties, cocktails, and even a zoo’s worth of pets. Ida’s house exemplified the glamor, excess, and drama of Hollywood’s Golden Era. It was mind-blowing fun for everyone.

Ida really was the life of the party, that is, until politics got involved.



President Reagan Betrayed Her. One of Ida’s most famous friends was Ronald Reagan. Yes, that Ronald Reagan. The Hollywood stars were extremely close friends until he became a traitor. You see, Ida was a devoted Democrat. So she viewed Reagan abandoning their party and joining the Republicans as treacherous.



She Learned The Hard Way

Ida learned firsthand why you should not mix business with pleasure. She constantly clashed with her husband Collier over creative differences and business decisions. Notably, his incompetence led to near financial ruin. Business conflicts, impossible to separate, invaded their marriage. Don’t worry, Ida got back at Collier in the ultimate way.

She Betrayed Her Husband

Once again, all that glitters is not gold. The Hollywood power couple’s marriage was miserable—professionally and personally. She desperately wanted children, but he was infertile. The fights, resentment, and issues piled up over time—and the rocky marriage collapsed after Ida met actor Howard Duff. Collier screwed up, but what she did was unforgivable.

Ida behaved just as scandalously as her characters. Swept away by Howard’s suave charm, she embarked on a passionate affair. Before the divorce was even finalized, Ida was already pregnant. Any hope of salvaging her marriage vanished into thin air. This time, Ida did the abandoning. Poor Collier. But for Ida, the third time’s the charm, right? Well, not quite.

Her Third Marriage Was Messy

Unfortunately, Ida and Howard’s relationship captivated Tinseltown for all the wrong reasons. The hot-headed pair were notorious for unhinged fights. Wherever they went, drama and destruction followed. As a result, everyone—from celebrities to fans—eagerly anticipated what they would do next. And no one could have guessed their next move.



She Trolled The Paparazzi

One night, the couple turned the tables on the tabloids. They went with friends to a restaurant swarming with paparazzi. Suddenly, the group started screaming and fighting. There was yelling! Fighting! Kissing! Dancing! Onlookers gawked at the shocking spectacle. It was hilarious but equally rooted in reality. Ida and Howard’s relationship really was that chaotic.

Howard Abandoned Her Again and Again

Turns out, you can't trust anything in the land of make-believe. Ida may have left Collier, but Howard abandoned her a hundred times over. One day, he randomly walked out on Ida and their daughter Bridget. Howard eventually returned but his reckless abandonment became a disturbing habit, that is, until the day he never came back.

Ida was alone all over again, but that wasn't the only part of her life going up in flames.



Her Business Fell Apart

Ida’s production company went bankrupt due to business decisions beyond her control. She’d wanted nothing more than to make movies in her vision. This was a devastating loss for Ida and American independent cinema. She fought and defeated goliath industry bosses to make it happen. Now? Ida could no longer work independently. This bad luck invaded every part of her life.

She Destroyed Her Relationship With Her Daughter

History repeated itself. A pushy Ida Lupino began pressuring her daughter into the family business. This time, it didn’t end well. Ida insisted that Bridget join her in Hollywood. After all, it was a centuries-old family tradition. It was practically destiny. However, Bridget refused. She hated Hollywood and fled.

A devastated Ida viewed this as yet another abandonment. With her family nowhere to be found, she turned down an even darker road.

Everything Was Out Of Control

By the 1970s, Ida’s life was a disaster. Every single part of it. She was a triple divorcée estranged from her only child. At this point, she’d been abandoned by her first love, father, mother, countless friends, and multiple husbands. Ida became a recluse and pushed away everyone else. She was broke, depressed, and struggling with a drinking problem.

But once you’ve hit rock bottom, there’s only one way to go...up.



An angel came into Ida’s life just before it was too late. Mary Anderson—the daughter of an actress herself—rescued Ida just as she was falling apart. She saved her finances, health, home, legacy, career, and more! They even wrote her memoir together. Most of Ida’s circle had passed or abandoned her: It was the two of them against the world. Mary wasn’t just Ida’s best friend, she was her salvation.



Mary was so good at managing her friend’s life, Ida demonstrated her trust in the biggest way. She appointed Mary as her conservator. Basically, Ida gave up control of her life, everything, to Mary. She became entirely dependent on her friend. This was major for the hermit with abandonment issues. This time, Mary stayed until the very end.

Tragically, it was Ida’s turn to leave a loved one.

Continue...

[EndtheMadnessNow]

The years leading up to Ida’s demise in 1995 were depressing and unbecoming of a legend. She struggled with mental illnesses, cognitive decline, a decaying body, and cancer. Working—Ida’s passion was no longer possible as she could no longer remember lines. After repeatedly evading her demise, a stroke ended her dramatic life.



Ida’s decline and passing could not have occurred at a more unfortunate time. After falling into relative obscurity, her work underwent a Renaissance. More film buffs began appreciating her work, while historians realized her contributions to cinema and television. However, she never got to fully reap the rewards of her genius.


Ida Lupino's legacy lives on in the amazing actresses and female directors she paved the way for. Thank you, Ida.


Ida Lupino, who directed "The Masks" episode of Twilight Zone, also directed several eps of Gilligan's Island, including..."The Producer"!

Sources::
Intense Facts About Ida Lupino, Hollywood’s Forgotten Trailblazer (includes 14 sources)

Virtual History

Turner Classic Movies Bio/Filmography

Wiki |  IMDB

Lupino family, one of England’s most celebrated theatrical families.

The earliest traceable Lupino—who spelled his name Luppino—flourished probably in Italy, c. 1612, and billed himself as Signor Luppino. His descendant George William (1632–93), a singer, reciter, and puppet master, went to England as a political refugee. George William’s son, George Charles (1662–1725), was a performer and puppeteer at the age of eight. After the Restoration the Luppino family was granted a license to play in the service of King Charles II. John Rich—the theatre manager and actor who originated the English pantomime—had as an apprentice a boy called George Richard Eastcourt Luppino (1710–87), whose son Thomas Frederick (1749–1845), the first to spell the family name Lupino, became a scenic artist and dancer.

The family tree shows nearly all descendants to have been connected with the stage. George Hook Lupino (1820–1902) had 16 children, at least 10 of whom became professional dancers, two marrying into the family of the well-known actress Sara Lane, manager (1871–99) of the Britannia Theatre, London. Almost the last of the old-style clowns was George Hook’s eldest son, George (1853–1932), born in a dressing room of the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, who was immediately carried onto the stage in swaddling clothes.

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