Happy Birthday Ida Lupino (1914-1995)

Of all the actresses I have enjoyed watching over the years, I think I have more respect for Ida Lupino than any other. She came to Hollywood in 1934 as a 20 year old bleached blond. Over 40 years and 100+ screen roles later, she was still working. Her brilliant career as an actress was only the beginning. Widely respected as a pioneer for female filmmakers, she was only the second woman to be admitted to the Director's Guild. She was also a screenwriter and a producer.

in Artists & Models (1937) with Jack Benny

in Moontide (1942)


Moontide (1942)


in The Big Knife (1955)

The Man I Love (1947)

as singer Lily Stevens in Road House (1948)

Although she she was not exclusively a film noir actress, she was extraordinarily good in femme-fatale roles. As the hard, but sympathetic woman from the wrong side of the tracks in High Sierra and The Sea Wolf, the amoral murderess in They Drive By Night or the tough nightclub singer in The Man I Love and Road House, she was always spot on.

with George Raft in They Drive by Night (1940)

with Humphrey Bogart in High Sierra (1941)

in Private Hell 36 (1954)


Road House (1948)

On Dangerous Ground (1952) with Sumner Williams

Her film noir credits as an actress include They Drive by Night (1940), High Sierra (1941), The Sea Wolf (1941), Out of the Fog (1941), Moontide (1942), The Hard Way (1943), The Man I Love (1947), Road House (1948), Woman in Hiding (1950), On Dangerous Ground (1952), Beware, My Lovely (1952), The Bigamist (1953), Private Hell 36 (1954), Women's Prison (1955),The Big Knife (1955), and While the City Sleeps (1956).

with Edmond O'Brien and William Talman on the set of The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

Her noir directorial credits include Not Wanted (1949), Outrage (1950), On Dangerous Ground (1952), The Hitch-Hiker (1953) and The Bigamist (1953). She wrote the screenplay for Private Hell 36 (1954).

with Dennis Morgan and Joan Leslie in The Hard Way (1943)