Happy Birthday, Ida Lupino! Born today in 1918, this English-American singer, actress, producer and director is widely regarded as one of the most prominent female filmmakers working during the 1950s in the Hollywood studio system.
As an actress, Lupino is best known for co-starring in American film director and producer Henry Hathaway's 1935 American black and white drama/fantasy film 'Peter Ibbetson' as Agnes.
Lupino is also best known for co-starring in American film director and actor Raoul Walsh's ('The Thief of Bagdad', 'White Heat') 1941 American black and white drama/thriller heist film 'High Sierra' as Marie, a dance-hall girl.
As a director, Lupino is known for co-writing and directing the 1953 American black and white crime/thriller film 'The Hitch-Hiker'.
‘The Hitch-Hiker' is regarded as the first American mainstream film noir directed by a woman. It was released in late March.
However, Lupino is also best known for directing and co-starring in the 1953 American black and white film noir/drama film 'The Bigamist'. It was released in early December.
'The Bigamist' was made on an estimated budget of $175,000. In the film, Lupino plays an interesting woman named Phyllis Martin. The film also stars Joan Fontaine, Edmond O’Brien and Edmund Gwenn.
San Francisco businessman Harry Graham (Edmond O'Brien) and his wife and business partner, Eve (Joan Fontaine), are in the process of adopting a child.
When private investigator Mr. Jordan (Edmund Gwenn) uncovers the fact that Graham has another wife, Phyllis Martin (Lupino), and a small child in Los Angeles, he confesses everything.
In flashback, Graham tells of the strains in his marriage with Eve and how he found himself falling for the kind-hearted waitress Phyllis while on a business trip.
American film producer and writer Collier Young worked on many films in the 1950s. He was married to Joan Fontaine at the time and had previously been married to Lupino.
Young had written and co-produced the film. He also has an uncredited role as Canton Café Barfly.
‘The Bigamist’ has been cited as the first American feature film in which the female star of a film directed herself. It is now in the public domain.
Originally set up as an RKO production, 'The Bigamist' fell into difficulties when RKO pulled out, leaving the film without distribution.
The film is the only time Lupino ever directed herself. This would also be the last feature film directed by Lupino for more than twelve years until ‘The Trouble with Angels’ (1966).
In 1998, 'The Hitch-Hiker' was selected in 1998 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant. It is also now in the public domain.
Lupino had been active from 1931–1978.
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