Born into a grand English theatrical family, Ida Lupino found fame in the film noir genre, starring in They Drive By Night and High Sierra with Humphrey Bogart, and with Jack Palance in The Big Knife. Fiery yet delicate, she was one of the most gifted actresses in Hollywood. But her story does not end there. Multi-talented, she also wrote scripts and composed music. She became one of the first female directors, concentrating on drama, realism and social commentary. Though she is now something of a feminist icon, Lupino was a woman of her time and downplayed her achievements. As the film industry declined throughout the 1950s, she moved into television. It’s hard to explain why this pioneering artist is not more celebrated, with many of her greatest films still not available on DVD.

To read more about Ida Lupino’s career, click here

To see a video montage of her work, click here