Lotus Thompson

Lotus Thompson (1906–1963) was an Australian actress of silent and sound films. Her film career began in Australia in 1921 and ended in California in 1949, during which time she appeared in 35 motion pictures. She died in California in 1963.

Thompson was born in Charters Towers, Queensland on 26 August 1906. As a child, the Australian youth showed talent in school and church theatricals. Thompson was considered a beautiful girl as a youth. When she was fifteen her admirers entered her in a beauty contest. She was awarded first prize by a unanimous vote of the judges. One of the judges was a young artist. He was asked his reason for selecting her. He remarked that he chose her not so much for the beauty of her eyes, head, or lovely complexion. Instead, he admired her legs most, as they were "the sort of limbs a Diana or Venus must have had at her age". The contest won for her the title as the most beautiful girl in Australia.

Her mother was encouraged to let her sign with a stock company as soon as her school days ended.

Thompson made her film debut aged seventeen in the 1921 Australian film Know Thy Child. According to the Sydney Truth "She is not yet seventeen and possesses all the ' requisites of the successful artiste." Thompson's performance earned her good reviews and her appearance was much publicised.

She appeared in a Mother Goose pantomime then got a good role supporting Arthur Tauchert in The Dinkum Bloke (1923), directed by Raymond Longford. Longford was the leading Australian director of the 1920s and Tauchert one of the biggest stars.

She had a lead role in the comedy Townies and Hayseeds. It was directed by Beaumont Smith who used Thompson in The Dingo. Publicity referred to her as "Australia's loveliest girl."

Smith used her again in Prehistoric Hayseeds and The Digger Earl.

Mother and daughter set out for Hollywood on 5 March 1924, arriving in San Francisco on 25 March 1924.

Lotus was picked by a director from Paramount Pictures from among a crowd of applicants.

She contacted fellow Australian Enid Bennett, who had married director Fred Niblo. She came second in a beauty contest and did some screen tests. Pictures of her legs appeared in the paper.

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