Ida had a vibrant childhood, full of parties with theater people. At an early age she began to write plays and perform for her parent's guests. Her skill impressed Stanley so much that he was inspired to build a little theater in their home for his children to put on productions.
A sophisticated and self-possessed young woman, Ida enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts at age eighteen. By the time she turned nineteen, she had won her first movie role in Her First Affaire (1933). The performance was a success and it won her even more work.
Soon executives at Paramount studios in Hollywood noticed Ida's burgeoning talent. They invited her to test for the title role in Alice in Wonderland. She and Connie said goodbye to Stanley and embarked on the long journey to California. When Ida arrived in Hollywood, the press was eager to speak with the new "Alice", but she seemed more sophisticated than girlish to those present.
It was obvious to all that Ida was not a good choice to play innocent "Alice" and the idea was dropped. Instead, she made her Hollywood debut in Search for Beauty (1934). The movie was a modest success and round-cheeked, platinum blonde Ida went on to play a series of bombshell roles in unsatisfying potboilers. She became homesick and unhappy with her life in California.
In June of 1934, Ida suddenly had a new problem; she contracted polio. She was confined to a wheelchair and feared that her life was over. Fortunately, her bout with the disease only lasted a few days.
Ida went back to work, appearing in Ready For Love (1934), but then, still shaken by her illness, she returned to England for a vacation. By the time she came back to Hollywood, she was healthy, well rested and eager to work again. Her happiness did not last long; she was still unhappy with the quality of the roles she was offered.
Despite the fact that her career was at a standstill, Ida was beginning to enjoy life in Hollywood. She and Connie had many friends, and it was always open house at the Lupino's. Ida would often come home to find people already gathered in her living room. She also found love with actor Louis Hayward; they married in 1938.
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