Lotus Thompson (1904-63) won an Australian beauty contest at the age of 15 on account of her beautiful legs. She took up stage acting after leaving school and made her first film in 1921. She secured some lead roles and was described in publicity as “Australia’s loveliest girl”.
In 1924, Thompson and her mother moved to Hollywood, and she found work at the Hal Roach studio. There followed, in 1925, a curious incident in which she attempted to scar her legs, allegedly with nitric acid, claiming that she hated the way producers only saw her legs, rather than her potential to play drama. This was either the act of a mentally disturbed young woman, or a publicity stunt.
Thompson secured a few roles thereafter, but by the mid-30s was taking bit parts. Her final credit was as Eve in Madam Satan.
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