Lupino family

British theatrical family. The earliest member, Signor Luppino, flourished c. 1610, probably in Italy. His descendant George William Luppino (1632–93), a puppet master, immigrated to England as a political refugee. A later descendant, the scenic artist and dancer Thomas Frederick Lupino (1749–1845), changed the spelling of the family name. Another family member, George Hook Lupino (1820–1902), had 16 children, 10 of whom were dancers. His eldest son, George Lupino (1853–1932), was a famous clown; George's son Barry Lupino (1884–1962) excelled in pantomime and musical comedy; another son, Stanley Lupino (1894–1942), performed in comedy revues. Stanley's nephew Henry Lupino (1892–1959), a Cockney comedian known as Lupino Lane, created the “Lambeth walk” dance in the musical Me and My Girl (1937). Stanley's daughter Ida Lupino (1916–95) moved in 1934 to the U.S., where she starred in movies such as They Drive by Night (1940), The Sea Wolf (1941), and The Hard Way (1942). One of the first female film directors, she was noted for The Hitch-Hiker (1953) and The Bigamist (1953), and she also directed several dramas for television.