Lois Wilde, a pioneering actress of the 1930s, left an indelible mark on the silver screen despite her relatively short career. Born Edithea Lois Wild on August 14, 1907, in Los Angeles, her early life was marked by her parents' separation when she was just a year old. Lois and her older sister were subsequently relocated to Brooklyn to live with their mother's family.
As a child, Lois's talents were soon recognized, and she began modeling for renowned artists such as Howard Chandler Christy and Norman Price. Her dancing skills also earned her a spot with the Metropolitan Opera Company as a child ballerina at the age of 10. It was none other than Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. who discovered her talent and purchased her contract to feature her in his Follies extravaganzas.
Lois's career as a performer continued to flourish, earning her beauty titles and a spot as a finalist in the 1923 Miss America contest. She made her stage debut as Lois Wild (without the "e") and went on to work on Broadway, as well as modeling for various magazines and photo shoots.
However, Lois's career was temporarily derailed when she underwent a botched surgery for a hysterectomy in the early 1930s, leaving her crippled and confined to a wheelchair. She eventually relocated to Los Angeles to speed up her recovery and eventually returned to the stage, later taking on film ghostwriting and acting roles.
Lois made her film debut in 1936's The Millionaire Kid and went on to appear in a string of "B" adventures, playing decorative love interests and working alongside notable stars such as Gene Autry and Rin Tin Tin Jr. Her filmography includes the serial Undersea Kingdom, the Canadian Mountie tale Caryl of the Mountains, and the westerns Stormy Trails, Hopalong Rides Again, Brothers of the West, and Danger Valley.
Tragically, Lois's career came to an abrupt halt after a car accident in Beverly Hills in the summer of 1938, which left her with a broken neck. She later worked as a nurse's assistant for a plastic surgeon and made sporadic appearances in film and television.
Lois passed away on November 11, 1994, at the age of 87, in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, where she had relocated after the death of her fourth husband in 1987.
