Lyda's father, a German clown named Roberti, had a profound influence on her early life. As a child performer, Lyda embarked on a remarkable journey, touring Europe and Asia alongside the Circus, where she was born. However, her experiences were not without their challenges, as she was forced to leave the circus and her reportedly abusive father in Shanghai, China.
In this cosmopolitan city, Lyda discovered a new sense of purpose, becoming a child cafe entertainer and developing the fractured English that would become an integral part of her unique persona. Her travels eventually led her to California, where she found work in vaudeville and caught the attention of renowned Broadway producer Lou Holtz.
Holtz's discovery of Lyda in 1930 marked the beginning of her meteoric rise to stardom, with her breakout role in the 1931 show 'You Said It'. Her unforgettable stage and screen character was that of a charming, blonde seductress, whose endearing accent and uninhibited pursuit of men were played for comedic effect.
Lyda's impressive film career spanned from 1932 to 1935, during which she appeared in eight comedy and musical films, primarily at Paramount, alongside esteemed comedians such as W.C. Fields and Eddie Cantor. Her distinctive singing style also gained popularity on the radio and records.
However, Lyda's life was cut short due to premature heart disease, which led to her decline in health. Despite this, she continued to work in film, briefly replacing the late Thelma Todd in Hal Roach comedy shorts with Patsy Kelly and appearing in three features for MGM and Columbia. Tragically, Lyda's life was cut short at the age of 31, just a few months after her retirement from film work, when she succumbed to a fatal heart attack.
