Roberti, Lyda (1906–1938)

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Roberti, Lyda (1906–1938)

Polish-born actress and singer. Born May 20, 1906, in Warsaw, Poland; died Mar 12, 1938, in Los Angeles, CA, of a heart attack; dau. of Roberti (German clown) and a Polish trick rider; sister of Manyi Roberti (actress); m. R.A. Golden (div.); m. Hugh "Bud" Ernst, 1935.

Born into a circus, toured Europe and Asia with father as a child trapeze artist, then abandoned the circus (and reputedly her abusive father) in Shanghai while still quite young; became a child café entertainer; immigrated to US (1927), appeared in vaudeville, and made a triumphant debut on Broadway in You Said It!; made screen debut in Dancers in the Dark (1932), followed by Million Dollar Legs, The Kid from Spain, Torch Singer, College Rhythm, George White's Scandals, The Big Broadcast of 1936, Nobody's Baby and Wide Open Faces, among others; briefly starred with Patsy Kelly in Hal Roach comedy shorts, replacing Thelma Todd.

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