The Lupino family (Italian: [luˈpiːno]) is a British theatre family which traces its roots to an Italian émigré of the early 17th century. The "Lupino" name is derived from two unrelated families:[1]

  • the original Luppino or Lupino family, seventeenth century emigres from Italy to England
  • the later Hook family, which assumed the Lupino surname.
c.1870 Sarah Lane The Queen of Hoxton

Actress and director Ida Lupino (1918–1995) and theatre and movie actor, dancer, singer, acrobat and author Lupino Lane (Henry George Lupino, 1892–1959), descend from the Hook line.

Several of the Hook family adopted the surname Lane from Sarah Lane, the director of the Britannia Theatre, Hoxton, to whom they were related.

Family descent edit

Luppino family edit

Giorgio Luppino came from a family of Italian puppet makers. He fled to England as a political refugee

George William Luppino (1632–1693), son of Georgius, a singer, reciter and puppet master.
George Charles Luppino (1662-1???), son of George William, a performer and puppeteer from age of 8.
George Charles Luppino II (1683–1723), son of George Charles, a dancer, known as The Motion Master of Long Acre. He married Charlotte Mary Estcourt, daughter of the actor and playwright Richard Estcourt.[2]
George Richard Estcourt Luppino (1710–1787), son of George Charles, a dancer, an apprentice to John Rich, the founder of English Pantomime. He married Rosina Volante, daughter of the rope-dancer and theatre company manager Signora Violante.[3]
Thomas Frederick Luppino (1749–1845), son of George Richard Estcourt, a dancer and scenic artist. He married Elizabeth.
Samuel George Lupino (1766–1830), son of Thomas Frederick, an acrobatic dancer.
 
Harry Lupino and his son Lupino Lane, in Jack and Jill, 1907–8 at The Prince's Bristol

Hook family edit

Unrelated dancer George Hook (George Hook Lupino, 1820–1902) assumed the surname Lupino after working with members of the Lupino family. He became famous in the role of Harlequin and married Rosina Sophia Proctor (1831–1908) and had 16 children, at least 10 of whom became professional dancers, two of them marrying into the family of Sara Lane, manager of the Britannia Theatre Hoxton.

Of George Hook Lupino's 16 children:

Other members from this second line include Peter Lupino (1912–1994) and Antoinette Lupino (1921-1982), children of Barry Lupino; and Rita Lupino (1921–2016), sister of Ida.

Living descendants of the Lupino family who maintain the family tradition include Sara Lupino Lane (granddaughter of Lupino Lane), patron of The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America, and Patricia Lupino Thompson. Thompson, former principal of a dance school in Manchester, is now a Fellow, examiner, lecturer, technical committee member and director of the International Dance Teachers Association, and a dance adjudicator for the British Federation of Festivals.

Selected Lupino family tree - second (Hook) line edit

George Hook Lupino
1820-1902
George Lupino
1853-1932
Arthur Lupino
1864-1908
Harry Charles Lupino
1867-1925
Barry Lupino
1884-1962
Mark Lupino
1889-1930
Stanley Lupino
1893-1942
Lupino Lane
1892-1959
Wallace Lupino
1898-1961
Peter Lupino
1912-1994
Antoinette Lupino
1921-1982
Ida Lupino
1918-1995
Rita Lupino
1921-2016
Lauri Lupino Lane
1921-1986
Richard Lupino
1929-2005
Sara Lupino Lane

References edit

  1. ^ "The name Lupino was not the family name, but was adopted by George Hook (1820–1902) who appropriated the name Lupino – his one-time partner. (George Barry Lupino) Barry's family history adopted the antecedents of the real Italian Luppino and grafted them onto the Hook family tree." taken from: Pantomime, A Story in Pictures:(Theatrical History collection, 1973)
  2. ^ Highfill, Jr., Philip H.; Kalman A., Burnim; Langhans, Edward A. A biographical dictionary of actors, actresses, musicians, dancers, managers & other stage personnel in London, 1660–1800. Volume 5 Eagen to Garrett. Carbondale. ISBN 9780585031491. OCLC 44958961.
  3. ^ Read, Leslie du S. (2004). "Violante [Larini], Signora (1682–1741), rope-dancer and theatre company manager | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". www.oxforddnb.com. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/64361.