Her film career began in Australia in 1921 and ended in California in 1949, during which time she appeared in 35 motion pictures.

As a child, the Australian youth showed talent in school and church theatricals.

[citation needed] The contest won for her the title as the most beautiful girl in Australia.

Her mother was encouraged to let her sign with a stock company as soon as her school days ended.

[5] She appeared in a Mother Goose pantomime[6] then got a good role supporting Arthur Tauchert in The Dinkum Bloke (1923), directed by Raymond Longford.

She contacted fellow Australian Enid Bennett, who had married director Fred Niblo.

[17] She got work at Hal Roach studios and in the Fox sunshine comedies[18][19] including The Folly of Vanity.

Her reason for marring herself had to do with her inability to secure roles other than parts in comedy and as a chorus girl.

"[citation needed] In the aftermath, she was satisfied that directors and the movie public would never want to look at her legs again.

"[22] The actress was rushed to the Ferry-Dickey-Cass private hospital by two Los Angeles Police Department detectives.

He remarked about her irrational action, "I know nothing of your work, but anyone who has the courage to do as dramatic and insane a thing as you have done must have temperament and feeling.

However her rash act was carried in newspapers worldwide, and she received offers of bit roles from various casting directors.

One of these was film executive Harry Rapf, who visited the young woman at her home as she was convalescing.

In May 1925 an Australian paper ran an item which said the acid pouring did not occur and reports were a publicity stunt.

[28] She reportedly signed to Paramount Pictures[29] who put her in Rough House Rosie with Clara Bow.

[31] In August 1926, Lotus had a supporting role in The New Champion, which dealt with a young blacksmith who had boxing ambitions.

[34] An August 1933 Los Angeles Times article made reference to Thompson among a list of actors who accepted $10 to $15 a day for bit roles in films.