Thelma Todd
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- July 29, 1906
- Died
- December 16, 1935 (aged 29)
- Birthplace
- Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Thelma Alice Todd (July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935) was an American actress. Appearing in about 120 pictures between 1926 and 1935, she is best remembered for her comedic roles in films such as Marx Brothers' Monkey Business and Horse Feathers, a number of Charley Chase's short comedies, and co-starring with Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante in Speak Easily. She also had roles in Wheeler and Woolsey farces, several Laurel and Hardy films, the last of which (The Bohemian Girl) featured her in a part that was truncated by her suspicious death at the age of 29. During the silent film era, Todd appeared in numerous supporting roles that made full use of her beauty but gave her little chance to act. With the advent of the talkies, Todd was given opportunity to expand her roles when producer Hal Roach signed her to appear with such comedy stars as Harry Langdon, Charley Chase, and Laurel and Hardy. In 1931, Roach cast Todd in her own series of slapstick comedy shorts, running 17 to 27 minutes each. In an attempt to create a female version of Laurel and Hardy, Roach teamed Todd with ZaSu Pitts for 17 shorts, from "Let's do Things" (June 1931) through "One Track Minds" (May 1933). When Pitts left in 1933, she was replaced by Patsy Kelly, appearing with Todd in 21 shorts, from "Beauty and the Bus" (September 1933) through "An All American Toothache" (January 1936). These Roach shorts often cast Todd as a working girl having all sorts of problems, and trying her best to remain poised and charming despite the embarrassing antics of her sidekick. Todd also appeared successfully in such dramas as the original 1931 film version of The Maltese Falcon starring Ricardo Cortez as Sam Spade, in which she played Miles Archer's treacherous widow. During her career she appeared in 119 films although many of these were short films, and was sometimes publicized as "The Ice Cream Blonde." Todd continued her short-subject series through 1935, and was featured in the full-length Laurel and Hardy comedy The Bohemian Girl. This was her last film; she died after completing all of her scenes, but most of them were re-shot. Producer Roach deleted all of Todd's dialogue and limited her appearance to one musical number.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Murders of Hollywood
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 6: Hollywood Police Files
Movie · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Death In Hollywood
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Death Scenes
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
Movie · as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Yesterday and Today
Movie · as (archive footage)
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Bohemian Girl
Movie · as Gypsy Queen's Daughter
An All American Toothache
Movie · as Thelma Alice Todd
Two for Tonight
Movie · as Lilly
Top Flat
Movie · as Thelma Todd
The Tin Man
Movie · as Thelma Todd
Sing Sister Sing
Movie · as Thelma
Hot Money
Movie · as Miss Thelma Todd
Twin Triplets
Movie · as Thelma
Treasure Blues
Movie · as Thelma
The Misses Stooge
Movie · as Thelma Todd
Slightly Static
Movie · as Thelma
After the Dance
Movie · as Mabel Kane
Cockeyed Cavaliers
Movie · as Lady Genevieve
Hips, Hips, Hooray!
Movie · as Miss Amelia Frisby
Lightning Strikes Twice
Movie · as Judy Nelson
The Poor Rich
Movie · as Gwendolyn Fetherstone
Maid in Hollywood
Movie · as Thelma
Soup and Fish
Movie · as Miss Thelma Todd
One-Horse Farmers
Movie · as Thelma
Opened by Mistake
Movie · as Thelma
Palooka
Movie · as Trixie
Three Chumps Ahead
Movie · as Thelma Todd
I'll Be Suing You
Movie · as Miss Todd
Done in Oil
Movie · as Thelma Todd aka Mlle. La Todd
Bum Voyage
Movie · as Thelma
Babes in the Goods
Movie · as Thelma Todd
Bottoms Up
Movie · as Judith Marlowe
Take the Stand
Movie · as Miss Sally Oxford
Air Hostess
Movie · as Mrs. Sylvia C. Carleton
Counsellor at Law
Movie · as Lillian La Rue
The Devil's Brother
Movie · as Lady Pamela Rocburg
Sitting Pretty
Movie · as Gloria Duval
Mary Stevens, M.D.
Movie · as Lois Cavanaugh
Son of a Sailor
Movie · as The Baroness
The Bargain of the Century
Movie · as Thelma
Asleep in the Feet
Movie · as Thelma
Maids a la Mode
Movie · as Miss Todd
Backs to Nature
Movie · as Thelma
One Track Minds
Movie · as Thelma Todd
Beauty and the Bus
Movie · as Thelma
Air Fright
Movie · as Thelma
Cheating Blondes
Movie · as Anne Merrick / Elaine Manners
You Made Me Love You
Movie · as Pamela Berne
Horse Feathers
Movie · as Connie Bailey
Speak Easily
Movie · as Eleanor Espere
This Is the Night
Movie · as Claire Mathewson
Call Her Savage
Movie · as Sunny De Lane
Klondike
Movie · as Klondike
The Big Timer
Movie · as Kay Mitchell
Show Business
Movie · as Thelma
Sealskins
Movie · as Thelma Todd
Red Noses
Movie · as Miss Todd
The Nickel Nurser
Movie · as Thelma Todd
The Soilers
Movie · as Thelma
The Old Bull
Movie · as Thelma
Strictly Unreliable
Movie · as Miss Thelma Todd
Sneak Easily
Movie · as Miss Thelma Todd - Attorney for the Defense
Alum and Eve
Movie · as Thelma
Deception
Movie · as Lola Del Mont
The Maltese Falcon
Movie · as Iva Archer
Monkey Business
Movie · as Lucille Briggs
On the Loose
Movie · as Thelma
Chickens Come Home
Movie · as Mrs. Hardy (uncredited)
Corsair
Movie · as Alison Corning
Broadminded
Movie · as Gertie Gardner
The Hot Heiress
Movie · as Lola
Rough Seas
Movie · as Antoinette
No Limit
Movie · as Betty Royce
The Pip from Pittsburg
Movie · as Thelma
Catch-As Catch-Can
Movie · as Thelma
Command Performance
Movie · as Lydia
Love Fever
Movie · as Thelma Todd
War Mamas
Movie · as Thelma
The Pajama Party
Movie · as Thelma
Let's Do Things
Movie · as Thelma Todd
Aloha
Movie · as Winifred Bradford
Swanee River
Movie · as Caroline
Another Fine Mess
Movie · as Lady Plumtree (uncredited)
Her Man
Movie · as Nelly
Whispering Whoopee
Movie · as Miss Todd
High C's
Movie · as Antoinette
Follow Thru
Movie · as Ruth Van Horn
The Real McCoy
Movie · as Thelma
Dollar Dizzy
Movie · as Thelma Todd
The Fighting Parson
Movie · as The Blonde Dance Hall Girl
The Shrimp
Movie · as Jim's Girlfriend
The King
Movie · as The Queen
The Head Guy
Movie · as The Star
Looser Than Loose
Movie · as Thelma, Charley's Fiancee
All Teed Up
Movie · as Thelma
Seven Footprints to Satan
Movie · as Eve Martin
Unaccustomed as We Are
Movie · as Mrs. Kennedy
Hurdy Gurdy
Movie · as Blondie
Snappy Sneezer
Movie · as Mary White
Hotter Than Hot
Movie
Look out Below
Movie · as Thelma
House of Horror
Movie · as Thelma
Careers
Movie · as Hortense
The Bachelor Girl
Movie · as Gladys
Trial Marriage
Movie · as Grace Logan
Crazy Feet
Movie · as Dancer
Her Private Life
Movie · as Mrs. Leslie
Sky Boy
Movie
Stepping Out
Movie · as Charley's Wife
Hal Roach Presents Harry Langdon
Movie · as The Woman
Heart to Heart
Movie · as Ruby Boyd
The Noose
Movie · as Phyllis
Naughty Baby
Movie · as Bonnie Le Vonne
The Crash
Movie · as Daisy McQueen
Vamping Venus
Movie · as Madame Vanezlos the Dancer / Venus
The Haunted House
Movie · as The Nurse
Nevada
Movie · as Hettie Ide
The Shield of Honor
Movie · as Rose aka Flora Fisher
Rubber Heels
Movie · as Princess Aline
Fireman, Save My Child
Movie · as (uncredited)
The Gay Defender
Movie · as Ruth Ainsworth
God Gave Me Twenty Cents
Movie · as Dance-Hall Girl (uncredited)
Fascinating Youth
Movie · as Lorraine Lane