Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime
2016 · TV Show
as Self (archive footage)
Thelma Todd
1906-07-29
•
Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA
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.
Filmography
Murders of Hollywood
2003 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
No image
Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 6: Hollywood Police Files
1992 · Movie
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Death In Hollywood
1990 · Movie
Death Scenes
1989 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
1988 · Movie
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Yesterday and Today
1953 · Movie
as (archive footage)
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
1942 · Movie
as Self (archive footage)
The Bohemian Girl
1936 · Movie
as Gypsy Queen's Daughter
No image
An All American Toothache
1936 · Movie
as Thelma Alice Todd
Two for Tonight
1935 · Movie
as Lilly
Top Flat
1935 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
The Tin Man
1935 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
Sing Sister Sing
1935 · Movie
as Thelma
Hot Money
1935 · Movie
as Miss Thelma Todd
Treasure Blues
1935 · Movie
as Thelma
The Misses Stooge
1935 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
Twin Triplets
1935 · Movie
as Thelma
Slightly Static
1935 · Movie
as Thelma
After the Dance
1935 · Movie
as Mabel Kane
Cockeyed Cavaliers
1934 · Movie
as Lady Genevieve
Hips, Hips, Hooray!
1934 · Movie
as Miss Amelia Frisby
Lightning Strikes Twice
1934 · Movie
as Judy Nelson
The Poor Rich
1934 · Movie
as Gwendolyn Fetherstone
Maid in Hollywood
1934 · Movie
as Thelma
Soup and Fish
1934 · Movie
as Miss Thelma Todd
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One-Horse Farmers
1934 · Movie
as Thelma
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Opened by Mistake
1934 · Movie
as Thelma
Palooka
1934 · Movie
as Trixie
Three Chumps Ahead
1934 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
No image
I'll Be Suing You
1934 · Movie
as Miss Todd
Done in Oil
1934 · Movie
as Thelma Todd aka Mlle. La Todd
Bum Voyage
1934 · Movie
as Thelma
Babes in the Goods
1934 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
Bottoms Up
1934 · Movie
as Judith Marlowe
Take the Stand
1934 · Movie
as Miss Sally Oxford
Air Hostess
1933 · Movie
as Mrs. Sylvia C. Carleton
Counsellor at Law
1933 · Movie
as Lillian La Rue
The Devil's Brother
1933 · Movie
as Lady Pamela Rocburg
Sitting Pretty
1933 · Movie
as Gloria Duval
Mary Stevens, M.D.
1933 · Movie
as Lois Cavanaugh
Son of a Sailor
1933 · Movie
as The Baroness
The Bargain of the Century
1933 · Movie
as Thelma
Asleep in the Feet
1933 · Movie
as Thelma
Maids a la Mode
1933 · Movie
as Miss Todd
Backs to Nature
1933 · Movie
as Thelma
Beauty and the Bus
1933 · Movie
as Thelma
One Track Minds
1933 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
Air Fright
1933 · Movie
as Thelma
Cheating Blondes
1933 · Movie
as Anne Merrick / Elaine Manners
You Made Me Love You
1933 · Movie
as Pamela Berne
Horse Feathers
1932 · Movie
as Connie Bailey
Speak Easily
1932 · Movie
as Eleanor Espere
This Is the Night
1932 · Movie
as Claire Mathewson
Call Her Savage
1932 · Movie
as Sunny De Lane
Klondike
1932 · Movie
as Klondike
The Big Timer
1932 · Movie
as Kay Mitchell
Show Business
1932 · Movie
as Thelma
Sealskins
1932 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
Red Noses
1932 · Movie
as Miss Todd
The Nickel Nurser
1932 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
Strictly Unreliable
1932 · Movie
as Miss Thelma Todd
The Soilers
1932 · Movie
as Thelma
The Old Bull
1932 · Movie
as Thelma
Sneak Easily
1932 · Movie
as Miss Thelma Todd - Attorney for the Defense
Alum and Eve
1932 · Movie
as Thelma
No image
Deception
1932 · Movie
as Lola Del Mont
The Maltese Falcon
1931 · Movie
as Iva Archer
Monkey Business
1931 · Movie
as Lucille Briggs
On the Loose
1931 · Movie
as Thelma
Chickens Come Home
1931 · Movie
as Mrs. Hardy (uncredited)
Corsair
1931 · Movie
as Alison Corning
Broadminded
1931 · Movie
as Gertie Gardner
The Hot Heiress
1931 · Movie
as Lola
Rough Seas
1931 · Movie
as Antoinette
No Limit
1931 · Movie
as Betty Royce
The Pip from Pittsburg
1931 · Movie
as Thelma
Catch-As Catch-Can
1931 · Movie
as Thelma
Command Performance
1931 · Movie
as Lydia
Love Fever
1931 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
War Mamas
1931 · Movie
as Thelma
The Pajama Party
1931 · Movie
as Thelma
Let's Do Things
1931 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
Aloha
1931 · Movie
as Winifred Bradford
No image
Swanee River
1931 · Movie
as Caroline
Another Fine Mess
1930 · Movie
as Lady Plumtree (uncredited)
Her Man
1930 · Movie
as Nelly
Whispering Whoopee
1930 · Movie
as Miss Todd
High C's
1930 · Movie
as Antoinette
Follow Thru
1930 · Movie
as Ruth Van Horn
The Real McCoy
1930 · Movie
as Thelma
Dollar Dizzy
1930 · Movie
as Thelma Todd
The Fighting Parson
1930 · Movie
as The Blonde Dance Hall Girl
The Shrimp
1930 · Movie
as Jim's Girlfriend
The Head Guy
1930 · Movie
as The Star
The King
1930 · Movie
as The Queen
Looser Than Loose
1930 · Movie
as Thelma, Charley's Fiancee
All Teed Up
1930 · Movie
as Thelma
Seven Footprints to Satan
1929 · Movie
as Eve
Unaccustomed as We Are
1929 · Movie
as Mrs. Kennedy
Hurdy Gurdy
1929 · Movie
as Blondie
Snappy Sneezer
1929 · Movie
as Mary White
No image
Look out Below
1929 · Movie
as Thelma
Hotter Than Hot
1929 · Movie
House of Horror
1929 · Movie
as Thelma
Careers
1929 · Movie
as Hortense
The Bachelor Girl
1929 · Movie
as Gladys
Trial Marriage
1929 · Movie
as Grace Logan
Crazy Feet
1929 · Movie
as Dancer
Her Private Life
1929 · Movie
as Mrs. Leslie
Sky Boy
1929 · Movie
Stepping Out
1929 · Movie
as Charley's Wife
Hal Roach Presents Harry Langdon
1929 · Movie
as The Woman
Heart to Heart
1928 · Movie
as Ruby Boyd
The Noose
1928 · Movie
as Phyllis
Naughty Baby
1928 · Movie
as Bonnie Le Vonne
The Crash
1928 · Movie
as Daisy McQueen
Vamping Venus
1928 · Movie
as Madame Vanezlos the Dancer / Venus
The Haunted House
1928 · Movie
as The Nurse
Nevada
1927 · Movie
as Hettie Ide
The Shield of Honor
1927 · Movie
as Rose aka Flora Fisher
Fireman, Save My Child
1927 · Movie
as (uncredited)
The Gay Defender
1927 · Movie
as Ruth Ainsworth
Rubber Heels
1927 · Movie
as Princess Aline
God Gave Me Twenty Cents
1926 · Movie
as Dance-Hall Girl (uncredited)
Fascinating Youth
1926 · Movie
as Lorraine Lane
