Thelma Todd

Thelma Todd

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.

Acting

2016

Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime

Self (archive footage)

2003

Murders of Hollywood

Self (archive footage)

1989

Death Scenes

Self (archive footage)

1936

The Bohemian Girl

Gypsy Queen's Daughter

1935

1935

After the Dance

Mabel Kane

1935

1934

Hips, Hips, Hooray!

Miss Amelia Frisby

1933

Counsellor at Law

Lillian La Rue

1933

1933

Sitting Pretty

Gloria Duval

1933

1933

Mary Stevens, M.D.

Lois Cavanaugh

1933

The Devil's Brother

Lady Pamela Rocburg

1932

Call Her Savage

Sunny De Lane

1932

1932

Klondike

Klondike

1932

Horse Feathers

Connie Bailey

1932

Speak Easily

Eleanor Espere

1932

This Is the Night

Claire Mathewson

1931

1931

Monkey Business

Lucille Briggs

1931

1931

Rough Seas

Antoinette

1931

1931

1931

No Limit

Betty Royce

1930

Another Fine Mess

Lady Plumtree (uncredited)

1930

Follow Thru

Ruth Van Horn

1930

1930

1930

1929

1929

1928

1928

The Noose

Phyllis

1927

The Shield of Honor

Rose aka Flora Fisher

Infos

Full Name
Thelma Todd
Gender
Female
Date of Birth
7/29/1906
Date of Death
12/16/1935
Also Known As

Alison Loyd

Тельма Тодд

Thelma Alice Todd

Hot Toddy

The Ice Cream Blonde