Thelma Todd
Acting
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
Acting126
tvBuzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime
2016
Self (archive footage)
movieMurders of Hollywood
2003
Self (archive footage)
Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 6: Hollywood Police Files
1992
(archive footage) (uncredited)
movieDeath Scenes
1989
Self (archive footage)
movieHollywood Scandals and Tragedies
1988
(archive footage) (uncredited)
movieYesterday and Today
1953
(archive footage)
movieScreen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
1942
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Bohemian Girl
1936
Gypsy Queen's Daughter
An All American Toothache
1936
Thelma Alice Todd
movieTop Flat
1935
Thelma Todd
movieHot Money
1935
Miss Thelma Todd
movieTwin Triplets
1935
Thelma
movieSlightly Static
1935
Thelma
movieAfter the Dance
1935
Mabel Kane
movieThe Misses Stooge
1935
Thelma Todd
movieThe Tin Man
1935
Thelma Todd
movieTreasure Blues
1935
Thelma
movieBum Voyage
1934
Thelma
movieLightning Strikes Twice
1934
Judy Nelson
movieDone in Oil
1934
Thelma Todd aka Mlle. La Todd
movieTake the Stand
1934
Miss Sally Oxford
movieThree Chumps Ahead
1934
Thelma Todd
movieCockeyed Cavaliers
1934
Lady Genevieve
movieBottoms Up
1934
Judith Marlowe
movieSoup and Fish
1934
Miss Thelma Todd
movieThe Poor Rich
1934
Gwendolyn Fetherstone
movieBabes in the Goods
1934
Thelma Todd
movieHips, Hips, Hooray!
1934
Miss Amelia Frisby
moviePalooka
1934
Trixie
movieCounsellor at Law
1933
Lillian La Rue
movieAir Fright
1933
Thelma
movieSon of a Sailor
1933
The Baroness
movieSitting Pretty
1933
Gloria Duval
movieBacks to Nature
1933
Thelma
movieYou Made Me Love You
1933
Pamela Berne
movieMary Stevens, M.D.
1933
Lois Cavanaugh
movieOne Track Minds
1933
Thelma Todd
movieThe Devil's Brother
1933
Lady Pamela Rocburg
movieCheating Blondes
1933
Anne Merrick / Elaine Manners
movieMaids a la Mode
1933
Miss Todd
movieAir Hostess
1933
Mrs. Sylvia C. Carleton
movieSneak Easily
1932
Miss Thelma Todd - Attorney for the Defense
movieCall Her Savage
1932
Sunny De Lane
Deception
1932
Lola Del Mont
movieThe Soilers
1932
Thelma
movieAlum and Eve
1932
Thelma
movieKlondike
1932
Klondike
movieShow Business
1932
Thelma
movieHorse Feathers
1932
Connie Bailey
movieSpeak Easily
1932
Eleanor Espere
movieThe Old Bull
1932
Thelma
movieStrictly Unreliable
1932
Miss Thelma Todd
movieThis Is the Night
1932
Claire Mathewson
movieRed Noses
1932
Miss Todd
movieThe Nickel Nurser
1932
Thelma Todd
movieThe Big Timer
1932
Kay Mitchell
movieSealskins
1932
Thelma Todd
movieOn the Loose
1931
Thelma
movieCorsair
1931
Alison Corning
movieWar Mamas
1931
Thelma
movieMonkey Business
1931
Lucille Briggs
movieBroadminded
1931
Gertie Gardner
movieLet's Do Things
1931
Thelma Todd
movieThe Maltese Falcon
1931
Iva Archer
movieAloha
1931
Winifred Bradford
movieRough Seas
1931
Antoinette
movieLove Fever
1931
Thelma Todd
movieChickens Come Home
1931
Mrs. Hardy (uncredited)
movieNo Limit
1931
Betty Royce
movieHigh C's
1930
Antoinette
movieAnother Fine Mess
1930
Lady Plumtree (uncredited)
movieLooser Than Loose
1930
Thelma, Charley's Fiancee
movieDollar Dizzy
1930
Thelma Todd
movieFollow Thru
1930
Ruth Van Horn
movieHer Man
1930
Nelly
movieThe King
1930
The Queen
movieThe Shrimp
1930
Jim's Girlfriend
movieAll Teed Up
1930
Thelma
movieWhispering Whoopee
1930
Miss Todd
movieThe Fighting Parson
1930
The Blonde Dance Hall Girl
movieThe Real McCoy
1930
Thelma
movieThe Head Guy
1930
The Star
movieStepping Out
1929
Charley's Wife
movieCrazy Feet
1929
Dancer
movieHer Private Life
1929
Mrs. Leslie
movieSnappy Sneezer
1929
Mary White
movieCareers
1929
Hortense
movieHurdy Gurdy
1929
Blondie
movieUnaccustomed as We Are
1929
Mrs. Kennedy
movieHouse of Horror
1929
Thelma
movieTrial Marriage
1929
Grace Logan
movieNaughty Baby
1928
Bonnie Le Vonne
movieThe Haunted House
1928
The Nurse
movieThe Crash
1928
Daisy McQueen
movieHeart to Heart
1928
Ruby Boyd
movieVamping Venus
1928
Madame Vanezlos the Dancer / Venus
movieThe Noose
1928
Phyllis
movieThe Shield of Honor
1927
Rose aka Flora Fisher
movieThe Gay Defender
1927
Ruth Ainsworth
movieNevada
1927
Hettie Ide
movieFireman, Save My Child
1927
(uncredited)
movieRubber Heels
1927
Princess Aline
movieGod Gave Me Twenty Cents
1926
Dance-Hall Girl (uncredited)
movieFascinating Youth
1926
Lorraine Lane