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