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Thelma Todd
Actor
Born July 29, 1906Died December 16, 1935 (29 years)
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.
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
| 2003 | Inside the Marx Brothers · as Lucille (clip From Monkey Business (1931)) |
| 1986 | Laurel & Hardy (TV Series) · as Mrs. Kennedy |
| 1936 | The Bohemian Girl · as Gypsy Queen's Daughter |
| 1935 | Two for Tonight · as Lilly |
| 1935 | After the Dance · as Mabel Kane |
| 1934 | Lightning Strikes Twice · as Judy Nelson |
| 1934 | Take the Stand · as Miss Sally Oxford |
| 1934 | Cockeyed Cavaliers · as Lady Genevieve |
| 1934 | Bottoms Up · as Judith Marlowe |
| 1934 | The Poor Rich · as Gwendolyn Fetherstone |
| 1934 | Hips, Hips, Hooray! · as Miss Amelia Frisby |
| 1934 | Palooka · as Trixie |
| 1933 | Counsellor at Law · as Lillian La Rue |
| 1933 | Son of a Sailor · as The Baroness |
| 1933 | Air Fright · as Thelma |
| 1933 | Sitting Pretty · as Gloria Duval |
| 1933 | Backs to Nature · as Thelma |
| 1933 | You Made Me Love You · as Pamela Berne |
| 1933 | Beauty and the Bus · as Thelma |
| 1933 | Mary Stevens, M.D. · as Lois Cavanaugh |
| 1933 | |
| 1933 | The Devil's Brother · as Lady Pamela Rocburg |
| 1933 | Cheating Blondes · as Anne Merrick / Elaine Manners |
| 1933 | Air Hostess · as Mrs. Sylvia C. Carleton |
| 1932 | Call Her Savage · as Sunny De Lane |
| 1932 | Klondike · as Klondike |
| 1932 | Horse Feathers · as Connie Bailey |
| 1932 | Speak Easily · as Eleanor Espere |
| 1932 | This Is the Night · as Claire Mathewson |
| 1932 | The Big Timer · as Kay Mitchell |
| 1931 | On the Loose · as Thelma |
| 1931 | Corsair · as Alison Corning |
| 1931 | The Pajama Party · as Thelma |
| 1931 | Monkey Business · as Lucille Briggs |
| 1931 | Broadminded · as Gertie Gardner |
| 1931 | The Maltese Falcon · as Iva Archer |
| 1931 | Rough Seas · as Antoinette |
| 1931 | The Hot Heiress · as Lola |
| 1931 | The Pip from Pittsburg · as Thelma |
| 1931 | Chickens Come Home · as Mrs. Hardy |
| 1931 | Command Performance · as Lydia |
| 1931 | No Limit · as Betty Royce |
| 1930 | Another Fine Mess · as Lady Plumtree (uncredited) |
| 1930 | Follow Thru · as Mrs. Van Horn |
| 1930 | Her Man · as Nelly |
| 1930 | All Teed Up · as Thelma |
| 1929 | Unaccustomed As We Are · as Mrs. Kennedy |
| 1929 | Seven Footprints to Satan · as Eve |
| 1928 | Abie's Irish Rose · as Cast |
| 1928 | The Noose · as Phyllis |
| 1927 | The Shield of Honor · as Rose Aka Flora Fisher |
| 1927 | Nevada · as Hettie Ide |