Thelma Todd
Biography
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
Eve
Seven Footprints to Satan
Iva Archer
The Maltese Falcon
Connie Bailey
Horse Feathers
Lucille Briggs
Monkey Business
Eleanor Espere
Speak Easily
(archive footage)
Yesterday and Today
Dance-Hall Girl (uncredited)
God Gave Me Twenty Cents
Thelma
On the Loose
Lady Plumtree (uncredited)
Another Fine Mess
Mrs. Hardy
Chickens Come Home
Mrs. Kennedy
Unaccustomed as We Are
Gypsy Queen's Daughter
The Bohemian Girl
Claire Mathewson
This Is the Night
Mrs. Sylvia C. Carleton
Air Hostess
Alison Corning
Corsair
Lillian La Rue
Counsellor at Law
Lady Pamela Rocburg
The Devil's Brother
Sunny De Lane
Call Her Savage
Lady Genevieve
Cockeyed Cavaliers
Hettie Ide
Nevada
Miss Amelia Frisby
Hips, Hips, Hooray!
Nelly
Her Man
Klondike
Klondike
Miss Todd
Whispering Whoopee
Gloria Duval
Sitting Pretty
Judy Nelson
Lightning Strikes Twice
Gwendolyn Fetherstone
The Poor Rich
Lois Cavanaugh
Mary Stevens, M.D.
Gertie Gardner
Broadminded
Lola
The Hot Heiress
The Baroness
Son of a Sailor
Lilly
Two for Tonight
Antoinette
Rough Seas
Kay Mitchell
The Big Timer
Self (archive footage)
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
Antoinette
High C's
Betty Royce
No Limit
Thelma
Maid in Hollywood
Thelma Todd
Top Flat
Thelma
The Bargain of the Century
Thelma
Show Business
Thelma Todd
Sealskins
Thelma
Asleep in the Feet
Thelma
The Pip from Pittsburg
Thelma Todd
The Tin Man
Ruth Van Horn
Follow Thru
Thelma
Catch-As Catch-Can
Thelma
Sing Sister Sing
Miss Todd
Red Noses
Miss Thelma Todd
Soup and Fish
Thelma
The Real McCoy
Thelma Todd
Dollar Dizzy
Miss Thelma Todd
Hot Money
Thelma
One-Horse Farmers
Miss Todd
Maids a la Mode
Thelma
Opened by Mistake
Ruby Boyd
Heart to Heart
Thelma Todd
The Nickel Nurser
Thelma
Backs to Nature
Lydia
Command Performance
Trixie
Palooka
Thelma Todd
Love Fever
The Blonde Dance Hall Girl
The Fighting Parson
Jim's Girlfriend
The Shrimp
The Star
The Head Guy
The Queen
The King
Thelma
War Mamas
Miss Thelma Todd
Strictly Unreliable
Thelma Todd
Three Chumps Ahead
Thelma
Treasure Blues
Thelma
The Soilers
Thelma Todd
The Misses Stooge
Thelma
The Pajama Party
Thelma
The Old Bull
Thelma
Twin Triplets
Thelma
Beauty and the Bus
Thelma
Slightly Static
Miss Todd
I'll Be Suing You
Thelma Todd
One Track Minds
Thelma Alice Todd
An All American Toothache
Miss Thelma Todd - Attorney for the Defense
Sneak Easily
Thelma
Air Fright
Thelma Todd aka Mlle. La Todd
Done in Oil
Thelma
Alum and Eve
Thelma
Bum Voyage
Thelma Todd
Babes in the Goods
Thelma Todd
Let's Do Things
Mabel Kane
After the Dance
Rose aka Flora Fisher
The Shield of Honor
Judith Marlowe
Bottoms Up
Blondie
Hurdy Gurdy
Anne Merrick / Elaine Manners
Cheating Blondes
Miss Sally Oxford
Take the Stand
Thelma, Charley's Fiancee
Looser Than Loose
Pamela Berne
You Made Me Love You
Phyllis
The Noose
Thelma
All Teed Up
Winifred Bradford
Aloha
Mary White
Snappy Sneezer
Thelma
Look Out Below
Hotter Than Hot
Thelma
House of Horror
Bonnie Le Vonne
Naughty Baby
Hortense
Careers
Lorraine Lane
Fascinating Youth
Gladys
The Bachelor Girl
Daisy McQueen
The Crash
Grace Logan
Trial Marriage
Dancer
Crazy Feet
Madame Vanezlos the Dancer / Venus
Vamping Venus
Lola Del Mont
Deception
The Nurse
The Haunted House
Mrs. Leslie
Her Private Life
(uncredited)
Fireman, Save My Child
Ruth Ainsworth
The Gay Defender
Caroline
Swanee River
Sky Boy
Charley's Wife
Stepping Out
Princess Aline
Rubber Heels
The Woman
Hal Roach Presents Harry Langdon
Self (archive footage)
Death Scenes
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
Self (archive footage)
Murders of Hollywood
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
123
Gender
Female
Birthday
1906-07-29
Place of Birth
Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA
Also Known As
Alison Loyd