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.
Acted in 113
1980s
- 1988
Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1950s
- 1953
Yesterday and Today
(archive footage)
1930s
- 1936
- 1935
Top Flat
Thelma Todd
Hot Money
Miss Thelma Todd
Twin Triplets
Thelma
Two for Tonight
Lilly
Slightly Static
Thelma
After the Dance
Mabel Kane
The Misses Stooge
Thelma Todd
The Tin Man
Thelma Todd
Sing Sister Sing
Thelma
Treasure Blues
Thelma
- 1934
Bum Voyage
Thelma
Lightning Strikes Twice
Judy Nelson
Done in Oil
Thelma Todd aka Mlle. La Todd
Take the Stand
Miss Sally Oxford
Three Chumps Ahead
Thelma Todd
Maid in Hollywood
Thelma
Bottoms Up
Judith Marlowe
Soup and Fish
Miss Thelma Todd
The Poor Rich
Gwendolyn Fetherstone
Babes in the Goods
Thelma Todd
Hips, Hips, Hooray!
Miss Amelia Frisby
Palooka
Trixie
- 1933
Counsellor at Law
Lillian La Rue
Air Fright
Thelma
Son of a Sailor
The Baroness
Sitting Pretty
Gloria Duval
Backs to Nature
Thelma
Beauty and the Bus
Thelma
Mary Stevens, M.D.
Lois Cavanaugh
One Track Minds
Thelma Todd
The Devil's Brother
Lady Pamela Rocburg
Cheating Blondes
Anne Merrick / Elaine Manners
The Bargain of the Century
Thelma
Maids a la Mode
Miss Todd
Asleep in the Feet
Thelma
- 1932
Sneak Easily
Miss Thelma Todd - Attorney for the Defense
Call Her Savage
Sunny De Lane
The Soilers
Thelma
Alum and Eve
Thelma
Klondike
Klondike
Show Business
Thelma
The Old Bull
Thelma
Strictly Unreliable
Miss Thelma Todd
This Is the Night
Claire Mathewson
Red Noses
Miss Todd
The Nickel Nurser
Thelma Todd
The Big Timer
Kay Mitchell
Sealskins
Thelma Todd
- 1931
On the Loose
Thelma
Corsair
Alison Corning
War Mamas
Thelma
The Pajama Party
Thelma
Catch-As Catch-Can
Thelma
Broadminded
Gertie Gardner
Let's Do Things
Thelma Todd
Aloha
Winifred Bradford
Rough Seas
Antoinette
Love Fever
Thelma Todd
The Hot Heiress
Lola
The Pip from Pittsburg
Thelma
Chickens Come Home
Mrs. Hardy (uncredited)
Command Performance
Lydia
No Limit
Betty Royce
- 1930
High C's
Antoinette
Another Fine Mess
Lady Plumtree (uncredited)
Looser Than Loose
Thelma, Charley's Fiancee
Dollar Dizzy
Thelma Todd
Her Man
Nelly
The King
The Queen
The Shrimp
Jim's Girlfriend
All Teed Up
Thelma
Whispering Whoopee
Miss Todd
The Fighting Parson
The Blonde Dance Hall Girl
The Real McCoy
Thelma
The Head Guy
The Star
1920s
- 1929
Stepping Out
Charley's Wife
Sky Boy
Movie
Crazy Feet
Dancer
Her Private Life
Mrs. Leslie
Hotter Than Hot
Movie
Snappy Sneezer
Mary White
The Bachelor Girl
Gladys
Hurdy Gurdy
Blondie
Unaccustomed as We Are
Mrs. Kennedy
House of Horror
Thelma
Hal Roach Presents Harry Langdon
The Woman
Trial Marriage
Grace Logan
Seven Footprints to Satan
Eve Martin
- 1928
Naughty Baby
Bonnie Le Vonne
The Haunted House
The Nurse
The Crash
Daisy McQueen
Heart to Heart
Ruby Boyd
Vamping Venus
Madame Vanezlos the Dancer / Venus
- 1927
The Shield of Honor
Rose aka Flora Fisher
The Gay Defender
Ruth Ainsworth
Nevada
Hettie Ide
Fireman, Save My Child
(uncredited)
Rubber Heels
Princess Aline
- 1926
God Gave Me Twenty Cents
Dance-Hall Girl (uncredited)
Fascinating Youth
Lorraine Lane
Appearances5
2000s
- 2003
Murders of Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1980s
- 1989
Death Scenes
Self (archive footage)
1940s
- 1942
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
Self (archive footage)