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Thelma Todd

Thelma Todd

Acting

July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935 (died at 29)
Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA
Female
125 Movies
1 TV Shows

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.

Horse Feathers
Horse Feathers

Horse Feathers

1932 6.9

as Connie Bailey

Age 26 (now 29)
Monkey Business
Monkey Business

Monkey Business

1931 7.0

as Lucille Briggs

Age 25 (now 29)
The Devil's Brother
The Devil's Brother

The Devil's Brother

1933 6.8

as Lady Pamela Rocburg

Age 26 (now 29)
Chickens Come Home
Chickens Come Home

Chickens Come Home

1931 6.6

as Mrs. Hardy (uncredited)

Age 24 (now 29)
The Bohemian Girl
The Bohemian Girl

The Bohemian Girl

1936 6.2

as Gypsy Queen's Daughter

Age 29
Unaccustomed as We Are
Unaccustomed as We Are

Unaccustomed as We Are

1929 6.9

as Mrs. Kennedy

Age 22 (now 29)
Seven Footprints to Satan
Seven Footprints to Satan

Seven Footprints to Satan

1929 6.2

as Eve

Age 22 (now 29)
The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon

1931 6.4

as Iva Archer

Age 24 (now 29)
On the Loose
On the Loose

On the Loose

1931 6.9

as Thelma

Age 25 (now 29)
Call Her Savage
Call Her Savage

Call Her Savage

1932 5.8

as Sunny De Lane

Age 26 (now 29)
Speak Easily
Speak Easily

Speak Easily

1932 5.7

as Eleanor Espere

Age 26 (now 29)
Another Fine Mess
Another Fine Mess

Another Fine Mess

1930 6.9

as Lady Plumtree (uncredited)

Age 24 (now 29)
Corsair
Corsair

Corsair

1931 4.4

as Alison Corning

Age 25 (now 29)
Counsellor at Law
Counsellor at Law

Counsellor at Law

1933 6.5

as Lillian La Rue

Age 27 (now 29)
Mary Stevens, M.D.
Mary Stevens, M.D.

Mary Stevens, M.D.

1933 6.2

as Lois Cavanaugh

Age 26 (now 29)
This Is the Night
This Is the Night

This Is the Night

1932 5.4

as Claire Mathewson

Age 25 (now 29)