Known For
Acting
Known Credits
126
Gender
Female
Birthday
July 29, 1906 (119 years old)
Place of Birth
Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA
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.
| 2016 | Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crimeas Self (archive footage) | |
| 2003 | Murders of Hollywoodas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1992 | Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 6: Hollywood Police Filesas (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 1990 | Death In Hollywoodas | |
| 1989 | Death Scenesas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1988 | Hollywood Scandals and Tragediesas (archive footage) (uncredited) | |
| 1953 | Yesterday and Todayas (archive footage) | |
| 1942 | Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)as Self (archive footage) | |
| 1936 | The Bohemian Girlas Gypsy Queen's Daughter | |
| 1936 | An All American Toothacheas Thelma Alice Todd | |
| 1935 | Top Flatas Thelma Todd | |
| 1935 | Hot Moneyas Miss Thelma Todd | |
| 1935 | Twin Tripletsas Thelma | |
| 1935 | Two for Tonightas Lilly | |
| 1935 | Slightly Staticas Thelma | |
| 1935 | After the Danceas Mabel Kane | |
| 1935 | The Misses Stoogeas Thelma Todd | |
| 1935 | The Tin Manas Thelma Todd | |
| 1935 | Sing Sister Singas Thelma | |
| 1935 | Treasure Bluesas Thelma | |
| 1934 | Bum Voyageas Thelma | |
| 1934 | Lightning Strikes Twiceas Judy Nelson | |
| 1934 | Done in Oilas Thelma Todd aka Mlle. La Todd | |
| 1934 | Opened by Mistakeas Thelma | |
| 1934 | Take the Standas Miss Sally Oxford | |
| 1934 | One-Horse Farmersas Thelma | |
| 1934 | Three Chumps Aheadas Thelma Todd | |
| 1934 | Cockeyed Cavaliersas Lady Genevieve | |
| 1934 | I'll Be Suing Youas Miss Todd | |
| 1934 | Maid in Hollywoodas Thelma | |
| 1934 | Bottoms Upas Judith Marlowe | |
| 1934 | Soup and Fishas Miss Thelma Todd | |
| 1934 | The Poor Richas Gwendolyn Fetherstone | |
| 1934 | Babes in the Goodsas Thelma Todd | |
| 1934 | Hips, Hips, Hooray!as Miss Amelia Frisby | |
| 1934 | Palookaas Trixie | |
| 1933 | Counsellor at Lawas Lillian La Rue | |
| 1933 | Air Frightas Thelma | |
| 1933 | Son of a Sailoras The Baroness | |
| 1933 | Sitting Prettyas Gloria Duval | |
| 1933 | Backs to Natureas Thelma | |
| 1933 | You Made Me Love Youas Pamela Berne | |
| 1933 | Beauty and the Busas Thelma | |
| 1933 | Mary Stevens, M.D.as Lois Cavanaugh | |
| 1933 | One Track Mindsas Thelma Todd | |
| 1933 | The Devil's Brotheras Lady Pamela Rocburg | |
| 1933 | Cheating Blondesas Anne Merrick / Elaine Manners | |
| 1933 | The Bargain of the Centuryas Thelma | |
| 1933 | Maids a la Modeas Miss Todd | |
| 1933 | Asleep in the Feetas Thelma | |
| 1933 | Air Hostessas Mrs. Sylvia C. Carleton | |
| 1932 | Sneak Easilyas Miss Thelma Todd - Attorney for the Defense | |
| 1932 | Call Her Savageas Sunny De Lane | |
| 1932 | Deceptionas Lola Del Mont | |
| 1932 | The Soilersas Thelma | |
| 1932 | Alum and Eveas Thelma | |
| 1932 | Klondikeas Klondike | |
| 1932 | Show Businessas Thelma | |
| 1932 | Horse Feathersas Connie Bailey | |
| 1932 | Speak Easilyas Eleanor Espere | |
| 1932 | The Old Bullas Thelma | |
| 1932 | Strictly Unreliableas Miss Thelma Todd | |
| 1932 | This Is the Nightas Claire Mathewson | |
| 1932 | Red Nosesas Miss Todd | |
| 1932 | The Nickel Nurseras Thelma Todd | |
| 1932 | The Big Timeras Kay Mitchell | |
| 1932 | Sealskinsas Thelma Todd | |
| 1931 | On the Looseas Thelma | |
| 1931 | Corsairas Alison Corning | |
| 1931 | War Mamasas Thelma | |
| 1931 | The Pajama Partyas Thelma | |
| 1931 | Monkey Businessas Lucille Briggs | |
| 1931 | Catch-As Catch-Canas Thelma | |
| 1931 | Broadmindedas Gertie Gardner | |
| 1931 | Let's Do Thingsas Thelma Todd | |
| 1931 | The Maltese Falconas Iva Archer | |
| 1931 | Alohaas Winifred Bradford | |
| 1931 | Rough Seasas Antoinette | |
| 1931 | Love Feveras Thelma Todd | |
| 1931 | The Hot Heiressas Lola | |
| 1931 | The Pip from Pittsburgas Thelma | |
| 1931 | Swanee Riveras Caroline | |
| 1931 | Chickens Come Homeas Mrs. Hardy (uncredited) | |
| 1931 | Command Performanceas Lydia | |
| 1931 | No Limitas Betty Royce | |
| 1930 | High C'sas Antoinette | |
| 1930 | Another Fine Messas Lady Plumtree (uncredited) | |
| 1930 | Looser Than Looseas Thelma, Charley's Fiancee | |
| 1930 | Dollar Dizzyas Thelma Todd | |
| 1930 | Follow Thruas Ruth Van Horn | |
| 1930 | Her Manas Nelly | |
| 1930 | The Kingas The Queen | |
| 1930 | The Shrimpas Jim's Girlfriend | |
| 1930 | All Teed Upas Thelma | |
| 1930 | Whispering Whoopeeas Miss Todd | |
| 1930 | The Fighting Parsonas The Blonde Dance Hall Girl | |
| 1930 | The Real McCoyas Thelma | |
| 1930 | The Head Guyas The Star | |
| 1929 | Stepping Outas Charley's Wife | |
| 1929 | Sky Boyas | |
| 1929 | Crazy Feetas Dancer | |
| 1929 | Her Private Lifeas Mrs. Leslie | |
| 1929 | Look out Belowas Thelma | |
| 1929 | Hotter Than Hotas | |
| 1929 | Snappy Sneezeras Mary White | |
| 1929 | Careersas Hortense | |
| 1929 | The Bachelor Girlas Gladys | |
| 1929 | Hurdy Gurdyas Blondie | |
| 1929 | Unaccustomed as We Areas Mrs. Kennedy | |
| 1929 | House of Horroras Thelma | |
| 1929 | Hal Roach Presents Harry Langdonas The Woman | |
| 1929 | Trial Marriageas Grace Logan | |
| 1929 | Seven Footprints to Satanas Eve | |
| 1928 | Naughty Babyas Bonnie Le Vonne | |
| 1928 | The Haunted Houseas The Nurse | |
| 1928 | The Crashas Daisy McQueen | |
| 1928 | Heart to Heartas Ruby Boyd | |
| 1928 | Vamping Venusas Madame Vanezlos the Dancer / Venus | |
| 1928 | The Nooseas Phyllis | |
| 1927 | The Gay Defenderas Ruth Ainsworth | |
| 1927 | The Shield of Honoras Rose aka Flora Fisher | |
| 1927 | Fireman, Save My Childas (uncredited) | |
| 1927 | Nevadaas Hettie Ide | |
| 1927 | Rubber Heelsas Princess Aline | |
| 1926 | God Gave Me Twenty Centsas Dance-Hall Girl (uncredited) | |
| 1926 | Fascinating Youthas Lorraine Lane |