A decided departure for April’s Star of the Month but nonetheless a huge talent our feature was an underrated comedic screen pioneer whether she was paired with Zasu Pitts or Patsy Kelly or as a stand alone star when featured in film’s like Horse Feathers in 1932 that starred Titans like The Marx Brothers, Thelma Todd was a stunning blonde that kept her audiences in stitches with her captivating countenance, raw talent and pinpoint comic timing. Her life cut short however under mysterious circumstances at age 29 remain unsolved to this day. We will explore that conundrum later.
She was born in Lawrence Massachusetts in 1906 and was a gifted student and that being the case her original intention was to be a teacher but fortunately for the world that didn’t last long. Thelma found herself working part time as a fashion model, which led her to compete and won her the Title of Miss Massachusetts of 1925. She then competed for Miss America but lost but no matter a Hollywood talent agent discovered her and enrolled her in acting school in New York the following year and she began landing supporting roles in silent films like Fascinating Youth in 1926 and The Noose in 1928. Then Hal Roach recognized the opportunity to create a female version of Laurel and Hardy already in his stable pairing her first with Zasu Pitts (17 films) and then to even greater success with Patsy Kelly (21 films).
Anxious to be taken as a serious actress Thelma changed her name and worked briefly as Alison Lloyd in a crime thriller under the direction of and later boyfriend with Roland West with the release of Corsair 1931. Extending her dramatic side she played the lover of Ricardo Cortez assuming the character of Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade in the original Maltese Falcon although it paled in comparison to the Humphrey Bogart edition released in 1941. Thelma Todd though was most at home in comedy and the perfect foil for the aforementioned Marx Brothers, Harold Lloyd, Jimmy Durante and Laurel and Hardy. Not to be outdone Thelma starred opposite A list actors Cary Grant in his first role This is the Night in 1932, a drama with John Barrymore Counselor at Law by William Wyler in 1933 and returning to comedy with Bing Crosby and Joan Bennett 1935’s Two for Tonight.
Thelma made 119 films although most were shorts nearly all of them were hits and her lasting legacy will be a comedic genius whether as a duo or a solo she shined brightest among Hollywood’s finest comedian’s and held her own alongside the drama Kings and Queens of her day. The term screwball comedy probably originated with the likes of Thelma and her partners Pitts and Kelly and there were many more famous names to follow. Thelma Todd laid the groundwork for not only women comedians but for many of her male counterparts to follow as well. The shorts she made with Patsy Kelly stand the test of time, as even today you’ll find yourself laughing throughout. These can be seen occasionally on TCM.
Just before Christmas in 1935 Thelma was found outside her restaurant inside her car dead of an apparent accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. It was alleged she was warming up her car as the weather forecast was for a frosty morning that day in Los Angeles. Conspiracy theories ran rampant soon afterward ranging from depression and suicide to money issues and murder and even extortion. The Grand Jury discovered that Thelma was bloodied about the mouth, which fueled the speculation that she had an altercation with ex-husband Pat DiCicco. They had physical abuse issues in their marriage. Most disputed any notion that Thelma was depressed as she had just completed filming The Bohemian Girl and her restaurant Thelma Todd’s Sidewalk Café was drawing like gangbusters (no pun intended) and it was rumored the mob wanted in but Thelma and boyfriend Roland West didn’t want any part of them fleecing the Hollywood elite which also led some to believe had a hand in her demise. The underworld wanted Todd to turn her restaurant over to them and make it a gambling establishment.
The medical examiner also found Thelma had cracked ribs, neck contusions, a broken nose, a chipped front tooth and partially digested food in her stomach. These facts alone would seem to rule out that Thelma was contemplating suicide and point more to her death was indeed a murder. The District Attorney at the time one Buron Fitts was rumored to be both corrupt and inept. If you’re interested in Thelma’s life there’s a few books out their Hot Toddy, which has mixed reviews and a more staid version The Ice Cream Blonde, and Testimony of a Death.
Thelma Todd is not a name that might roll off your lips but The Ice Cream Blonde as a pioneer in comedy created a foundation that film historians like the late Robert Osborne took notice of and although she never got the recognition she deserved her comedic talents will be preserved forever
