☰ Thelma Todd
 

Thelma Todd

Thelma Alice Todd (July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935) was an American actress and businesswoman who carried the nicknames "The Ice Cream Blonde" and "Hot Toddy."

General Information about Thelma Todd.
Thelma Todd - Wikipedia

General Information about Thelma Todd.

Click to connect to page

external link

Early Years

Todd was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to John Shaw Todd, an upholsterer from Ireland, and later, a superintendent of streets, an alderman, and Lawrence's commissioner of health and charities in 1912 and Alice Elizabeth Edwards, an immigrant from Canada. She had an older brother, William, who died in an accident in 1910. She was a bright and successful student. Intending to become a schoolteacher, she enrolled at the Lowell Normal School (now University of Massachusetts, Lowell) after graduating from high school in 1923.

Thelma Todd & Zasu Pitts Lingerie Catfight
Thelma Todd & Zasu Pitts Lingerie Catfight

Click to watch video

Thelma Todd's Controversial Death - An infographic about her death.
Thelma's Controversial Death

Thelma Todd's Controversial Death - An infographic about her death.

Click to enlarge the image

Information about Stanley Lupino. Stanley Lupino hosted the party in Thelma's honor the night she died.
Stanley Lupino

Information about Stanley Lupino. Stanley Lupino hosted the party in Thelma's honor the night she died.

Click to connect to page

external link
An earlier portrait of Mrs. Alice Todd, mother of Thelma Todd. When the police tried to call her daughter's death suicide, she yelled murder.
Mother of Thelma Todd

An earlier portrait of Mrs. Alice Todd, mother of Thelma Todd. When the police tried to call her daughter's death suicide, she yelled murder.

Click to enlarge the image

Police stand outside the doorway of the Pacific Palisades garage where the body of Thelma Todd was found Dec. 16, 1935. The garage of Castillo del Mar belonged to the beach home of Roland West, her business partner and manager of her seaside cafe. The newspaper wrote the words.
Garage where Thelma Todd died

Police stand outside the doorway of the Pacific Palisades garage where the body of Thelma Todd was found Dec. 16, 1935. The garage of Castillo del Mar belonged to the beach home of Roland West, her business partner and manager of her seaside cafe. The newspaper wrote the words.

Click to enlarge the image

Mrs. Alice Todd, mother of Thelma, is escorted by Harvey Priester, an insurance councilor for movie stars who was reportedly the last fiancé of Thelma. They were called to the grand jury for questioning.
Mother and friend of Thelma Todd

Mrs. Alice Todd, mother of Thelma, is escorted by Harvey Priester, an insurance councilor for movie stars who was reportedly the last fiancé of Thelma. They were called to the grand jury for questioning.

Click to enlarge the image

Large crowds from all walks of life came to the inquest into Thelma Todd's death. This scene shows Roland West (arrow) as he testifies on the stand as one of the key witnesses. West was the owner of the garage in which Thelma died, and was her business partner and a producer and director of films.
Inquest for Thelma Todd

Large crowds from all walks of life came to the inquest into Thelma Todd's death. This scene shows Roland West (arrow) as he testifies on the stand as one of the key witnesses. West was the owner of the garage in which Thelma died, and was her business partner and a producer and director of films.

Click to enlarge the image

Forgotten Hollywood: The Unsolved Mystery of the Death of Thelma Todd
Forgotten Hollywood: The Unsolved Mystery of the Death of Thelma Todd - Golden Globes

Forgotten Hollywood: The Unsolved Mystery of the Death of Thelma Todd

Click to connect to page

external link
Actress. Born to John and Alice Edwards Todd in Lawrence, Massachusetts, she was known as a good student and apparently intended to become a school teacher. Upon graduation from high school, she attended college, while at the same time, entered several beauty contests, winning the title of Miss Massachusetts in 1925....
Thelma Todd (1906-1935) - Find a Grave Memorial

Actress. Born to John and Alice Edwards Todd in Lawrence, Massachusetts, she was known as a good student and apparently intended to become a school teacher. Upon graduation from high school, she attended college, while at the same time, entered several beauty contests, winning the title of Miss Massachusetts in 1925....

Click to connect to page

external link
Thelma Todd and Richard Dix, co-stars in The Gay Defender (1927). This week marks the 75th anniversary of Thelma Todd’s mysterious death.
The Death of Thelma Todd | The Silent Movie Blog

Thelma Todd and Richard Dix, co-stars in The Gay Defender (1927). This week marks the 75th anniversary of Thelma Todd’s mysterious death.

Click to connect to page

external link
The Tinseltown Murder Of Thelma Todd
The Tinseltown Murder Of Thelma Todd

Click to watch video

Information about the Trocadero, the club Thelma Todd was at the night of her death.
Trocadero (Los Angeles)

Information about the Trocadero, the club Thelma Todd was at the night of her death.

Click to connect to page

external link
Newspaper Article
Los Angeles, California · Tuesday, December 17, 1935

Newspaper Article

Click to enlarge the image

Information about Roland West
Roland West

Information about Roland West

Click to connect to page

external link
Roland West,
Grand jury probe of Thelma Todd's death

Roland West, "best friend" and business partner of Thelma Todd, and ZaSu Pitts, film star and comedienne, talk in the corridor at the grand jury probe into Thelma's mysterious death. Both had been called to testify.

Click to enlarge the image

An interesting report by Marvin J. Wolf and Katherine Mader claiming that Roland West of responsible for Themba's Death and the studios covered it up.
Thelma Todd's Death – Solved!

An interesting report by Marvin J. Wolf and Katherine Mader claiming that Roland West of responsible for Themba's Death and the studios covered it up.

Click to connect to page

external link
Information about Hal Roach.
Hal Roach

Information about Hal Roach.

Click to connect to page

external link
ZaSu Pitts, film star and comedienne, walks with her husband (former tennis champion Edward Woodall) as they attend the funeral of Thelma Todd.
Zasu Pitts attending Funeral.

ZaSu Pitts, film star and comedienne, walks with her husband (former tennis champion Edward Woodall) as they attend the funeral of Thelma Todd.

Click to enlarge the image

Two of the people attending Thelma Todd's funeral: Mrs. Wallace Ford (on the left) and Josie Sedgewicke. Mrs. Ford reported she received a telephone call from Miss Todd Sunday afternoon. Officers had believe she died early Sunday morning.
Mrs. Wallace Ford

Two of the people attending Thelma Todd's funeral: Mrs. Wallace Ford (on the left) and Josie Sedgewicke. Mrs. Ford reported she received a telephone call from Miss Todd Sunday afternoon. Officers had believe she died early Sunday morning.

Click to enlarge the image

Postcard
Thelma Todd's Sidewalk Cafe on Pacific Coast Highway in Castellammare

Postcard

Click to enlarge the image

When CTN was clearing homeless encampments as part of the LAPD Task Force operation, a new officer assigned to the beach detail told an interesting tale.
The Ghost of Thelma Todd Appears to LAPD

When CTN was clearing homeless encampments as part of the LAPD Task Force operation, a new officer assigned to the beach detail told an interesting tale.

Click to connect to page

external link
Information about White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd
White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd

Information about White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd

Click to enlarge the image

Thema Todd Casket Photo
Thema Todd Casket Photo

Click to watch video

Of all of the ghosts said to haunt the Santa Monica Mountains, actress and comedienne Thelma Todd.
The Ghost of Thelma Todd – M'Online

Of all of the ghosts said to haunt the Santa Monica Mountains, actress and comedienne Thelma Todd.

Click to connect to page

external link
The Mysterious Death of Massachusetts Movie Star Thelma Todd

Click to connect to page

external link
THELMA TODD Times Colonist Victoria British Columbia Canada Saturday January 04 1936

Click to enlarge the image

Information about the Garage.
Thelma Todd Garage

Information about the Garage.

Click to connect to page

external link
Newspaper Article
San Bernardino, California · Friday, December 20, 1935 - Not the first tragedy

Newspaper Article

Click to enlarge the image

It was surmised that Thelma Todd may have walked up these steps which lead from her seaside cafe to the road on which the garage where she was found dead was located. Here a man stands part of the way up the steps.; The three-story, 15,000-square-foot Spanish style structure where the murder took place was located at 17575 Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. In the early 1930s, this structure housed a restaurant on the ground floor owned by actress Thelma Todd and her partner Roland West. The duo also held parties in their private nightclub named Joya's, located on the second story near her personal apartment. At the time Todd owned the building, the hexagonal-shaped, third-floor included a dance floor and bandstand., which was famous for its Joya's barbequed steaks.
Steps to garage of death

It was surmised that Thelma Todd may have walked up these steps which lead from her seaside cafe to the road on which the garage where she was found dead was located. Here a man stands part of the way up the steps.; The three-story, 15,000-square-foot Spanish style structure where the murder took place was located at 17575 Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades. In the early 1930s, this structure housed a restaurant on the ground floor owned by actress Thelma Todd and her partner Roland West. The duo also held parties in their private nightclub named Joya's, located on the second story near her personal apartment. At the time Todd owned the building, the hexagonal-shaped, third-floor included a dance floor and bandstand., which was famous for its Joya's barbequed steaks.

Click to enlarge the image

Zasu PItts was best friends with Thelma Todd.
ZaSu Pitts

Zasu PItts was best friends with Thelma Todd.

Click to connect to page

external link
Labels have been added to this picture of the area where Thelma Todd lived and died. The 270 steps are the ones she supposedly walked up to get to the garage where she died.
Diagram of Location

Labels have been added to this picture of the area where Thelma Todd lived and died. The 270 steps are the ones she supposedly walked up to get to the garage where she died.

Click to enlarge the image

At first, the death of Thelma Todd seemed like a simple, tragic accident—but it soon became clear something far more sinister was at hand.
Dark Facts About Thelma Todd, Hollywood’s Most Notorious Cold Case  - Factinate

At first, the death of Thelma Todd seemed like a simple, tragic accident—but it soon became clear something far more sinister was at hand.

Click to connect to page

external link
Known for: Horse Feathers, Monkey Business, The Maltese Falcon
Thelma Todd - IMDb

Known for: Horse Feathers, Monkey Business, The Maltese Falcon

Click to connect to page

external link
Article about Todd
Death in Paradise: Thelma Todd

Article about Todd

Click to connect to page

external link

A twist

A final, supernatural twist on this complex tragedy was the testimony of Todd's friend, Mrs. Wallace Ford. She claimed she'd received a call from Todd on Sunday afternoon, around 4:30 p.m. Todd had already been invited to a large party that had begun at 3 p.m. Todd, identifying herself on the phone by the nickname Ford had coined, "Hot Toddy," asked if she could bring a guest. Ford inquired if the guest was a girlfriend. The fun-loving Todd would not reveal any more than the guest was male: "I want to have the fun of seeing your face when I come through the door."

Thelma Todd's body was found behind the right hand garage door shown on the lower level here. Roland West parked his car to the left and lived in a house up above. He was a director of motion pictures and reportedly a romantic interest of Miss Todd.
Scene of Thelma Todd's death

Thelma Todd's body was found behind the right hand garage door shown on the lower level here. Roland West parked his car to the left and lived in a house up above. He was a director of motion pictures and reportedly a romantic interest of Miss Todd.

Click to enlarge the image

Death

On the morning of Monday, December 16, 1935, the body of a young woman was found doubled over on the front seat of her chocolate brown 1934 Lincoln Phaeton convertible parked in a garage in Pacific Palisades. Wearing diamond jewelry and dressed in a mauve and silver evening gown and a mink coat, she had seemingly died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The skin on her face was red with coagulated blood because she had struck her head on the steering wheel of her car as she died.

Information about Jewel Carmen on Wikipedia.
Jewel Carmen

Information about Jewel Carmen on Wikipedia.

Click to connect to page

external link
Pat DiCicco. Actor: Night Life of the Gods. Pat DiCicco was born on 14 February 1909 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Night Life of the Gods (1935) and Avalanche (1946). He was married to Linda Douglas, Gloria Vanderbilt and Thelma Todd. He died on 24 October 1978 in New York City, New York, USA.
Pat DiCicco - Biography

Pat DiCicco. Actor: Night Life of the Gods. Pat DiCicco was born on 14 February 1909 in Queens, New York, USA. He was an actor and producer, known for Night Life of the Gods (1935) and Avalanche (1946). He was married to Linda Douglas, Gloria Vanderbilt and Thelma Todd. He died on 24 October 1978 in New York City, New York, USA.

Click to connect to page

external link
Newspaper Article
San Bernardino, California · Friday, December 20, 1935 - Memorial Services

Newspaper Article

Click to enlarge the image

Actress Patsy Kelly (shown on the right) arrives with a friend to attend Thelma Todd's funeral. Ms. Kelly was in Miss Todd's most recent comedy film.
Funeral attendees

Actress Patsy Kelly (shown on the right) arrives with a friend to attend Thelma Todd's funeral. Ms. Kelly was in Miss Todd's most recent comedy film.

Click to enlarge the image

Investigators carry Thelma Todd’s body the morning after her death in 1935.
The Death Of Thelma Todd

Investigators carry Thelma Todd’s body the morning after her death in 1935.

Click to enlarge the image

Roland West mourning Thelma Todd after her death in 1935.
Roland West

Roland West mourning Thelma Todd after her death in 1935.

Click to enlarge the image

Thelma Alice Todd (July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935) was an American actress and businesswoman who carried the nicknames

Related Pinterest Board(s)

×

×

Make sure you stop the video before closing the window.

Powered by PANICd.com