Thelma Todd (The Ice Cream Blonde)

S

stradial

Guest
I just finished a biography on Thelma Todd, an actress from the mid 20's till here death, at age 29, in 1936.
Thelma was known as "The Ice Cream Blonde" for her beautiful blonde locks.
Thelma was found dead in her car, in the garage, of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Many rumors have swirled around her death since 1936, among which is that she committed suicide, was murdered by any number of people, ex-husband, boyfriend, boyfriend's wife, organized crime, heck pick someone.

The book, The Life and Death of Thelma Todd by William Donati (available on Kindle), was a real treat.
The other biography I read, years ago, on Thelma Todd, Hot Toddy, was better suited to fiction.
The The Life and Death of Thelma Todd, while obviously written by a huge fan of MS Todd's, was well researched and documented.
One of the problems that I have always had with all the speculation about Thelma's death was that the autopsy report should reflect if there was foul play and the fact that someone has to benefit from her death.
(One theory was that organized crime wanted Thelma dead because she wouldn't let them setup a gambling operation above the restaurant she co-owned. If that was true, then with Thelma dead, there should have been no reason for them not to set up the gambling operation, yet no such operation was ever reported. Plus, Thelma was just a small partner, Roland West, Thelma's boyfriend, was the main owner, money man and ran the restaurant, so he really should have been the one to be killed.)
This book gives the grand jury testimony and the complete autopsy report, both of which make very clear that her death was an accident.
Plus the fact that Thelma's mother, they were very very close, said over and over that if there was foul play, she would be the first to say so, yet she felt it was an accidental death.

For those who may not recognize her name, here are a few of the movies that you may know that Thelma starred in:

The Maltese Falcon (the 1st one, not the one with Bogart)
Monkey Business
This Is the Night
Speak Easily
Horse Feathers


Thelma also starred in numerous shorts with Patsy Kelly and later Zasu Pitts, as well as starring in several Laurel and Hardy movies.

Here is a picture of The Ice Cream Blonde

todd.jpg
 
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