Thelma Todd
Thelma Todd ( born July 29, 1906 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, † December 16, 1935 in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California ) was an American actress.
Life and career
Thelma Todd was born in the small town of Lawrence in Massachusetts on the border with New Hampshire. After graduating from high school she went to college to become a teacher. At the same time she participated in several beauty contests, was elected in 1925 to Miss Massachusetts and participated in the following year at the Miss America - choice. Although she did not win, but was discovered there for the film. First, she starred in several comedic short films, among others, with Hal Roach. Mostly it was set there on the role of stupid Blondchen. In 1927, she was put under contract by Paramount; she got roles in major films. Through her good voice, she managed, unlike many other actors who had started in the silent film era, the leap to talkies easily.
After she filmed numerous films, it opened in 1935 the nightclub Thelma Todd 's Sidewalk Cafe. This club attracted a number of people from the underworld; it was rumored that they wanted to take over the club. On December 16, 1935 Thelma Todd was found lifeless in her garage behind the wheel of her car. It was diagnosed with carbon monoxide poisoning. Whether it was in this case of murder in connection with their club or a suicide - they were portrayed by some of their colleagues as depressed - could never be clarified. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.