The Mysterious Death of Thelma Todd: A Forgotten Hollywood Tragedy
Thelma Todd, a renowned Hollywood actress, was discovered deceased on Monday, December 16, 1935.
Her lifeless body was found in her parked 1934 Lincoln Phaeton convertible in a garage in Pacific Palisades.
She was adorned with diamond jewelry and dressed in an elegant mauve and silver evening gown, along with a mink coat.
The cause of death was believed to be carbon monoxide poisoning, as her face displayed coagulated blood due to the impact of her head hitting the car’s steering wheel.
At the young age of 29, Todd’s untimely demise shocked the entertainment industry.
Her maid discovered her body more than a day after her passing.
The garage where her car was found belonged to director Roland West, her on-and-off lover, and was situated on a hilltop just above Todd’s residence.
West’s estranged wife, silent movie star Jewel Carmen, resided there at the time.
West and Carmen were not only Todd’s romantic interests but also her business partners.
Together, they established Thelma Todd’s Sidewalk Café, a restaurant housed in a Spanish-style building located at 17575 Pacific Coast Highway.
Todd and West occupied adjoining apartments on the second floor, separated by a sliding door.
They even had an adjacent private nightclub called Joya’s, where they frequently hosted parties.
On the third floor, there was a hexagonal ballroom and bandstand.
The circumstances surrounding Todd’s death remain one of Hollywood’s enduring mysteries.
Her demise captivated the media, garnering daily headlines throughout the police investigation.
While some details were confirmed by witnesses, much of the story remains unknown, leading to various conspiracy theories and speculation.
According to police records, Todd attended a party in her honor at the Trocadero nightclub on Sunset Boulevard the night before her death.
The hosts were Ida Lupino and her father Stanley, and other guests included theater impresario Sid Grauman, choreographer Arthur Prince, and agent Al Kaufman.
An altercation reportedly occurred between Todd and her ex-husband Pat DiCicco, but witnesses stated that she appeared to be in good spirits.
Her chauffeur testified that he dropped her off near the stairs leading up to her apartment on PCH just before 4 a.m.
One theory suggests that Todd discovered she was locked out of her home and decided to climb 270 stairs up the hill to access the garage where her chauffeur had parked her car.
It is believed that she turned on the car’s ignition to keep warm, oblivious to the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning, possibly due to intoxication.
However, this theory was never widely accepted for several reasons.
To this day, the prevailing belief is that Todd was murdered, potentially by the unsavory individuals she associated with.
Initially, the police hastily concluded that Todd’s death was a suicide.
However, her obituary in the Los Angeles Times mentioned that she had been targeted for extortion, with two individuals arrested in New York in connection to the crime.
Furthermore, more than a hundred gift-wrapped Christmas presents were discovered in her apartment, which does not align with typical suicidal behavior.
Additionally, she was scheduled to work on a movie set the day her body was found.
Eventually, the cause of death was officially ruled as accidental, supported by an autopsy report attributing her demise to carbon monoxide poisoning and the presence of alcohol in her bloodstream.
The autopsy also revealed throat damage, potentially caused by a forced insertion of a hose into her mouth, along with a broken nose and two cracked ribs.
Nevertheless, several aspects of the case remained unexplained.
Despite the car’s ignition being on when Todd’s body was discovered, there was still fuel in the tank, which should have been drained by that time.
A friend of Todd’s, Mrs. Wallace Ford, claimed that Todd had called her on Sunday, hours after her death according to the coroner’s report, to accept an invitation to a party.
Carmen also testified before the grand jury that she saw Todd driving her car with an unfamiliar man on Sunday.
Carmen managed to avoid cross-examination by feigning a fainting spell while on the witness stand.
Furthermore, according to the LA Times, Todd’s mother informed the police that her daughter had a weak heart.
It seems unlikely that she would have climbed 270 steps up a steep hill to reach her car.
Additionally, there were no signs of rough climbing on her shoes.
Thelma Todd, known as “Hot Toddy” and the “Ice Cream Blond,” was born in Laurence, Massachusetts in 1906.
Originally pursuing a career in teaching, she shifted her focus to the entertainment industry after winning beauty pageants.
Her journey led her to Hollywood, where she secured a contract with producer Hal Roach’s studio at the age of 19.
Over the course of her ten-year career, Todd appeared in 120 films and shorts, sharing the screen with notable actors such as the Marx Brothers, Buster Keaton, Spencer Tracy, ZaSu Pitts, and Patsy Kelly.
As her career progressed, Todd decided to transition from comedic roles to more dramatic ones.
In 1931, she starred in the film “Corsair,” directed by Roland West, her then-lover.
For this movie, she adopted the name Alison Loyd, hoping to distance herself from her comedic persona.
Aware of the transient nature of Hollywood careers, Todd and West established Thelma Todd’s Sidewalk Café as a means of securing their financial future.
She worked diligently to promote the restaurant, granting numerous interviews, allowing the premises to be photographed, and sharing her recipes for the menu items.
The cafe specialized in seafood, featuring dishes such as crab, lobster, shrimp, and oysters.
They also served specialty drinks named after Todd, including Todd Gin Sour and Thelma Todd Rickey.
The establishment quickly became popular among Hollywood’s elite.
Numerous individuals were considered suspects in the mysterious death of Thelma Todd due to her associations with violent men.
Known for her partying lifestyle, love for fast cars, and penchant for drinking, Todd had a history of run-ins with the law, often cited for speeding and once involved in a car accident.
Consequently, she was no longer permitted to drive herself and hired a chauffeur.
Roland West emerged as a prime suspect.
One theory suggested that he intentionally locked Todd out of their home as a result of his anger over her affairs and excessive drinking.
Described as a jealous and controlling man with a volatile temper, West allegedly followed her to the garage and unknowingly trapped her inside.
It is believed that she turned on the car’s engine to keep warm in the chilly December night, leading to her demise.
Another suspect was Pat DiCicco, Todd’s ex-husband.
Their marriage was tumultuous, marked by violence and frequent altercations that resulted in hospitalization for Todd.
DiCicco, a mob enforcer, introduced her to individuals involved in criminal activities.
He later married Gloria Vanderbilt and subjected her to physical abuse as well.
Todd also had a tumultuous relationship with Lucky Luciano, a notorious mobster known for his involvement in prostitution, drugs, and gambling operations in Los Angeles.
Luciano supplied Todd with amphetamines to help her maintain her weight, which she struggled with due to pressure
