Paulette Goddard

There were stories was that there was a sort of a feud between Thelma Todd and Paulette Goddard. The book PAULETTE by Joe Morella and Edward Epstien recounts a tale that at the Roach studio, Paulette Goddard made "the queen of the lot" Thelma Todd jealous by driving her Dusenberg to work every day. The book goes on to say that according to Paulette Goddard she was fired for defying the studio's edict that she had to stop driving this car to the studio and thereby causing a problem. But it goes on to say that Roach said of this story, "There was no feud between her and Thelma Todd. It was all publicity. Paulette was simply offered a better deal by someone else and Henry ( Ginsberg ) let her out of her contract."

 

Zasu Pitts and Thelma Todd with Paulette Goddard in SHOW BUSINESS, 1932.

Another story was that Thelma Todd and Paulette Goddard were rivals for the affections of Charlie Chaplin. Thelma Todd and Charlie Chaplin were photographed together in 1935.

One of Thelma Todd's best friends was Charlie Chaplin's secretary, Catherine Hunter. More may have been written about her association with Catherine Hunter than about her association with Charlie Chaplin.

Paulette Goddard's association with Charlie Chaplin continued for some years and she starred with him in a couple of movies that are now considered classics, MODERN TIMES and THE GREAT DICTATOR. MODERN TIMES was a silent movie and was a rare item when it came out in 1936. THE GREAT DICTATOR, Chaplin's first talking picture, was a satire on Hitler.  

Paulette Goddard in MODERN TIMES

Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin in THE GREAT DICATOR, 1940.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, things were different for people in the United States. The country was not prepared for war and the armed forces had to expand to meet the challenge of the Axis powers. There was a lot to be done and many sacrifices had to be made. Paulette Goddard did her part.

Paulette Goddard traveled to the China-Burma-India theater of the war to entertain the toops.

But Chaplin didn't do his part. He made no contribution the war effort, although many other stars did.

Charlie Chaplin and Martha Raye in MONSIEUR VERDOUX

Some years later, Chaplin made another talkie, MONSIEUR VERDOUX. It was the story of a man who was killing women, and evidently it was critical of the US effort in World War II. Unlike THE GREAT DICTATOR, Chaplin here was supposed to be playing a sympathetic character. One of the stars of this movie was Martha Raye, who devoted much time and effort to entertaining the troops during that war, along with Carole Landis*. Chaplin not only had not entertained the troops or contributed in any way to the war effort, he now publicly ridiculed their efforts.

Although Charlie Chaplin had known Thelma Todd, he did not let any thoughts of her deter him from making this horrible story. Neither did the sad lot of Mabel Normand deter him from making a movie where the "hero" devotes his life to destroying women, although she had not only worked with him in the movies, it was said that he had lifted a number of pieces of business from her and that he owed much to her..

As for Paulette Goddard, she eventually left Charlie Chaplin and lived happily ever after.

 

* Carole Landis was also involved with Charlie Chaplin as well as Pat DiCicco, who previously had been married to Thelma Todd.

Paulette Goddard Filmography

 

1972 The Snoop Sisters (TV series)
Norma Treet
– The Female Instinct (1972) … Norma Treet

1964 Time of Indifference
 Mariagrazia


1961 The Phantom (TV movie)
Mrs. Harris


1959 Adventures in Paradise (TV series)
Mme. Victorine Reynard
– The Lady from South Chicago (1959) … Mme. Victorine Reynard

1953-1957 The Ford Television Theatre (TV series)
Holly March / Nancy Whiting
– Singapore (1957) … Holly March

– The Doctor's Downfall (1953) … Nancy Whiting

1957 The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial (TV series)
Dolly
– The Ghost of Devil's Island (1957) … Dolly

1956 The Errol Flynn Theatre (TV series)
Rachel
– Mademoiselle Fifi (1956) … Rachel

1955 Producers' Showcase (TV series)
Sylvia Fowler
– The Women (1955) … Sylvia Fowler

1954 Sherlock Holmes (TV series)
Lady Nina Beryl
– The Case of Lady Beryl (1954) … Lady Nina Beryl

1954 The Unholy Four
 Angie


1954 Charge of the Lancers
 Tanya


1953 Paris Model
 Betty Barnes


1953 Sins of Jezebel
Jezebel


1953 Vice Squad
 Mona Ross


1952 Babes in Bagdad
 Kyra


1950 The Torch
 María Dolores Penafiel


1949 Anna Lucasta
Anna Lucasta


1949 Bride of Vengeance
Lucretia Borgia


1948 Hazard
 Ellen Crane


1948 On Our Merry Way
 Martha Pease


1947 An Ideal Husband
Mrs. Laura Cheveley


1947 Unconquered
Abby


1947 Suddenly It's Spring
 Mary Morely


1946 The Diary of a Chambermaid
Célestine


1945 Kitty
 Kitty


1944 I Love a Soldier
 Evelyn Connors


1944 Standing Room Only
 Jane Rogers/Suzanne


1943 So Proudly We Hail!
 Lt. Joan O'Doul


1943 The Crystal Ball
 Toni Gerard


1942 Star Spangled Rhythm
 Paulette Goddard - Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang Number


1942 The Forest Rangers
 Celia Huston Stuart


1942 Reap the Wild Wind
 Loxi Claiborne


1942 The Lady Has Plans
 Sidney Royce


1941 Nothing But the Truth
 Gwen Saunders


1941 Hold Back the Dawn
Anita Dixon


1941 Pot o' Gold
 Molly McCorkle


1940 Second Chorus
 Ellen Miller


1940 North West Mounted Police
 Louvette Corbeau


1940 The Great Dictator
 Hannah


1940 The Ghost Breakers
Mary Carter


1939 The Cat and the Canary
 Joyce Norman


1939 The Women
Miriam Aarons


1938 Dramatic School
Nana


1938 The Young in Heart
 Leslie Saunders


1936 The Bohemian Girl
 Gypsy Vagabond (uncredited)


1936 Modern Times
A Gamin


1934 Kid Millions
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)


1933 Roman Scandals
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)


1933 The Bowery
 Blonde (uncredited)


1932 The Kid from Spain
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)


1932 Girl Grief (short)
Student (uncredited)


1932 Pack Up Your Troubles
 Bridesmaid (uncredited)


1932 Young Ironsides (short)
Miss Hollywood (uncredited)


1932 Show Business (short)
Blonde Train Passenger (uncredited)


1932 The Mouthpiece
 Blonde at Party (uncredited)


1931 Ladies of the Big House
 Inmate in Midst of Crowd (uncredited)


1931 The Girl Habit
 Lingerie salesgirl


1931 City Streets
 Nightclub Patron (uncredited)


1930 Whoopee!
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)


1929 The Locked Door
 Girl on Rum Boat (uncredited)


1929 Berth Marks (short)
Train Passenger (uncredited)

 

Paulette Goddard at Hollywood's Golden Age:

http://www.hollywoodsgoldenage.com/actors/p_goddard.html