Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Home Movie Footage Of Thelma Todd At The Brown Derby








This is something that turned up at youtube. I now have embedded the video in this blog and I have posted a link to it at the bottom of the page.

The description of this video at youtube reads:

"This a short clip taken from a home vacation 8mm movie. It was taken probably in the summer of 1933. It begins with Bert Wheeler crossing a street, probably in front of the Brown Derby holding his daughter Patricia's hand. Then it shows Thelma Todd with her husband Pat Dicicco and Patsy Kelly with a man who I believe after much research on the web and from other sources is Gus Meins. Thelma is just as beautiful off screen as on screen. I just had to share this short clip for all you Thelma Todd, Patsy Kelly, Bert Wheeler, and Gus Meins fans out there.
Thanks to all of you for the info."

One of the comments states that this seems to be early footage of Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly, from even before their costarring films were released. Thelma Todd is shown signing an autograph for a fan, but not Patsy Kelly. Movie audiences were not familiar with Patsy Kelly at that time.



Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, Thelma Todd's costars in the movies COCKEYED CAVALIERS and HIPS, HIPS, HURRAY.


Thelma Todd and Pat DiCicco at the Brown Derby. Movie star caricatures hang on the wall in the background.


Chester Morris, left, with Thelma Todd and Pat DiCicco at the Brown Derby.




Gus Meins directing Patsy Kelly and Thelma Todd. Note the overhead microphone and the movie light. Fill lights are often used to lighten up shadows in the movies in outdoor shots.



UPDATE: It seems that Pat DiCicco isn't in this film after all. William Donati posted at youtube.com: "Pat De Cicco was taller with a thinner face. I believe it is Johnny Mack Brown. When Thelma looks directly at the camera, it is eerie, as if we make contact with her from across the decades. What a smile. Everybody loved her, except Pat De Cicco."

Someone else said it was Neil Hamilton, an actor who was in the first two Tarzan movies with Johnny Weissmuller, and who later played "Comissioner Gordon" on the 1966 BATMAN show with Adam West. The listing on youtube has since been changed to say that it is Neil Hamilton.



Watch the film:






Link to the video on youtube:
http://youtu.be/5SIG7m0IlDY

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