A Blog For Thelma Todd
Thelma Todd was a star of silent movies and later the talkies. She is remembered as much today for her mysterious death as she is for her films. In this blog, we take a look at Thelma Todd, her movies, and various commentaries.
This has to do with Italy's involvement in the Spanish civil war. Russia was also involved and the bear was the symbol of Russia. Mussolini says it makes no difference what kind of bear it is, he'll have no bears in his Spain - which isn't his country.
Don't know if this is the bear they used to photograph all the movie actresses with, but this is the same bear with Clara Bow that was in the other picture.
There was a bear they used to photograph all the movie actresses with. Actually I'm not sure if it was always the same bear, but it was a recurring gag in publicity photos. The pictures I have here just happened to be handy. I've seen others in the past.
Marion Aye, 1926
Reblogged from https://bizarrela.com/2018/06/marion-aye/
Oakland Tribune, Oct. 16, 1926. Clara Bow and a bear named "Mussolini" after the guy that was running Italy at the time
.
Mussolini wanted to a partner with Hal Roach in making movies in addition to being involved with Adolph Hitler in more nefarious endeavors. Mussolini wound up losing his job because people found him to be unbearable.
Here is a picture of Thelma Todd with a bear from SKY BOY ( 1929 ).
There was a series of publicity pictures that showed Thelma Todd with different magazines. Thelma Todd was wearing the same dressing gown in these pictures, which were probably all taken during the same session.
This is The Hot Choc-late Soldiers cartoon segment from the MGM film Hollywood Party (1934). It contains a number of elements related to Easter, including baby chicks and bunnies as well as Easter egg vehicles.
It was not unknown for Hal Roach to put Disney characters in his films. Although he did not use cartoon animation* to represent what had been cartoon characters, the final product turned out well.
A live-action version of Mickey Mouse appeared in BABES IN TOYLAND, played by a monkey in a costume.
The Three Little Pigs also appeared in BABES IN TOYLAND, played by actors in costumes. They were used by permission of Walt Disney, who had made his cartoon "The Three Little Pigs" the previous year.
When Walt Disney remade BABES IN TOYLAND in 1961, Laurel and Hardy were replaced by Gene Sheldon and Henry Calvin. in what amounted to a different version of the original team. I thought that this actually worked about as well as when Roach had reused Disney's characters in his films.
Hal Roach did make use of characters from what were at that time recent Walt Disney cartoons, just as Disney used cartoon versions of Laurel and Hardy in his films.
*Mickey Mouse also appeared in one of the movies Laurel and Hardy were in, HOLLYWOOD PARTY ( 1934 ), in a sequence that was animated byWalt Disney.
In SLIGHTLY STATIC, Thelma Todd appeared on a radio program as "The Spirit Of Spring"/
"The Goddess Of Spring" in the Disney cartoon of that name is similar in appearance
But the Disney film design dates to 1934. SLIGHTLY STATIC dates to 1935. Thelma Todd could be playing the cartoon character, but the cartoon character was less likely to have been modeled after Thelma Todd. "The Goddess Of Spring" is a character from ancient mythology, and any later depictions of that character would tend to be similar for that reason.
Thelma (Todie) P. Gates, 84, of Gardena, went to be with the Lord at 2:00 am Saturday May 16, 2015 at her home in Gardena. She was born October 5, 1930, in Paia, Maui to Louis and Ramona (Ortiz) Roman. She was preceded in death by her husband of 30
years, Elmer Henry Gates in 1990.
She is survived by her sister Nora Cambra, of Manhattan Beach; brother Buddy Roman of the Philippines; two daughters, Mona Colvin of Joshua Tree and Lori Ikediashi of Torrance; one son, Lonny Gates of Gig Harbor; grandchildren, Larry, Sheila, Johnny,
Chidi, Emma, Mckenna, Isabella and Gabriella; and seven great-grandchildren.
Nicknamed Todie after the actress, Thelma Todd, because of her light color hair, lived in Hawaii until age 21 and moved to the mainland where she worked at New York Life Insurance Co. for 35 years. She graduated from Maui High School in 1950 and was the Principal's number one messenger. She made a name for herself as a hustling, efficient school service worker. Some of her energy was expended in Aikane, SEC, FHA and Imua clubs.
Her most cherished past time was babysitting, cooking, feeding and being with her grandchildren. Often seen driving through Torrance daily to be a taxi driver for her grandkids. She lived and loved every day for her family who in turn loved her very
much.
The Funeral Services will be from 9:30 to 10:30 am on Sunday May 31 at Rice Mortuary at 5310 Torrance Blvd. in Torrance, with a Celebration of Life following. Pastor Dusty Vroom will be officiating. Burial will follow at 1:00 PM at Pacific Crest Cemetery in Redondo Beach.
Thelma Todd Stunning Vintage Silent Era Original Paramount Stamped Glamour 8x10 inch Photo. The original photograph also comes with a press release talking about the silent screen star's beauty secrets.
Richard W. Bann: When the Tim McCoy series concluded, Metro decided it was through distributing westerns. They refused to carry the Hart film. I have some stills only. Hal Roach was greatly disappointed.
William S Hart at the studio with the Our Gang kids.
