What do you think?
Rate this book
The Life and Death of Thelma Todd
American film favorite Thelma Todd was much more than the beautiful blonde of the 1930s who played opposite Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy and the Marx Brothers. Todd's tragic death transformed her into an icon of Hollywood mystery: The photograph of the 29-year-old actress slumped in her luxurious Lincoln Phaeton shocked fans in 1935. How did she die? Was it murder, suicide, or an accident? This definitive biography covers a fascinating era in Hollywood history. In the course of his exhaustive research, the author interviewed Todd's cousins Bill and Edna Todd, as well as such friends and coworkers as Ida Lupino, Lina Basquette, Anita Garvin, Dorothy Granger, William Bakewell and Greg Blackton. Also examined is Hollywood's first major sex scandal of 1913, involving Jewel Carmen, the future spouse of director Roland West--the man Thelma Todd loved.
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
11 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
William Donati
5 books1 followerWilliam Donati is an American academic and biographer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 4, 2016
3.5 stars
William Donati's 'The Life and Death of Thelma Todd' is a suitable antidote to Andy Edmonds' controversial 'Hot Toddy'. Donati provides a source-based, timeline-esque history of Thelma's life, career, and death, free from exaggeration, hyperbole, or fiction. However, this style of strict historical presentation leaves little room for analysis, and the personality of Thelma Todd remains somewhat out of reach. The information contained in this book is likely the extent of what is available - it all just ends up feeling somewhat cold. We don't really get a sense of who Thelma was as a person.
Between Donati's book and Edmonds', Thelma lies somewhere in the middle. There is no one singular "truth" when it comes to Thelma's life and death, despite Donati's contention. Perhaps I feel this way because the cold hard "facts" will always be unsatisfying. The sources in this book are exquisite (although some things are left un-addressed). The emotional insight is not.
I love Thelma. Donati clearly does, too. I suppose there is no way that one can possibly capture her magnetism and magic on-screen (and off) in the pages of a book. If it can be done, Donati lacks the literary ability to do so. That being said, he achieved what he set out to do - to compile all of the evidence that remains of Thelma's limited time on Earth, and that in itself is fascinating. Thelma, in the end, remains an enigma.
William Donati's 'The Life and Death of Thelma Todd' is a suitable antidote to Andy Edmonds' controversial 'Hot Toddy'. Donati provides a source-based, timeline-esque history of Thelma's life, career, and death, free from exaggeration, hyperbole, or fiction. However, this style of strict historical presentation leaves little room for analysis, and the personality of Thelma Todd remains somewhat out of reach. The information contained in this book is likely the extent of what is available - it all just ends up feeling somewhat cold. We don't really get a sense of who Thelma was as a person.
Between Donati's book and Edmonds', Thelma lies somewhere in the middle. There is no one singular "truth" when it comes to Thelma's life and death, despite Donati's contention. Perhaps I feel this way because the cold hard "facts" will always be unsatisfying. The sources in this book are exquisite (although some things are left un-addressed). The emotional insight is not.
I love Thelma. Donati clearly does, too. I suppose there is no way that one can possibly capture her magnetism and magic on-screen (and off) in the pages of a book. If it can be done, Donati lacks the literary ability to do so. That being said, he achieved what he set out to do - to compile all of the evidence that remains of Thelma's limited time on Earth, and that in itself is fascinating. Thelma, in the end, remains an enigma.
December 17, 2014
Some years ago, I spoke with a writer who wanted to do an biography of Thelma Todd. "The trouble," he said, "is that there's not a lot of information available. And what is available isn't sensational enough."
I remembered his words when I began reading this book. Obviously, SOMEBODY found something to write about. Besides, she is always so vivacious in her films, genuinely witty, and hauntingly attractive. I had heard the "Hot Toddy" stories of the party girl...and then there were the conspiracy theories of her murder.
This book takes up the challenge. However, I think that writer from a number of years ago was correct. Yes, I learned facts that I hadn't known before, but none of them gave me startling insights into Thelma Todd's character. There is also a fair amount of filler material about the people surrounding her. And, if that wasn't enough, there are pages and pages and pages of inquest documentation.
As I am a great fan of the Laurel and Hardy and the Marx Brothers movies, I would have loved to have learned more about life on the set when Thelma Todd was present. Not much is revealed.
For those conspiracy theorists, we also learn that allegations of her murder are so much Hollywood storytelling and that the truth, while sad, is not "sensational."
When I had finished, I felt as if I had read a very long IMDB article with extensive links to supporting material. There were also nice photographs published that I had not seen before. All in all, it is a good book to acquaint the reader with the actress, but this isn't Barry Paris telling us about Louise Brooks...not by a long shot.
I remembered his words when I began reading this book. Obviously, SOMEBODY found something to write about. Besides, she is always so vivacious in her films, genuinely witty, and hauntingly attractive. I had heard the "Hot Toddy" stories of the party girl...and then there were the conspiracy theories of her murder.
This book takes up the challenge. However, I think that writer from a number of years ago was correct. Yes, I learned facts that I hadn't known before, but none of them gave me startling insights into Thelma Todd's character. There is also a fair amount of filler material about the people surrounding her. And, if that wasn't enough, there are pages and pages and pages of inquest documentation.
As I am a great fan of the Laurel and Hardy and the Marx Brothers movies, I would have loved to have learned more about life on the set when Thelma Todd was present. Not much is revealed.
For those conspiracy theorists, we also learn that allegations of her murder are so much Hollywood storytelling and that the truth, while sad, is not "sensational."
When I had finished, I felt as if I had read a very long IMDB article with extensive links to supporting material. There were also nice photographs published that I had not seen before. All in all, it is a good book to acquaint the reader with the actress, but this isn't Barry Paris telling us about Louise Brooks...not by a long shot.
February 5, 2013
The book began slowly. The author provides meticulous detail of the motion picture industry during that era as well as Thelma's family background. It provides compelling evidence that disputes the earlier conclusions written in "Hot Toddy". I enjoyed it and appreciated the author's pursuit of the truth.
March 12, 2014
Really enjoyed reading this. I love reading biographies, especially those about old Hollywood stars in the golden era. I love the glamour of it all. So if sounds like something up your alley, then get yourself a copy of this book!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews