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New look at Thelma Todd death

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Offline falsealarms

A new video from BuzzFeed looks at the death of Thelma Todd: https://youtu.be/ukNXdJTtU4g

It has almost two million views in the first two days since it was posted.


Offline metaldams

....and out of the two million viewers, I wonder what percentage have actually seen her work.  Judging by the comment section, not many.
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline falsealarms

....and out of the two million viewers, I wonder what percentage have actually seen her work.  Judging by the comment section, not many.

When you have the audience BuzzFeed has, perhaps the views aren't surprising. But then again, how many people outside of film buffs know about Thelma Todd?


Offline metaldams

When you have the audience BuzzFeed has, perhaps the views aren't surprising. But then again, how many people outside of film buffs know about Thelma Todd?

Film buffs and......gruesome unsolved murder mystery fans.  The latter far outnumber the former, sadly for Thelma’s legacy.

I know a lot of people are into that kind of thing, to each their own.  If of those two million people, a few discover her film work - great.  I just think it’s sad her death draws more fascination than not only her body of work, but anybody’s body of work from her era.

I’m reviewing SHOW BUSINESS this summer.  If the view counts are unusually high, we’ll know why.   [pie]
- Doug Sarnecky


Offline NoahYoung

I haven't watched the video. What's the verdict? You can save me 25 minutes of my life. I've read "Hot Toddy", by Andy Edmonds. While it's main focus is solving the mystery of her death, there is a lot of information about her. What I don't buy are quotes from people supposedly said during her lifetime. Edmonds makes it sound like she was a fly on the wall.

Thumbing through the book right now, I don't see a bibliography, and I don't remember her identifying her sources, other than to say things like "Mr. X said", or "Thelma said", etc. I don't remember her verdict, but as usual it speculates more than gives a definitive answer. I mean, after all,  that was 1935 (the book was written in 1989), and there are no longer people to talk to. 

The book was made into a TV movie with Lonnie Anderson, a terrible case of mis-casting. Nothing against Lonnie, but she does not resemble Thelma at all. If they were to do it today, I would want Kaley Cuoco to play her. If someone has the desire to do it, they should move fast since Kaley is already 36. Thelma was 29 when she died. I think Kaley could pull it off. They have somewhat similar features, and Kaley can do comedy, obviously. I wouldn't want the entire focus of the movie to be on her death. I would definitely want some recreation of comedy scenes from her movies. In fact, perhaps only mention her untimely death as one of those after-the-movie on screen explanations. But none of that will probably happen.
Burt Lancaster was too short!
- The Birdman of Alcatraz