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| HOME | KIDS | TEACHERS | COSTUMES | PARTY | DECORATE | RECIPES | SITE |
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THE GHOST OF THELMA TODD |
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| by Jack Blennim | |||
| Ask yourself a question. When is a murder…a suicide? On the other hand, a suicide a possible murder? Answer: When the victim was called Thelma Todd? Thelma Todd was like the ‘Madonna’ of her day. She was a fine and talented actress and was highly respected as the queen of Hollywood during the early days of the motion picture industry. Born in Lawrence, MA, in 1905. Todd was a former schoolteacher and part time model before venturing into films. In her short career she made over 40 films. The Marx Brothers, Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton, were just some of the big names she had worked with. She was one of the few actresses who chose not to rely solely on the income from the film business and bought herself a beachside property, which she turned into ‘Thelma Todd’s Sidewalk Café’. It was a popular and much loved meeting and eating-house of the day. Above the café was a tall hill with a long flight of steps that led up from the beach restaurant to the luxury home and garage that she also owned and where she resided. On December 15th, 1935, Thelma Todd was found dead in her car parked inside the garage. She had died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The Grand Jury investigation that followed was unable to clear up the conflicting views that others were clearly thinking. Spots of blood were found on the outside and inside the car as well as on Todd’s mouth. This led many to assume that the actress had been rendered unconscious before death and then placed inside the car to suffocate. It was also found that her blood alcohol level was extremely high and that this fact would have made it impossible for her to commit suicide in such a manner. This was a lady who was so drunk at the time of her death she would not have been able to walk, yet she then decided to climb a vertical flight of steps out in the open air that were attached to the side of the cliff face that numbered more than 100, then unlocked a garage door, as well as the car door and calmly gassed herself? Here is another question for you all. When have you ever known a pair of shoes that you can walk in that never become dirty…not even the soles? The shoes found on her body at the time of her death were high heels, however, she had to climb that flight of out-door steps remember? They were a sandal type design, but this was a beachside café and not a trace of sand inside her shoes or on her feet? Last but most importantly, there was the smudged handprint on the outside door on the car. It is true that she had problems, an uncomfortable divorce involving spousal abuse, had she had also been the victim of a failed extortion racket and was facing financial problems, but it was the 1930’s and so were most of the population of the USA facing problem of some kind or other. They did not all kill themselves as a result. This was a popular actress and a talented one. Suicide does not seem to fit in with this particular and very strange case. Yet it would appear that Thelma Todd herself also did not agree with the Grand Jury for returning a verdict of accidental suicide for her ghost has been seen ever since. The property is now owned by Paulist Productions, and those who work there have often reported seeing the pretty and young actress on a regular basis and have seen her walking gracefully down the long flight of outdoor steps to the beach below. They have even heard the sound of a car running in the room that was once the garage and which is now an office, and car exhaust fumes have been detected where there is no vehicle present. Clearly she has a lot still to say and is making her presence very much felt to all. This is one very restless young lady searching for justice? | |||
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