A Modern Moron Book Review

Glitz, glamour and scandal was the life and brief times of Thelma Todd, an iconic force in Hollywood yesteryear. 

Her death at 30-years-old was documented as a suicide from carbon monoxide poisoning in December of 1935. She was found dead in the front seat of her car that was in a closed garage. 

"The Ice Cream Blonde" details three compelling theories as to how she died. Accidental death, suicide or murder. 

Michelle Morgan, the author of this 2016 book leaves things open to how she died, personally, I think she was murdered, but the other two options are viable arguments, and I was very impressed how Morgan left out her personal opinions as to how Todd died. She marvelously presented all the evidence at her disposal from five years of research. 

Suicide and accidental death have certain merits, but murder seems the most likely to me. When she was found in her car, the autopsy report suggested she may have been choked to death by having a bottle or pipe shoved in her mouth, but carbon monoxide could have also caused the swelling. 

This book suggests how gangster activity goes hand in hand with Hollywood. Thelma Todd talked about this and before her death, close friends said she was getting ready for big changes in her life. She ran the luxurious club, the Cafe Trocadero, aka The Troc and denied gangsters from having a casino in her California club, despite death threats and larger amounts of money offered to her to allow it.    

Her then lover, Roland West wanted the casino and had known ties to gangsters, as did Todd, including maybe Al Capone.

This book is only 224 pages, an afternoon read, and Morgan is very concise and clear on the details. Four and a half stars for "The Ice Cream Blonde." 

Thelma Todd began her movie career at the tail end of the silent film era and ended it in the toddler hood of the sound era. Sound in the movies went mainstream in 1930, and she was in her first movie in 1926.

A picture of Thelma Todd during the silent era.

This book isn't just about her death. It reveals her childhood and other tragic deaths in her family, including her little brother who was killed accidentally when he was only 7-years-old. Read the book if you want more details. 

I also learned how smart Thelma Todd was. She spoke several different languages including Russian and Spanish and she negotiated all her movie contracts and ran a business. 

The business she ran, The Troc was later changed to Cafe Chez Roland in the mid 1940s. In 1951, this 12,500 square foot fully equipped restaurant, bar and entertainment venue with four penthouse apartments sold for $100,000. 

In 2015, Cafe Chez Roland sold under the name of the "Sidewalk Cafe." The front doors of the building Todd used herself, the sliding glass doors to her room and the refrigerator used by the 1930s staff were still intact at the time it was sold. 

Thelma Todd was an outstanding example of the new school of motion picture women evolving in Hollywood, a writer said in an article from Hollywood Filmograph. 

Mark Izzy Schurr