Update: Roland West, Alice Todd, center, and May Whitehead enter the church at Forest Lawn for Thelma Todd's funeral.

Dec. 19, 1935: A "swarthy man" always seems to figure in Hollywood mysteries and one has emerged in the Thelma Todd case.

"Alive — driving in her death car with a dark-complexioned man — in Hollywood — Thelma Todd was reported seen at 11 o'clock Sunday night by Jewel Carmen, wife of Roland West, the dead actress' business partner," The Times says.

Dr. A.F. Wagner, county autopsy surgeon, testifies that in his opinion, Todd died sometime early Sunday.

"He added that his opinion was based on medical examinations, facts and the material circumstances surrounding the case.

"Miss Todd's death, Dr. Wagner testified, in his opinion was due to carbon monoxide poisoning. An analysis of her bloodstream, he said, indicated between 75% and 80% carbon monoxide saturation.

"There also were traces of alcohol in the brain of the actress, he testified, but only about 0.13% by saturation, which would not be sufficient to cause death."

 
By today’s standards, with a 0.13% blood-alcohol level, she would be considered drunk. 

 
Dec. 17, 1935: The finding by autopsy surgeons last night of evidence that monoxide gas poisoning caused the death of Thelma Todd, blonde motion picture actress whose body was found in her automobile in a Castellammare garage yesterday morning, did not lessen the vigor of an investigation being made by police into the riddle of circumstances surrounding the finding of the film player's body.

Because Miss Todd within the past few months had been the recipient of several extortion notes threatening her with death unless she paid $10,000 and because no apparent reason existed for her taking her own life, investigating officers desperately sought an answer to the mystery of her death.

Coagulated blood marred the screen comedienne's features and stained her mauve and silver evening gown and her expensive mink coat when she was found, her blonde locks pathetically awry, in the front seat of her automobile….

Update: Our mystery guest in this photo, published in The Times on Oct. 30, 1927, is former mystery guest Josephine Dunn. Please congratulate Mary Mallory for identifying her!

I thought it would be interesting to make a small detour for Thelma Todd on the 75th anniversary of her death. I plan to post some of The Times’ archival photos with stories about her. Hope you find it interesting!

In this Oct. 5, 1927, story, Grace Kingsley profiles Todd, a former teacher who was Miss Massachusetts of 1924. “While there is nothing yet definite about stardom, Miss Todd is already being featured as leading woman and her work is improving all the time, it is said, with Paramount officials viewing her favorably for promotion,” The Times said.

And those who want to play the mystery photo game can try to guess her mystery companions!