Back in 1934, Hollywood’s glitterati had a new hotspot to frequent: Thelma Todd’s Sidewalk Café. Situated along Los Angeles’ iconic Pacific Coast Highway, this wasn’t just any café—it was a sprawling Spanish-style building that housed a fine dining restaurant, serving up luxurious dishes like lobster and oysters, a grand ballroom with a bandstand, and an exclusive private nightclub called Joya’s, where Thelma, the star and co-owner, threw glamorous parties. It was the place to be seen, the ultimate hangout for the rich and famous.
Thelma Todd, originally from Massachusetts, came to Hollywood at the tender age of 19, dreaming big. But she wasn’t just another pretty face chasing fame; she was a woman with a plan. "Thelma loved her career and took it seriously, but she was smart enough to realize that Hollywood careers are fleeting," explains Michelle Morgan, author of The Ice Cream Blonde: The Whirlwind Life and Mysterious Death of Screwball Comedienne Thelma Todd. For Thelma, the café was more than a business venture—it was her retirement plan, a way to ensure financial stability as she aged. "She envisioned the café as her nest egg, something that would take care of her later in life," Morgan adds.
But life didn’t play out the way Thelma had hoped. On December 16, 1935, her lifeless body was found behind the wheel of her Lincoln convertible, parked in the garage of her sometime lover. The cause of death was determined to be carbon monoxide poisoning, initially ruled as suicide. However, a grand jury later reclassified it as an accident. "Hollywood didn’t want the stigma of another celebrity murder on its hands," says Morgan. "It was easier for everyone involved to just sweep it under the rug." But there were whispers of a darker story, one involving powerful forces that didn’t want Thelma around.
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Thelma wasn’t without her enemies. When she opened her café, local gangsters saw an opportunity to set up illegal gambling operations. "Thelma wasn’t having it," explains Morgan. "She wanted no part in that kind of business, and for that, she was threatened." Along with the gangsters, Thelma also received unsettling letters from someone who repeatedly threatened her life. It was clear that Thelma was in danger, yet she continued to fight for her dream, refusing to be intimidated.
Unpacking the Mystery of Thelma Todd’s Death
On December 14, 1935, Thelma attended a lively party at the Trocadero restaurant, hosted by Stanley Lupino and his daughter, Ida, in her honor. Despite a minor disagreement with her ex-husband, Pat DiCicco, earlier that evening, Thelma was in great spirits. "She was a radiant person," says Morgan, who describes Thelma as outspoken, generous, and always ready to lend a hand to those in need. "She had a zest for life and loved a good party." That night, when her married lover and café co-owner, director Roland West, decided to head home, Thelma chose to stay and enjoy the festivities.
Her chauffeur dropped her off at the apartment she shared with West around 4 a.m., only to discover the door was locked. Dressed in a delicate evening gown, Thelma is believed to have climbed 270 stairs up the palisades to where her car was parked in a garage. Investigators speculated that she turned on the car to keep warm, leading to her asphyxiation. But questions remain. "West locked the door to her apartment," says Morgan. "That’s always been seen as suspicious, especially since he slept through her attempts to get inside."
Then there’s the matter of the mobsters who had a vested interest in silencing Thelma. "I truly believe she was murdered," says Morgan. "There were too many threats, too many stories of gangsters hounding her, and too many unanswered questions about why Thelma would climb a steep hill in the middle of the night, only to fall asleep in a garage." Her death remains shrouded in mystery, a tragic end to a life that promised so much more.
