Lady Pamela Rocberg, alias Connie Bailey the College Widow

A former schoolteacher and model, Todd entered films in the mid-20's after winning a beauty contest. She soon proved herself to be a deft commedienne and made memorable appearances with The Marx Brothers, Charley Chase and Wheeler and Woosley in addition to L&H. She also starred in her own series of comedy shorts for Hal Roach, partnered with Zazu Pitts and Patsy Kelly successively.

Her best-known roles with Stan and Ollie came in Another Fine Mess and FRA DIAVOLO, though she may be seen to even better advantage in her two films with the Marxes. She died an untimely death from carbon monoxide poisoning in late 1935 under circumstances that remain mysterious to this day. *

* In the book The Three Stooges: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the Most Popular Comedy Team of All Time (2001), authors Jeff and Tom Forrester offer what is perhaps the most credible theory regarding Todd's death, implicating Todd's ex-husband, gangster Pat DiCicco, as her murderer.

Copyright © John Larrabee, 1998. All Rights Reserved.
Property of Laurel and Hardy Central.

SHORTS:

Unaccustomed As We Are (Mrs. Kennedy)
Another Fine Mess (Lady Plumtree)
Chickens Come Home (Mrs. Hardy)
On The Loose (Thelma)

FEATURES:

FRA DIAVOLO (Lady Pamela Rocberg)
THE BOHEMIAN GIRL (Gypsy Queen's daughter) *

* Todd was originally cast as the Gypsy Queen, but after her death just a few days after the film's preview, most of her footage was cut from the film except for one song. To restructure the plot away from her character, new scenes were added with Zeffie Tilbury as the Gypsy Queen, and Todd became the Gypsy queen's daughter. New love scenes were also filmed, with Mae Busch and Antonio Moreno. Laurel and Hardy's scenes may or may not have been affected.