The Hal Roach Comedy Shorts of Thelma Todd, ZaSu Pitts and Patsy Kelly

The Hal Roach Comedy Shorts of Thelma Todd, ZaSu Pitts and Patsy Kelly
ISBN-10
1476634319
ISBN-13
9781476634319
Category
Performing Arts
Pages
185
Language
English
Published
2018-12-06
Publisher
McFarland
Author
James L. Neibaur

Description

Hoping to follow his Laurel and Hardy success with a female comedy team, producer Hal Roach paired Thelma Todd with ZaSu Pitts in a 1931 series of two-reel shorts. Pitts left the studio for other pursuits, was replaced by Patsy Kelly and the series continued to be successful. Todd died under mysterious circumstances in 1935 and Kelly tried to carry on, first with Pert Kelton, then with Lyda Roberti. When Roberti died in 1938, the series ended. This book takes the first film-by-film look at each of the comedies these women made, how they responded to different directors and how production adapted to changes along the way. Credits, production information, period reviews, and critical assessments are included.

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