Series: Thelma Todd & Patsy Kelly Director: William H. Terhune Producer: Hal Roach Photography: Art Lloyd Editor: William Ziegler Sound: Warren B. Delaplain Stars: Thelma Todd, Patsy Kelly, Greta Meyer, John Dilson, Billy Bletcher Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Released: 12 October 1935 Length: 2 reels Production No.: A-34 Filming dates: Rating: 7/10

Twin Triplets

Available on DVD:

Thelma is a journalist working for the Herald Chronicle and is in the office of the editor, Mr. Benton when he assigns her a story to cover about a professor who designs a new parachute - and is now recovering in hospital. Outside, Thelma suggests that Patsy faints in order for Thelma to call an ambulance so that the girls can catch an easy ride to the hospital, but that idea falls flat. So instead Thelma pretends to faint outside a furniture store as Patsy pleads for help from the many passers-by who all initially ignore her until she screeches at the top of her voice. One pedestrian goes for help as the store owner (Billy Bletcher) comes to the fainting Thelma's rescue by throwing a cooler of cold water over her. Unimpressed, Thelma gets up and carries on walking down the street. As she looks into a mirror outside a confectionery store, the shopkeeper accidentally drops a metal canopy onto her head, knocking her out. Patsy rushes to assist and an ambulance arrives, taking them both to hospital. When there, Thelma finds the parachuting professor (James C. Morton) and begins to interview him, though in his confused state of mind he talks gibberish and gestures with a piece of paper of how he managed to fall to the ground and injure himself. Thelma promptly makes her excuses and walks out (notice the stiff Edgar Kennedy-esque reaction she makes before leaving the room!) Elsewhere, one of the nurses (Bess Flowers) congratulates the head nurse Dr. Smith (Grace Goodall) on delivering six babies within an hour. The nurse telephones reception to tell her and Patsy overhears the part about "six babies" and gets the great idea for Thelma to use the story as her scoop for the newspaper.

The girls find whom they believe to be the mother of the sextuplets, Mrs. Borgerschmith (Greta Myer) and convince her to sign a hastily-written contract into handing over rights of the babies to Thelma and Patsy so that the girls can profit from it. Thelma telephones her boss and demands $1000 for the story; and he excitedly agrees to meet them at the hospital. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding Patsy discovers that this woman only has two babies. The conversation that follows is... well just odd (it does involve Patsy Kelly, after all). Patsy sees Thelma, who is gloating with the large cheque her boss has just handed over to her and desperately tries to tell her that there are only two babies - not six. An angry Thelma demands Patsy find her another four babies before her boss discovers the truth. Patsy conveniently falls into a utilty room where she finds a nurse's uniform and puts it on. She tries to find four babies but is thwarted by wandering staff at every opportunity. It's a pick and mix job from Patsy as she moves babies all over the ward in order to satisfy Thelma's need for the half-dozen she is after. Patsy tries to shove the four new babies onto Mrs. Borgerschmith but the new mother is having none of it; meanwhile Thelma's boss grows impatient with having the six babies photographed for the newspaper. Eventually Patsy calls Thelma, her boss and the photographers into the room to photograph the six babies. Patsy assumes the role of the mother but when one the babies is revealed to be black Thelma is fired and warned never to return to the office again or else there will be a murder.

Favourite bit When Patsy runs down the corridor and bumps into Thelma, knocking her off her feet.

Trivia • Copyrighted September 4, 1935. • This was the 18th film in the series to be released. • The facade of the hospital is actually the entrance to Hal Roach's administration building. • Mrs. Borgerschmith named her babies Fritz and Oscar. • A couple of dodgy scenes in the hospital: firstly a nurse pushes open a door whilst holding a baby in the same arm; and later Patsy actually RUNS down the corridor whilst holding two babies. No, not a good idea. • Thelma's boss threatens to murder her at the end of the film. Two months after this film was released and Thelma would be dead for real. My opinion • Patsy Kelly is a complete riot.

	Thelma Todd Thelma
	Patsy Kelly Patsy
	Greta Meyer Mrs. Borgerschmith
	John Dilson J. Benton, City editor
	Billy Bletcher Merchant
	Bess Flowers Nurse with Dr. Smith
	Charlie Hall Ambulance attendant
	Grace Goodall Dr. Smith
	James C. Morton Professor Pino
	Charley Rogers Fainting father
	Sammy Brooks Newspaper salesman
	Don Sandstrom Loud father

UNIDENTIFIED CAST

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)

POSTER (click any image to enlarge)

SHOT ON THE BACK LOT (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: James L. Neibaur (identification of James C. Morton) Jesse Brisson (identification of Grace Goodall) Jorge Finkielman (poster cleaning) Jesse Brisson (identification of Don Sandstrom) This page was last updated on: 06 January 2023