Her late 1930s film career was brief and unheralded, and she retired
early from the business, but as the mother of
Albert Brooks she managed to enjoy
a mini-comeback of sorts in a couple of his films, during her twilight
years. Former singer/actress Thelma Leeds was born Thelma Goodman in
New York City. Trained in opera, her career break happened while
singing on radio. RKO took an interest in the lovely, pencil-browed
brunette after a talent scout discovered her warbling in a New York
nightery. Placed under contract, she moved to Hollywood in 1936 and was
befitted with a new stage moniker -- Thelma Leeds. She began things off
with an uncredited part in the
Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers
musical classic
Marine gegen Liebeskummer (1936). She
then moved into minor roles in
New Faces of 1937 (1937) and
the
Edward Arnold/Frances Farmer/Cary Grant
drama
The Toast of New York (1937).
While working on the "New Faces" film, Thelma met vaudeville/radio
comedian and dialectician Harry Einstein (born
Harry Einstein). Harry had a supporting role that prominently featured
his well-known, English-mangling Greek character Parkyakarkas. The
Jewish-American couple married in 1937, and Thelma immediately gave up
her nascent career. She produced three sons:
Bob Einstein became an actor and
comedy writer (he was both the head writer and actor who played Officer
Judy on
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967));
Clifford Einstein, an advertising
executive and sometime actor; and, of course,
Albert Brooks, who certainly must
have grown up with a keen sense of humor to survive the christened name
of Albert Einstein. He wisely changed his name, went on the stand-up
circuit and evolved into a highly successful actor/director/writer.
Husband Harry died suddenly of a heart attack at age 54 in 1958 while
attending a Friar's Roast in honor of
Lucille Ball and
Desi Arnaz. Two years later, Thelma married
Irving "Bernie" Bernstein, who died in 1983. Thelma's "comeback" came
with small roles in a couple of Albert's films,
Aus dem Leben gegriffen (1979) and
Modern Romance - Muß denn Liebe Alptraum Sein? (1981), the last in
which she played Albert's mother. Son Clifford appeared in both movies
as well, and other son Bob appeared in the latter film. In 1996, Albert
had a critical hit with his black comedy film
Mother (1996), which was loosely
based on Thelma and starred
Debbie Reynolds in the title
role.
A longtime Beverly Hills resident, Thelma passed away at age 95 of
natural causes on May 27, 2006, survived by her three sons, five
grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
