Who Is Mike Todd? Age, Biography and Wiki
Mike Todd was born on June 22, 1907, making him 118 years old in 2025. An influential American film producer, Todd is best known for producing the 1956 blockbuster Around the World in 80 Days, which won him an Academy Award for Best Picture. His innovative techniques and grandiose productions set new benchmarks for the film industry. Todd's visionary approach not only earned him fame but also a prominent place in Hollywood history.
| Occupation | Film Producer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | June 22, 1907 |
| Age | 50 Years |
| Birth Place | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | Mexico |
| Date of death | 22 March, 1958 |
| Died Place | Grants, New Mexico, U.S. |
Popularity
Mike Todd's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific statistics about Mike Todd’s height and weight during his life are not well-documented, historical accounts suggest he stood around 6 feet tall. His charismatic personality and presence in the entertainment industry contributed significantly to his on-screen images and public perception.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Mike Todd was married three times, most notably to the legendary singer and actress Judy Garland from 1952 until 1953. He later married actress Elizabeth Taylor in 1957, whose life he transformed with his lavish lifestyle and romance. Todd and Taylor's marriage was tragically cut short due to his untimely death in 1958. His legacy lives on through his daughter, Liza Todd, who continues to embrace the arts.
Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1907 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, celebrated for his 1956 Around the World in 80 Days, which won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Actress Elizabeth Taylor was his third wife. Todd was the third of Taylor's seven husbands, and the only one Taylor did not divorce.
He died in a private plane accident a year after they married. He was the driving force behind the development of the eponymous Todd-AO widescreen film format.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his death, Mike Todd had accumulated significant wealth, with estimates of his net worth reaching upwards of $10 million in today's dollars. Adjusted for inflation and his substantial impact on the entertainment industry, this could be valued even higher in contemporary discussions of his legacy and influence. His innovative marketing and production methods led to substantial profits from his film ventures.
Career, Business and Investments
Todd's extraordinary career in film production began in the 1940s and reached its zenith in the 1950s. Renowned for his ability to produce epic films, Todd pioneered the use of the Todd-AO process, a revolutionary 70mm film format that created stunning visuals. Around the World in 80 Days was a landmark achievement in his career, showcasing his knack for blending storytelling and cutting-edge film technology. His entrepreneurial spirit extended beyond filmmaking, as he was also involved in various business ventures, including live theatre productions.
Todd dropped out of high school, and worked as a shoe salesperson and store window decorator. One of his first jobs was as a soda jerk. When the drugstore went out of business, Todd had acquired enough medical knowledge from his work there to be hired at Chicago's Michael Reese Hospital as a type of "security guard" to stop visitors from bringing in food that was not on the patient's diet.
Social Network
Although Mike Todd lived in a time well before the advent of social media as we know it today, he was a well-connected figure in Hollywood circles. His legacy continues to wield influence, with discussions about his life and work prevalent on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and film-related forums.
On March 22, 1958, Todd's private plane the Liz crashed near Grants, New Mexico, during a flight from Burbank, California, to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The plane, a twin-engine Lockheed Lodestar, suffered an engine failure while being flown overloaded and experienced icing at an altitude too high for only one engine working under the heavy load.
The plane went out of control and crashed, killing all four on board. Five days before the crash, Todd flew on this plane to Albuquerque, 78 mi east of the crash site, to promote a screening of Michael Todd's Around the World in 80 Days.
In addition to Todd, those who died in the crash were screenwriter and author Art Cohn, who was writing Todd's biography The Nine Lives of Michael Todd, pilot Bill Verner, and co-pilot Tom Barclay, a replacement for the plane's regular co-pilot.
Verner was a veteran military pilot who had flown heavily loaded Curtiss C-46 Commando cargo planes over The Hump between India and China. Todd paid for the installation of two extra fuel tanks in his leased Lodestar aircraft; this made it weigh more than its official rating when all the tanks were full.
Verner had flown the plane overloaded like this before without incident, including piloting Todd on trips over the Atlantic and around Europe. The tanks had been filled to capacity before the fatal flight.
Education
Mike Todd’s educational background is somewhat limited as he left school early to pursue work in his family's grocery business and eventually ventured into entertainment. However, his practical experience in the field of show business educated him in the nuances of film production and marketing that served him well throughout his career.
The family moved to Chicago, arriving on the day World War I ended. Todd was expelled in the sixth grade for running a game of craps inside the school. In high school, he produced the school play, The Mikado. As Mike Todd, he produced a jazz version of the musical on Broadway in 1939.
