Michael Henry Todd Jr. (October 8, 1929 – May 5, 2002) was an American film producer. He was involved in innovations such as the movie format

Smell-o-vision Smell-O-Vision was a system that released odor during the projection of a film so that the viewer could " smell" what was happening in the movie. The technique was created by Hans Laube and made its only appearance in the 1960 film ''Scent of Myst ...

, and the production of a racially-integrated minstrel show for the 1964 World's Fair.

Early life

Todd was born to movie producer and cinema pioneer

Mike Todd Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1909 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of '' Around the World in 80 Days'', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Act ...

and his first wife, Bertha Freshman Todd. He was also a stepson of

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...

even though he was older than his famous stepmother through his father's third marriage.

Career

Todd was vice president of his father's company,

Cinerama Cinerama is a widescreen process that originally projected images simultaneously from three synchronized 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved screen, subtending 146° of arc. The trademarked process was marketed by the Cinerama corporati ...

, and was responsible for filming the famous roller-coaster scene from the company's debut film, ''

This is Cinerama ''This Is Cinerama'' is a 1952 American documentary film directed by Mike Todd, Michael Todd, Jr., Walter A. Thompson and Fred Rickey and starring Lowell Thomas. It is designed to introduce the widescreen process Cinerama, which broadens the asp ...

'' (1952). He is also known for introducing the short-lived movie format

, used in the 1960 film ''

Scent of Mystery ''Scent of Mystery'' is a 1960 mystery film, the first to use the Smell-O-Vision system to release odors at points in the film's plot. It was the first film in which aromas were integral to the story, providing important details to the audie ...

'', which he produced. It was re-released as ''Holiday in Spain'' without smells. Following in his father's footsteps of producing attractions for World's Fairs, Todd Jr. produced a racially integrated minstrel show for the

1964 New York World's Fair The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair was a world's fair that held over 140 pavilions and 110 restaurants, representing 80 nations (hosted by 37), 24 US states, and over 45 corporations with the goal and the final result of building exhibits or ...

, called "America, Be Seated". It closed after two performances.

Personal life and death

Todd was first married 953–1972to Sarah Jane Weaver, and they had six children: Cyrus, Susan, Sarah, Eliza Haselton, Daniel, and Oliver Todd. Later, then married 972–2002to Susan McCarthy, Todd had two more children: Del and James. In 1983, Todd and his wife Susan McCarthy wrote a biography of Todd Sr. called ''A Valuable Property: The Life Story of Michael Todd''. () On May 5, 2002, Michael Todd died in Ireland of lung cancer, at the age of 72, with all of his children and his second wife surviving him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Todd, Mike Jr. 1929 births 2002 deaths Film producers from California People from Los Angeles Deaths from lung cancer in the Republic of Ireland 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews