Roland West was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and began his career in the theater and vaudeville stage. He entered the film industry in New York City around 1915, establishing multiple production companies to produce films in the city. He later served as general manager of production for producer Joseph M. Schenck, and directed several comedies and dramas.
Notably, West gained a reputation for creating moody and atmospheric horror films, including The Monster (1925),The Bat (1926),and The Bat Whispers (1930). His final film as director was Corsair (1931),after which he retired and ventured into business with actresses Jewel Carmen and Thelma Todd, his ex-wife and girlfriend, respectively.
Together, they opened a popular restaurant and bar, Thelma Todd's Sidewalk Cafe, on the Santa Monica beach in California. The establishment became a hangout for a diverse array of shady underworld characters, and rumors circulated that Todd and West were pressured by mob figures to use the venue as a front to blackmail wealthy Hollywood friends by getting them drunk and compromising their positions.
Tragically, in 1935, Thelma Todd was found slumped over the steering wheel of her car, with the engine still running, in the garage of an adjacent apartment building. The official cause of death was listed as "accidental carbon monoxide poisoning," but many in her circle suspected she was murdered by gangsters due to her refusal to allow them to use her restaurant for their activities. Others believed West himself was responsible for her murder, given his reputation for having a violent temper and a history of physical altercations with Todd. Her murder remains unsolved to this day.
