Topper (TV series)
| Topper | |
|---|---|
Cover of Alpha Video's DVD of the Topper TV series
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| Genre | Fantasy sitcom |
| Written by |
Thorne Smith (original novel) Robert Riley Crutcher Stanley Davis Donn Mullally George Oppenheimer Elon Packard Norman Paul Joel Rapp Stephen Sondheim Robert Thomsen |
| Directed by |
Richard L. Bare Leslie Goodwins James V. Kern Lew Landers Paul Landres Leslie H. Martinson Philip Rapp |
| Starring |
Leo G. Carroll Lee Patrick Robert Sterling Anne Jeffreys |
| Theme music composer | Roy Ingraham Charles Koff Edward Paul |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 78 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | John W. Loveton Bernard Schubert |
| Location(s) | Hal Roach Studios, Culver City, Calif. |
| Cinematography | Gert Andersen Kenneth Peach William P. Whitley |
| Editor(s) | Nick DeMaggio Chuck Gladden |
| Running time | 24 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS |
| Picture format | Black-and-white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | October 9, 1953 – July 15, 1955 |
Topper is an American fantasy sitcom based on the 1937 film Topper, which was based on two novels Topper and Topper Takes a Trip by Thorne Smith. The series was broadcast on CBS from October 9, 1953 to July 15, 1955, and stars Leo G. Carroll in the title role. It finished at #24 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1954-1955 season.Topper also earned an Emmy nomination for Best Situation Comedy in 1954.
Sophisticated but stuffy Cosmo Topper (Carroll) is the vice president of City Bank, married to sweet (but rather clueless) Henrietta (Lee Patrick). They live in a Los Angeles house they bought from the estate of a young couple, George and Marion Kerby (real life husband and wife Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys), who died after being swept away by an avalanche. A St. Bernard, Neil, who attempted to rescue them also died with them. Topper discovers his new home is haunted by the former occupants as well as Neil. Strangely, he is the only one able to see or hear them. Neil, the St. Bernard, loves martinis and a running gag is the invisible dog lapping up the drink.
The Kerbys try to bring some excitement and joy into the life of stodgy and conservative Topper. The ghosts cause strange (but humorous) events to happen, which an embarrassed Cosmo has to try to explain to others baffled—and even frightened—by them.
Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim wrote eleven episodes for Topper's first season with George Oppenheimer. The show's producer was John W. Loveton, with his agent, Bernard L. Schubert, credited as co-producer.
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco's Camel cigarettes was the show's sponsor; the Kerbys were seen smoking in every episode, as required by Reynolds; the actors, along with Carroll, also appeared in integrated commercials promoting the product at the end of the show, as well as announcing where free cartons of Camels were being sent to various military bases and veterans hospitals each week. Both ABC and NBC aired repeats of these episodes (ABC in 1955 and NBC in 1956).
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