The Topper TV Series
Ranked #3,290 in Entertainment, #36,590 overall
Topper Comes to Television
Thorne Smith's lively characters enjoyed an international audience through a trio of popular Topper movies, and gained new fame when CBS Television produced the episodic comedy series, Topper, in 1953. Veteran character actor Leo G. Carroll was cast as the haunted banker, Cosmo Topper. The mischievous ghosts, George and Marion Kerby, were played with flair by real-life husband and wife team Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys. Rounding out the cast were Lee Patrick as Cosmo's ever-bubbly wife, Henrietta, and dependable character actress Kathleen Freeman as Katie, the maid. The Kerby's martini-loving St. Bernard, Neil, frequently stole the show.
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Topper (1953-55)
Starring Leo G. Carroll as Cosmo Topper
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The Topper TV Series
A Few Facts Courtesy of Wikipedia
Topper is Tops!
Topper still shows up occasionally in late-night reruns. The show's special ghost effects—quaint by modern standards—were state of the art in the 1950s.
Topper Facts & Trivia
CBS Television
- Release Date: October 9, 1953 (USA)
- Genres: Fantasy - Comedy
- Emmy Nomination for Best Situation Comedy (1954)
- The show ran for two seasons, during which time 78 episodes were produced.
- Award winning composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim wrote 9 episodes.
- Film Effects of Hollywood created the special ghost effects.
- Leo G. Carroll appeared in more Alfred Hitchcock films (Rebecca, Suspicion, Spellbound, The Paradine Case, Strangers On A Train, and North By Northwest) than any other actor except Hitchcock himself.
- Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys were married in real life.
Anne Jeffreys and Robert Sterling
Vote For Your Favorite Topper Characters
Topper Cast Members on the Internet Movie Database
1
Anne Jeffreys as Marion Kerby
2 points
2
Robert Sterling as George Kerby
2 points
3
Leo G. Carroll as Cosmo Topper
2 points
4
Lee Patrick as Henrietta Topper
2 points
5
Kathleen Freeman as Katie the Maid
2 points
6
Buck as Neil
2 points
Happy Hollywood Couple
Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys were married in 1951 and had three sons. In addition to Topper, the duo starred in the TV series Love That Jill. The union lasted until Robert Sterling's death in 2006 at age 88.
Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys
Vote for Your Favorite Topper Actors
Topper Cast Biographies Courtesy of Wikipedia
1
Leo G. Carroll
2 points
2
Lee Patrick
2 points
3
Kathleen Freeman
2 points
4
Anne Jeffreys
1 point
5
Robert Sterling
1 point
Kathleen Freeman as Katie the Maid
Anne Jeffreys (1951)
How MILD can a cigarette be? My cigarette must be mild. I smoke CAMELS. They agree with my throat and they taste grand!
Vintage Camel Cigarette Advertisement
Who is Thorne Smith?
Accomplished Author and Creator of Topper
Many years ago, a friend mentioned to Michael Walker that his writing style was reminiscent of Thorne Smith. Upon learning that Walker was unfamiliar with the author, the friend loaned him his personal dog-eared copy of Topper. Eventually Michael Walker became an expert on Thorne Smith—he wrote Host To Said Ghosts: The Thorne Smith Story and created ThorneSmith.net, a website devoted to the largely forgotten Depression-era writer. Learn more about Thorne Smith, the man who inspired such supernatural hits as Mister Ed, Bewitched, and I Dream of Jeannie.- Books by Thorne Smith
- Thorne Smith at the Movies
- Radio Shows Featuring Thorne Smith
- Thorne Smith's Short Stories
- Thorne Smith & TV Shows
Photograph Courtesy of ThorneSmith.net
Topper on Squidoo
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Topper
Thorne Smith's Topper on Facebook
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Courtesies
Featured at The 100 Best Television Lenses
Thank you, Bonnie (JustBon-CrochetDesigns)
Squidoo Lenses by Kim Giancaterino
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KimGiancaterino's Bio
The Topper TV Series was created by Kim Giancaterino on April 30, 2008. This Squidoo page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Creative Commons License
This License Applies to All Lenses Created by Kim Giancaterino
Topper Lenses by Kim Giancaterino
Thorne Smith, Topper, Topper Takes a Trip, Topper Returns, and More!
A hearty toast to Thorne Smith's Topper:Topper by Thorne Smith
Producer Hal Roach brought Thorne Smith's zany characters to life in three films:
Topper
Topper Takes a Trip
Topper Returns
The 1953 Topper television series featured husband and wife team Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys, Lee Patrick, and Leo G. Carroll as the haunted Cosmo Topper:
The Topper TV Series
Is a Topper remake in the works?
Topper: In Development
SquidArt Courtesy of tagsforkids
by KimGiancaterino
KimGiancaterino
Hal Roach brought Thorne Smith's zany characters to life in three films: Topper, Topper Takes a Trip, and Topper Returns.
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