Topper (1937)

Director:

Norman Z. McLeod

Writers:

Thorne Smith (novel)
Jack Jevne (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 July 1937 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

90 ROARING MINUTES OF LAUGHS! (original 11x14 title lobby card)

Plot:

A fun-loving couple, finding that they died and are now ghosts, decide to shake up the stuffy lifestyle of a friend of theirs.

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Bank | Accident | Hotel Detective | Second Chance

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Constance Bennett	...	Marion Kerby
Cary Grant	...	George Kerby
Roland Young	...	Cosmo Topper
Billie Burke	...	Mrs. Clara Topper
Alan Mowbray	...	Wilkins
Eugene Pallette	...	Casey
Arthur Lake	...	Elevator Boy
Hedda Hopper	...	Mrs. Grace Stuyvesant
Virginia Sale	...	Miss Johnson
Theodore von Eltz	...	Hotel Manager
J. Farrell MacDonald	...	Policeman (as J. Farrell McDonald)
Elaine Shepard	...	Secretary
Doodles Weaver	...	Rustic
Si Jenks	...	Rustic
Three Hits and a Miss	...	Themselves - Vocal Quartette
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Alexander	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Irving Bacon	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Lionel Belmore	...	Bank Guard (uncredited)
Clem Bevans	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Betty Blythe	...	Mrs. Goodrich (uncredited)
Ward Bond	...	Eddie - Cab Driver Slugged by Topper (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
James Carlisle	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Hoagy Carmichael	...	Hoagy - Piano Player (uncredited)
Eddy Chandler	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Dorothy Christy	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Davison Clark	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Donna Dax	...	Hat-Check Girl (uncredited)
Lester Dorr	...	Bank Teller (uncredited)
Claire Du Brey	...	Sales Clerk (uncredited)
Eddie Fetherston	...	Courtroom Reporter (uncredited)
Sam Flint	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Pat Gleason	...	Taxicab Driver (uncredited)
Kenneth Harlan	...	Hotel Manager (uncredited)
Grace Hayle	...	Outraged Heavy Woman (uncredited)
Tom Herbert	...	Hen-Pecked Motorist (uncredited)
Max Hoffman Jr.	...	Taxicab Driver (uncredited)
Shep Houghton	...	Waiter (uncredited)
George Humbert	...	Tony - Nightclub Owner (uncredited)
William Irving	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Sheldon Jett	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Eddie Kane	...	Maitre d' (uncredited)
Crauford Kent	...	Board Member (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Jack Mulhall	...	Irate Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Frank O'Connor	...	Sea Breeze Hotel Doorman (uncredited)
Jack Perry	...	Onlooker at Street Brawl (uncredited)
Jack Raymond	...	Taxicab Driver (uncredited)
Cyril Ring	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Syd Saylor	...	Car Salesman (uncredited)
Martha Tilton	...	Member of 'Three Hits and a Miss' (uncredited)
Lana Turner	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Russell Wade	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Walter Walker	...	Judge (uncredited)
Ruth Warren	...	Hen-Pecked Motorist's Wife (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Taxicab Driver (uncredited)
Harry Wilson	...	Onlooker at Street Brawl (uncredited)
Eric Wilton	...	Onlooker at Hotel (uncredited)
Claire Windsor	...	Mrs. Simpkins (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Z. McLeod

Writing credits
Thorne Smith		(novel "Topper")
Jack Jevne		(screenplay) &
Eric Hatch		(screenplay) &
Eddie Moran		(screenplay)

Produced by
Milton H. Bren	....	associate producer
Hal Roach	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Marvin Hatley		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Norbert Brodine

Film Editing by
William H. Terhune		(as William Terhune)

Art Direction by
Arthur I. Royce

Set Decoration by
William Stevens		(as W.L. Stevens)
Arthur I. Royce		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Samuel Lange		(gowns) (as Samuel M. Lange)
Irene		(uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Earl Rettig	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Alex de Sakhnoffsky	....	special sets (uncredited)

Sound Department
William Randall	....	sound
Elmer Raguse	....	sound director (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Roy Seawright	....	photographic effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Cliff Shirpser	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Music Department
Marvin Hatley	....	musical director
Arthur Morton	....	music arranger
Leroy Shield	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Hal Roach	....	presenter
Harvey Parry	....	drove car (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hal Roach Studios

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1937) (USA) (theatrical) (conrolled by Loew's Incorporated)
• Film Classics (1944) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Favorite Films (1948) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Loew's (1937) (USA) (theatrical)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (????) (USA) (TV)
• Top Tape (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #3272) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 | Germany:o.Al.

Filming Locations:

Bullock's Wilshire Department Store - 3050 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hal Roach Studios

Trivia:

Producer Hal Roach wanted W.C. Fields and Jean Harlow to costar as George and Marian Kerby, but neither was available at the time.

Quotes:

Kerby, George: Say, if I'm in the way, you folks could leave.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Beginning of the End (#6.17)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Old Man Moon

The Kerbys in purgatory

"Topper", the delightful and original film directed by Norman Z McLeod, should be seen more often. It is one of the best things Hollywood ever produced at the height of the madcap comedy craze of the thirties. In fact, just to watch Roland Young, Constance Bennett and Cary Grant in the same film is a dream come true.

"Topper" has always been an old time favorite. We were treated the other night to watching it again, courtesy of TCM. The film's great black and white cinematography by Norbert Brodine looks good, even after these many years.

Constance Bennett and Cary Grant made a fabulous couple. Ms. Bennett had the uncanny gift of blending with all her leading men well. She was a charming actress with such a sense of style and an amazing figure to boot that made her an irresistible presence on the screen. Cary Grant is also seen at his best in the film as the careless and fun loving George Kerby.

Roland Young, in our humble opinion, steals the show! He plays the staid banker Cosmo Topper, who is all business until he starts being made the object of the Kerby's antics. Cosmo Topper's wife is the incomparable Billie Burke, one of the most gracious actresses of that era.

The rest of the cast is not too shabby. Alan Mowbray, Eugene Palette, Ward Bond, Hoagy Carmichael, and as an extra, Lana Turner could be seen backing the principals with their usual elegance and enormous screen presence.

"Topper" is a film that should be "rediscovered" by new audiences, as it shows how great Hollywood could be when it wanted to be original. But above all, "Topper" should be seen for the fantastic Roland Young, who is nothing short of perfection in the film!