TOPPER RETURNS was released March 21, 1941. Victor Fox's comic book SAMSON #6, dated September 1941, featured a character named "The Topper" in a story that had some similarities to the movie. Was the comic book story inspired by the movie? We'll take a look at the movie and then at the comic.
Topper Returns
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Topper Returns | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Roy Del Ruth |
| Produced by | Hal Roach |
| Written by | Jonathan Latimer Thorne Smith (novel) |
| Starring | Joan Blondell Roland Young Carole Landis Billie Burke |
| Music by | Werner R. Heymann |
| Cinematography | Norbert Brodine |
| Editing by | James Newcom |
| Studio | Hal Roach Studios |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Topper Returns (1941) is the third and final entry in the initial series of films inspired by the novels of Thorne Smith. It followed Topper (1937) and Topper Takes a Trip (1938). As in the prior movies, Roland Young and Billie Burke play the Toppers, while Joan Blondell portrays a murder victim and ghost who tries to save her friend, played by Carole Landis, and unmask her killer with the help of a reluctant Cosmo Topper.
It was nominated for the Academy Award for Special Effects (Roy Seawright and Elmer Raguse) and Best Sound, Recording (Elmer Raguse).[1]
A TV series of Topper premiered in 1953 and ran for two seasons.[2] A pilot called Topper Returns (1973)[3] was later made for a proposed TV series. There was also a made-for-TV remake of the original film, Topper in (1979).[4]
In 1969, the film entered the public domain (in the USA) due to the claimants failure to renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.[5]
Cast
- Joan Blondell as Gail Richards
- Roland Young as Cosmo Topper
- Carole Landis as Ann Carrington
- Billie Burke as Clara Topper
- Dennis O'Keefe as Bob
- Patsy Kelly as Emily
- H. B. Warner as Henry Carrington
- Eddie Anderson as Eddie
- George Zucco as Dr. Jeris
- Donald McBride as Police Sergeant Roberts
- Rafaela Ottiano as Lillian
- Trevor Bardette as Rama
References
- ^ "The 14th Academy Awards (1942) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/legacy/ceremony/14th-winners.html. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- ^ Topper (1953 TV series) at IMDB
- ^ Topper Returns (1973 pilot for proposed TV series) at IMDB
- ^ Topper (1979 TV Movie) at IMDB
- ^ Pierce (June 2007). "Forgotten Faces: Why Some of Our Cinema Heritage Is Part of the Public Domain". Film History: An International Journal 19 (2): 125–43. DOI:10.2979/FIL.2007.19.2.125. ISSN 0892-2160. OCLC 15122313. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25165419. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
External links
- Topper Returns at the Internet Movie Database
- Topper Returns is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]
- Topper Returns at the TCM Movie Database
- Topper Returns at AllRovi
Carole Landis and Joan Blondell en route to where they are going in the story.
A slight accident en route -
- and it is necessary to seek other means of transportation, which turns out to be Topper. Joan Blondell is Topper's Topper in this story as she finds it necessary to sit on his lap due to limited seating space in the car.
Roland Young with Joan Blondell, Carole Landis, and Billie Burke.
And here is one where she hasn't quite made up her mind whether to be invisible or not.
"Get outta bed? Ain't I supposed to have gone to my etoinal rest?"
A phantom, rival to the ghost, shows up and tries to take over.
But he is finally dealt with and Carole Landis lives happily ever after, in this story at least.
THE TOPPER
This comic book story also has two blondes, although they're only shown separately. And again one of them gets killed early in the story.
The hero's wearing a top hat indicates that he is a wealthy man like Bruce Wayne. Something that was common amoung comic book heroes of this period.
Another blonde shows up. My brother Dale remarked that she looked like Carole Landis when I saw this story on the "Four Color Shadows" site, which I'm reblogging the comic book story from.
They live happily ever after once again, if not quite the same way as the other story ended up.
The top hat wasn't just the symbol of the character in the comic book story, it was also used as a symbol for the character of "Topper" in the advertising for the movie. Top hats were featured prominently on several of the posters, although "Topper" doesn't wear one in the movie itself.
Was the comic book "Topper" inspired by the movie version? I don't know for sure, but it could have been. There are a number of resemblances and it came out not too long after the movie did.
We'll let someone who actually knew Victor Fox have the last word:
Jack Kirby: "Victor Fox was a character. He'd look up at the ceiling with a big cigar, this little fellow, very broad, going back and forth with his hands behind his back saying, 'I'm the King of Comics! I'm the King of Comics!' and we would watch him and, of course, smile a little because he was a genuine type".
Watch TOPPER RETURNS:
Carole Landis, Official Site:
http://carolelandisofficial.com/
Joan Blondell:
http://www.classicmoviefavorites.com/blondell/
Billie Burke:
http://solongletty.tripod.com/billieburke/
Eddie Anderson:
http://www.radiohof.org/comedy/eddieanderson.html
Download TOPPER RETURNS:
http://archive.org/details/Topper_Returns_41
Thorne Smith:
http://www.thornesmith.net/
Thorne Smith Blog:
http://www.thornesmithblog.com/
Four Color Shadows:
http://fourcolorshadows.blogspot.com/
Samspon Comics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_(Fox_Feature_Syndicate)
Fox Feature Syndicate:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_Feature_Syndicate
Victor Fox's Mystery Men:
http://www.comicartville.com/victorfox.htm
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