''Topper Takes a Trip'' is a 1938
[Some sources, such as ]Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcasti ...
, say 1939. According to the Internet Movie Database
IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
, the film was released in New York City on 29 December 1938, and in the United States in January 1939. The exact year is contingent on the source's precise definition of a release date. film directed by
Norman Z. McLeod. It is a sequel to the 1937 film ''
Topper''.
Constance Bennett
Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-paid ...
,
Roland Young
Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...
,
Billie Burke
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...
, and
Alan Mowbray
Alan Mowbray (born Alfred Ernest Allen; 18 August 1896 – 25 March 1969) was an English stage and film actor who found success in Hollywood.
Early life
Mowbray was born in London, England. He served with distinction in the British Army in W ...
reprised their roles from the earlier film; only
Cary Grant
Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...
was missing (other than in a few shots taken from ''Topper''). A ghost tries to reunite a couple who she had a hand in splitting up in the prior film. It was followed by another sequel, ''
Topper Returns
''Topper Returns'' is a 1941 fantasy comedy thriller directed by Roy Del Ruth and written by Jonathan Latimer. The third and final installment in the initial series of supernatural comedy films inspired by the novels of Thorne Smith, it succeeds ...
'' (1941).
Plot summary
To gain entry to Heaven, ghost Marion Kerby (Constance Bennett) has to do some good on earth. That means reuniting a divorcing couple, Cosmo (Roland Young) and Clara Topper (Billie Burke). To be fair, Marion played a part in their troubles: Clara mistakenly thought Marion was Cosmo's mistress. Making peace between the pair will mean accompanying Cosmo on a trip to the French Riviera and employing plenty of otherworldly tricks, with the help of a canine spirit named Mr. Atlas.
Cast
*
Constance Bennett
Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-paid ...
as Marion Kerby
*
Roland Young
Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...
as Cosmo Topper
*
Billie Burke
Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke (August 7, 1884 – May 14, 1970) was an American actress who was famous on Broadway and radio, and in silent and sound films. She is best known to modern audiences as Glinda the Good Witch of the North ...
as Clara Topper
*
Alan Mowbray
Alan Mowbray (born Alfred Ernest Allen; 18 August 1896 – 25 March 1969) was an English stage and film actor who found success in Hollywood.
Early life
Mowbray was born in London, England. He served with distinction in the British Army in W ...
as Wilkins, Topper's butler
*
Verree Teasdale
Verree Teasdale (March 15, 1903 – February 17, 1987) was an American actress born in Spokane, Washington.
Early years
A second cousin of Edith Wharton, Teasdale attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and trained as a stage actr ...
as Mrs. Nancy Parkhurst
*
Franklin Pangborn
Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' Interna ...
as Louis
*
Alexander D'Arcy
Alexander D'Arcy ( ar, ألكسندر دارسي;
10 August 1908 – 20 April 1996) was an Egyptian stage, television and film actor with an international film repertoire.
Career
Born Alexander Sarruf in Cairo, Egypt, D'Arcy, variously credited ...
as Baron de Rossi
*
Spencer Charters
Spencer Charters (March 25, 1875 – January 25, 1943) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 220 films between 1920 and 1943, mostly in small supporting roles.
Biography
Charters was born in Duncannon, Pennsylvania. Until ...
as Judge
*
Irving Pichel
Irving Pichel (June 24, 1891 – July 13, 1954) was an American actor and film director, who won acclaim both as an actor and director in his Hollywood career.
Career
Pichel was born to a Jewish family in Pittsburgh. He attended Pittsburgh Cent ...
as Prosecutor
* Asta (billed as
Skippy) as Mr. Atlas
*
William Austin as Roulette Player (uncredited)
*
Wade Boteler
Wade Boteler (October 3, 1888 – May 7, 1943) was an American film actor and writer. He appeared in more than 430 films between 1919 and 1943.
Biography
He was born in Santa Ana, California, and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart ...
as Police Sergeant (uncredited)
File:Constance Bennett in Topper Takes a Trip trailer.jpg, Constance Bennett
File:Roland Young in Topper Takes a Trip trailer.jpg, Roland Young
File:Billie Burke in Topper Takes a Trip trailer.jpg, Billie Burke
File:Alan Mowbray in Topper Takes a Trip trailer.jpg, Alan Mowbray
File:Verree Teasdale in Topper Takes a Trip trailer.jpg, Verree Teasdale
File:Franklin Pangborn in Topper Takes a Trip trailer.jpg, Franklin Pangborn
File:Alexander Darcy in Topper Takes a Trip trailer.jpg, Alexander D'Arcy
File:Asta in Topper Takes a Trip trailer.jpg, Asta
Awards
The film received one
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People
* Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms.
* Oscar (Irish mythology), ...
nomination in 1939 for
Best Special Effects for
Roy Seawright Roy Seawright born November 19, 1905 in Los Angeles, California, died April 30, 1991 in Torrance, California was a Hollywood special effects technician, principally with Hal Roach Studios.
Biography
Seawright's father was the chief architect of H ...
.
See also
*
List of ghost films
Ghost movies and shows can fall into a wide range of genres, including romance, comedy, horror, juvenile interest, and drama. Depictions of ghosts are as diverse as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Beetlejuice, Hamlet's father, Jacob Marley, Freddy Kru ...
References
External links
*
*
*
*
''Topper Takes a Trip'' Reviewat
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
1939 films
1938 romantic comedy films
1930s screwball comedy films
1930s ghost films
American black-and-white films
American fantasy comedy films
American ghost films
American romantic comedy films
American romantic fantasy films
American screwball comedy films
American sequel films
1930s English-language films
Films directed by Norman Z. McLeod
Films based on American novels
Films based on fantasy novels
Films based on romance novels
Films scored by Hugo Friedhofer
Films set in New York City
United Artists films
1939 comedy films
1938 comedy films
1938 films
1930s American films
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