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The Adventures Of Topper
''The Adventures of Topper'' is a radio situation comedy in the United States. It was broadcast on NBC June 7 – September 13, 1945, as a summer replacement for Dinah Shore's program. Format The 30-minute program was based on characters created by novelist Thorne Smith. Cosmo Topper, a businessman, bought the house that had been inhabited by George and Marian Kerby before they died. He had no idea that the Kerbys' ghosts haunted the house. Confusion arose because only Topper could see the ghosts, leading his wife to wonder why he spoke to people who apparently were not there.Terrace, Vincent (1999). ''Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of More Than 1800 Shows''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . p. 17. David C. Tucker, in his book, ''The Women Who Made Television Funny: Ten Stars of 1950s Sitcoms'', cited the program's ghost-based premise as one reason for its lack of success: "As noted by ''Varietys reviewer, however, a comedy centered on the antics of appearing and disappearing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Topper (TV Series)
''Topper'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy sitcom television series based on the 1937 film ''Topper (film), Topper'', which was based on the two novels ''Topper (novel series), 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. Synopsis Sophisticated but stuffy Cosmo Topper (Carroll) is the vice president of City Bank, married to sweet but rather clueless Henrietta (Lee Patrick (actress), 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). The Kerbys died while skiing when they were buried by an avalanche. A St. Bernard (dog), St. Bernard dog, Neil, who attempted to rescue them ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Radio Broadcasting
Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio signal, audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio station, while in ''satellite radio'' the radio waves are broadcast by a satellite in Earth orbit. To receive the content the listener must have a Radio receiver, broadcast radio receiver (''radio''). Stations are often affiliated with a radio network that provides content in a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast, or both. The code, encoding of a radio broadcast depends on whether it uses an analog signal, analog or digital signal. Analog radio broadcasts use one of two types of radio wave modulation: amplitude modulation for AM radio, or frequency modulation for FM radio. Newer, digital radio stations transmit in several different digital audio standards, such as DAB (Digital Audio Broadcas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent setting, such as a home, workplace, or community. Unlike sketch comedy, which features different characters and settings in each Sketch comedy, skit, sitcoms typically maintain plot continuity across episodes. This continuity allows for the development of storylines and characters over time, fostering audience engagement and investment in the characters' lives and relationships. History The structure and concept of a sitcom have roots in earlier forms of comedic theater, such as farces and comedy of manners. These forms relied on running gags to generate humor, but the term ''sitcom'' emerged as radio and TV adapted these principles into a new medium. The word was not commonly used until the 1950s. Early television sitcoms were often filme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, television personality, and the chart-topping female vocalist of the 1940s. She rose to prominence as a recording artist during the Big Band era. She achieved even greater success a decade later in television, mainly as the host of a series of variety programs for the Chevrolet automobile company. After failing singing auditions for the bands of Benny Goodman, and both Jimmy Dorsey, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Shore struck out on her own. She became the first singer of her era to achieve huge solo success. She had a string of eighty charted popular hits, spanning from 1940 to 1957, and after appearing in a handful of feature films, she went on to a four-decade career in American television. She starred in her own music and variety shows from 1951 through 1963 and hosted two talk shows in the 1970s. TV Guide ranked her at number 16 on their list of the top 50 television st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thorne Smith
James Thorne Smith, Jr. (March 27, 1892 – June 20, 1934) was an American writer of humorous supernatural fantasy fiction under the byline Thorne Smith. He is best known today for the two ''Topper'' novels, comic fantasy fiction involving sex, much drinking and ghosts. With racy illustrations, these sold millions of copies in the 1930s and were equally popular in paperbacks of the 1950s. Life and career Smith was born in Annapolis, Maryland, the son of a Navy commodore, and attended Dartmouth College. In 1919, after being discharged from the Navy the same year, he moved to Greenwich Village, where he met Celia Sullivan whom he would marry. In need of money, he worked part-time as an advertising agent. Their first daughter Marion was born on November 14, 1922, and their second daughter June on March 4, 1924. In 1926 Smith achieved meteoric success with the publication of ''Topper''. He was an early resident of Free Acres, a social experimental community developed by Bolton ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Post Toasties
Post Toasties was an early American breakfast cereal made by Post Foods. It was named for its originator, C. W. Post, and intended as the Post version of corn flakes. Post Toasties were originally sold as Elijah's Manna (c. 1904) until criticism from religious groups (and consequent loss of sales) led to a change of name in 1908. In the 1930s, Post paid Walt Disney $1.5 million in the first year to design cartoon animals to illustrate its boxes of Post Toasties. As of August 2016, Post Toasties are listed as discontinued on the PostFoods web site. This includes flavors Frosted Flakes, O's, and Corn Flakes. The term "Post Toasties" was also sardonically used in Texas to refer to the approximately 1,900 employees of the Houston Post, a newspaper in Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maxwell House
Maxwell House is an American brand of coffee manufactured by a like-named division of Kraft Heinz in North America and JDE Peet's in the rest of the world. Introduced in 1892 by wholesale grocer Joel Owsley Cheek, it was named in honor of the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, which was its first major customer. For nearly 100 years, until the late 1980s, it was the highest-selling coffee brand in the United States. The company's slogan is "Good to the last drop," which is often incorporated into its logo and is printed on its labels. Maxwell House coffee has been owned and produced by several companies, starting with Cheek's company, Nashville Coffee and Manufacturing Company, then followed by General Foods and Kraft Foods Inc. History Early origins In 1884, Joel Cheek moved to Nashville and met Roger Nolley Smith, a British coffee broker. He was said to be able to tell the origin of a coffee simply by smelling the green beans. Over the next few years, the two ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roland Young
Roland Young (11 November 1887 – 5 June 1953) was an English-born actor. He began his acting career on the London stage, but later found success in America and received an Academy Award nomination for his role in the film '' Topper'' (1937). In 1960, Young was posthumously honored with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions in the television and motion pictures industries. Early life Born in London, England, Young was the son of an architect, and early indications were that he would pursue the father's career. He was educated at Sherborne School, Sherborne, Dorset and University College London before being accepted into the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where his classmate was Gordon Richards. Career Young made his first stage appearance in London's West End in ''Find the Woman'' in 1908, and in 1912 he made his Broadway debut in '' Hindle Wakes''. He appeared in two comedies written for him by Clare Kummer, ''Good Gracious Annabelle!'' (1916 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hope Emerson
Hope Emerson (October 29, 1897April 24, 1960) was an American actress, vaudevillian, nightclub performer, and strongwoman. Emerson started acting when she was three years old during a production with her mother. Her career started when she advertised sheet music by playing the piano at a 10-cent store. Emerson made her Broadway debut in ''Lysistrata'' in 1930. She starred in other plays, films, television shows, and commercials. She often played the role of a villain in comedies and dramas. Emerson's performance in ''Caged'' "became the standard model for women's prison films." Her roles included being a circus strongwoman, a nefarious masseuse-conspirator, a mail-order bride, and a prison warden. Emerson died from a liver ailment on April 24, 1960, at the Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital. Emerson shares a grave with her parents in Hawarden, Iowa. Personal life Hope Emerson was born in Hawarden, Iowa, on October 29, 1897, to John Alvin Emerson and Josephine "Josie" Washburn Em ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Mann
Paul Mann (December 2, 1913 – September 24, 1985) was a Canadian film and theatre actor, as well as founder of the Paul Mann Actor's Workshop. His brother was the actor Larry D. Mann. Biography Mann was influential in developing the concept of Method acting in America. While many other Method advocates (including Lee Strasberg) shared their knowledge at the Actors Studio, Mann taught his own classes at his Actor's Workshop, founded in 1953. Along with Lloyd Richards (a fellow Toronto native and chief assistant director of the school), Mann also managed to create a comfortable atmosphere for actors of all races. Alumni of his school include Ruby Dee, Billy Dee Williams, Ossie Davis, Sidney Poitier, Al Lewis, and Vic Morrow. Mann's own acting career was based primarily in theatre, beginning when he was sixteen. His onscreen appearances were limited to an episode of the 1950s television serial '' Danger'' and two feature film roles. The first was that of merchant Aleko ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frances Chaney
Frances Chaney (July 23, 1915 – November 23, 2004) was an actress on stage, on old-time radio and on television. She was perhaps best known, however, for being "ostracized as pro-communist along with her late blacklisted husband, Ring Lardner Jr." Early life The daughter of Leon Lipetz, Chaney was born Fanya Lipetz () on July 23, 1915, in Odessa, Russian Empire, but her family moved to Istanbul, and she began her education in an English school there. The family later moved to the United States, to the Bronx, New York City. She attended Hunter College, but eventually dropped out to take a job at Macy's department store and gained an evening apprenticeship at Provincetown Playhouse in New York City. That led to her getting a scholarship at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre, also in New York City, where she studied acting for two years. After finishing at the Neighborhood Playhouse School, she changed her name to Frances Chaney, thinking that producers might be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Kollmar
Richard Tompkins "Dick" Kollmar (December 31, 1910 – January 7, 1971), was an American stage, radio, film and television actor, television personality and Broadway producer. Kollmar was the husband of journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. Early life Kollmar was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Kollmar. His great-great-grandfather was Daniel D. Tompkins, the fourth governor of New York and the sixth vice president of the United States. When Kollmar was an infant, the family moved to Ridgewood, New Jersey, where his father worked as an architect. Kollmar attended Tusculum College, where he became interested in acting, and he performed in the school's glee club and was the editor of the school newspaper. Upon graduation, he enrolled at the Yale School of Drama but dropped out after winning a role on a radio drama. Career After moving to New York City and procuring steady work on radio commercials, Kollmar appeared in the Broadway plays '' Knickerbocker Holiday'' (1938) and '' Too Many Gir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
