Topper - 1937

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

This was the first black & white film to be "colorized" in 1985.

The fancy finned-back car driven by the Kerbys was custom built by the Bohman & Schwartz Co. using a 1936 Buick Roadmaster chassis. Originally the producers had in mind to use a coffin-nosed Cord, but it wasn't large enough. In the custom-made Buick there were special compartments for camera equipment, etc. The Buick resembles a Cord, but the supercharger pipes on the side were just decorations (a Cord comes with an actual supercharger). After filming the Buick was bought by the Gilmore Oil Co. and was used for promotional purposes for many years. It was updated in 1954 with a Chrysler Imperial chassis and drive train. The car driven by Cosmo Topper is a 1936 Lincoln Model K.

There was a television series of the same name, which premiered in 1953 and ran for two seasons, starring Leo G. Carroll, Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys.

Cast of Topper

Constance Bennett as Marion Kerby
Cary Grant as George Kerby
Roland Young as Cosmo Topper
Billie Burke as Mrs. Clara Topper
Alan Mowbray as Wilkins
Eugene Pallette as Casey
Arthur Lake as Elevator Boy
Hedda Hopper as Mrs. Grace Stuyvesant
Virginia Sale as Miss Johnson