Topper

Topper is an American fantasy sitcom based on the 1937 film of the same name. The series was broadcast on CBS from October 9, 1953 to July 15, 1955, and stars Leo G. Carroll in the title role.

Topper (1953-1955) is an American fantasy sitcom created for CBS and based on the 1937 film of the same name. Leo G. Carroll stars in the title role as the staid banker Cosmo Topper, whose orderly life in Los Angeles is upended by the playful ghosts of a free-spirited married couple who died in a car accident and remain in his house. Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys play the spectral pair, George and Marion Kerby, who set out to loosen Topper up and make him enjoy life. Lee Patrick and Edna Skinner round out the household ensemble. Each thirty-minute episode is a self-contained case of the week, built from everyday comic friction: a stuffy banker, a meddling ghost, and the neighbors and business associates who can never quite see what is going on. The series runs for two seasons and seventy-eight episodes, a classic early network sitcom tradition. Its atmosphere is cozy, breezy and gently mischievous, with a warm sense of 1950s domestic comedy and a light, almost whimsical approach to the supernatural. Fans of Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie and Ghost will find a familiar comfort in its premise of spirits meddling kindly in mortal life.

• Bewitched (1964)shared light supernatural sitcom premise with a ghostly couple meddling in a mortal's life
• I Dream of Jeannieshared 1950s-era domestic sitcom with a supernatural twist and breezy comic tone
• Ghost (1990)shared ghostly-companion fantasy comedy built on a mortal and spirits sharing a home

Release Date

1953-10-09

Episode runtime

30 min

Rating

8.2 / 10 (9)

What is Topper about?

A banker's staid life is turned upside down when the ghosts of a free-spirited couple decide to haunt him into living a little.

What is Topper like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Topper as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Topper violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Topper.

Which shows are like Topper?

Shows with a similar feel include Bewitched (1964), I Dream of Jeannie, and Ghost (1990).

How long is Topper?

Topper: 2 seasons, 78 episodes.

Is Topper still running?

No, Topper has ended.

Where can I watch Topper?

In United States, Topper streams on The Roku Channel, Pure Flix, Tubi TV.