topper's dog - Topper (1937) Discussion

[–] orioleadams 19 years ago

The St. Bernard's name was "Neil", and on the TV show he was portrayed by a dog named "Buck" (though the character's name was still "Neil").

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[–] pollihs 19 years ago

I thought that the dog in Topper was a Basset Hound, or was that a different film?

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[–] timbon-1 17 years ago

I watched the TV show as a kid (a very young kid- which still dates me)
I actually named my first dog "Neil" after the dog in Topper.
Nothing earthshaking in this, just a comment.
An old Topper fan

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[–] nutsberryfarm 10 years ago

cool dog.

'I'm not making art, I'm making sushi.'-Masaharu Morimoto

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[–] ga526 19 years ago

The Bassett Hound that you're thinking of is probably from a television show from the fifties called "The People's Choice" and starred Jackie Cooper. The dog's name was Cleo, and if I remember correctly, anytime something surprising happened the dog's giant ears stood up!

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[–] phadair 19 years ago

The dog is a terrier which the actors call "Asta"; it looks identical to the same "Asta" in the Thin Man movies.

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[–] jstudu 18 years ago

The dog "Asta" was from the "Thin Man" films with Mryna Loy and William Powell , also the same OLDER dog, played in the TV Series with Peter Lawford and Phylis Kirk in the late 50's,of the same name..

Topper's dog was a St. Bernard, both in the film and the TV Series..

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[–] prfrbr48 16 years ago

yes the dog cleo would express her opinions in her head.
using the voice of ann southern.
There was no dog in the first topper movie or in topper returns.

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[–] chevgo 18 years ago

The dog was named neil and was a St. Bernard

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[–] gored502000 18 years ago

Actually, there was no dog in the original Topper movie (1937) or in the 2nd sequel in 1941. The 1st sequel in 1939 had a dog named Skippy (Mr. Atlas), who whose real name was Asta (a jack russell terrier). Asta also appeared in the Thin Man movie series with William Powell and Myrna Loy.

The dog in the TV series was a St. Bernard called Buck, whose real name was Neil. The dog in the series was known for his love of alcohol.

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[–] reno-34 18 years ago

I caught moments of a Topper film last week on TV. It wasn't "Topper", and I don't think it was "Topper Returns". It concerned Mrs. Topper being in Italy or France and being wooed by a mountebank Count or Baron. Marion was there with Topper and she had a dog that they seemed to be calling Atlas.
How many Topper movies were there and what was the name of that one, do you happen to know?
Also, did the Kerbys have a dog or did Topper have a dog? I seem to remember in the TV series, they died in an avalanche and that Neil the St. Bernard (Neil was the character's name) had died with them? Hence the icon of the St. Bernard with a mini barrel of booze around his neck helping to save skiers in trouble in the Alps.
Can you think of what other films, tv series, plays, etc., had dead people as characters?
Thanks a lot.

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[–] jfkappler 18 years ago

Ghost and Mrs. Muir - movie then TV show
Always - Richard Drefyus and Audrey Hepburn
Hamlet
Ghost
Sixth Sense

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[–] boxerrebellion 18 years ago

Beetlejuice!

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[–] richard.fuller1 18 years ago

reno-34: "Can you think of what other films, tv series, plays, etc., had dead people as characters?"
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"Spirit Is Willing"

"Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)" - Renamed "My Partner The Ghost" in America.

"Poltergeist"

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[–] MICHAELM6 18 years ago

Blithe Spirit (Constance Cummings was the ghost)

An American Werewolf In London

The Time of Their Lives (Bud Abbott was the ghost)

The Ghost Goes West

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[–] pimp4u 17 years ago

The Sixth Sense, though I haven't seen it.

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[–] pimp4u 17 years ago

It's been a while since I've seen the sequels, but I believe you are correct. I remember Asta being called Atlas. I am watching the original now, and there is no dog.

Actor - filmography
Topper Takes a Trip (1938) (as Skippy) .... Mr. Atlas
Bringing Up Baby (1938) .... George, the Dog
The Awful Truth (1937) (uncredited) .... Mr. Smith

Filmography as: Actor, Self, Archive Footage
Self - filmography
(1940s) (1930s)
The Thin Man Goes Home (1945) .... Himself (dog)
Another Thin Man (1939) .... Himself (dog)
... aka Return of the Thin Man (USA: promotional title)
After the Thin Man (1936) .... Himself (dog)
The Thin Man (1934) (uncredited) .... Himself (dog)

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[–] m-leschack 17 years ago

Several movies and TV series.

Topper was the TV series. There was an angel who materialized in The Bishops Wife and Forever Darling (Desi and Lucy)Flo Ziegfield in Ziegfield Follies, The Time of their Lives with Lou Costello Must be many more

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[–] gribfritz2 12 years ago

Why everyone is talking about Asta when this is a thread about a different dog (a nonexistent one at that) is beyond me. I just watched the film and was thinking, "What dog?" You are the only person who responded properly to the question and didn't go off on some ridiculous tangent. Thank you.

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[–] Ironman54 9 years ago

"
The dog in the TV series was a St. Bernard called Buck ..."

Nope. With 100% certainty, in the Leo G. Carroll TV series the Kirbys St Bernard was definitely named/called 'Neil'.
Maybe 'Buck' was its actual name but he wasn't called 'Buck' on the TV show, this much I am certain. Maybe you just mis-typed ? You sound very certain yourself and although I remember the TV show very clearly, I never knew the dogs off screen name- thank you for that tid bit !

* BONUS TRIVIA ROUND:

"Neil" had a thing for what drink in particular ?

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