The Kerby's Different Deaths - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

pilotguy · 07-03-2005, 03:43 AM

In the book and original 1937 film of "TOPPER", George and Marion Kerby die in a car accident when they crash their car into a tree. However, in the 1950's TV series, they die in an avalanche while skiing.

I've always found this difference in their deaths interesting. Does anyone know why the cause of death was changed from a car accident to a skiing accident for the TV series? I would guess that the TV producers found an avalanche less "realistically gruesome" and more "viewer friendly" than a car crash, but I'm not sure.

vedastone · 08-01-2005, 01:44 AM

True, and another factor could be that this is how they worked Neil (who wasn't in the movie) into the plot - they meet him on the mountain and he becomes a ghost with them. Of course, he could have already been their dog and perished with them in a car. But the association of the rescue dog carrying the brandy keg and thus being an alcoholic would have been lost.

tv star collector · 12-19-2005, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vedastone

True, and another factor could be that this is how they worked Neil (who wasn't in the movie) into the plot - they meet him on the mountain and he becomes a ghost with them. Of course, he could have already been their dog and perished with them in a car. But the association of the rescue dog carrying the brandy keg and thus being an alcoholic would have been lost.

Yes, that is precisely the reason. As explained in THE COMPLETE DIRECTORY TO PRIME-TIME NETWORK & CABLE TV SHOWS: "The one member of the TV
cast that had not appeared in Mr. Smith's novels or the movies was Neil. In the original Smith story the Kerbys died in an automobile accident, not while skiing. Since no dog died with them, there was no dog to haunt with them."

For what it's worth: Neil did appear in Dell's TOPPER & NEIL comic book (only
one issue was published) ... without his masters, the Kerbys!

07-03-2005, 03:43 AM	#1
pilotguy Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 09, 2003 Posts: 1,305	The Kerby's Different Deaths In the book and original 1937 film of "TOPPER", George and Marion Kerby die in a car accident when they crash their car into a tree. However, in the 1950's TV series, they die in an avalanche while skiing. I've always found this difference in their deaths interesting. Does anyone know why the cause of death was changed from a car accident to a skiing accident for the TV series? I would guess that the TV producers found an avalanche less "realistically gruesome" and more "viewer friendly" than a car crash, but I'm not sure.

08-01-2005, 01:44 AM	#2
vedastone Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 05, 2002 Posts: 120	True, and another factor could be that this is how they worked Neil (who wasn't in the movie) into the plot - they meet him on the mountain and he becomes a ghost with them. Of course, he could have already been their dog and perished with them in a car. But the association of the rescue dog carrying the brandy keg and thus being an alcoholic would have been lost.