Thorne Smith

The 1926 publication of "Topper" brought writer Thorne Smith immediate acclaim. A sophisticated spoof of middle-class manners and morals, it chronicles the madcap adventures of Cosmo Topper, a mild-mannered bank executive who is rescued from his drab "summer of suburban Sundays" by fun-loving ghosts George and Marion Kerby. A sequel, "Topper Takes a Trip" (1932), records the further ribald escapades of Topper and the Kerbys on the French Riviera. The improbable trio went on to inspire several mo…