Thorne Smith, a renowned writer, gained instant acclaim with the 1926 publication of "Topper", a sophisticated spoof of middle-class manners and morals. The novel chronicles the adventures of Cosmo Topper, a mild-mannered bank executive, who is rescued from his dull suburban life by fun-loving ghosts George and Marion Kerby.
The improbable trio's escapades continued in the sequel, "Topper Takes a Trip" (1932),which records their further ribald adventures on the French Riviera. The success of "Topper" led to several movie adaptations, including the 1937 film starring Cary Grant and Constance Bennett, as well as a hit television series.
Following the success of "Topper", Smith's reputation as a clever fantasist was solidified with a number of notable works. "The Stray Lamb" (1929) features a hero whose complacent life is upset when he is transformed into various animals. In "The Night Life of the Gods" (1931),Smith captivated readers with the nocturnal antics of an oddball inventor who cavorts around Manhattan with reincarnated Greek and Roman deities.
He also wrote "Turnabout" (1931),a screwball comedy about a jaded husband and wife who temporarily switch identities. "Rain in the Doorway" (1933) transports a harassed lawyer from the Depression era through a portal into a department store tinged with The Marx Brothers' lunacy.
Smith's other notable works include "Skin and Bones" (1933),a tale of a fashionable photographer who becomes an invisible skeleton at inopportune moments. He also wrote "Did She Fall?", his only mystery novel, which was published in 1930.
During this period, Smith also wrote "Lazy Bear Lane" (1931),a children's novel, and "The Bishop's Jaegers" (1932),a metaphorical tale about chance-met passengers on a lost ferry boat who find unexpected sanctuary in an nudist colony.
Smith's last completed fantasy was "The Glorious Pool" (1934),in which a group of aging hedonists stumble upon the fountain of youth. Tragically, Smith died suddenly of a heart attack on June 21, 1934, while vacationing in Florida with his wife and two young daughters.
His unfinished novel, "The Passionate Witch", was published posthumously in 1941 and adapted for the screen the following year by director René Clair as I Married a Witch (1942),starring Veronica Lake and Fredric March.
Thorne Smith's work has continued to inspire filmmakers and writers, with his mischievous ghosts credited with influencing movies such as The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947),Heaven Can Wait (1978),Beetlejuice (1988),Ghost (1990),Always (1989),and A Life Less Ordinary (1997). As recently as 1997, The New York Times rated Smith "one of America's most significant humorous writers".
