Remembering Robert Sterling of 'Topper'; Benson TV Land Weekend

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Remembering Robert Sterling of 'Topper'; Benson TV Land Weekend

Robert Sterling was best known for the 1953-1956 TV series Topper, based on the Thorne Smith novel, and the 1937 film starring Cary Grant and Constance Bennett. He appeared with his wife Anne Jeffreys in the television series. He died this past Tuesday of natural causes at his home in the Brentwood area of L.A. Sterling and Jeffreys played George and Marion Kirby, a fun-loving couple killed in an accident but returned as ghosts to haunt the new occupant of their home, a banker named Cosmo Topper. Sterling appeared as a guest star in series such as Love American Style, Nanny & the Professor, Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Murder She Wrote, Hotel, Simon & Simon, and Fantasy Island. He will be missed greatly. Topper is a rare TV series these days. I remember it aired on WABC here in the NYC market a few years back once a week like at 4 a.m. Too bad I never caught it. Mr. Sterling was 88.

I hope you are all watching Benson this weekend on TV Land. I know I am! I'm enjoying every minute of it. Finally a TV series that has not been aired much in recent years. The show is not even on DVD, so no one can complain that this is another series that is everywhere. I do hope however that Benson gets on DVD very soon. Benson is a spin-off of Soap...now only if TV Land would air that, too. I'm glad that is on DVD already, though. Watch Benson all this weekend and weeknights at 11 p.m. ET/PT starting Monday on TV Land! Well, I better get back to Benson before someone else dies or is dying!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, October 21

Scrubs - "My Best Friend's Birthday" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Turk is determined to have a fun birthday with J.D. and Elliot; the interns are challenged during the night shift.

Abbott Elementary - "The Tryouts" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The step team tries out for a major competition; Melissa and Barbara take a special ed certification course; Janine, Gregory and Jacob welcome a new substitute.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 19)

Wednesday, October 21

Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) - Watch Billy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Josh Charles (Best Medicine/Sports Night) - Josh appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Kate Berlant (Ghosted/Search Party) - Kate is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Natasha Leggero (Broke/Dice/Another Period/Free Agents) and Jimmie Walker (Good Times/At Ease/Bustin' Loose) - Natasha and Jimmie will be on a repeat of Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia appears on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Giancarlo Esposito (Bakersfield P.D.) - Giancarlo talks about The Only Living Pickpocket in New York on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Max Casella (Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Max talks about Jimmy on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Sara and Erin Foster (Producers of Nobody Wants This) - Sara and Erin talk about Nobody Wants This on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.