ROLAND YOUNG’S ROLE AS “TOPPER”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 April 1938, Page 2

ROLAND YOUNG’S ROLE AS “TOPPER”

MADE TO ORDER. Roland Young as "Topper” in the Hal Roach-M.G.M. feature comedy costarring Constance Bennett and Cary Grant, portrays a fictional character that might have been created for him. Thorne Smith, the author of "Topper” dedicated one of his "Topper” books—- " Topper Takes a Trip"—to Roland YoUng, who was greatly : impressed when he read one of tho early Smith novels —"Stray Lamb.” Young wrote a letter to Thorne Smith to pay his compliments and they corresponded for a couple of years. Smith urged

Young to call on him any time he came to New York and there was a meeting and a resultant friendship. “Thorne Smith is a delightful fellow,. just the type you would imagine from reading his whimsical and humorous books,” declares Roland. As completely original in real'life as the unusual characters he plays on the screen, Young follows a hobby that is attracting wide attention in the film colony—he collects penguins. Not live ones, but fascinating models in ivory, brass and silver. Roland had only two specimens with him when making "Topper” in California, but has a great number of others in New York and England. Louella Parsons, well-known movie columnist, sprung a surprise on Roland when she had him on a recent “Hollywood Hotel” broadcast and a live penguin was brought out on the stage during the broadcast.