Hal Roach Studios
Starring: Charley Chase, Thelma Todd, Edgar Kennedy
Directed by: James W. Horne

Synopsis: Charley finds out that he has inherited a large fortune and goes on vacation to a hotel where he is beset by gold diggers, only to mistake millionairess Thelma (Todd) for one of his stalkers.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): In the beginning of the short a lawyer named Quimby (Edgar Kennedy) calls Charley to give him the news.  Upon hearing what the lawyer has to say, Charley faints.  His mother (Ida Shoemaker) then takes the phone and also faints when she hears the news.  Next a tabby cat approaches the phone, which the mother has dropped.

Quimby repeats the news and the cat proceeds to roll over and faint with one paw over its face.  This is accomplished by reversing the film footage.

When Charley wakes up the cat is still passed out on the floor with its paw on its head.

Amazingly Chase crawls to the cat and talks on the phone propped over the prone kitty, who has clearly not been drugged but manages to lie perfectly still apart from some tail twitching.

At the end of the scene Quimby tells Charley the amount he’s inherited again and Charley faints as the cat finally gets up and runs away.  This tabby cat appears to have been a regular player for the Hal Roach studios, having also appeared in several late silent / early talkie Our Gang shorts (many of which we will be covering in 2016!)

Final Mewsings: This is one remarkable cat actor!

Relevant Links:

To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on
Facebook and Twitter.