T.H.E. Cat

In his role as Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat, Robert Loggia was undoubtedly the coolest hero of the television 60's. A retired second-story man, Cat undertook missions in which he used his acrobatic skills to their best advantage. NBC advertised the program as a "high tension adventure series you can really sink your claws into," and it was just that.

Probably drawing on his earlier portrayal of the cat-like Elfego Baca, an acrobatic western Disney character, the athletic Loggia apparently did a lot of his own stunts in the series. He was everything an adolescent boy of the time could aspire to: he wore a cool black outfit while on the prowl; he drove a cool black 'Vette; he carried a dagger-like knife referred to in one episode as "The Cat's Claw," which he could throw with unerring accuracy; he was, of course, irresistable to women; and he hung out between missions at the Casa del Gato (House of the Cat), a cafe owned by his gypsy friend Pepe, played to the suave hilt by Robert Carricart. The only other recurring character was the one-handed police Captain McAllister, played by the marvelous R.G. Armstrong.

The original jazz score by Lalo Schifrin (sort of a flute- accoustic bass-drum trio number) set just the right mood for this dark series -- and Shifrin went on to compose for Mission Impossible!

Television later picked up on the theme of using a reformed crook as a hero, notably with Robert Wagner in "It Takes a Thief" and "Switch." But Loggia was the original in this short-lived but lamented series.

Alas, I was about 9 years old when this show aired. So I was hardly ever allowed to watch it because it was a) too 'adult' in nature and b) way past my bedtime. So my memories of it are somewhat skimpy. But I vividly remember the way Loggia would introduce himself as 'T. Hewitt Edward Cat', and the way he would scale walls and make impossible leaps. He also seemed to play for keeps. He was sleek, dangerous, and cooler than hell. But he wasn't invincible - I remember shows where things went wrong and a client or friend would get hurt or killed, and Cat would be seriously angry or stressed or worried. That added to the suspense and believability considerably.

There was a later TV series with a similar theme, featuring Robert Wagner, 'It Takes A Thief'. Nothing against Wagner, but his show couldn't hold a candle to 'T.H.E. Cat', at least the way I remember it.

I too, would love to have a chance to see (or buy) some of those old episodes.

Allow me to add my voice to those who consider this T.H.E. COOLEST TV show ever. It's amazing, judging by the comments here, how many 9- and 10-year-olds took to this show, which was supposed to be for grown-ups. It is still my dream, at age 50, to open a small night club with a flashing neon sign, and call it "Casa Del Gato." Beaded curtains, waitresses dressed 60's go-go style, live jazz seven nights a week...and I would be in the corner booth wearing a black turtleneck, talking to some guy with an eye-patch, or missing a hand. Oh, yes, it would be a nominally private club, so that smoking would be allowed (yup, I'm in one of THOSE states).

I remember this series when I was a child. It had a cool opening. Also as I recall, a theme by Dave Grusin, which I've never seen included in any compilation of his musical works. IMDb, however, credits Lalo Schifrin, which I don't remember. (May be because it hit the scene about the same time as "The Name of the Game.") This series predated Robert Wagner's series "It Takes A Thief." I always thought T.H.E. Cat was by far the cooler. It was more working class than "Thief." Rather than the quasi spy genre set up of "Thief," "Cat" was blue collar (excuse the allusion to pet collars), and Cat had a gypsy blood brother. Contrary to what I've seen otherwise, seem to remember the initials standing for Thomas Huard (not Hewitt) Edward Cat. This series did not last long and wish they'd rerun it somewhere or make it available on VHS or DVD. Definitely one of the more interesting, though obscure shows to come out of the 60's.

I can't add much, but I want to echo the comments of the person below. I thought this was the coolest show ever when I was 12, and was disappointed when it was canceled. There was a drum rhythm that was played during each tense scene that I still play in my mind nearly 40 years later. And like the person below, I can't find anybody who remembers it! I liked the way the star answered when anybody asked his name: "Cat, T. Hewitt Edward Cat." That's all I can remember, other than how cool he was with his black turtleneck sliding down wires from one building to the next. How come I never see this on late night cable? I'm getting sick of the Munsters and Leave it to Beaver.