T.H.E. Cat

Outside a cathedral, which is like a giant fortress, armed police are standing guard. Captain McAllister, chomping on a big cigar, takes Cat inside, and explains, ""They call him the Fisherman's Priest, he blesses them and their boats."" A while back, extortionists started demanding $5 per fisherman, per week. That's $5,000 a week-- a quarter of a million dollars a year; several fishermen were killed. The good priest told his flock not to pay, now the priest is marked for death; there have been 3 attempts on his life in the last month. The good priest doesn't want police protection, instead relying on some fishermen, like former champion wrestler ""Mighty Joe"" Slavic. The priest has a patch over his right eye, he explains to Cat: ""acid."" Cat goes outside, and using his grappling hook and rope, makes a dramatic top-story entrance and punches out Slavic, and throws a knife narrowly missing the priest's head-- proving to the good priest that he needs protection. The man in black tell

Late at night, an elderly cat burglar, dressed all in black, breaks into a mansion, and cracks a wall safe; he tries to steal an object. The owner, Mr. Cahill, bursts into the room, and fires several shots at the burglar, who escapes out the window. On the roof, the elderly cat burglar is confronted by a young cat burglar, dressed in an identical all-black outfit. The young burglar asks, ""Don't you remember your best student?"" The elderly man says no, and asks, ""Who are you?"" The young man in black answers, ""Cat-- T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) At the Casa del Gato, Pepe is telling Cat about the world-famous emerald called ""the Portuguese"" which is in the possession of that racketeer Cahill. It was no doubt the Portuguese that the Sandman tried to steal last night. Cat says the Sandman was more than just his teacher, he was a Master. McAllister shows up and talks to Cat. Even though McAllister knows Cahill has stolen the emerald, he can't just search his place without a

In the wee hours of the morning, at the Casa del Gato, the singer this week is the fair Jerrie Loren. She's singing to the audience, ""Night brings soft winds, and I close my eyes and reminisce. I find my mind filled with memories of our last kiss. The soft winds touch me, gently warming me the way you used to do. Daytime I'm fine, but then comes the night, bringing soft winds and memories of you."" Outside, Arnie Bliss is being attacked by Morgan and his hoods. When one of the hoods slaps him, the Cat turns as he hears the sound. (how can he hear it inside the club, with a band and a singer?) Cat goes outside to investigate, just as Morgan sticks a knife into Arnie. Cat fights off the attackers; Morgan drives away in his car. Arnie, slumped on the sidewalk, says, ""Thanks. I owe ya one, whatever your name is. Mister..."" The man in black answers, ""Cat-- T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) They put Arnie in an ambulance and drive him to the hospital. McAllister goes inside

Cat walks up to a dilapidated apartment building. He goes upstairs and silently unlocks the door, and walks through the front room; then he kicks open the kitchen door. Inside the room, Omar Cantorte is holding a sawed-off shotgun to a girl's head; she is tied to a chair. Cantorte asks, ""You're the one? Your name?"" The man in black answers, ""Cat-- T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) Cantorte tells the story. 17 years ago, his younger brother shot policeman J. W. Hardman's wife; she'd just had a baby (the girl now in the chair). Hardman went on a shooting spree and killed 5 members of the Brotherhood, including Cantorte's brother. Hardman has spent the last 17 years in prison, he is being released today. The Brotherhood has ordained his death. Cantorte offers a trade: the girl's life, if Cat brings him Hardman alive. Cat goes to the prison, and rides with Hardman on the train back to town. On the train, Cat saves Hardman from the Man with Pale Eyes, and 3 other members of th

Arnie Ludock got sent to prison in 1936; now, after 30 years, he is free. Arnie is accompanied by his old sidekick Drummer. At their place, Captain McAllister confronts Arnie. The Captain is the one who sent Arnie up 30 years ago; McAllister was just a rookie cop then. Arnie is as feisty as ever, and sneers, ""You think I'm scared of an old man with one wing and a badge?"" McAllister is about to punch him when Cat intervenes. Arnie asks, ""Who are you?"" The man in black answers, ""Cat--T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) At the Casa del Gato (""House of the Cat,"" a nightclub run by their friend Pepe), McAllister indicates his missing left hand and tells Cat, ""Arnie did this!"" Arnie had shot McAllister's hand off with a machine gun; McAllister wants revenge. Even though his handicap held him back, McAllister still made Captain on the police force over the years-- Cat tells him he had a long, honorable career; he shouldn't throw it all away with some rash revenge against Arnie. Mea

Late afternoon, in a large castle-like home, filled with relics and paintings and statues, Cat walks down a corridor. Cat asks an old woman, ""Where are the servants?"" The old woman says, ""When death is about to enter the house, no one may remain to bar his way."" Cat opens a door, and sees a dead man (Hadis) propped up. The woman asks, ""You are not...?"" Cat says, ""Death? No."" The old woman asks, ""Then who are you? What is the name by which you walk?"" He answers, ""Cat-- T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) Later, at the Casa del Gato, Cat is discussing the case with his pals. Captain McAllister thinks it was death by natural causes, there are no injuries on the body-- the old man's heart just stopped. Pepe says the man was marked for death, and talks of feuds, cults and rites of blood. The widow of Hadis phones Pepe asking for help; Pepe promises her that Cat will come. Back at Hadis' mansion, the widow Lilah (she was Hadis' 4th wife) tells Cat that she is worried her stepso

At the Casa del Gato, Serafina, a pretty flamenco dancer, is doing her number. Cat says, ""Beautiful""; Pepe, looking at the night's receipts, says, ""Beautiful."" Cat observes, ""You are getting old, my friend-- you appreciate the wrong figures."" But Carlos the waiter appreciates Serafina's beauty. Just then, Miguel Figueroa, a famous Spanish matador who now has a slight limp, enters along with his fellow matadors Luiz and Frederico, and the Count de Vallares. Pepe greets Figueroa, and seats him at the head table. Mysteriously, a hand pulls a dagger from a coat-of-arms display on the wall. The dagger flies at Figueroa's head, but at the last instant, Cat pulls him to safety. Miguel Figueroa asks, ""And to whom do I owe my life?"" The man in black answers, ""Cat--T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) Later, Figueroa is having drinks with Pepe, Cat, and Count de Vallares; Luiz and Frederico are at the next table. Captain McAllister shows up with the dagger, and says there were no finge

At midnight, Cat is on the roof of a tall building, and enters through the skylight. He slides down a long rope. He is immediately surrounded by many men in the dark; a spotlight hits Cat, who remains motionless. A man, obviously the leader (Silvio), steps forward and demands to know what Cat is doing here. Cat shows him a card (sort of like a Tarot card) with 2 crossed daggers, pointing down and dripping blood; in the background there is a coiled snake. Cat turns the card over, the back was blank but on it is some handwriting: ""12 o'clock."" The leader says this card was not meant for him, it was meant for Pepe Cordoza of the tribe Barbiria Cordoz. Cat says he came in his stead; the leader says he should not meddle in gypsy affairs, but adds, ""We will give you a reading. But I do not think you will relish your future, Señor...?"" The man in black answers, ""Cat--T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) The beautiful gypsy Mariana reads Cat's left palm; she says his false loyalty to

Night, around 1:30 a.m. Cat is at the Destino Bay Ferry building, which appears to be totally deserted-- even the man in the ticket booth is either unconscious or dead. Cat encounters an armed hitman. Cat pulls his cat's-claw knife from his sleeve; the hitman shoots it out of his hand with his silencer. The hitman says, ""The others are in the waiting room. You could not be the one who hired me."" Cat responds, ""Nor you the one who hired me."" The hitman introduces himself, ""I am Scorpio. And your name?"" The man in black answers, ""Cat--T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) Scorpio, now toting a machine-gun, unlocks the big, metal sliding gate and takes Cat into the large waiting room. There are 4 anxious people-- 2 men and a couple-- who are desperate to get across the Destino and over the border. The first to talk is Benjamin J. Gross: a bald, heavyset man around 60; he is the one who hired Cat for protection. Gross is carrying a large briefcase; he is desperate to cross the bo

Night. Andrea March is sitting at one of the restaurant's outdoor tables, on the sidewalk. She is sketching Moonface who is sitting at another table; his bald head, thick glasses and stark features make his face unique. Suddenly, 2 thugs show up and kill the proprietor. Moonface and the thugs are about to run away, but there was a witness: Andrea with her sketch pad. Moonface says, ""The girl-- she has my face!"" (well, that didn't come out right.) As they attack the girl, she screams for help. Just then, Cat is driving by in his cool sportscar; he stops, gets out and beats up the bad guys, but Moonface escapes. Andrea says, ""Thanks, mister. Mister...?"" The man in black answers, ""Cat--T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) The cops show up. Cat is talking to Andrea who seems like a very nice, normal woman. She tells Cat he can keep the sketch and give it to the police. Cat seems attracted to her, and says he can be reached at the Casa del Gato. Then McAllister shows up; he ex

Night. Cat enters a large, deserted theatre. Cat goes downstairs to the huge prop room, and runs into a man who says he is Dario Marzoni, the keeper. Almost his entire face is scarred, and he wears dark glasses, long hair and a large moustache; he also has a slight hunchback, and a limp. This man takes Cat to Felicia Winslow, a lady around 50; she was a famous actress, now retired. Her young protege Chris is the one who sent for Cat. Winslow's dog has been killed and placed in a casket, as a threat to her. Miss Winslow tells Cat someone intends to kill her. She asks, ""Will you save me?"" Cat nods. Miss Winslow is relieved; then she asks, ""And what is your name?"" He answers, ""Cat-- T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) Cat asks Miss Winslow who might want to kill her. She says that 20 years ago, her husband Wallace Lancaster killed her leading man (out of jealousy, we suspect). Lancaster got 20 years in prison, and was just released; (we assume she divorced him sometime when

An assassin dressed like a sailor walks up to the El Pescador (fisherman) Cafe, there are hotel rooms upstairs. In a hotel room, Vasco and another man quickly try to smuggle a boy (Victor) to safety, downstairs and out the back way. But downstairs in the cafe, the assassin stabs Vasco in the back. Our hero shows up, and there's a Cat fight; the assassin winds up with a sword in his gut. Vasco is lying injured on the floor, and says to Cat, ""I owe you 2 lives, my own and the boy's. Maybe only one life. A debt I acknowledge, Señor...?"" The man in black answers, ""Cat--T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) Later, at the Casa del Gato, Pepe has housed the boy upstairs in one of his rooms; it's an hour before the Casa opens for business. The beautiful Terese Blanchert asks Cat to take care of the boy, and gives him an envelope full of money. But she refuses to answer any questions: who the boy is, who is trying to kill him. Cat gives her back her money; but for the sake of the boy,

Cat breaks in to the top floor of a large building. It is a museum-- a dungeon of sorts, with wax figures, suits of armor, medieval weapons and torture devices. Cat unties an elderly gentleman with a German accent, who asks, ""Lisa-- she sent you to find me?"" Cat picks up a medieval ball-and-chain battle mace and clobbers a crook. (ugh!) The elderly gentleman is impressed, and says, ""With you to help, I might still have a chance. But who are you?"" The man in black answers, ""Cat--T. Hewitt Edward Cat."" (intro music) In one of the upstairs rooms at the Casa del Gato, where Pepe is forever offering a safe haven to people in need, Pepe is playing chess with the man Cat rescued: Max Heller, who is a scientist and a mathematical genius. Cat brings in Max's young daughter Lisa, and there is a heartwarming reunion. Later, in the downstairs cafe, Cat and Lisa enjoy some of Pepe's fine brandy. Lisa talks of growing up in the desolation and destruction after the War; then she and her fath