by Ted Davis

Original Air Date: October 20, 1960

Directed by: John Peyser

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!

Synopsis: Smug and arrogant mobster Jack ‘Legs’ Diamond (Steven Hill) is vicious, morally obscene and physically repulsive — and those are his good points. He’s also stupid enough to believe that he can hijack a heroin shipment worth millions of dollars and blackmail senior gangsters Frank Nitti (Bruce Gordon), Lucky Luciano (Robert Carricart), Dutch Schultz (Lawrence Dobkin) and Oscar Benjamin (Oscar Beregi Jr.) out of their expected shares. Diligent and watchful Elliot Ness (Robert Stack), special federal agent, seizes the opportunity to dispense some much needed justice among the criminal gang.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Although Dimitrios Spiros (Antony Carbone) references the special powers that come with his status as the 7th son of a 7th son, he makes an error in judgement when he searches a ship’s hold for the load of heroin. At the start of his exploration, he notices a meowing orange tabby and is pleased to pick up and tote the mostly compliant cat as he continues the investigation.

After Dimitrios does not appear for an expected meeting, Ness and his team search for him in the hold. Attracted by the cat’s meows, Ness removes the tarp which hides the impaled corpse of Dimitrios, also uncovering the cat who was trapped near the body’s head. The scared and irritated cat lets out a Poor Cat Screech and runs away from the depressing crime scene.

Final Mewsings: 9 lives of a cat are luckier than being the 7th son of a 7th son.

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