The Munsters – “Herman, Coach of the Year”

by Linda Kay

Original Air Date: October 14, 1965

Directed by: Norman Abbott

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

Synopsis: Eddie (Butch Patrick) is depressed when he doesn’t make the track team so Herman (Fred Gwynne) starts his son on intense training, which Grandpa (Al Lewis) thinks is a waste of time, having created some “go-go” pills to solve the problem.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): At the end of the episode Lily (Yvonne DeCarlo) throws Grandpa’s pills out the window when it’s revealed Eddie didn’t need them after all. Herman questions whether or not the pills even worked. Unbeknownst to them, a ginger tabby cat is noshing on the pills which have scattered on the ground.

The Munsters - Herman, Coach of the Year - ginger tabby cat Orangey eating discarded go go pills on ground

A dog comes by and the cat roars at him.

The Munsters - Herman, Coach of the Year - ginger tabby cat Orangey roaring

The dog turns tail and the cat scurries after the canine in hot pursuit.

The Munsters - Herman, Coach of the Year - ginger tabby cat Orangey running
The Munsters - Herman, Coach of the Year - ginger tabby cat Orangey roaring at and then chasing after dog animated gif

In the end the cat chases the dog up a tree. This leads to the final gag in which a husband named Ralph (Henry Beckman) is yelling at his wife Gwendolyn (Emmaline Henry) beside their wrecked car which she insists happened because she was distracted by the sight of a cat chasing the dog up a tree.

The Munsters - Herman, Coach of the Year - ginger tabby cat Orangey at foot of tree

This is very likely another television credit for the Orangey team of cat actors trained by Frank Inn but that has not been confirmed as of this time.

The Munsters - Herman, Coach of the Year - ginger tabby cat Orangey chasing dog up tree animated gif

Final Mewsings: Cats don’t need pills to be fast and fierce.

Many thanks to Fritz for letting us know about the cat in this episode.

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