Grand Old Girl (1935)

Grand Old Girl poster

RKO Radio Pictures
Starring:
 May Robson, Fred MacMurray, Fred Kohler Jr.
Directed by: John Robertson

Synopsis: Laura Bayles (May Robson) is the strict but big-hearted matronly high school principal whose concern for her students and their welfare goes beyond the classroom as she tries to shut down a local gambling racket single-handedly.

Kitty Cameo: At the beginning of the film, Ms. Bayles is seen getting ready to leave her house to go to the school.  She is lecturing someone off-screen about being out all night and their shameful behavior.  She goes on to describe how she waits for them to come home, looking down the street for them every night.  At the end of her tirade we see she is talking to a white cat named Tom.  She concludes her tirade by sighing, “Well, I suppose you’re not altogether to blame.  I had an awful lot of trouble with your mother.”

Grand Old Girl - white cat Tom looking up from bowl

Later in the film Ms. Bayles is tutoring a student named Bill (Fred Kohler Jr.) for an impending geometry test.  Tom can be seen sitting behind them during this scene.

Grand Old Girl - white cat Tom sitting in chair in background

Sitting back in exasperation, Ms. Bayles looks at the cat sitting on a nearby chair.

Grand Old Girl - closer of white cat Tom sitting in chair

Ms. Bayles happily comments about how Tom has decided to stay home for a change and that the simple life is condusive to good health.  No sooner does she say this when Tom jumps up and runs out the window.  Ms. Baynes is taken aback and sighs, “I spoke a little too soon!”

Grand Old Girl - closer of white cat Tom sitting in chair and kneading

It’s very possible this could be cat actor Whitey but we cannot say for certain at this time.

Final Mewsings: Cats don’t like having their character called into question.


Relevant Links:

IMDb logo  tcmlogo

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