by Ted Davis

Starring: Waldo Kitty

Original Air Date: September 21 & 28, 1979

Directed by: Bob Kelljan

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

Synopsis: Elusive serial killer Albert Colvin (James Stephens), nicknamed the Angel (as in ‘Angel of Death’) by the sensationalist press, is on a warped crusade to execute attractive women, prompting the NYPD Chief of Detectives, burly Earl Eischied (Joe Don Baker), to marshal all the forces under his command to trap the murderous deviant and return the city to a condition of relative normalcy.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Detective Alessi (Vincent Bufano) carries P.C. (abbreviation for Police Commissioner), a white and ginger tabby, direct from the vet into Eischied’s office, but not before garnering applause from the detectives in the outer office.

It appears that P.C.’s late night excursions were proving very taxing to the romantically inclined cat and a health check was required, necessitating three (!) visits to different veterinarians, all of whom assured Eischied that the feline the okay. A relieved Eischied opens the carrier for a brief greet with his cat companion, advising, “You gotta slow down . . . keep burning the candle at both ends and you’ll set your ears on fire.”

Eischied then puts P.C. back in the carrier, setting the cat near the window so he can have an uninterrupted consultation with Alessi and Captain Finnerty (Alan Oppenheimer).

After they leave his office, Eischied takes P.C. out of the carrier for a cuddle.

Later, Eischied’s relaxing evening at home with his cat is interrupted when popular columnist Tommy Creighton (Vincent Baggetta) knocks on his apartment door. Just before Creighton’s arrival, Eischied asks P.C. an unnecessary question: “Goin’ out on the town tonight, kid?” (Ha!!) He then adds, “Stay outta trouble, will ya?” (Double Ha!!)

During the conversation between the two men, in which they reach an understanding, the partially redeemed columnist pets the cat.

In a last ditch effort to counsel his cat, Eischied pleads, “Take it easy out there. Don’t overdo it. You’re under a doctor’s care . . . and besides, these vet bills are killing me.”

But P.C. couldn’t care less and rises from his spot on the ottoman, meowing in derision, to trot out of the apartment and begin his nocturnal revels.

This debut episode was edited into two separate episodes for NBC reruns then shown as three parts in syndication. Unfortunately the end of this episode is not currently available for review so we don’t know if P.C. made any further appearances in this storyline.

Footage of P.C. being cuddled and scritched by Eischied in his office was taken during this episode and used in the weekly opening credits.

For more information about cat actor Waldo Kitty, be sure to read our Special Feature.

Final Mewsings: It’s abundantly clear that P.C. (like most cats) has a mind of his own and is going to ignore any advice that NYPD Chief of Detectives Earl Eischied is going to offer, no matter how high his rank.

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