Mission: Impossible - "Orpheus"

Original Air Date: March 1, 1970

Directed by: Gerald Mayer

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

Synopsis: The team set out to stop a noted assassin before his next murder by getting his identity from the man’s only known contact.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): That contact is named Eric Bergman (Albert Paulsen) and he is the head of security for an eastern block country. He also happens to have a ginger tabby cat named Fritzy. Bergman sets a bowl of milk on a photo of Phelps (Peter Graves) for the cat.

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy drinking from bowl of milk on desk

Fritzy continues to drink the milk even as Bergman walks around the desk talking to Major Deiter (Bruce Glover).

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy drinking from bowl of milk on desk with Bergman Albert Paulsen and Major Deiter Bruce Glover

The mellow cat rests comfortably in Bergman’s arms as he takes a call from Phelps who is posing as a potential defector.

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy resting in arms of Bergman Albert Paulsen

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy being petted by Bergman Albert Paulsen animated gif

Fritzy is still present in Bergman’s office when he is told a woman wants to see him and has sent her code card. He picks up the cat (not in the proper way!) and carries him to the computer room. There he sets the cat down before turning to check the card in the computer.

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy standing on desk in front of Bergman Albert Paulsen

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy being carried awkardly by Bergman Albert Paulsen

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy being carried awkardly into computer room by Bergman Albert Paulsen

Little does Bergman know that Agent Collier (Greg Morris) is in the next room and has tapped into the computer’s wiring to send information about their agent Valerie (Jessica Walter) who is also working undercover. But Fritzy walks into the next room and starts to sniff around Collier’s machine.

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy going through bars in door

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy standing next to Collier Greg Morris and machine

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy standing next to machine

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy running up to Collier Greg Morris and his machine animated gif

When Bergman calls for Fritzy and then starts looking for him, Collier desperately tries to shoo the cat away.

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy being shooed away by Collier Greg Morris

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy being pushed away by Collier Greg Morris animated gif

Hearing Bergman approaching, Collier hooks up some small electrical clips to the outlet and taps then together to create a spark which scares Fritzy away. Note that while it looks as if he is shocking the cat the spark actually happens several inches away.

Mission Impossible Orpheus - ginger tabby cat Fritzy getting a spark from Collier Greg Morris

Fritzy returns to Bergman who picks him up (still incorrectly) and carries him off. Fritzy is not seen again, apparently having been written into the episode just for the sake of this suspenseful scene. While we don’t have confirmation, these could very well be members of the Orangey team playing this part.