Original Air Date: March 19, 1964
Directed by: Bill Foster
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!
Synopsis: Jimmy Dean hosts his variety show and introduces Rowlf the dog to a kitten.
Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Muppet Rowlf the dog (voiced by Jim Henson) was a regular on the series. In this episode, Rowlf is writing to Dear Abby about how to be better friends with Jimmy Dean. Jimmy then appears with a tiny calico kitten he says he found in the alley.
Rowlf reacts like any jealous dog would . . . he recoils from the kitten. The live audience, on the other hand, oohs and awws over the tiny fluffball.
Jimmy says he thinks he’ll adopt the kitten as his own pet and name her Fluffy. He then talks baby talk to the kitten and Rowlf asks the audience, “Somebody help me change Jimmy’s diaper?”
Jimmy encourages Rowlf to pet the kitten, which he does begrudgingly. The kitten often swipes at Rowlf, which brings about laughs from both Jimmy and the audience.
The kitten is often intrigued by the sound of the studio audience behind her.
Realizing that Rowlf is not taking to Fluffy, Jimmy says he will get rid of her even though she is a poor orphan kitten with no one to look after her. This preys on Rowlf’s conscious and he finally agrees to hold and even kiss the kitty.
What more can be said except this is an absolutely adorable segment!
Final Mewsings: We hope Fluffy likes sausages!
Many thanks to Erin T. Aardvark for letting us know about the kitten in this episode.
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