Those Redheads from Seattle (1953)

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Lewis R. Foster

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

Synopsis: A mish-mosh movie originally made to be screened in 3-D, this musical / drama / comedy / western / adventure follows the story of Mrs. Edmonds (Agnes Moorehead) and her four daughters, Kathie (Rhonda Fleming), Pat (Teresa Brewer), Connie (Cynthia Strother) and Nell (Kay Strother, who with Cynthia were known as the Bell Sisters) who travel to northern Canada in search of their wayward husband / father (Frank Wilcox) who left them to search for gold. However, upon their arrival in the Yukon they are greeted with some upsetting news.

Cat Burglars (Scene Stealers): The first time we see the family of females they are in their home in Seattle. As the girls settle down to play their instruments for their mother, Nell picks up the family’s ginger tabby cat named President McKinley and sets the kitty on her lap. Despite the male name, the cat is female!

Those Redheads from Seattle - Nell Kay Strother holding ginger tabby cat President McKinley with Mrs. Edmonds Agnes Moorehead, Kathie Rhonda Fleming, Pat Teresa Brewer and Connie Cynthia Strother

Those Redheads from Seattle - Nell Kay Strother playing flute with ginger tabby cat President McKinley on lap with Mrs. Edmonds Agnes Moorehead, Kathie Rhonda Fleming, Pat Teresa Brewer and Connie Cynthia Strother

Amazingly they take President McKinley with them on the journey. We don’t see the cat on the ship with them but she is present when they arrive at the port. On the ship they have met Joe Keenan (Guy Mitchell) an associate of saloon owner Johnny Kisco (Gene Barry) and Joe tells the girls he thinks he can get them passage to Dawson City on Kisco’s dogsleds.

Those Redheads from Seattle - Nell Kay Strother holding ginger tabby cat President McKinley with Kathie Rhonda Fleming, Pat Teresa Brewer and Connie Cynthia Strother

Joe encourages the girls to smile at Johnny to win him over. But Joe is startled to learn from Johnny that Mr. Edmonds, who ran the Dawson City newspaper, was murdered after repeatedly calling for the saloon to be shut down, an incident for which Johnny feels somewhat responsible even though he did not order the killing. They decide not to tell Mrs. Edmonds and the girls until they get to town.

Those Redheads from Seattle - Nell Kay Strother smiling while holding ginger tabby cat President McKinley on lap

During the sled ride to Dawson City, Nell complains about being cold and begs her mother to let her hold President McKinley. As Mrs. Edmonds hands the cat over she cautions Nell to be careful since the cat is due to have kittens. This is the first time anyone mentions anything about the cat being pregnant, so it isn’t clear exactly when the kitty came to be in the motherly way.

Those Redheads from Seattle - Nell Kay Strother taking ginger tabby cat President McKinley from Mrs. Edmonds Agnes Moorehead on dog sled

Those Redheads from Seattle - Nell Kay Strother taking ginger tabby cat President McKinley from Mrs. Edmonds Agnes Moorehead on dog sled animated gif

Once they reach their destination, the Edmonds’ family gathers outside a hotel and watch with surprise as Johnny is greeted by his saloon girls.

Those Redheads from Seattle - Nell Kay Strother holding ginger tabby cat President McKinley outside hotel with Mrs. Edmonds Agnes Moorehead, Kathie Rhonda Fleming, Pat Teresa Brewer and Connie Cynthia Strother

The family checks into the hotel and once in their room President McKinley gets right to work offscreen having five kittens. Nell keeps everyone apprised of this progress. It is then a priest shows up to deliver the bad news about Mr. Edmonds.

Those Redheads from Seattle - Nell Kay Strother holding ginger tabby cat President McKinley at front desk with Mrs. Edmonds Agnes Moorehead, Kathie Rhonda Fleming, Pat Teresa Brewer and Connie Cynthia Strother

Finding themselves stranded in the Yukon, the Edmonds start to raise money any way they can, taking odd jobs like dictation, sewing and even selling the kittens. Feeling somewhat guilty for their predicament (and having become affectionate toward Kathie), Johnny buys President McKinley and the kittens and is playing with them in the office of his saloon as Joe dangles a wadded piece of paper on a string over the box. Johnny picks up a gray and white kitten and pets it when one of his showgirls comes in to complain about the Edmonds’ shoddy seamstress work on her dress.

Those Redheads from Seattle - box of bicolor and calico kittens on floor

Those Redheads from Seattle - Johnny Gene Barry picking up grey and white tabby kitten from box of kittens

Those Redheads from Seattle - Johnny Gene Barry holding grey and white tabby kitten with Joe Guy Mitchell

While placing the kitten back in the box, Johnny reacts as he is slightly scratched. After Johnny leaves the room, Joe sticks his finger in the box of kittens and urges them to claw him so he’ll have an excuse to go see Connie who is working as a nurse.

Those Redheads from Seattle - Joe Guy Mitchell sticking finger into box of kittens

Those Redheads from Seattle - Johnny Gene Barry scratched by grey and white tabby kitten with Joe Guy Mitchell sticking finger in box to get scratched too animated gif

President McKinley and the kittens are seen again later in Johnny’s office as he pours some milk for them with Joe nearby.

Those Redheads from Seattle - Johnny Gene Barry pouring milk into saucer for ginger tabby cat President McKinley and kittens in box with Joe Guy Mitchell

Those Redheads from Seattle - Johnny Gene Barry picking up ginger tabby kitten from box containing kittens and cat President McKinley with Joe Guy Mitchell

Two of the kittens, a white one and a ginger tabby, can be spotted on Johnny’s desk still later in the film. He lifts them down as he hurriedly packs and that’s the last we see of the cats.