T.H.E. Cat

I've thought about this show so often, and no one ever knows what I'm talking about when I mention it. I was 10 years old when this was on, and was so impressed with how cool it was. It Takes a Thief was a sad substitute. Would LOVE to see this on some classic television station some time. What I'm having trouble reconciling is the Robert Loggia I now see with the cool (dare I say, sexy) guy I remember being in this show! How funny. I'm afraid the brief run of the series - only 1 season - makes it commercially unattractive, both for reruns on television and for a DVD - not enough potential for profit. Too bad. So many of the shows from that era were really "white bread," and this was different and edgy, as I remember it.

T.H.E. CAT was created for television by Harry Julian Fink, who a few years later was the creator of the DIRTY HARRY character and wrote the story for the 1st film that became a legendary series starring CLINT EASTWOOD. It's just too bad that T.H.E. CAT has become a forgotten gem due to it's one season run that never went into syndication. But due to surviving 16mm prints, practically every episode is in the hands of video collectors that enable fans of 60's TV to enjoy over and over this dark and brooding show that proves why late 60's television was the most exciting and best time to be growing up.

Alas, I was about 9 years old when this show aired. So I was hardly ever allowed to watch it because it was a) too 'adult' in nature and b) way past my bedtime. So my memories of it are somewhat skimpy. But I vividly remember the way Loggia would introduce himself as 'T. Hewitt Edward Cat', and the way he would scale walls and make impossible leaps. He also seemed to play for keeps. He was sleek, dangerous, and cooler than hell. But he wasn't invincible - I remember shows where things went wrong and a client or friend would get hurt or killed, and Cat would be seriously angry or stressed or worried. That added to the suspense and believability considerably.

There was a later TV series with a similar theme, featuring Robert Wagner, 'It Takes A Thief'. Nothing against Wagner, but his show couldn't hold a candle to 'T.H.E. Cat', at least the way I remember it.

I too, would love to have a chance to see (or buy) some of those old episodes.

I can't add much, but I want to echo the comments of the person below. I thought this was the coolest show ever when I was 12, and was disappointed when it was canceled. There was a drum rhythm that was played during each tense scene that I still play in my mind nearly 40 years later. And like the person below, I can't find anybody who remembers it! I liked the way the star answered when anybody asked his name: "Cat, T. Hewitt Edward Cat." That's all I can remember, other than how cool he was with his black turtleneck sliding down wires from one building to the next. How come I never see this on late night cable? I'm getting sick of the Munsters and Leave it to Beaver.

I remember this series when I was a child. It had a cool opening. Also as I recall, a theme by Dave Grusin, which I've never seen included in any compilation of his musical works. IMDb, however, credits Lalo Schifrin, which I don't remember. (May be because it hit the scene about the same time as "The Name of the Game.") This series predated Robert Wagner's series "It Takes A Thief." I always thought T.H.E. Cat was by far the cooler. It was more working class than "Thief." Rather than the quasi spy genre set up of "Thief," "Cat" was blue collar (excuse the allusion to pet collars), and Cat had a gypsy blood brother. Contrary to what I've seen otherwise, seem to remember the initials standing for Thomas Huard (not Hewitt) Edward Cat. This series did not last long and wish they'd rerun it somewhere or make it available on VHS or DVD. Definitely one of the more interesting, though obscure shows to come out of the 60's.