''The Cat from Outer Space'' is a 1978 American

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Norman Tokar Norman Tokar (November 25, 1919 – April 6, 1979) was an American director, actor and occasionally writer and producer of serial television and feature films, who directed many of the early episodes of '' Leave it to Beaver'', and found his g ...

(his final film before his death the following year) starring

Ken Berry Kenneth Ronald Berry (November 3, 1933 – December 1, 2018) was an American actor, dancer, and singer. Berry starred on the television series '' F Troop'', '' The Andy Griffith Show'', ''Mayberry R.F.D.'' and '' Mama's Family''. He also ap ...

, Sandy Duncan,

Harry Morgan Harry Morgan (born Harry Bratsberg; April 10, 1915 – December 7, 2011) was an American actor and director whose television and film career spanned six decades. Morgan's major roles included Pete Porter in both ''December Bride'' (1954–1959 ...

, Ronnie Schell,

Roddy McDowall Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 4 October 1998) was a British actor, photographer and film director. He began his acting career as a child in England, and then in the United States, in ''How Green Was My Valley'' (1 ...

and McLean Stevenson. Produced by

Walt Disney Productions The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...

, it was shot at the studio's Golden Oak Ranch and

Santa Clarita, California Santa Clarita (; Spanish for "Little St. Clare") is a city in northwestern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. With a 2020 census population of 228,673, it is the third-largest city by population in Los Angeles County, the 17 ...

. It paired Harry Morgan with McLean Stevenson whom Morgan replaced on ''

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. T ...

''.

Plot

UFO An unidentified flying object (UFO), more recently renamed by US officials as a UAP (unidentified aerial phenomenon), is any perceived aerial phenomenon that cannot be immediately identified or explained. On investigation, most UFOs are ide ...

makes an emergency landing on Earth and is taken into custody by the

United States government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

. The occupant of the "flying saucer" turns out to be a strange cat-like

alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...

named Zunar-J-5/9 Doric-4-7. Since the Mother Ship cannot send a rescue party before it leaves the solar system, the cat sets about investigating how to repair the ship himself. Using a special collar that amplifies telekinetic and

telepathic Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic ...

abilities, he follows the military to the Energy Research Laboratory (or E.R.L.), where they hope to learn how the UFO's power source works. One of the lab's scientists, Frank Wilson, attracts the cat's attention when his theory on the power source, while ridiculed by the rest of the staff, is actually on the right track. The cat follows Frank to his office, where Frank nicknames him Jake. Another scientist, Liz Bartlet, storms into his office, upset at Frank's sense of humor in light of such an important scientific discovery. Frank is able to calm her down, mostly by introducing Jake and inviting her to dinner. After Liz leaves, Jake reveals his true nature to Frank, demonstrating his abilities and offering to exchange his advanced knowledge of energy for Frank's assistance. That evening, the pair plan to break into the military base where Jake's ship is being kept, but must dodge Liz who has arrived for their date with her own cat, Lucybelle. Jake feigns being sick, allowing them to proceed to the base. At the base, Frank uses a back-up collar to fly to the top of the ship and attach a diagnostic device. Jake learns that he needs an element that he calls "Org 12". When Jake reveals the element's

atomic weight Relative atomic mass (symbol: ''A''; sometimes abbreviated RAM or r.a.m.), also known by the deprecated synonym atomic weight, is a dimensionless physical quantity defined as the ratio of the average mass of atoms of a chemical element in a giv ...

, Frank realizes that "Org 12" is elemental gold. Back at Frank's apartment, Frank tells Jake that a quantity of gold costing $120,000 will repair Jake's ship. Norman Link, a colleague of Frank's, comes over to watch horse races and football games on which he has wagered money. Jake uses his powers to help Link's horse win the race, prompting Jake and Frank to convince Link to help them by parlaying all of his bets to win the money. However, Jake gets knocked out by a well-meaning vet that was brought in by Liz because she thought Jake was still sick. Frank informs Liz of the situation and the group heads to a local pool hall where Link has placed his bets. Learning the last game in the parlay was lost and desperate to raise the money needed, they agree to a game of pool with a

hustler Hustler or hustlers may also refer to: Professions * Hustler, an American slang word, e.g., for a: ** Con man, a practitioner of confidence tricks ** Drug dealer, seller of illegal drugs ** Male prostitute ** Pimp ** Business man, more gener ...

named Sarasota Slim. Frank's first attempt to use Jake's collar fails, but Jake regains consciousness in time to manipulate the final game and win the money they need to acquire the gold for Jake's ship. However, an industrial spy named Stallwood, who works for a master criminal named Olympus, has learned of their activities, as has the military. Frank and Jake manage to elude the military and the criminals, only to have Link, Liz and Lucybelle captured by Olympus and his men. They plan to ransom them back for the collar, which forces Jake to send his ship back to the awaiting Mother Ship and stay on Earth in order to help rescue his friends. Jake and Frank use a broken-down biplane to rescue Liz and Lucybelle from Olympus's helicopter, which crashes; Olympus, Stallwood and their men survive and are presumably arrested. In the final scene, Jake is allowed to stay on Earth as a representative of an off-world "friendly power", with Jake applying for and being granted United States citizenship.

Cast

as Franklin "Frank" Wilson * Sandy Duncan as Elizabeth "Liz" Bartlett *

as Gen. Stilton * Ronnie Schell as Sgt. Duffy/Voice of Jake *

as Mr. Stallwood * McLean Stevenson as Norman Link * Jesse White as Earnest Ernie (the Gambling Dealer) *

Alan Young Alan Young (born Angus Young; November 19, 1919 – May 19, 2016) was a British, Canadian and American actor, comedian, radio host and television host, whom ''TV Guide'' called "the Charlie Chaplin of television". His notable roles includ ...

as Dr. Winger (veterinarian) *

Hans Conried Hans Georg Conried Jr. (April 15, 1917 – January 5, 1982) was an American actor and comedian. He was known for providing the voices of George Darling and Captain Hook in Walt Disney's ''Peter Pan'' (1953), Snidely Whiplash in Jay Ward's '' Dud ...

as Chief Dr. Heffel * James Hampton as Capt. Anderson * Howard Platt as Col. Woodruff * William Prince as Charlie Olympus *

Ralph Manza Ralph Manza (December 1, 1921 – January 31, 2000) was an American character actor who made over 160 appearances in American film and television shows. Career A pre-med student at UC-Berkeley in the early 1940s, Manza was drafted into the Unit ...

as Weasel *

Tom Pedi Tom Pedi (September 14, 1913 – December 29, 1996) was an American actor whose work included roles on stage, television and film in a career spanning 50 years. He was particularly well-known for his portrayal of Rocky, the night barman, in '' Th ...

as Honest Harry *

Hank Jones Henry Jones Jr. (July 31, 1918 – May 16, 2010) was an American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. Critics and musicians described Jones as eloquent, lyrical, and impeccable. In 1989, The National Endowment for the Arts honored ...

as Officer *

Rick Hurst Richard Douglas Hurst (born January 1, 1946) is an American actor who portrayed Deputy Cletus Hogg, Boss Hogg's cousin, in the 1980 to 1983 seasons of ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' as well as '' The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!'' in 1997 and '' The Du ...

as Dydee Guard * Sorrell Booke as Judge * Fred Whalen as Sarasota Slim (Pool Hustler) * John Alderson as Mr. Smith * Tiger Joe Marsh as Omar * Alfred Soboloff as NASA Executive *

Mel Carter Mel Carter (born April 22, 1939, Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1965 million-selling recording, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me". Biography At age 16 Carter studied singing with vocalist Little Jimmy S ...

as 1st Soldier *

Dallas McKennon Dallas Raymond McKennon (July 19, 1919 – July 14, 2009), sometimes credited as Dal McKennon, was an American film, television and voice actor, who had a career lasting over 50 years. During World War II he served in the Army Signal Corps and wa ...

as Charlie Cooney *

Alice Backes Alice Mayrine Backes (May 17, 1923 – March 15, 2007) was an American actress who performed on radio, television, and in films from the 1940s to the 1990s. Standing 5'9", she worked chiefly on television during her long career. She appeared in o ...

as Farmer's Wife *

Henry Slate Henry Sonken (July 15, 1910 – August 11, 1996) was an American film, television and theatre actor. He was known for his appearances in the films ''Miss Sadie Thompson'', ''Loan Shark'', ''Hey Boy! Hey Girl!'', ''Somebody Loves Me'' and ''Rock ...

as Sandwich Man * Roger Pancake as Red * Roger Price as 1st E.R.L. Report * Jerry Fujikawa as 2nd E.R.L. Report * Jim Begg as Dydee Driver *

Peter Renaday Peter Renaday is an American actor. His career spans several films and television shows. His major roles include Master Splinter in the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', as well as Abraham Lincoln in the Hall of Presidents, and Henry in Count ...

as Baliff *

Rickie Sorensen Rickie John Sorensen (August 26, 1946 – August 24, 1994) was an American child actor. Biography He was born in Los Angeles on August 26, 1946, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John M. Sorensen. His acting career began in 1956 when he was 10 years ...

as Technician * Tom Jackman as Army Engineer * Joseph G. Medalis as Sucker *

Gil Stratton Gil Stratton Jr. (June 2, 1922 – October 11, 2008) was an actor and sportscaster who was born in Brooklyn, New York. He most recently resided in Toluca Lake, California, until his death from congestive heart failure. Early life Stratton wa ...

as 1st NASA Scientist * Jana Milo as 2nd NASA Scientist * Rumpler and Amber (brother and sister

Abyssinian cat The Abyssinian is a breed of domestic short-haired cat with a distinctive "ticked" tabby coat, in which individual hairs are banded with different colors. They are also known simply as Abys. The source of the name is not because Ethiopia, for ...

s) as Jake / Zunar-J-5/9 Doric-4-7

Reception

Tom Buckley of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' wrote, "The complications begin amusingly enough, but tend to become tiresome and predictable well before the movie is over. Even so, 'The Cat From Outer Space' is likely to keep the under-14's amused, at least if supplemented by plenty of popcorn." ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' wrote, "The fun, as usual with Disney pix, comes in the believable sight gags provided along the way. Also as usual, it's a good cast of veterans and nothing to tax them beyond their abilities, all ably kept in place by director Norman Tokar. The aerial climax is especially good." Linda Gross of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

'' described the film as "successful G-rated family fare" but "at one hour, 43 minutes is too long, particularly the jeopardy situation involving the midair transfer of Duncan and her cat from a pilotless helicopter to another plane." Judith Martin of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...

'' wrote, "This is not exactly inspiring material, but it is harmless enough — unless the child expects you to sit through it with him." Martyn Auty of ''

The Monthly Film Bulletin ''The Monthly Film Bulletin'' was a periodical of the British Film Institute published monthly from February 1934 to April 1991, when it merged with ''Sight & Sound''. It reviewed all films on release in the United Kingdom, including those with a ...

'' stated, "Putatively aimed at the junior end of the s-f market, this 'Close Encounter of the 'Furred' Kind' is a distinctly earthbound Disney adventure film, in which magical technology is harnessed to foiling villains and rescuing heroines, human and feline. For all that, ''The Cat from Outer Space'' displays its visual trickery ingeniously and more or less reverently within the caper-comedy narrative." The film holds a score of 67% on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...

based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 5.2 out of 10.

References

External links

*
''The Cat From Outer Space'' at UltimateDisney.com
* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cat From Outer Space, The 1978 films 1970s science fiction comedy films American children's comedy films American science fiction comedy films Films about cats Films about extraterrestrial life Films directed by Norman Tokar Films produced by Ron W. Miller Films scored by Lalo Schifrin Films about gambling Walt Disney Pictures films Films about animals 1978 comedy films Films set in Los Angeles 1970s science fiction films Films shot in Los Angeles County, California 1970s English-language films 1970s American films

Plot

Cast

Reception

See also

References

External links