Black Cat Casting Call

Casting call for black cats for "The Black Cat" segment in Tales of Terror, 1961

Now, believe it or not I worked on this film. Oh yes. I waxed Vincent Price's moustache between takes. You see, I don't mind working. As long as it's towards something groovy.

"But Maungy Badger, that ain't groovy..."

It was groovy compared to what my mate, The Grumpy Groundhog, did. His job was to polish Basil Rathbone's boots. With his face.

The picture above is actually of the second casting call. The first casting call was a bit of a farce, truth be told. The cats weren't kept on leashes and, well... the ladies couldn't be certain that they went home with the cats they came with. Either that or a brush with showbusiness turned several sweet-natured moggies into conceited monsters.

"Which cat got the part you waffling idi..."

I can't remember which one Roger Corman gave the nod to, but I recall that we whittled it down to three and I think I recognise them in the picture above. It was either Aguirre, owned by Ms Steeton Appleby of Spatchcock, South Dakota (9th from the right), Pantaloon, owned by Mrs Mona Von Stoner of Mumbling Springs, Minnesota (7th from the right), or Black Death, owned by Mrs Veta Stellwagon of New Todmorden, Nevada (2nd from the right).

B.R. 29/06/2012