Would you take your cat to a Hollywood audition? From my own experience I know that even if I wanted to my Archibald would fight and scratch and run and leave claw marks all over me. No outdoor fun for him. No excitement. Nah.
My mother is the proud caretaker of my black cat now. He's a total house cat. Once, feeling sorry for the poor (prrr) bugger, we tried to take him out to explore, socialize, play, but the event ended up leaving scars on Archibald's psyche and all over our bodies. He was utterly petrified.
So, when I saw these people putting leashes on their cats and taking them to an audition... that left me in utter awe, shock, bewilderment, amusement & with a belly full of laughter. (And concern for those cats, of course!) I wonder what were the requirements? Hm... black, cat, curious?
Isn't this and absolutely absurd sight?
Absurd and hilarious!
Ha! It's Vincent Price! So, it must have been an audition for Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat". V. Price and Edgar Allan Poe - what a great combination. Used to love these movies - Tales of Terror, House of Usher, The Raven... (And the other guy is of course Peter Lorre - after Terry saw this photo he kept doing the funniest P. Lorre impersonation with a foreign accent, while walking like a hunchback: "You keeled my snake. Why did you keel my snake?")
Why couldn't he just walk on the pavement, like everybody else? Well, that's cats for you.
Who brought a baby cat? We said no baby cats!
I don't like to be cradled like I'm a baby!
Hey lady! Nice eyebrows!
Well, of course, cats always get into trouble. Or, is it the old ladies that always get into trouble? Hmm.
Hey mister, don't even think about it. That part is mine!
This whole shot is fantastic - the kid, his boots and vest, the cat, the guy with a cigarette, the woman with the crutches.
I don't think this was intirely necessary for the part, now was it?! Miaow!
xoxoxo
{photos LIFE archive - Hollywood audition for Black Cat, 1961}
Thank you so much for this post...so fun! Love the eyebrow lady and the black kitten. I have three black cats of my own. They are the BEST cats!
Posted by: Julie | July 22, 2011 at 09:06 PM
This made our day. Peter Lorre looks like a true cat man. I'd love to post one of these pics. Any copyright issues?
Posted by: Layla Morgan Wilde | July 23, 2011 at 09:30 AM
Peter Lorre (not Laurie) - I used to LOVE both him and Vincent Price in those old "horror" flicks when I was a kid. The pic of all the black cats on leases is just fabulous!
Posted by: Annalisa | July 24, 2011 at 12:25 AM
Outstanding post, fantastic images, and imaginative comments. Thanks for the best part of my day!
Posted by: Carol | July 28, 2011 at 09:39 PM
so funny, absolutely adore the pics! my old cat sure wouldnt have put up with it!
Posted by: dusanabotswana | October 07, 2011 at 03:16 AM