The Tales Of Terror Black Cat Casting Call
Bizarre Buffet Podcast – All You Can Eat Weird
Tales of Terror is a 1962 Horror trilogy starring Vincent Price, largely featuring adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories. ” The Black Cat ” being one of the featured stories in the trilogy.
When the time came to cast the perfect black kitty cat, a wild audition ensued!
“More than 100 black cats lined up–as much as cats will line up–for an audition for a movie part in response to a newspaper ad seeking “a sagacious black cat.”
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” The Black Cat Audition Scandal ” – Episode Credits
Hosted By Mark Tauriello , Jen Wilson, & Marc Bluestein.
Original Episode Concept By Mark Tauriello
Show Notes By Mark Tauriello
Produced By Marc Bluestein.
” The Black Cat Audition Scandal ” – Show Notes
THE BLACK CATS OF HOLLYWOOD
DISUCSSION INTRO QUESTION:
In one of our last episodes, The Goddess Bunny, we mentioned how dissatisfiedfied she was that Lassy the Dog was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame before a disabled person was given one… taking inspiration from that quote, I put together this episode… but before I take you down this bizarre rabbit hole… I want to ask…
Question: If you could give an animal an Oscar for a performance in a movie, which animal/ movie would you pick?
I would choose Homeward Bound.
Topic: The Bizarre Audition for the role of the “Black Cat” In a 1962 Tales of Terror inspired by Edgar Allen Poe.
It’s 1961… and “Tales of Terror” is in pre production. They have already casted their actors (most known… the ionic actor of horror, Vincent Price) but now they need to fill the roll of “The black Cat” by an actual black cat actor…. To find a cat they put out an Ad in the paper stating that they were seeking a “Sagacious back cat”
These auditions for the black cat took place on 27th of November, 1961. On the sidewalks of the 600 block of N. Bronson Ave (for all you Hollywood Folk..)
Over 120 black cats lined up outside with their owners. The cat owners ranged from men, woman, children… and age span from 9-80+ .
Black Cats of all shapes and sizes auditioned. Some were kittens while others were in their golden years.
Some Cat owners even showed up with white cats / multi color cats simply in hopes that this would be a career opportunity for their precious kitties that could caitpolt them into stardum. Allegedly one of the white cats was BFF with a black cat that was going to the audtion, and the white cat was there for moral support… (probably both cats belonged to the same owner)
Things did get heated… for one of the Cats scratched a competitors cat owner’s leg, and she needed first aid for the scratch. (cry me a fucking river)
The auction consisted of having the black Cats follow directions like Jumping, making its way to movie set window ledges, walking across the screen for screen shots, going up and down steps. etc.
The real deciding factor however was which cat had the meanest looking face, since this was after all… a horror movie.
BUT THERE WAS A SCANDAL!!!!
SCANDAL!!!
After the auditions, which Cat got this beloved role?
NONE OF THEM.
The role went to a black Cat that already had an agent, and had been in other Cat roles. There was much dismay among the cat owners. Though some of the Cats from the audition were used as Cat stunt doubles for the starring kitty.
The film was released on my Birthday! July 4 1962.
The real win from all of this were the images from LIFE Magazine taken by Ralph Crane during the audition process. The photos consisted of the cat owners lined up on the sidewalk in front of the studio with over 100 black cats. Some with leashes, one photographed wearing literal cat eye sunglasses, some were sitting on the shoulders of their owners where more nervous kitties were held.
In the 1961, in the issue of LIFE featuring these silly images, it is said that “This was the biggest invitation to bad luck ever seen in one place”
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