The Cat from Outer Space (1978) starring Ken Berry, Sandy Duncan, McLean Stevenson, Harry Morgan, Roddy McDowall, Jesse White, Hans Conried
Editorial review of The Cat from Outer Space courtesy of Amazon.com
Here’s today’s trivia question: What Disney movie costars both colonels from television’s M*A*S*H–that is, Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) and Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan)? Heck, that’s easy: 1978’s The Cat from Outer Space, a family comedy about a feline extraterrestrial named Jake (voiced by actor Ronnie Schell, who also plays Sergeant Duffy). Eerily similar to the plot of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, released four years later, Cat finds Jake stuck on Earth and in danger of being trapped here forever if his fellow space kitties can’t rendezvous with him soon.
While a gruff Army general (Morgan) tries to scare up some answers about the whereabouts and agenda of the purring alien, Jake allies himself with an unorthodox scientist (Ken Berry), plus the latter’s friend (Stevenson)–a compulsive gambler–and mathematician girlfriend (Sandy Duncan). Together, they try to raise the scratch to purchase expensive materials to make Jake’s ship run again, and in short order. Norman Tokar, an old Disney hand (The Happiest Millionaire) directing his final film before he died the following year, gets the comic machinery going with his slick cast of character actors (Roddy McDowall, Jesse White, Hans Conried), sly one-liners, and lots of enjoyable suspense. A kid-pleaser for sure. –Tom Keogh
Cast of characters
- Ken Berry (F-Troop Season 1) … Frank
- Sandy Duncan (Million Dollar Duck) … Liz
- Harry Morgan (The Apple Dumpling Gang) … General Stilton
- Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes) … Mr. Stallwood
- McLean Stevenson (M*A*S*H) … Link
- Jesse White (Harvey) … Earnest Ernie
- Alan Young (The Time Machine) … Dr. Wenger
- Hans Conried (Summer Stock) … Dr. Heffel
- Ronnie Schell (The Shaggy D.A.) … Jake – voice / Sgt. Duffy
- James Hampton … Capt. Anderson
- Howard Platt … Col. Woodruff
- William Prince (Pillow to Post) … Mr. Olympus
- Ralph Manza … Weasel
- Tom Pedi (Sorrowful Jones) … Honest Harry
- Hank Jones (Village of the Giants) … Officer
- Rick Hurst … Dydee Guard
- John Alderson (My Fair Lady) … Mr. Smith
- Tiger Joe Marsh … Omar
- Arnold Soboloff (Silent Movie) … NASA Executive
- Mel Carter … 1st Soldier
- Dal McKennon (Sleeping Beauty) … Farmer (as Dallas McKennon)
- Alice Backes (I Want to Live) … Farmer’s Wife
- Henry Slate (Hit the Deck) … Sandwich Man
- Roger Pancake … Red
- Roger Price … 1st E.R.L. Expert
- Jerry Fujikawa … 2nd E.R.L. Expert
- Jim Begg (Village of the Giants) … Dydee Driver
- Peter Renaday (The Aristocats) … Bailiff
- Rickie Sorensen … Technician
- Tom Jackman … Army Engineer
- Fred L. Whalen … Sarasota Slim
- Joseph G. Medalis … Sucker (as Joe Medalis)
- Gil Stratton (Stalag 17) … 1st NASA Scientist
- Jana Milo … 2nd NASA Scientist