Tyler Brooks
In the 1958 film Bell, Book and Candle, Pyewacket the cat is a memorable character. Pyewacket is a Siamese cat and the familiar of Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak), a witch who lives in New York City and runs a shop. In the film, Gillian uses her powers and Pyewacket to cast a love spell on her neighbour Shep Henderson (James Stewart). Pyewacket's name comes from testimony given in a 17th-century witch trial in England. The cat actor who played Pyewacket was owned by animal trainer Frank Inn and was given to Novak after filming.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the cat | Pyewacket |
| Type of cat | Siamese |
| Year of the movie | 1958 |
| Name of the movie | Bell, Book and Candle |
| Name of the cat owner | Gillian Holroyd |
| Name of the actress who played Gillian Holroyd | Kim Novak |
| Name of the actor who played Shep Henderson | James Stewart |
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What You'll Learn
- The cat in Bell, Book and Candle was named Pyewacket
- Pyewacket was played by a cat owned by animal trainer Frank Inn
- The name Pyewacket was derived from testimony given in a 17th-century witch trial
- The role was initially played by Lady Grenadier Sarah in the New York stage production
- The cat actor won a PATSY award for the role
The cat in Bell, Book and Candle was named Pyewacket
The name Pyewacket was derived from testimony given during a 17th-century witch trial in England, where it was said to be the name of a familiar spirit. In the film, Pyewacket helps Gillian cast a love spell on Shep, who becomes immediately enamoured with her. The role of Pyewacket was initially offered to Lady Grenadier Sarah, who played the cat in the original Broadway play, but she was too old to take on the role in the film adaptation.
Animal trainer Frank Inn's Siamese cat, Pyewacket, was ultimately chosen for the role and won a coveted PATSY award for his performance. However, it was reported that up to 12 cats were needed to perform the various stunts in the film, and some sources claim that as many as 11 cats were used. One untrained Siamese cat on set was adopted by Kim Novak after filming and was reportedly named Pyewacket, just like his on-screen counterpart.
Pyewacket's voice was dubbed over with "raucous alley cat meows," which some believed took away from the cat's melodious voice. Despite this, Pyewacket's performance in Bell, Book and Candle remains a standout moment in cinema history and has earned him a spot in the hearts of cat lovers and film enthusiasts alike.
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Pyewacket was played by a cat owned by animal trainer Frank Inn
Pyewacket, the cat in Bell, Book and Candle (1958), was played by a cat owned by animal trainer Frank Inn. The film is an American supernatural romantic comedy starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, and Ernie Kovacs. It is based on the 1950 Broadway play of the same name by John Van Druten.
In the film, Gillian Holroyd, played by Kim Novak, is a witch who uses her powers and her familiar, Pyewacket, a Siamese cat, to cast a love spell on her neighbour, Shepherd Henderson, played by James Stewart. Pyewacket is a major part of the story and helps Gillian cast her spells. The cat's real name was never made public, but Frank Inn's cat won the role, even receiving a PATSY award for it.
The film's producers wanted a trained Siamese cat with "an Ava Gardner personality" for the role. They felt that Siamese cats have an air of mystery about them. Frank Inn's cat was chosen, and up to nine to eleven other cats helped play the role. One untrained Siamese on set was supposedly adopted by Kim Novak after filming and renamed Pyewacket.
Pyewacket received a lot of press even before filming began and became one of the most famous cat actors in cinema. However, it was reported that the film crew would scare Pyewacket to get him to jump from cabinets and move around, which stressed him out, and he never seemed to get over it. The filmmakers also dubbed his melodious voice with a raucous alley cat meow, which some critics did not appreciate.
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The name Pyewacket was derived from testimony given in a 17th-century witch trial
Pyewacket was the name of a cat in the 1958 film Bell, Book and Candle. In the film, Pyewacket is a Siamese cat and the familiar of Gillian Holroyd, a witch played by Kim Novak.
The name Pyewacket has eluded explanation, but it is suggested that it may be derived from the name of a village in the present-day US state of Maine, and that it became known in England through family connections between Hopkins and the Governor of Massachusetts, John Winthrop.
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The role was initially played by Lady Grenadier Sarah in the New York stage production
The 1958 film Bell, Book and Candle features a cat named Pyewacket, who is the familiar of Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak), a witch living in New York City who runs an African curios shop. Pyewacket is a beautiful Siamese seal point and is considered one of the most famous cat actors in cinema. The name Pyewacket was derived from testimony given in a 17th-century witch trial in England.
The role of Pyewacket was initially played by Lady Grenadier Sarah, owned by Janet Mack, in the New York stage production of Bell, Book and Candle. Lady Grenadier Sarah was considered for the film adaptation, but she was too old by the time the movie was being made. The film's producers launched a search for a cat actor to play Pyewacket, specifically a trained Siamese cat "with an Ava Gardner personality". Frank Inn, a Hollywood animal trainer, provided his Siamese cat for the role, and this cat went on to win a PATSY award.
It is believed that up to 12 cats were used to play Pyewacket in the film, with Inn's cat being the primary cat used for close-up shots. Kim Novak, who played Gillian Holroyd, was a cat lover and bonded with Pyewacket during filming. She reportedly formed such a close bond with the cat that Inn gave him to her after filming concluded. Pyewacket was nearly lost during a fire in Novak's home, and it is rumoured that some of the feline acting in the movie was done by Novak's pet cat.
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The cat actor won a PATSY award for the role
The cat actor who played Pyewacket in Bell, Book and Candle won a PATSY award for their role. The PATSY award, which stands for Picture Animal Top Star of the Year, was first awarded in 1951 to Francis the Talking Mule. The award was later expanded to include both film and television and was separated into four categories: canine, equine, wild, and special. The special category included animals such as goats, cats, and pigs.
Pyewacket, the beautiful Siamese seal point, was chosen for the role after a wide search by the producers. They were looking for a trained Siamese cat with "an Ava Gardner personality." Frank Inn, a Hollywood animal trainer, provided his cat for the role, and up to 11 other cats helped play Pyewacket throughout the film. One of these cats, an untrained Siamese named Houdini, was adopted by Kim Novak after filming.
Pyewacket received a lot of press even before being cast. The cat became a major part of the story, acting as the familiar of Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak), a witch who uses her powers to bewitch her neighbour, Shep Henderson (Jimmy Stewart), into falling in love with her. Pyewacket's performance in the film was impressive and helped to steal every scene he was in.
Despite the success of Pyewacket's performance, there were some controversies surrounding the treatment of the cat actors during shooting. It was reported that the film crew would scare the cats to get them to perform stunts, which caused them stress. Additionally, some Los Angeles Siamese Cat fanciers called for a "cat-cott" of the film because they felt that Pyewacket's melodious voice was dubbed over with raucous alley cat meows.
Despite these controversies, Pyewacket's performance in Bell, Book and Candle is undoubtedly one of the most notable cinema cats and a lasting impression in the film. The PATSY award won by the cat actor who played Pyewacket is a testament to their impressive performance and contribution to the film.
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Frequently asked questions
The cat's name in Bell, Book and Candle was Pyewacket.
Pyewacket was played by a trained cat owned by animal trainer Frank Inn. Up to 11 other cats were used to play the role.
Pyewacket was a Siamese cat.
Yes, Pyewacket was the name of Kim Novak's real-life cat.
