That's Cat facts for kids

That's Cat was a fun TV show for kids that first aired on Saturday, September 18, 1976. It was made and shown by KNBC, which is an NBC TV station in Los Angeles. The show was also shared with other NBC stations across the country.

What Was That's Cat?

That's Cat was a children's television series that mixed together stories, music, jokes, and activities to help kids learn. The word "Cat" in the title meant "cool" or "awesome" at the time.

Who Made the Show?

A person named Giovanna Nigro-Chacon created That's Cat. She was the main producer and wrote a part of the show called "Grandpa" every week. She also wrote and produced a special, one-hour Christmas episode called "That's Cat Christmas". She was even nominated for a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award for her work on the show.

Meet the Cast and Crew

The first episode of That's Cat had Susan Cuscuna, Perry Krause, and Myra Cohen as writers. The main actors in the show were:

• Alice Playten played a character named "Alice."
• Frank Cala played "Me," who was a mime (a performer who uses actions without words).
• Whitman Mayo played "Grandpa."

When Did It Air?

The very first episode of That's Cat aired on a Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. This time slot was chosen to get parents interested in the show. The next day, the second episode aired in its regular spot on Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. Later that same night, a special episode with parts from the first two shows aired at 6:30 p.m. After a few more episodes, the show moved to the 7:30 a.m. time slot.

Fun Parts of the Show

The first episode of That's Cat had some interesting parts:

• It included a song sung in Spanish.
• There was a short video clip of Woody Allen explaining where mustard comes from. This clip was probably from another NBC show called Hot Dog.
• The show also had a segment that talked about how important garbagemen are.

Some parts of the show appeared often:

• One part was called "Can you find 'Me' in this picture?" "Me" was Alice's friend on the show.
• Another regular part featured "Grandpa" talking directly to the camera. He would give kind and wise advice to Alice.

The Catchy Theme Song

The theme song for That's Cat was sung by John Sebastian. He also sang the famous theme song for the 1970s TV show Welcome Back Kotter. His son also sang in the theme song, echoing the words "That's Cat" during the chorus. The song started with these words:

Hey Pumpkin, come along with me

Been thinkin' 'bout some things to see

Take a look at this and that

We'll find something that's cat

That's Cat - That's Cat

It a-means that you like that!

Like an Indian drum or a kiss from your mom,

or gettin' something under your hat...

Awards and Recognition

That's Cat was recognized for its quality. In 1976, the show received a nomination for a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award. This nomination was for the show's film editor, Donn Hoyer. Later, in 1979, a group in Los Angeles called the Coalition on Children and Television gave the show an award for being excellent.