| Show The Cat Who Stars on Tv He’s a huckster named Morris even dog lovers dig him By SHELDON MIX (Ordinary cats ordinarily lead ordinary lives —even when they live through the full nine But there’s a plain orange tiger cat named Morris who’s an extraordinary exception partly because of luck partly because he’s not really as ordinary as he looks His luck turned up five years ago while he and numerous other unwanted cats around Chicago's western suburbs were reluctant residents in a humane society's pound ticketed for death in the gas chamber Animal handler Bob Martwick of suburban Lombard 111 just happened to need an orange cat as a model for a magazine illustration He called the nearby pound to learn whether there was any such animal among the unwanted Told there was he drove over and claimed an underweight tomcat with a scar over his right eye Cats are too independent to go along with anyone who wants them to do tricks but some are willing to act as models Martwick discovered this cat extremely workable About three years ago the former orphan won the role of Morris featured performer in a continuing to-b- e d commercials on series of television Now he’s famous the star of tv commercials that cost between $10000 and $25000 each to produce and the valued trademark in a multimillion-doUa- r advertising campaign to sell a brand of cat food Like any other screen star Morris has his own canvas chair on set with his name printed on it And unlike other performers whose tv appearances are restricted to commercials Morris gets a great deal of fan mail Ifimy & gctiffe£M? from cat-foo- ' iy ¥ Juried jjgycar PO "zt4 ' fc3‘ v IVlorris's role in the commercials calls for him to be a grump As he often says “The cat who doesn't act finicky loses control of his owner" But he's really a lovable grump and off the set he’s not grumpy at all He’s very affectionate Martwick estimates Morris's age to be eight or nine The cat is big for his age (about 18 pounds) and strong His most impressive feature is his head which is full and forceful He likes to use it in giving and getting affection If you're sitting at (Continued on page 12) ' I 4 ' I v tv 1 ' V 1 ! yS-0- ® ' : - " i i it X ' 2 T’-''- - if ! J B W J V C Uiil Morris feline star of tv commercials poses while studio cameras are adjusted a - "r j ' V— v i :l v— & 4ri s- - I 0 BALL PHOTO Santa Card Division Dept 203B Los Angeles 90054 San Francisco 94119 PO PO Enclosed is my (Please check) Color Negative Slide Color Print (Plus $100 additional for new neg) Black & White Negative Black & White Print (Plus $100 add'l for new neg) ft -- 1 BLACK & WHITE SO for $198 15 fer 990 COLOR 10 for $179 20 for $350 Box Box 54084 7857 G I am ordering free sample only and enclosing postage and handling D I am ordering photo Christmas cards now and enclosing a check or money order which includes 251 for 351 for shipping ( |
