![]() Dinner wanted a cat that resembled a big orange tabby he adored named Carl that used to hang out at the 20th Century Fox lot.Īs the series has progressed and the cat’s confidence has grown, Panther’s role has expanded. But when Michael Dinner, an executive producer and director of the “Early Edition” pilot, was looking for a star feline for the series, Panther got his big break. Though he trained Panther, the cat was basically Casey’s house pet. He would walk into a room and would go and lay in the middle and go to sleep.” “I have several dogs,” says Casey, who also trains the German shepherd used in the series. “We have him conditioned to run to his little carrier where he gets fed,” says trainer Bill Casey, who has owned the former pound mascot for more than 8 years.Īccording to Casey, Panther has a wonderful personality. But he’ll bound across a crowded room on command for a spoonful of Fancy Feast. Panther, a 10-year-old tabby who plays the magical beastie on “Early Edition,” is pretty finicky. “You can train any of them to do things,” Watters says, “but for them to be able to handle going out and the exposure of the lights-things that are very scary for cats-you need the right personality.” “I know the difference between the dog’s ability to be obedient and the cats’, are completely aloof.”Ĭertain cats, too, are more trainable than others. Nick Bakay, a writer on “Sabrina” and the voice of Salem, is amazed at how well Watters has taught the cats. ![]() we use a little food reward and teach them that working is fun.” The dog is the only animal in the world that will do things for you because it loves you. The cats’ trainer, Mark Watters, says it’s really not any more difficult to train a cat than a dog. ![]() Though a puppet is used for Salem’s talking close-ups on “Sabrina,” four main cats-Elvis, Lucy, Witch and Salem-play the warlock-turned-feline in all the other scenes. She is definitely a more experienced actress than I am in front of the cameras.” ![]() “She is more professional than most actors,” says Pietz, who grew up with cats. Amy Pietz, who plays Caroline’s saucy friend Annie, loves to hang out with Tiki. “She takes her ‘stays’ very seriously.”Īll the trainers encourage the actors who work with the cats to spend time with them. Not only can Tiki do stunts on cue, such as eating a pie on the kitchen counter and then stopping to look up at a television set, she has the amazing ability to stay still up to 45 minutes. Her first film experience was playing Sassy in “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey.” Initially, Tiki was shy and withdrawn, but soon became the mascot at Maples’ company, Jungle Exotics. When Tiki had a reproductive problem, didn’t want her any more.” Trainer Tammy Maples has owned Tiki for seven years. “It is that centeredness we love about her,” says Barron, who adds that the animal is being pursued to be the spokescat for a cat food company. They found those qualities in Tiki, a 9-year-old Himalayan. In the case of “Caroline,” Barron says, the producers were looking for a cat with experience and an expressive face to play Salty. “We knew the paper arrived because there was the sound of the thud of the paper and a cat’s meow.” “It was a great sound for the delivery of the paper,” says executive producer Lillah McCarthy. The cat was just a pet in the original concept of “Early Edition,” but when executive producer Bob Brush developed the pilot, the nameless kitty arrived with the newspaper.
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