Frankenstein’s Cat is a 1942 American cartoon that was part of the Mighty Mouse series. It is a Terrytoons production, directed by Mannie Davis.
This 6 minute long story opens with mice and birds living in a cat-free paradise, until one unfortunate bird is blown to a dark, sinister castle that is haunted by ‘fiend of darkness’ Frankenstein’s Cat! This is an electricity-surged, square bodied but surprisingly cheery looking monster, who sets out to capture the intruding bird. This pursuit leads him to the cat-free haven, where he terrorises the avian and rodent residents, and after some mild vandalism, snatches a bird and is chased back to the castle by angry, torch-wielding villagers (i.e. mice). Only one mouse can save the day – the superhero Might Mouse!
This early entry in the Mighty Mouse series sees our hero wearing a different colour costume than seen in later cartoons – here, he is in the familiar blue and red of Superman. In fact, the character was originally called Super Mouse, and his new name has been all-too-obviously redubbed later.
This is one of several cartoons that featured ‘Frankenstein’ (or, more accurately, the monster) in the 1930s and 40s, made when the popularity of the character was at its peak thanks to the Universal films. The monster would also have encounters with Bugs Bunny, Betty Boop, Porky Pig and Woody Woodpecker amongst others.
David Flint
