Top Cat
Set in the Alleys of New York, "Top Cat" tells the story of a gang of low-life cats with their charismatic Leader, Top Cat. With ability and mischief, Top Cat will always try to get rich gambling, to eat for free, or to play jokes on someone, but he is always being watched by Officer Dibble, who is very strict and fierce with them, but in fact is a friend to all of them.
- 1961-1962
- 1 season
- ABC
- Animation, Comedy, Suspense, Family
- TV-G
Set in the Alleys of New York, "Top Cat" tells the story of a gang of low-life cats with their charismatic Leader, Top Cat. With ability and mischief, Top Cat will always try to get rich gambling, to eat for free, or to play jokes on someone, but he is always being watched by Officer Dibble, who is very strict and fierce with them, but in fact is a friend to all of them.
Season 1 Episode Guide
30 Episodes 1961 - 1962
Episode 1
Hawaii Here We Come
Wed, Sep 27, 1961 26 mins
T.C. thinks Benny the Ball is telling a joke when he says he's going to Hawaii. And it's no joke when Benny's showing his boat ticket. The gang wants to join over to this cruise as stowaways. As usual, it's no problem for T.C. but Officer Dribble is on a lookout for a counterfeiter who just hid on the ship where the cats came in. Dribble accidentally gets in the ship the minute it starts sailing... Dribble will have to cope with T.C. as well as trying to catch the crook...
Episode 2
The Maharajah of Pookajee
Wed, Oct 4, 1961 26 mins
Choo-Choo and Brain are performing a trapeze act right in the alley, while the carnival-barking Top Cat charges admission. Soon Officer Dibble has broken up this makeshift circus, but a newspaper article gives the cunning kitty an idea for far greater wealth than some measly circus could bring in. It seems the Maharajah of Pookajee is in town and is staying at a swank hotel. The good part is: he just loves to give away rubies. Top Cat wants in on that action. Top Cat's improvised scheming leads him to wrap himself and his cronies in sheets and towels in order to enter the hotel. He ends up impersonating the Maharajah; but his deceptions put him in the path of gangsters, Officer Dibble and the real Maharajah of Pookajee.
Episode 3
All That Jazz
Wed, Oct 11, 1961 26 mins
Jazz, the new cat in town (known as "A.T."), takes over the pool hall, steals Top Cat's girlfriend, sways the gang, and even cleans up the alley. This sparks an ongoing contest of one-oneupmanship, so when both Jazz and Top Cat are offered a part in a Hollywood film, they naturally assume that it is another trick. The offer turns out to be legit, and Benny the Ball is cast in the starring role in "The Thing From the Alley." He leaves for Hollywood in a limo, accompanied by Top Cat and the gang in the guise of Benny's manager, valet, vocal coach, tailor and chauffeur.
Episode 4
The $1,000,000 Derby
Sat, Oct 14, 1961 26 mins
Top Cat discovers that the horse Benny bought for a concession stand to photograph children on a pony runs wild when it hears a whistle (in fact, it ran up a million dollars1 worth of damage inside Macy's!). Attempting to capitalize on the horse's talents, Top Cat poses as Arabian oil king Aly Khat and enters the nag in a million dollar derby, spurring it on by running a screaming ambulance alongside the track. The horse almost wins, but at the last minute vainly stops to smile and pose for the photo finish camera.
Episode 5
The Violin Player
Wed, Oct 25, 1961 26 mins
Mr. Gutenberg, the musical director of Carnegie Hall, mistakes a recording of violin virtuoso Laszlo Laszlo for the playing of Benny the Ball, who has just taken up the instrument. He approaches Benny with an offer to perform and Top Cat negotiates a deal for $50,000 for a Saturday night performance at the Hall-an offer that is withdrawn when Carnegie's Board of Directors really hear Benny play. When Gutenberg offers a $10,000 reward to find the true violinist, the gang discovers that it's their neighborhood street cleaner, Laszlo Laszlo.
Episode 6
The Missing Heir
Sat, Oct 28, 1961 26 mins
Benny is a double for the missing heir to a millionaire's fortune. Top Cat and the gang get Benny to the mansion in time to claim the money. But this is not good news to the scheming butler and dog who hoped to claim the fortune themselves.
Episode 7
Top Cat Falls in Love
Wed, Nov 8, 1961 26 mins
Benny has had a tonsillectomy, and the gang visits him in the hospital. When Top Cat sees the beautiful cat nurse, Miss Larue, he falls for her. But how can he get her attention? T.C. decides to pretend he has a rare illness, which will need lots of nursing care, of course.
Episode 8
A Visit from Mother
Sat, Nov 11, 1961 26 mins
Benny has written to his mother that he is the Mayor of New York. Now Benny's mother is coming for a visit, and Top Cat and the gang must do everything they can to convince Mrs. Ball that her son really is the Mayor.
Episode 9
Naked Town
Sat, Nov 18, 1961 26 mins
"Naked Town", a TV crime show, will be shooting a warehouse robbery scene in Top Cat's alley. Officer Dibble offers his cooperation, but is unaware that some crooks will be using the TV filming as a cover for a real robbery.
Episode 10
Sergeant Top Cat
Wed, Nov 29, 1961 26 mins
After overhearing Officer Dibble suggesting ways to improve conditions for the police force, Top Cat passes off Dibble's ideas to the Captain as T.C.'s own. This leads to Top Cat's being made an honorary police sergeant --and Dibble's boss in the alley.
Episode 11
Choo Choo's Romance
Wed, Dec 6, 1961 26 mins
Choo-Choo has fallen in love with a beautiful French cat, Goldie. Top Cat and the gang help Choo-Choo to court her. But they have reckoned without Goldie's jealous boyfriend, Pierre.
Episode 12
The Unscratchables
Wed, Dec 13, 1961 26 mins
Benny swallows a stolen diamond, which gets him kidnapped by the thieves. Now Top Cat and his gang must masquerade as gangsters to save Benny.
Episode 13
Rafeefleas
Wed, Dec 20, 1961 26 mins
After spending a night sleeping in a museum, Benny comes home with a scarab pin accidentally caught on the back of his coat. Now Top Cat and the gang have to return the gem to the museum, little realizing they are about to encounter a jewel thief.
Episode 14
The Tycoon
Wed, Dec 27, 1961 26 mins
Inspired by "The Wacky Tycoon" TV show, a kindly billionaire gives Benny a check for one million dollars to give Top Cat. T.C. refuses to even look at the check, believing that it's only for twenty-five cents, as payment for a raffle T.C. is running. But when the local merchants learn of Top Cat's good fortune, they begin to shower him with expensive merchandise.
Episode 15
The Long Hot Winter
Wed, Jan 3, 1962 26 mins
Refusing to spend a freezing winter in the alley, Top Cat comes up with a plan for him and the gang to move into Officer Dibble's apartment as house guests for the entire winter.
Episode 16
The Case of the Absent Anteater
Wed, Jan 10, 1962 26 mins
Benny has an interesting new pet: an hungry anteater that has followed him to the alley. Top Cat wants to send the creature away, until he finds out that the anteater has escaped from the zoo, and a large reward is being offered for its return.
Episode 17
T.C. Minds the Baby
Wed, Jan 17, 1962 26 mins
The gang finds an abandoned baby and decide to care for it, but they find parenthood a lot harder than they thought it would be...
Episode 18
Farewell, Mr. Dibble
Wed, Jan 24, 1962 26 mins
When Officer Dibble is replaced with the Sergeant's nephew, the paranoid overenthusiastic Ernest Prowler, the gang sets in motion a plan to get rid of Prowler and get their friend back.
Episode 19
The Grand Tour
Wed, Jan 31, 1962 26 mins
Top Cat's latest get-rich-quick scheme is offering a fake "historical" tour of New York City. But he and the gang have yet to realize that the "phony" treasure map Choo-Choo is selling will lead him to an actual treasure in a dilapidated house.
Episode 20
The Golden Fleecing
Wed, Feb 7, 1962 26 mins
Benny has unexpectedly received a $2000 insurance settlement, and Top Cat has some big ideas on how to spend it. The gang's first splurge is on a visit to the local nightclub to see the pretty chanteuse, Honeydew Mellon. Little do they know that Honeydew is also part of a gang of poker-playing con artists -- who will stop at nothing to separate Benny from his money.
Episode 21
Space Monkey
Wed, Feb 14, 1962 26 mins
The gang hears about the luxurious treatment given to a chimpanzee in a space program, and join up. However, they're in a hurry to get out when they hear about going into space.
Episode 22
The Late T.C.
Wed, Feb 21, 1962 26 mins
When Top Cat suffers an accident, a misunderstanding leads Officer Dibble to think T.C. has only a week left to live. This leads to a goldmine of privileges for the very healthy Top Cat.
Episode 23
Dibble's Birthday
Wed, Feb 28, 1962 30 mins
Officer Dibble is facing another birthday, and feels he is getting old. His attitude is not helped by overhearing the Police Commissioner talking about getting rid of the "old wrecks" at the police station, (meaning old police cars). Top Cat and the gang decide to throw Dibble a surprise party, with gifts from everyone in the neighborhood.
Episode 24
Choo Choo Goes Ga-Ga
Wed, Mar 7, 1962 26 mins
Choo Choo threatens to kill himself unless he gets a date with a famous Hollywood actress. Top Cat was never one to resist a challenge.
Episode 25
King for a Day
Wed, Mar 14, 1962 26 mins
After seeing the wonderful prizes awarded to the contestants on the "King for a Day" TV program, Top Cat writes a pathetic letter to the producers so that he and the gang (his "poor family") will be invited to appear on the show.
Episode 26
The Con Men
Wed, Mar 21, 1962 26 mins
Tony, a friendly hot dog vendor, has been swindled out of $1000 by two con men pretending to have an oil well in Nova Scotia. Top Cat masquerades as a wealthy Texan to get Tony's money back (for a scheme of T.C.'s own) by pretending to the con men that the oil well is real.
Episode 27
Dibble Breaks the Record
Wed, Mar 28, 1962 26 mins
Dibble attempts to break the record for being the longest-serving police officer on the beat. If he wins, he goes on holiday... and leaves the gang free from him. With this in mind, Top Cat does everything he can to help Dibble win.
Episode 28
Dibble Sings Again
Wed, Apr 4, 1962 26 mins
Top Cat owes money to a loan shark. After hearing Officer Dibble sing, Top Cat decides to become Dibble's manager in a show business career, as a way of earning T.C.'s money back.
Episode 29
Griswald
Wed, Apr 11, 1962 26 mins
Officer Dibble's new partner is a tough police dog, Griswald. Top Cat and the gang try their best to outwit him, but Griswald always seems to be one step ahead of them.
Episode 30
Dibble's Double
Wed, Apr 18, 1962 26 mins
A master of disguise impersonates Officer Dibble to steal valuable paintings. But he hasn't reckoned with Dibble's friends.