I'm presently doing some research at the moment on the actress Patricia McNair,
who did some Joe Sarno movies, and tonight I decided to take a look at
her earliest screen credit, THE FAT BLACK PUSSYCAT (1963), which is
available from Something Weird Video on a double feature DVD with THE
BLACK CAT (1966). The movie is remarkably giallo-like for an American
film of this vintage; it has a NYC beatnik milieu and also a very
interesting cast, including Hugh Romney (the future "Wavy Gravy"),
Hector Elizondo (whom I didn't see), an unbilled Geoffrey Lewis, and some great bookshelves -
but there was another actor in the film I knew I had seen and heard
before, but I couldn't place him for the life of me - and there was no
other familiar name in the credits.
Fortunately, before the movie was over, I
got a fix on him. The voice is UNmistakable. Oh, man - talk about
people hiding in plain sight.
You read it here first, my friends: THE
BLACK FAT PUSSYCAT features the earliest known screen appearance of
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, better known as Dr. John the Night
Tripper!
P.S. This is not presently noted on the IMDb.
P.S.S. Patricia McNair is far and away the best actor in the picture.
(c) 2018 by Tim Lucas. All rights reserved.
