Felix the Cat — Me and Pat Sullivan (1925) 🇬🇧
Pat and me have been friends for a long time now. I owe him everything and I may say that he is my best pal and severest critic.
by Felix the Cat
At the same time, some of the adventures that man hustles me into are enough to turn any ornery black cat grey with worry. But then I ain’t no ornery cat — I’m Felix, “the four-footed darling of ten thousand screens,” as my publicity man calls me, and by Gosh, folks, he’s not far wrong.
Pat takes an awful lot of trouble over making me walk, I can tell you. He’s got a special great studio over in New York City where they make my films, and believe me, I’m the only star on the lot. To make just one picture he used to have 3,500 drawings of me and in these new pictures of mine that he’s doing for Ideal Film Company he needs 5,000 drawings. Of course he has assistants to help him, nine of them altogether, and lots of laboratory hands to film me when he’s finished drawing me and start me walking.
When I was quite young Pat and Me used to work for Pathé’s, but I tell you I had a grouch against these folk. They used to show my photo- plays all cut up on the same lines as those goldarned serials, till no self-respecting cat could stand it.
I said to Pat at last, “It is no good, boss,” I said, “you’ll have to make other arrangements for me if I’m to stay in the industry.” Pat’s a good sport, so he said to me, “That’s all right, Felix me lad, I’ll fix things so that you’ll be more comfortable in future.” So here I am with full length films that’ll really give me a chance to show my talents at last.
Pat and me came over to London specially to introduce these new plays of mine, but just before we left New York poor old Pat got both his legs run over by a lorry. Nearly scared me out of all my nine lives at once, he did, but he’s going along all right I’m glad to say, and ought to ho out of his wheel chair before long. That’s why he drew me for this page with my foot all bandaged up — he must have his little joke, must Pat.
There’s only one thing that really worries me about this motion picture business, now. I been reading in a magazine how all film stars have something they call “artistic temperament,” and strike me pink, folks. I’ve been looking all over the place for mine and I’m scared stiff I haven’t got one. Course, I know I can’t be a proper picture star without one, so I’m going to ask Pat. the first opportunity I get, to draw me one.
I believe I hear him coming now… I guess I’d better walk! See you all at the movies.
Felix.
Right: Pat Sullivan creates a lucky Felix for Louise Fazenda.
Below: A new Felix drawn specially for The Picturegoer.
Broken foot or no broken foot — I’ll keep on walking anyhow
Collection: Picturegoer Magazine, November 1925
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