Morris the Cat
| Morris the Cat | |
|---|---|
 A button from when Morris ran for United States president in 1988 | |
First appearance | 1968 |
| Created by | Leo Burnett Company |
| Voiced by | John Erwin |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Domestic short-haired cat |
| Gender | Male |
| Nationality | American |
Morris the Cat is the advertising mascot for 9Lives brand cat food, appearing on its packaging and in many of its television commercials since the 1970s.
History
A large orange tabby tomcat, the character of Morris the Cat is "the world's most finicky cat", eating only 9Lives cat food and making this preference clear with humorously sardonic voice-over comments when offered other brands. Every can of 9Lives features Morris' "signature". Three different cats have played Morris the Cat.
The original Morris was adopted in 1968 from the Hinsdale Humane Society, a Chicago-area animal shelter,[1] by professional animal handler Bob Martwick.[2] An invention of the Leo Burnett advertising company where Martwick worked, Morris was featured in 58 television commercials which aired from 1969 to 1978.[2][3] John Erwin provided the voice-over for the cat.[4] Morris won two PATSY Awards (an award for animal performers in film and television) in 1972 and 1973.[2] The original Morris died on July 7, 1978, in his native Chicago of old age.[3][5][6]
All cats to play Morris have been rescue animals, either from an animal shelter or a cat rescue. After receiving multiple contacts from individuals who claimed that they were the original owner of Morris, Bob Martwick chose not to reveal which shelter he obtained the second Morris from.[5] After a yearlong search, Martwick selected the second Morris, who began appearing in commercials in 1979.[5] The first two cats to play Morris lived with Martwick as pets.[5] Morris's popularity continued into the 1980s, with the Leo Burnett Company orchestrating a mock presidential campaign for Morris in 1988.[7][8]
The current Morris lives in Los Angeles with his handler, Rose Ordile. The Leo Burnett Company parted ways with 9Lives' corporate parent Heinz in 1994.[7]
Morris appeared in the movie Shamus with Burt Reynolds and Dyan Cannon in 1973.[2] Morris also appears as a "spokescat" promoting responsible pet ownership, pet health and pet adoptions through animal shelters.[5] To this end, he has "authored" three books: The Morris Approach, The Morris Method and The Morris Prescription.[2][5]
See also
References
- ↑ "Morris the Cat Visits Hinsdale Humane Society" (PDF). catchannel.com. June 14, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Hinsdale Humane Society – Morris the Cat". Hinsdale Humane Society. Archived from the original on November 20, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- 1 2 "Morris, the Cat, 17, Dead". The New York Times. July 13, 1978. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ↑ McLaughlin, Katie (October 6, 2010). "Female superhero 'She-Ra' marks 25th anniversary". CNN. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hawks, Ellen (October 18, 1989). "Morris the Cat's Second of Nine Pampered Lives : Marketing: Feline's handlers take the nutritional message across the country, and the promotional fallout, well, that's just gravy". The Baltimore Evening Sun. Archived from the original on December 7, 2019. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ↑ Aunton, Seun. "Meowoff". Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
- 1 2 "A Parting of Ways for Heinz And Morris the Cat's Creator". The New York Times. November 24, 1994. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
- ↑ Saavedra, Scott (August 2020). "Celebrities for President". RetroFan (10). United States: TwoMorrows Publishing: 14.
External links
- Hinsdale Humane Society - About Morris the Cat
- Morris the Cat at IMDb