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Maverick: The Cats of Paradise
Bret goes partners with a woman named Modesty Blaine in a venture to sell cats to a mining town that's been overrun with mice.
| 7.5/10 (2 Votes cast) |
Episode Info
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Episode number: 3x5 Airdate: Sunday October 11th, 1959 |
Uncredited
Recap
In Sacramento, Bret is on the docks when he notices a woman, Modesty Blaine, stepping up to the edge of the pier. He pulls her back and points out that with the tide out, she couldn’t drown. Sobbing, Modesty falls into Bret’s arms and he manages to calm her down. She explains that she’s upset because of cats and introduces herself. Bret takes her to a café for coffee and Modesty explains that two men robbed her of every penny she had, $500, and she was going to buy $500 of cats. Modesty sold her gold claim in Paradise because the miners need cats to deal with all of the rats and mice that have multiplied and overrun the camp. She insists that she can get $50 or more per cat and there are 200 miners. Bret realizes that he can make a quick fortune and puts up $1,000 for their new Consolidated Cat Corporation...Read the full recap
Episode Notes
This marks the first of three appearances for the character of Modesty Blaine. In this episode and in Cruise of the Cynthia B. she is played by Mona Freeman. Kathleen Crowley took over the role in One of Our Trains is Missing which was the final episode of the series to air in 1962.
Buddy Ebsen would later become a TV legend as Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies. Ebsen would return in The Maverick Line and Last Stop Oblivion.
Richard Deacon would go onto play Mel Cooley on The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Hank Patterson would go onto play Fred Ziffel on Green Acres.
Episode Quotes
Pappyism #1: A man who sticks his head in the sand makes an awfully good target.
Pappyism #2: A fox isn't sly. He just can't think any slower.
Pappyism #3: You can be a gentleman and still not forget all you know about self-defense.
Bret: You were planning on buying $500 worth of cat?
Modesty: That's right. That's why I sold my gold claim in Paradise. They need cats in Paradise, Mr. Maverick, need them desperately.
Bret: To join the heavenly chorus?
Modesty: No, silly. Paradise is a small mining town and they're havin' terrible trouble with rats.
Bret: Some of 'em are probably friends of mine.
Modesty: That's right. That's why I sold my gold claim in Paradise. They need cats in Paradise, Mr. Maverick, need them desperately.
Bret: To join the heavenly chorus?
Modesty: No, silly. Paradise is a small mining town and they're havin' terrible trouble with rats.
Bret: Some of 'em are probably friends of mine.
Modesty: I know I was greedy. A girl could be happy on half as much.
Bret: So could a boy, Miss Blaine.
Bret: So could a boy, Miss Blaine.
Modesty: But why only boy cats?
Bret: They travel smoother.
Modesty: I thought they always fought?
Bret: Only in mixed company.
Bret: They travel smoother.
Modesty: I thought they always fought?
Bret: Only in mixed company.
Modesty: Oh, I almost forgot. No black cats.
Bret: Why? The mice superstitious?
Bret: Why? The mice superstitious?
Hanrahan: Uh, say, Maverick, 'course I'm not a nosey man, you know, but do you mean to stand there, barefaced, and tell me that you're goin' up into the mountains with two hundred of them screamin' felines in that thing?
Bret: Barefaced, Mr. Hanrahan.
Hanrahan: I'd rather shave the Devil with a toothache.
Bret: Well, I got a pretty girl to ride with me.
Hanrahan: Oh?
Bret: My partner. (handing over a barrel) Here.
Hanrahan: Smells like a swamp with the sun on it.
Bret: Smoked catfish.
Hanrahan: Eh. Nobody but a woman could make a man this foolish.
Bret: Barefaced, Mr. Hanrahan.
Hanrahan: I'd rather shave the Devil with a toothache.
Bret: Well, I got a pretty girl to ride with me.
Hanrahan: Oh?
Bret: My partner. (handing over a barrel) Here.
Hanrahan: Smells like a swamp with the sun on it.
Bret: Smoked catfish.
Hanrahan: Eh. Nobody but a woman could make a man this foolish.
Hanrahan: Hey, $2 for a cat?
Bret: $2 a fair price, wouldn't you say?
Hanrahan: I'm glad I got my money first.
Bret: $2 a fair price, wouldn't you say?
Hanrahan: I'm glad I got my money first.
Modesty: I have $20 and... well, I'd like a man disposed of.
Bartender: Well now, would ya like both his legs broke or have his body thrown in the river?
Modesty: Well, I'm not quite sure, which is cheaper?
Bartender: Well now, would ya like both his legs broke or have his body thrown in the river?
Modesty: Well, I'm not quite sure, which is cheaper?
Bret: (to Modesty) You ever notice how nice the evening smells when there's money in the air?
(drinking Modesty's spiked "tonic")
Bret: Grandma Otis really mixes a tonic.
Modesty: Oh, little of this, little of that.
Bret: Wonder how she got so many tigers in one bottle?
Bret: Grandma Otis really mixes a tonic.
Modesty: Oh, little of this, little of that.
Bret: Wonder how she got so many tigers in one bottle?
Capt. Puget: You could make your fortune in the land of spice.
Bret: Well, I never turn down money, your honor, but, well, I've sort of made my fortune in the land of mice.
Seaman: Careful, bucko.
Bret: No, I'm serious. You made a bad choice, Captain. I'm no sailor, I'm a businessman.
Capt. Puget: In what line?
Bret: Well, right now I'm in cats.
Seaman: Cats, is it? Ever meet one with nine tails, bucko, me lad?
Bret: Well, I never turn down money, your honor, but, well, I've sort of made my fortune in the land of mice.
Seaman: Careful, bucko.
Bret: No, I'm serious. You made a bad choice, Captain. I'm no sailor, I'm a businessman.
Capt. Puget: In what line?
Bret: Well, right now I'm in cats.
Seaman: Cats, is it? Ever meet one with nine tails, bucko, me lad?
Mayor Uli Bemus: (Modetsy) must'a took a spell.
Bret: She'd take anything that wasn't nailed down.
Bret: She'd take anything that wasn't nailed down.
Mayor Uli Bemus: Now Scratch, I think...
Scratch: Bemus, when you start thinkin', folks better get outta the way of fallin' rocks.
Scratch: Bemus, when you start thinkin', folks better get outta the way of fallin' rocks.
Bret: How is business lately?
Faro Jack: Boomin', Bret. (indicates his guns) They don't hardly keep cool. What you doin' away from a card table?
Bret: Well, I got stopped at the pearly gates. Uh, Sheriff didn't even bother to look me up in the book, he just threw it at me.
Faro Jack: Boomin', Bret. (indicates his guns) They don't hardly keep cool. What you doin' away from a card table?
Bret: Well, I got stopped at the pearly gates. Uh, Sheriff didn't even bother to look me up in the book, he just threw it at me.
Bemus: Don't you have a card?
Faro Jack: I'm fresh out of 'em. Business has been so good I'm booked up for the summer.
Faro Jack: I'm fresh out of 'em. Business has been so good I'm booked up for the summer.
Faro Jack: (about Bret) Now that's what I call a thinkin' man.
Modesty: I've got a man waitin' to buy me a drink.
Bret: Faro Jack? He's a real old friend of mine.
Modesty: An old friend? Well, then I-I've wasted my $200.
Bret: You never wasted a dime in your life. He'll shoot.
Modesty: But a real old friend? What kind of principles does the man have?
Bret: Modesty, my dear young lady, the same as yours.
Bret: Faro Jack? He's a real old friend of mine.
Modesty: An old friend? Well, then I-I've wasted my $200.
Bret: You never wasted a dime in your life. He'll shoot.
Modesty: But a real old friend? What kind of principles does the man have?
Bret: Modesty, my dear young lady, the same as yours.
Scratch: Mister, them cards got a liken for you that ain't normal.
Faro Jack: You wanna quit, Sheriff? Cash in?
Scratch: One of us is like to cash in 'fore long.
Faro Jack: Meaning?
Scratch: Meaning you been dealin' off the top, off the bottom and off the in-between.
Faro Jack: You wanna quit, Sheriff? Cash in?
Scratch: One of us is like to cash in 'fore long.
Faro Jack: Meaning?
Scratch: Meaning you been dealin' off the top, off the bottom and off the in-between.
(hiding in a cemetery)
Bret: Heavy traffic tonight.
Floyd Gimbel: Ah, sooner or later you see everybody you know out here.
Bret: Heavy traffic tonight.
Floyd Gimbel: Ah, sooner or later you see everybody you know out here.
Scratch: Bemus, you're gonna have to come outta that witch's orchard sometime, and when you do there'll be a gun waitin' for you.
Bret: (to Bemus) Welcome to the club, Mayor.
Bret: (to Bemus) Welcome to the club, Mayor.
Bret: Mayor, you're just gonna have to face up to Scratch.
Mayor Uli Bemus: Me? I'm so slow with a gun, I stand in front of a mirror and my reflection will beat me to the draw.
Bret: Better death than dishonor.
Mayor Uli Bemus: Why?
Bret: Why? I'm not quite sure.
Mayor Uli Bemus: Me? I'm so slow with a gun, I stand in front of a mirror and my reflection will beat me to the draw.
Bret: Better death than dishonor.
Mayor Uli Bemus: Why?
Bret: Why? I'm not quite sure.
Bret: Here, Gimbel, take off my boot. Bemus, you get the other one.
Mayor Uli Bemus: What for?
Bret: To shine it.
Mayor Uli Bemus: Shine it? I'm the mayor of this town. I don't go around shinin' shoes.
Bret: The only thing you're mayor of right now is Boot Hill - and if I'm gonna die with mine on tomorrow, I want 'em nice and shiny. So I want you to mix plenty of catnip and smoked fish with the polish.
Mayor Uli Bemus: What for?
Bret: To shine it.
Mayor Uli Bemus: Shine it? I'm the mayor of this town. I don't go around shinin' shoes.
Bret: The only thing you're mayor of right now is Boot Hill - and if I'm gonna die with mine on tomorrow, I want 'em nice and shiny. So I want you to mix plenty of catnip and smoked fish with the polish.
Analysis
The main thing to recommend about this episode is that we get to see Buddy Ebsen in a role that's quite different from his Beverly Hillbillies persona of Jed Clampett. He's a heavy in this one. Also worth watching is Mona Freeman as Modesty Blaine, a woman with the face of an angel and the soul of a rattlesnake.
Other Episode Crew
| • Creator | Roy Huggins |
| • Executive Producer | William T. Orr |
| • Producer | Coles Trapnell |
| • Set Decorator | Steve Potter |
| • Director of Photography | Edwin DuPar |
| • Art Director | William L. Campbell |
| • Production Manager | Oren W. Haglund |
| • Main Title Theme | David Buttolph |
| • Main Title Theme Written By | Paul Francis Webster |
| • Film Editor | Walter S. Stern |
| • Sound | M.A. Merrick |
| • Assistant Director | Claude Archer |
| • Make-up Supervisor | Gordon Bau |
| • Supervising Film Editor | James Moore (1) |
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