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More than 10 years before there was a mouse named Mickey there was a cat
named Felix. Born in 1919 from the pen of Otto Messmer. Messmer's
original objective was to invent an animated character to compete with
he popular Charlie Chaplin films of the time. "The Little Tramp's" attire
was black and white, so Felix's black and white translated to
the silent screen very successfully.

He was more cat-like in design, with a larger snout.
Many of the characters around him were cats and looked similar to Felix.
This Felix's world included more barnyard animals, as opposed
to today's Felix who lives among humans and "humanized" animals. Even in
the early days of comics and animated silent shorts, it was Felix's personality
that made him stand out. He was mischievous and very inventive, starring in over
one hundred episodes that were filled with five to eight minutes of incredible gags.
Felix eventually appeared in comic strips and comic books, as well as an
extensive merchandising sales. In the old days, Felix was so popular that Charles
Lindbergh carried a small Felix doll with him in The Spirit of St. Louis when he
crossed the Atlantic Ocean on his famous flight in 1927. Queen Mary of England
had a pet cat which she named Felix after Otto Messmer's character. Today, Felix
still loved many famous fans, including Ringo Starr, Rodney Dangerfield.

Felix the Cat was the first cartoon character whose likeness was made into
a giant balloon for parades. Appearing in such famous parades as Macy's Thanksgiving
parade in New York. In addition, in the RCA laboratories, the first image to be transmitted was that of a Felix the Cat statue.
At the end of the 60s, things leveled off for Felix. It wasn't until the early
1980s that the classic cat became popular once again. In the 90 He has a new TV show,
"The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat". This show has recently been cancelled.

There's a cat, a fuzzy creature
In the movies, he's a feature
He's some Cat!
All the kiddies and the mammas
Say that he's the cat's pajamas
He's all that!
When on the screen he appears,
They shout these words in his ears (Doggone it!)

Felix, Felix, Felix the Cat,
Welcome, welcome, home to our flat.
You fascinate me with your funny meow;
I'll feed you catnip and sweet milk from the cow.
Felix, Felix, in our backyard,
You can hang up your hat.
Make your pillow underneath a pussywillow,
Felix, Felix the Cat!

I've seen cats from Maine to China
But I've never seen one finer
He's a bear!
All the cats in old Kilkenny
Kitty, Katie, Jane and Jenny
Can't compare!
I'll let him sleep on my rug,
I'll let him drink from my mug (Doggone it!)

Felix, Felix, Felix the Cat,
You're a real true-blue Democrat.
We watch your capers in the papers each day,
And all our troubles float like bubbles away.
Felix, Felix, just stick around
Make us laugh and grow fat.
Now and ever -- may your kittens be as clever,
Felix, Felix the Cat!

Felix, Felix, Felix the Cat,
You're no fool when you "smell a rat".
All of the kittens who live down on our block
Powder their noses when you go for a walk.
Felix, Felix, you know your furs
When you play tit-for-tat!
Sweet or sour -- you're my wonderful meower,
Felix, Felix the Cat!

Felix, Felix, Felix the Cat,
Drop around and we'll have a chat.
Brush your whiskers Felix, put "on the Dog",
Look just as nifty as a frog on a log.
Felix, Felix, we like your name,
Please don't change it to "Pat"!
Mercy, mercy, never let them call you Percy,
Felix, Felix the Cat!

Felix, Felix, Felix the Cat,
Eat and drink, but never grow fat.
You've got a wishbone that sticks out through your hide,
Perhaps it's a fishbone that you swallowed inside.
Felix, Felix, you're just the kind
I could keep in my flat!
Love your Mommy -- wrap your tail around me Tommy
Felix, Felix the Cat!

Felix, Felix, Felix the Cat,
You're a stuck-up gay-ristocrat!
When you go riding you sit back in the car,
You get familiar but you don't go too far.
Felix, Felix, you seem to know
You know just where you're at.
All the highbrows imitate your Felix eyebrows,
Felix, Felix the Cat!

Felix, Felix, Felix the Cat,
Wish you would keep out of our flat!
On our piano ev'ry night if you please
You are the kitten that walks over our keys.
Felix, Felix, you wake us up,
Spoil our sleep and all that --
You're a jumper but a bad piano thumper,
Felix, Felix the Cat!

Music on this page is "filofelix" recorded in England 1924
the song felix the cat1958, is copy written  and scan be heard here

©Suzieque1982-2002