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The Cat in the Hatfun for all agesThe Cat in the Hat was written by Theodor Seuss Geisel (best known as Dr. Seuss), a well-known American writer and cartoonist. The Cat in the Hat- published in 1957- has become one of America’s most beloved children’s books. Mr. Seuss wrote the book because he believed that the beginner’s reading material for children should be amusing and entertaining, instead of dry and boring. The StoryOn a rainy day, while alone in their house Sally and her older brother (who is also the narrator), are unexpectedly visited by The Cat in the Hat- a strange and quirky character who causes chaos in their house. The intentions of this exotic cat (according to him) are to show the kids how to have more fun, despite the bad weather. He means no harm, or so he implies. Their mother won’t mind his antics, or so he says. Indeed, he shows them all sorts of tricks, which end up in a complete mess.The kids’ pet, a very talkative and sensible fish, warns the children that the cat should not be in the house and that he will only get them in trouble. The fish reminds Sally and her brother that they should not allow strangers in the house when their mother is out. The Cat brings along Thing One and Thing Two and they all manage to create pandemonium. Finally, the fish looks through the window and says that the children’s mother is coming and that The Cat and his friends should leave immediately. The Cat is forlorn when he realizes the kids are not happy with his tricks. He leaves sad and cheerless. But The Cat returns. He has one last trick up his sleeve: he cleans up all the mess! When the mother returns, she asks the children if they had any fun when she was away. The children are speechless; they don’t know what to say. The BookAs I mentioned before, this is one of the best-selling children’s books of all time. Indeed, the book has been successful since its publication in 1957. The Cat in the Hat has also been translated into Spanish (El Gato en el Sombrero), Latin, and Yiddish.The Cat also appears in the following books authored by Dr. Seuss: This exotic cat also inspired other works in several media formats, such as film, television, and video games. This beloved character also made it to Broadway and even inspired a ride at a famous theme park. See below for additional information.
The Television SpecialIn 1971, The Cat in the Hat made its television debut in an animated musical television special. Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones (both of Looney Tunes fame), Dr. Seuss, and David DePatie produced it.This special follows the original story to a certain extent, while adding new material. For instance, in this version the fish is named Karlos K. Krinklebein. One of the most memorable moments of the special happens when the Cat sings his name in several languages, including Spanish, German and French. The Cat went on to appear in several television specials, including:
A DVD of any of the TV specials makes a great gift. You can also find DVD collections. The MovieThe Cat in the Hat first appeared on the big screen in the 2003 live-action film Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat (produced by Universal Studios, DreamWorks Pictures, and Imagine Entertainment). Mike Myers plays the role of the Cat, Dakota Fanning plays Sally, and Spencer Breslin plays Conrad- Sally’s brother (curiously, he is not named in the book version). The film was directed by Bo Welch and produced by Brian Grazer.The plot of the movie is largely based on the book; however, new material was added to accommodate the length of the film. Some subplots and characters that were introduced in this version are: Mom’s job as a real estate agent, her relationship with Lawrence Quinn, and his dislike of Conrad. Interestingly, in the movie version the children are not alone. They have a babysitter, Mrs. Kwan. She falls asleep just before the visit of this mischievous cat. Cast of Characters: Mike Myers --- The Cat Kelly Preston ---- Mom (Joan Walden) Alec Baldwin --- Lawrence Quinn Dakota Fanning --- Sally Spencer Breslin --- Conrad Amy Hill --- Mrs. Kwan Sean Hayes --- The Fish Taylor Rice --- Thing One Brittany Oaks --- Thing Two The MusicalSeussical The Musical, a show based on Dr. Seuss’ most famous books, made its debut on Broadway in 2000. The Cat plays the role of the observer and narrator. In a few situations he jumps into the play, meddling with the other characters and creating conflict.The Cat was originally played by David Shiner. Rosie O’Donnell and Cathy Rigby also played the Cat in the Hat. The original production closed after 198 performances. Even though the original production was not very successful on Broadway, it went on to experience success in theaters in other parts of the country. The Video GamesIf you and your friends love both video games and this colorful character, you can find a wide selection of video games featuring this naughty feline. Here’s a partial list:
The RideThe Cat-in-the-Hat-Ride is one of the attractions of Seuss Landing, a children-oriented area located at Islands of Adventure (Universal Orlando Resort). Other Seuss-inspired attractions include: Caro-Seuss-el, The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, If I Ran the Zoo, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. These rides (with the exception of the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride) are great for young children.Gift IdeasAs you can see, you can find a number of gifts inspired by this beloved Dr. Seuss’ character. Books, video games, and DVDs are some of the gifts you might consider. You can also find toys, key chains, mugs, stuffed animals, and t-shirts. There are also cat-in-the-hat-inspired home decor items such as wall clocks, lamps, picture frames, and cookie jars.For more information about The-Cat-in-the-Hat and other books by Dr. Seuss visit seussville.com. To learn more about Dr. Seuss visit catinthehat.org. Note: All the copyrighted characters mentioned here are trademarks of their owners.
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