Witch-Cat is a Halloween-themed episode of Hanna-Barbera Australia/Southern Star's animated literary anthology television series, CBS Storybreak. It is based on the book of the same title by Joan Carris and premiered on September 21, 1985.
Synopsis[]
In another dimension, a white cat known as the Queen Mother summons two, other cats named Rosetta and Griselda. The Queen Mother informs Rosetta that she is to be the new pet of a new owner. As Rosetta gets paired with a new owner once every century, this time, she is to be paired with a pre-teen girl named Gwen Markham, who is shown in a vision. Rosetta asks if Gwen knows about this and the Queen Mother says she doesn't. The Queen Mother tells Rosetta she must get Gwen to figure out that Rosetta is no ordinary cat, as she is enchanted. That she'll eventually pass all of her powers to Gwen and won't be able to use them anymore, except on Halloween. Rosetta then gets on the Well of Witches where a beam appears to transport her to Gwen's hometown, and Griselda sends her there. After Rosetta arrives and lands in a trashcan, she asks what she thinks is an armored horse for directions, but she's unaware that it's actually a truck. When the truck doesn't reply, she takes offense and thinks it's being haughty. As Rosetta begins to cross the street, a car zooms by and she flees, scampering up and taking refuge in a tree. Then, Rosetta notices the girl she's looking for to be her next owner, Gwen, who is walking home from a cinema with two female friends. Rosetta jumps down from the tree to bring attention to Gwen. Gwen instantly takes a shine to the orange cat and decides to adopt her. At home, Gwen asks her parents if she can keep the cat. As her mother, Mrs. Markham, begins to answer, Gwen's father, Mr. Markham, says that the cat might belong to someone else. Gwen checks the back of Rosetta's collar and sees her name, but no address. Since there's no address, her parents let Gwen keep Rosetta. Gwen's little siblings, Jason and Deedee, come to see the new pet and take a liking to her as well. Deedee asks Gwen if she can hold Rosetta. Gwen obliges, but tells her to do so gently. The pet Scottish terrier, Dinki, is suspicious and uncomfortable with Rosetta staying, and living with them. Mr. Markham wonders what's up with Dinki, Mrs. Markham says that he's usually friendly, and Jason chalks it up to him just disliking cats.
The next morning, while next to Gwen on the bed, Rosetta magically causes fanfare to wake her. Thinking it was the clock radio, Gwen presses its off button and goes back to sleep. Rosetta then magically cleans up Gwen's room, making books float on the shelf and having clothes fly into the closet, among other things. When Rosetta attempts to wake Gwen a second time, Gwen tells her she's up and notices the tidy room. She's surprised by this and thinking her mom did the cleaning, she goes to the kitchen to let her know what she thinks her mom did. Once Gwen leaves the room, Dinki enters to confront Rosetta. He believes she's up to no good and knows she's up to something because he witnessed her using magic. He calls her a magic cat, but Rosetta says she's a witch cat. When he tries to lunge at and attack her, she magically flies up into the air, he misses, and collides into a wall. She says she'd rather be friends with him, as it will make her job easier. Dinki relaxes for a moment when Rosetta tells him that Gwen is a witch. He finds that absurd, since Gwen is so nice. Unconvinced, he sticks to his guns about his belief that Rosetta is just out to cause trouble and tells her he won't let her as he leaves. Rosetta then watches T.V., pondering the wonders of modern technology such as the T.V. and a jet she watches fly on the screen, and thinks to herself it's no wonder nobody believes in magic anymore. Deedee then brings Rosetta to her room, where she and Jason have a pretend tea party. Gwen's babysitter, Susannah, arrives to watch over her and her friends. Mrs. Markham heads out the door as Susannah gets there and tells her she'll return home at six in the evening. After Jason and Deedee leave the room, Rosetta looks out the window and sees Gwen and the two, other girls on their way to the house, especially the kitchen. Rosetta goes to the kitchen to conjure up a tea set and some desserts. When the three girls enter the kitchen, they're astonished to find all of that on the table. Susannah then comes in and asks if she can steal a cinnamon roll. Gwen and the other girls thought Susannah did all of this, but she tells them all she brought were apples. Rosetta is downhearted that Gwen hasn't figured it out yet. Gwen asks Rosetta why she's so sad, hands her a cookie, and tells her to enjoy the party. Carrying the cookie in her mouth, Rosetta leaves and Dinki sits outside the kitchen, notices this, and realizes everything she told him must be true after all.
When Gwen, Rosetta, and Dinki are at a park, a larger dog comes along and harasses Dinki. Gwen tells Dinki to fight back, but he's no match. Gwen wishes Dinki would do what she told him and Rosetta gives Dinki some assistance by magically giving him a louder bark, and this finally frightens away the larger dog. But Dinki ends up getting injured. Back at home, Dinki is recuperating in his bed basket. Dinki tries to find the words to express his gratitude towards Rosetta for helping him. When Rosetta asks if he trusts her, he is concerned that Gwen will start to favor her more and more over him. Rosetta says Gwen still loves Dinki just the same, but he doubts it. Later, Jason, Deedee, and another boy who is their friend take Rosetta to a cave, where they visit to play a game of explorer. Despite that being forbidden by the siblings' dad, as Deedee points out to Jason. After entering it, Deedee gets uneasy about it and wants to go back home, Jason begins to tell her to stop acting like something, but before he finishes that sentence, Rosetta escapes from her leash after getting antsy and while running, she falls into a crevice. Jason calls for Rosetta and the kids try using their flashlights, but they see no sign of her. Jason and his friend finally relent to Deedee's demand and they return to the house. When Gwen notices Rosetta has gone missing, she asks her mom whether she's seen her or not. Her mom says no, but is certain she'll turn up again eventually. Dinki leads Gwen to the same cave where her siblings and their friend were. Once Gwen and Dinki find Rosetta in the crevice, she wishes she had a rope to pull her out of it and as her wish is her command, a rope appears. Not only that, but she suddenly gains superhuman strength and successfully pulls Rosetta out of there, Gwen can't believe this feat. At the Markham residence, this time, Rosetta is recuperating. She mentions that the kids' parents found out where they'd been and that they're grounded until Halloween. She and Dinki have another talk and thanks him for coming to get her, complimenting on his tracking skills. She tells him she needs some rest, so she can be fresh for Halloween night.
Halloween night arrives and Mrs. Markham meets some trick-or-treaters at the door, giving away the treats. Dinki comes across a pair of trick-or-treaters who he thinks are real monsters. After being frightened off by them, Rosetta tells Dinki that they're really just Jason and his friend in costumes, as that's proven. Since this is the one night of the year for Rosetta to use magic again, she makes Dinki and herself enchantingly fly. Dinki is scared of being up so high, but he's fine once they land in a tree. They spot Gwen and her friends also trick-or-treating. Each of them gets a pencil in their bags rather than candy from somebody known as Mr. Norton and are less than pleased. Rosetta tells Dinki she can make chocolate candy bars appear in their bags. When Dinki asks if she can make them with raisins, she says if he likes. Low and behold, those are exactly what the girls find when they check their bags, they're astounded but satisfied. The blonde friend thinks that Mr. Norton must be a magician and that this is his doing; the black friend begins to take back calling him chintzy. The girls then continue with their trick-or-treating. The next day, after Gwen's parents ask her what's been troubling her, she tells them that about all the phenomena that she's been experiencing for the past few days and nights. She says magic must be the only explanation, but her skeptical dad says it has to be something else, like Gwen must've just thought it was magic that gave her the strength to free Rosetta out of the crevice. Griselda shows up at the Markhams' house to see just how the progress is going with Rosetta. Rosetta tells her it hasn't been going quite as planned. Surprised at this, Griselda says she would've just flown around the house and be done with it and asks if she's coming with her. Rosetta tells her she is. Dinki asks Rosetta if she'll be back. She says that depends on the Queen Mother and the two cats magically vanish. As Gwen comes outside, Dinki sits on the collar Rosetta left behind. She tells Dinki they're going to the library for research on Rosetta and shares the candy bar she received from the night before with Dinki. While at the library, Gwen sifts through an encyclopedia until she comes across a page with a picture of a cat that resembles Rosetta and is with Cleopatra. Gwen learns that Rosetta is of the familiar breed. After reading the definition, she comes to the realization that she and Rosetta have some kind of magical bond. Once she puts two and two together, she tells Dinki they've got to get back home. After returning home, Gwen enters the kitchen where her parents are and shows them the encyclopedia article. She tells them that Rosetta is a witch-cat and that she, in turn, is a witch. Her dad says to prove it if it's true. Gwen demonstrates her newfound magical abilities by making the dishes wash themselves, but she accidentally breaks them, frightening Dinki, and she apologizes for the broken dishes. Gwen isn't thrilled about this, due to witches' reputation for being evil and ugly, but that's not true about all of them. Gwen's mom gives her daughter some words of wisdom, telling her she shouldn't be fearful of her magic powers, because they're considered a gift and a blessing. She says that as long as they're used for good intentions, there is nothing to fret about at all. Gwen takes her mom's advice, but says she needs time to think over it.
Back at the cats' realm, the Queen Mother learns of Rosetta's failure and says that she may need to be replaced by another witch-cat. Griselda replies, "like me", looking to seize the opportunity. Upon hearing this, Rosetta gets teary-eyed, having gotten so attached to Gwen. Back in Gwen's room, she continues testing out her powers. However, she learns to embrace and accept them, as there are benefits to this, such as making chores like cleaning the room get done a lot faster, for one. Yet she wishes she wasn't alone, so that she could have somebody to share them with and just as she mentions that, Rosetta magically returns in her room. Gwen is very glad to see her. She asks if Rosetta will help her get the hang of this some more and she replies with a meow. When Dinki barks, Gwen tells him she loves him too. As Gwen carries them in each arm, the threesome become closer than ever and agree to work together.
Cast[]
| Voice actress/actor |
|---|
| Betsy Chasse |
| Diana Daves |
| Joanie Gerber |
| Patrick Gorman |
| Christina Lange |
| Anna Maria Poon |
| Will Ryan |
| Marilyn Schreffler |
| Richard Shoff |
| Claudette Wells |