Fat Cat and Friends

Fat Cat and Friends

Company type	Children's television program
Industry	Television
Founded	1972
Defunct	1991
Headquarters	Adelaide , Australia
Area served	Australia
Products	Children's television programming

Fat Cat and Friends was a children's television program from Australia, starring Fat Cat—whose full names include Frederick Alphonso Tubsy Cat and Francis Aloysius Tom Cat. This orange or ginger anthropomorphic feline character was known for his distinctive attire: red suspenders, a blue bow tie, a green bowler hat, and striped socks. The series ran from 1972 until its contentious cancellation in 1991. Despite the show's end, Fat Cat continues to serve as the emblem for Perth's Telethon fundraising campaign.

Overview

Following the conclusion of The Magic Circle Club, actor and writer Max Bartlett relocated to Western Australia and played a key role in creating Fat Cat along with the children's program The Underground Video Show.

Echoing the format of the Nine Network's Here's Humphrey, which featured Humphrey B. Bear, this series included resident musician Patsy Biscoe and was presented by John Oster, Jane Reilly, and Lynn Weston. After Fat Cat and Friends ended, Weston went on to host its successor program, The Book Place.

Initially produced at SAS 10 studios in Adelaide, the show endured the 1987 channel frequency swap between channels 10 and 7. For thirteen years, Murray George served as writer, director, and producer. The series aired on the 0-10 Network from 1972 until 1987, then transitioned to the Seven Network from 1988 through 1991.

Reg Whiteman portrayed Fat Cat for more than ten years, succeeded by Ralf Hadzic for an additional five years. Between 1980 and 1985, Melanie George took on the role and later pursued a career as a freelance choreographer. Robert Fordham assumed the character in 1994 for three Fat Cat Storytime video productions. Subsequently, Fat Cat was performed off-camera by a male colleague associated with Patsy Biscoe.

The character Stringbean was originally conceived as Fat Cat’s companion and was first played by experienced comedic actor Nudge McGee during the program’s initial month.

Cancellation

In 1990, the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal introduced a "P" classification targeting preschool audiences, mandating broadcasters to air at least 130 hours of approved "P" content annually.

By 1991, Fat Cat and Friends had its "P" rating revoked after criticism from the Children's Program Committee concerning ambiguous character identity (including unclear gender), substandard production quality, and insufficient educational material. Given the significant expenses involved in regaining this classification, the Seven Network decided to cancel the show and replaced it with The Book Place.

This cancellation provoked public backlash. The rival Nine Network's program A Current Affair organized a satirical funeral for Fat Cat, featuring mascot Humphrey B. Bear laying a wreath at the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal’s offices. The ensuing controversy contributed to the dissolution of the Children's Program Committee.

After cancellation

Although no longer airing, Fat Cat remains a prominent figure as the mascot for Seven Perth’s well-known Telethon fundraising event and continues to bid goodnight to children in Perth on television each evening at 7:30 pm.

Throughout the 1990s, Fat Cat appeared on celebrity editions of Adelaide-produced Wheel of Fortune, often teamed with Channel 7’s puppet Agro who acted as spokesperson. Additionally, Fat Cat featured in sketches on Australian comedy show Full Frontal, where he played a mischievous household pet involved in parodies such as a spoof neutering segment on Animal Hospital and provoking jealousy within marital relationships.

In October 2021, Fat Cat’s fiftieth anniversary was commemorated with a reception held at Parliament House, Perth, celebrating five decades since its television debut.