IED0DXM%UCLAMVS.BITNET@WISCVM.WISC.EDU (09/01/86)
Concerning Pyewacket (one of several spellings -- even the KBC has spelled it more than one way): Kate has two cats, as everyone knows, but because of the history behind Pye's name, he (?) gets all the attention. (Kate herself always gives them equal time in her comic strip.) The name may indeed mean "witch's familiar" in some early form of English. IED believes that Kate probably heard the name in the movie "Bell, Book and Candle", which starred James Stewart and Kim Novak (as the witch). In that movie, Novak had a Siamese cat named Pyewacket who acted as her familiar, and around whom much of the plot revolved. Pye's role is probably the largest ever given to a cat in a play; IED has read newspaper reports describing auditions for the role of Pye in at least two different regional productions. So KT's Kit-T has notorious namesakes working on the boards. Now, if someone could just track down the origins of the name "ZOODLE".... Incidentally, according to one of Kate's earliest NME (or MM) "interviews", the Bush family used to have a dog named Piggy, as well. Perhaps this is the name of the hound who appears in the famous backyard family portrait that appears in Vermorel's or Kerton's book. Anyone know? Speaking of which... For the party IED has cooked up a brief audio surprise for serious Lovers of "Hounds" to keep you going, to keep the shit away...