The Cat Burglar

Episode aired Jan 2, 1963
TV-GTV-G
30m

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

190

YOUR RATING

S2.E15

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Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke in The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961)

Comedy

Family

A successive string of neighborhood cat burglaries makes the Petries and the Helpers jumpy, all of whom get victimized despite their hyper-vigilance over every little sound.A successive string of neighborhood cat burglaries makes the Petries and the Helpers jumpy, all of whom get victimized despite their hyper-vigilance over every little sound.A successive string of neighborhood cat burglaries makes the Petries and the Helpers jumpy, all of whom get victimized despite their hyper-vigilance over every little sound.

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

190

YOUR RATING

Director
- John Rich
Writer
- Carl Reiner
Stars
- Dick Van Dyke
- Rose Marie(credit only)
- Morey Amsterdam(credit only)

Top credits

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2User reviews

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Photos

Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, Ann Morgan Guilbert, Jerry Paris, Barney Phillips, and Johnny Silver in The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961)

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Storyline

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Rob reads in the newspaper that the Segals, one of their neighbors, are the fourth and latest victims of home robbery in their neighborhood in four consecutive nights. The news unnerves Laura, Jerry and Millie. Jerry insists that Rob take one of his rifles, which Rob does unwillingly and unloaded. Thereafter, every little bump in the night Rob and Laura hear makes them believe they are the burglars' next target. Despite the extra precaution and vigilance, both the Petries and the Helpers end up, indeed, being robbed that night, with Rob and Laura's missing item being especially puzzling. Rob's connection to show business proves inconvenient as it makes a police lieutenant suspect his unusual theft is a publicity stunt, but when Laura telephones Rob at work the next day about some mundane household issues, Rob thinks he's figured out who the burglars are and tries to nab them. —Huggo

police lieutenant

robbery

rifle

newspaper

sofa

16 more

Genres
- Comedy
- Family
Certificate
- TV-G
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

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Trivia
An inside joke: As Rob Petrie is wrapping up explaining how the burglars operated, he says "That's a Mark VII." When he gets a quizical look from the police lieutenant, he then asks what the police actually do say. The police lieutenant is played by Barney Phillips, who played Sgt. Ed Jacobs during the first season of Dragnet. Dragnet was produced by Jack Webb's Mark VII production company and every episode ended with a signature hammer and stamped logo.

Goofs
When Jerry shows up at the bedroom window with the rifle, the window is open without a screen and when Jerry leaves all Rob does is close the curtains.

Quotes
Rob Petrie: [discovering Jerry outside his bedroom window carrying a rifle] What in the devil do you think you're DOIN'?
Jerry Helper: Well, uh, Rob, I didn't want to ring the bell and wake up Ritchie.
Rob Petrie: So you decided to shoot a gun off in the room.

User reviews2

Review

Top review

9/10

Home Insecurity

This episode is another honorable mention, it's the simply home robbery plotline that's been in many other sitcoms, but what makes this funny is how both Rob and Laura deal and react to the situation. There are lots of funny moments, from Jerry passing them the rifle from a window that is surprisingly not closed or secure. It's funny what Jerry says about not coming to the front door, which was a moment of stupidity on his part.

But of course, the highlight is seeing Rob hunting down the burglar as there is a robbery possibly in progress in their home. The sequence is funny from beginning to end, I really like that both Rob and Laura are really scared which is understandable the thought of an intruder in your home isn't the most pleasant thought in the world. It's also really suspensful because even I'm a little worried about what would happen if there really is an intruder in the house.

But it's just funny from seeing Rob trying to get one single bullet hidden in the worst possible place, the music box. Seeing Rob constantly react to false alarms and one moment which sort of predates "The Shining" sort of.

Will Rob and Laura be truly secure, you'll just have to wait and see.

Rating: 3 and a half stars.

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