To the best of our knowledge, Catman and Reuben was a one-shot one-hour pilot produced out of KHJ, Channel 9 in Los Angeles and starring the comedy team of Pepper Davis (as Reuben) and Tony Reese (as Catman). It aired twice on that channel at 10 PM on two successive Monday nights — February 21, 1966 and again on February 28. It may have run in some other cities, as well. It appears to have been so poorly received that it was never aired again and plans to produce more episodes and to syndicate the series in other markets fell apart.
These clippings were found by David A. Grudt and Bill Mullins. Additional info will be added to this page if and when any is found.
The clipping below was part of a show biz gossip column in the Las Vegas Review Journal for 2/21/1966…
And this review/article ran in the Los Angeles Times on February 25, 1966…
NEW: Kef Schecter found this in Long Beach's Independent Press-Telegram for 2/20/66…
CATMAN — Premiere.
The old camp-grounds are getting crowded, and any similarity to any other serial is entirely intentional, as our hero and his ward Reuben, the Wonderful Boy, launch a weekly crusade against the forces of evil. Tony Reese and Pepper Davis star at 10 p.m. ch. 9, as the Masked Duo strike out against the evil smuggler Dr. No-Good.
And in Terry Vernon's "Tele-Vues" column in the Independent…
Anent the "Catman" spoof premiering on channel 9 tonight: "Determined to continue his efforts against the forces of evil, Catman ventures forth each night for one cataclysmic failure after another. His associate Reuben, before joining the Catman was a ward of the court in Montgomery, Ala, sort of a Montgomery ward. Since joining the Catman, his unswerving loyalty has helped solve absolutely nothing.
Kef also found a listing for the show in the Asbury Park Press in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
More info will appear here if and when anyone comes across any. I seriously doubt that film still exists of the actual show but if it does, trust me and the above review. It was not a masterpiece.