Mr. Mistoffelees first appeared as a character in T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, published in 1939, and later became a standout figure in Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage musical Cats, which opened in London in 1981. Known as the Magical Mr. Mistoffelees, he is the show's conjuring cat, famous for tricks, illusions and an elaborate dance number that often steals the scene. Clips associated with him continue to circulate among musical-theatre fans online, where they are reused as shorthand for cleverness, surprise and theatrical flair.