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Tom and Jerry
Creators: William Hanna and Joseph Barbera
Starring Tom & Jerry (mute)
Country of origin United States
Original run 1940–1967
No. of episodes 161
produced by Fred Quimby.
William Hanna, who together with his partner Joseph Barbera, created
cartoon characters such as as Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, the
Flintstones, Scooby Doo and the Jetsons, died in March 2001, at the age of
90. He was the the co-chairman and co-founder of Hanna Barbera Studios,
founded in 1957, when MGM closed its cartoon division.
In the 1940s, their cartoon characters Tom and Jerry danced with Gene
Kelly in the motion picture Anchors Away and Invitation to Dance as well
as with Esther Williams in Dangerous When Wet. In 1957, MGM closed its
animation unit. Cartoons had became relatively expensive.
Throughout their long career, Tom and Jerry have rarely spoken.
Most of the dialogue is done but the rest of the characters in the Tom and
Jerry world; like Mammy, Spike, and Nibbles (or Tuffy). In
those instances where Tom and Jerry were given voice, it was only
for a breif instant, well, more like a one-liner of sorts. However, during
a few films and some cartoons they were given voice. In "The Zoot
Cat" Tom had some Major dialogue when he tried to woo his
girlfriend. In the movie "Anchor's Aweigh" with Gene Kelly, Jerry had
a few lines as well as a dancing roll, however, Tom only had a small cameo
in it.
They both may have had some dialogue in a dream sequence with Esther
Williams
in the movie "Dangerous When Wet"
And of course, "Tom and Jerry the Movie", they talked a lot,
it ruined the characters. the makers of the flick picked voices that
didn't
seem to fit them,
In the first episode of the series Tom was actually named "Jasper."
It wasn't until the second picture, and after a studio naming competition,
that Tom and Jerry were born. Notice here in 1941's "The Midnight Snack"
how much more detail there is in Tom. He is hairier, has 3 whiskers and
usually Is more catlike, running on all fours. From 1942 Jerry didn't change as
much as
Tom but in the early years his ears were smaller and his nose was longer,
he was lighter in color and he seemed to be much more bendable.
Mammy-Two-Shoes appears in the first episode of Tom and Jerry .You never
see
her face and her chin appears only once, in "Part Time Pal."
This bulldog is in countless episodes and in the early years is usually
named Butch.
It wasn't until 1952 that "Spike" became the name of choice. "Love That
Pup" 1949 marks the first appearance of Butch with his son "pup".... later to be
named Tyke.
Nibbles came into being in 1946's "The Milky Waif" and is almost always
cast as a grey
mouse in diapers with a boundless appetite. He was usually daring and
ready to provoke Thomas at the drop of a hat.
1950's "Little Quacker" marks the first appearance of the little duckling.
Tom's loves changed quite a bit from 1940-1957. First there was Zoot Cat",
the young jitterbugging kitten. ThenvIn 1946's-50s there was Toodles .A
sexy white cat
By the mid 50's Tom's girlfriends have changed again... for the worse. She
became not as Lovely and her fur was changed to brown.
From 1961 to 1967, MGM revived the Tom and Jerry series.
Gene Deitch produced produced 13 new cartoons with Czech graphic artists. The quality of the animation, the story as well as the soundtrack was
poorer.
Then, Chuck Jones and Les Goldman took over the Tom and Jerry series Although they managed to improve the cartoons, they were not able to reach
the quality of the work or Hanna & Barbera's sense of fun.
From 1975 to 1977,after having purchased the rights from MGM to produce
new Tom and Jerry
cartoons for TV, Hanna and Barbera also tried to revive their heroes, this
time for ABC Saturday Morning. After years of rivalry, Tom and Jerry had become
best friends. The films were not as violent as the early ones . Becase of
this "violence"
you will not see much of the origioinal films, except in cheap copies of
the older
films (check in dollar stores and discount stores and on line.)
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