Tom and Jerry | Creators, Characters, & Facts (2024)

American cartoon series

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Top Questions

What is Tom and Jerry?

Tom and Jerry is an American cartoon series about a hapless cat’s never-ending pursuit of a clever mouse. Tom is the scheming cat, and Jerry is the spunky mouse. The series was driven entirely by action and visual humour; the characters almost never spoke.

Who created Tom and Jerry?

The Tom and Jerry cartoon was originally created by animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. MGM’s animation department had yet to produce any hit cartoon characters since it began in the early 1930s, unlike other animation studios operating at the time. Tom and Jerry made their debut in the theatrical short Puss Gets the Boot (1940) and were a hit with audiences.

Who owns the rights to Tom and Jerry?

Warner Brothers currently owns the rights to Tom and Jerry. It produced a television series, Tom and Jerry Tales, from 2006 to 2008 as well as multiple direct-to-video movies featuring the iconic characters.

What criticisms have been raised against Tom and Jerry?

Tom and Jerry’s slapstick antics have been criticized as being too violent for younger audiences, though the violence has lessened since the original MGM shorts. Significant criticisms have also surrounded the prevalence of offensive racial and ethnic stereotypes in the original series. In particular, the character “Mammy Two Shoes” has been criticized for its racist depiction of Black women, and it has since been edited or replaced in old shorts.

Tom and Jerry, American animated cartoon series about a hapless cat’s never-ending pursuit of a clever mouse.

Not yet named in their debut theatrical short, Puss Gets the Boot (1940), Tom (the scheming cat) and Jerry (the spunky mouse) nonetheless were a hit with audiences. Animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera produced more than 100 episodes for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Several of these—including Yankee Doodle Mouse (1943), The Cat Concerto (1946), and Johann Mouse (1952)—won Academy Awards for best animated short subject. In most episodes Jerry foiled Tom’s efforts to catch him and lived to annoy him another day—though occasionally Tom got the upper hand, or the two would join forces against a common enemy. The series was driven entirely by action and visual humour; the characters almost never spoke.

After Hanna and Barbera left MGM, the series was revived several times, most notably in the mid-1960s under the direction of famed animator Chuck Jones. These later versions changed certain elements of the series and softened the violence. The shorts became popular on television, and Hanna and Barbera’s own company acquired the rights to create new Tom and Jerry episodes specifically for the small screen, producing 48 stories between 1975 and 1977. The show remained a television staple for decades, although racist or other offensive elements from the early features were usually edited.

Tom and Jerry: The Movie premiered in 1992 in Europe and appeared on American screens the following year. In 2006 Warner Bros. debuted a new television series, Tom and Jerry Tales, which was closely modeled after the original theatrical shorts. Tom and Jerry (2021), a mix of live action and animation, was a surprise box office hit, grossing more than $100 million worldwide.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.

Tom and Jerry | Creators, Characters, & Facts (2024)

FAQs

What is Tom and Jerry characteristics? ›

"Tom" is a generic name for a male cat. He is usually but not always, portrayed as living a comfortable, or even pampered life, while Jerry, whose name is not explicitly mentioned in his debut appearance, is a small, brown house mouse who always lives in close proximity to Tom.

Who is Tom's crush in Tom and Jerry? ›

Toodles Galore is an attractive white female cat, who usually wears a large blue bow around her neck, and is supposedly Tom's love interest, although Tom is a reputed playboy, and had other love interests before and after Toodles. Toodles is the only love interest who appeared more than twice.

What was Tom's full name? ›

Are they kitten us? Tom and Jerry, the cartoon cat and mouse enemies who've been feuding since the 1940s, have a secret. Apparently their full names are Thomas Jasper Cat, Sr., and Gerald Jinx Mouse, and as CNET sister site ComicBook.com points out, some fans weren't expecting that name game.

What is the real story behind Tom and Jerry? ›

He claimed to have invented the Tom and Jerry, naming it after two white mice he kept as pets. However, the “Professor” toured Europe and probably picked up the idea in London. In 1821 Pierce Egan published a book with two characters named Tom and Jerry who explore 'Life in London'.

What is the full story of Tom and Jerry? ›

Tom and Jerry is an American cartoon series about a hapless cat's never-ending pursuit of a clever mouse. Tom is the scheming cat, and Jerry is the spunky mouse. The series was driven entirely by action and visual humour; the characters almost never spoke.

What makes Tom and Jerry special? ›

Tom & Jerry is funny because no matter how many times and in how many ways Tom fails to punish Jerry, unlike us, Tom never gives up and we cannot understand why.

What does Tom and Jerry represent? ›

Going through all the hardships and crossing the obstacles makes for a strong personality. That is what Tom & Jerry stood for. No matter what happens, every scar is a story to tell and every experience is a lesson learnt.

What is Tom's personality? ›

Powerfully built and hailing from a socially solid old family, Tom is an arrogant, hypocritical bully. His social attitudes are laced with racism and sexism, and he never even considers trying to live up to the moral standard he demands from those around him.

How did Tom and Jerry end? ›

This darker episode shows Tom and Jerry sitting depressed on some railroad tracks, waiting for a train to end their sadness over lost loves. The ambiguous ending implies possible death by suicide for the duo. However, this tragic interpretation was never explicitly confirmed by the show's creators.

Why does Spike hate Tom? ›

Spike's relationships with Tom and Jerry have varied from time to time, but essentially Spike has little affection for Tom Cat, who seems always to be disrupting his life, causing trouble, antagonizing Tyke or all of the above.

What breed is Tom? ›

Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, he is a grey and white anthropomorphic (but usually silent) domestic short haired tuxedo British cat who first appeared in the 1940 MGM animated short Puss Gets the Boot.

What was Jerry's original name? ›

Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, Jerry is an anthropomorphic (but usually silent) brown house mouse, who first appeared as a mouse named Jinx in the 1940 MGM animated short Puss Gets the Boot.

What is Jerry short for? ›

Jerry is a given name, usually used for males. It is of Old English origin, and sometimes can be spelled Gerry, Gerrie, Geri, Jery, Jere, Jerrie, or Jeri. It is a diminutive form (hypocorism) of George, Gerald, Gerard, Geraldine, Jared, Jeremy, Jeremiah, Jermaine, or Jerome.

Why is Jerry the mouse named Jerry? ›

Hanna and Barbera held a studio contest to give the cat and mouse new names by pulling names out of the hat. John Carr, an animator for the show, won the contest (and $50) with his suggestion of 'Tom' and 'Jerry'.

How did Tom and Jerry get their names? ›

Through a contest, of course. An intra-studio competition was organised whereby employees suggested new names for the dynamic duo. The winner was John Carr, an animator, who suggested the names Tom and Jerry and won $50 for it.

Why did you call them Tom and Jerry? ›

Hanna and Barbera held a studio contest to give the cat and mouse new names by pulling names out of the hat. John Carr, an animator for the show, won the contest (and $50) with his suggestion of 'Tom' and 'Jerry'.

Do you know about Tom and Jerry? ›

Tom and Jerry is an American slapstick comedy animated short series and media franchise. The original cartoons were created in 1940, written and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. It is named after its two main iconic characters: a blue-grey cat named Tom and a brown house mouse named Jerry.

What makes Tom and Jerry unique? ›

The camaraderie between Tom and Jerry is second to none. While their little fights are well known, they always stand by each other in times of danger. Both think of the best ways to help each other and make the best out of any situation. In times of grave danger, they make themselves useful and solve the problem.

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