Tom and Jerry: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 15:22, 9 December 2024

Tom and Jerry is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. It centers on a rivalry between its two title characters, Tom, a cat, and Jerry, a mouse, and many recurring characters. The series is notable for its slapstick comedy, which is largely conveyed through action and visual gags rather than dialogue.

History[edit]

The original series of Tom and Jerry was produced by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio from 1940 to 1958. During this time, Hanna and Barbera directed 114 shorts for MGM. The series won seven Academy Awards for Animated Short Film, tying it with Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies as the most-awarded theatrical animated series.

In 1960, MGM revived the series with Gene Deitch directing 13 shorts for Rembrandt Films. These were followed by 34 shorts directed by Chuck Jones at Sib-Tower 12 Productions between 1963 and 1967. The series was later revived for television, with new productions such as The Tom and Jerry Show (1975), The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show (1980–1982), Tom and Jerry Kids (1990–1993), and Tom and Jerry Tales (2006–2008).

Characters[edit]

Tom: A blue-grey domestic cat who is the main protagonist and antagonist of the series. Tom is known for his attempts to capture Jerry, though he rarely succeeds.
Jerry: A small, brown, house mouse who is the main protagonist and antagonist of the series. Jerry is known for his cleverness and ability to evade Tom's attempts to catch him.
Spike: A bulldog who often appears as a protector of Jerry and sometimes as an adversary to Tom.
Tyke: Spike's son, who occasionally appears in the series.
Nibbles: A small, grey mouse who is sometimes depicted as Jerry's nephew.

Themes and Style[edit]

Tom and Jerry is characterized by its slapstick comedy and the use of music to enhance the action. The series relies heavily on visual gags and physical comedy, with minimal dialogue. The music, composed by Scott Bradley, plays a significant role in setting the tone and pacing of the episodes.

The series often features elaborate chase sequences, with Tom devising various schemes to catch Jerry, who invariably outsmarts him. The humor is derived from the exaggerated violence and the creative ways in which the characters interact with their environment.

Cultural Impact[edit]

Tom and Jerry has had a significant impact on popular culture and has been referenced in numerous other works. The series has been praised for its animation quality and comedic timing. It has also been the subject of controversy due to its depiction of violence and racial stereotypes in some episodes.

The franchise has spawned numerous spin-offs, merchandise, and adaptations, including feature films and video games. It remains popular with audiences of all ages and continues to be broadcast worldwide.

Also see[edit]

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-[[file:Tom_and_Jerry_(Alt,_with_Cartoon_Network_logo).png|thumb|left]] [[file:TruceBlackface.jpg|thumb|left]] [[file:PDVD_002.jpg|thumb|right]] [[file:Tom_és_Jerry.png|thumb|right]] '''Tom and Jerry''' is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by [[William Hanna]] and [[Joseph Barbera]]. It centers on a rivalry between its two title characters, [[Tom Cat]] and [[Jerry Mouse]], and many recurring characters, based around slapstick comedy.
+[[File:TruceBlackface.jpg|thumb]] [[File:PDVD 002.jpg|thumb]] [[File:The Truce Hurts Super 8 reel.jpeg|thumb]] [[File:T&JCartoonFestival1981.jpeg|thumb]] {{Infobox television
+| show_name = Tom and Jerry
+| image =
+| caption =
+| genre = [[Comedy]], [[Slapstick]]
+| creator = [[William Hanna]] and [[Joseph Barbera]]
+| country = United States
+| language = English
+| num_episodes = 164 (original series)
+| runtime = 6–10 minutes per episode
+| company = [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
+| distributor = [[Warner Bros. Television]]
+| first_aired = February 10, 1940
+| last_aired = September 27, 2005
+}}
+'''Tom and Jerry''' is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by [[William Hanna]] and [[Joseph Barbera]]. It centers on a rivalry between its two title characters, [[Tom Cat|Tom]], a cat, and [[Jerry Mouse|Jerry]], a mouse, and many recurring characters. The series is notable for its slapstick comedy, which is largely conveyed through action and visual gags rather than dialogue.
 == History ==
-The series was produced by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM) and ran from 1940 to 1958. During this time, Hanna and Barbera directed 114 shorts for MGM. The series won seven [[Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film]], tying it with [[Walt Disney]]'s [[Silly Symphonies]] as the most-awarded theatrical animated series.
+The original series of ''Tom and Jerry'' was produced by the [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] cartoon studio from 1940 to 1958. During this time, Hanna and Barbera directed 114 shorts for MGM. The series won seven [[Academy Awards for Animated Short Film]], tying it with [[Walt Disney]]'s ''[[Silly Symphonies]]'' as the most-awarded theatrical animated series.
+In 1960, MGM revived the series with [[Gene Deitch]] directing 13 shorts for [[Rembrandt Films]]. These were followed by 34 shorts directed by [[Chuck Jones]] at [[Sib-Tower 12 Productions]] between 1963 and 1967. The series was later revived for television, with new productions such as ''[[The Tom and Jerry Show (1975 TV series)|The Tom and Jerry Show]]'' (1975), ''[[The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show]]'' (1980–1982), ''[[Tom and Jerry Kids]]'' (1990–1993), and ''[[Tom and Jerry Tales]]'' (2006–2008).
 == Characters ==
-* '''[[Tom Cat]]''': The main protagonist, a blue-grey house cat who is always trying to catch Jerry.
+* '''[[Tom Cat|Tom]]''': A blue-grey domestic cat who is the main protagonist and antagonist of the series. Tom is known for his attempts to capture Jerry, though he rarely succeeds.
-* '''[[Jerry Mouse]]''': The main antagonist, a small brown mouse who always outsmarts Tom.
+* '''[[Jerry Mouse|Jerry]]''': A small, brown, house mouse who is the main protagonist and antagonist of the series. Jerry is known for his cleverness and ability to evade Tom's attempts to catch him.
-* '''[[Spike and Tyke]]''': Spike is a bulldog who often appears as an adversary to Tom, and Tyke is his son.
+* '''[[Spike (Tom and Jerry)|Spike]]''': A bulldog who often appears as a protector of Jerry and sometimes as an adversary to Tom.
-* '''[[Mammy Two Shoes]]''': A recurring character, often depicted as the owner of Tom.
+* '''[[Tyke (Tom and Jerry)|Tyke]]''': Spike's son, who occasionally appears in the series.
+* '''[[Nibbles (Tom and Jerry)|Nibbles]]''': A small, grey mouse who is sometimes depicted as Jerry's nephew.
-== Production ==
+== Themes and Style ==
-The animation style of ''Tom and Jerry'' was notable for its high production values, including detailed backgrounds and strong character animation. The series was known for its use of music, with [[Scott Bradley]] composing the scores for many of the shorts.
+''Tom and Jerry'' is characterized by its slapstick comedy and the use of music to enhance the action. The series relies heavily on visual gags and physical comedy, with minimal dialogue. The music, composed by [[Scott Bradley]], plays a significant role in setting the tone and pacing of the episodes.
-== Legacy ==
+The series often features elaborate chase sequences, with Tom devising various schemes to catch Jerry, who invariably outsmarts him. The humor is derived from the exaggerated violence and the creative ways in which the characters interact with their environment.
-''Tom and Jerry'' has become one of the most popular and enduring series of all time. It has spawned various spin-offs, including television series, feature films, and merchandise. The characters have appeared in various other media and have been referenced in numerous other works.
-== Television Series ==
-Several television series have been produced based on the original shorts:
-* '''[[The Tom and Jerry Show (1975 TV series)]]'''
-* '''[[Tom & Jerry Kids]]'''
-* '''[[Tom and Jerry Tales]]'''
-* '''[[The Tom and Jerry Show (2014 TV series)]]'''
-== Feature Films ==
-''Tom and Jerry'' have also appeared in several feature films, including:
-* '''[[Tom and Jerry: The Movie]]'''
-* '''[[Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry]]'''
-* '''[[Tom and Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale]]'''
-* '''[[Tom and Jerry (2021 film)]]'''
-== Awards ==
-''Tom and Jerry'' has won several awards, including:
-* [[Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film]] (7 times)
-* [[Annie Awards]]
 == Cultural Impact ==
-The series has had a significant impact on popular culture and has been referenced in various other media. The characters of Tom and Jerry have become iconic and are recognized worldwide.
+''Tom and Jerry'' has had a significant impact on popular culture and has been referenced in numerous other works. The series has been praised for its animation quality and comedic timing. It has also been the subject of controversy due to its depiction of violence and racial stereotypes in some episodes.
-== See Also ==
+The franchise has spawned numerous spin-offs, merchandise, and adaptations, including feature films and video games. It remains popular with audiences of all ages and continues to be broadcast worldwide.
-* [[List of Tom and Jerry characters]]
-* [[List of Tom and Jerry episodes]]
-* [[List of Tom and Jerry films]]
-== References ==
+== Also see ==
-{{Reflist}}
+* [[Looney Tunes]]
+* [[Merrie Melodies]]
+* [[The Flintstones]]
+* [[The Jetsons]]
+* [[Scooby-Doo]]
-== External Links ==
+{{Tom and Jerry}}
-{{Commons category|Tom and Jerry}}
-{{Wikiquote|Tom and Jerry}}
 [[Category:American animated television series]]
 [[Category:1940s American animated television series]]
 [[Category:1950s American animated television series]]
-[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer animated short films]]
+[[Category:1960s American animated television series]]
-[[Category:Television series by Hanna-Barbera]]
+[[Category:1970s American animated television series]]
-[[Category:Television series by Warner Bros. Animation]]
+[[Category:1980s American animated television series]]
-[[Category:Tom and Jerry]]
+[[Category:1990s American animated television series]]
+[[Category:2000s American animated television series]]
-{{Tom and Jerry}}
+[[Category:Television series by MGM Television]]
-{{Warner Bros. Animation}}
-{{Hanna-Barbera}}
-{{animation-stub}}