These later versions changed certain elements of the series and softened the violence. The series was driven entirely by action and visual humour the characters almost never spoke.Īfter 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. 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. Several of these-including Yankee Doodle Mouse (1943), The Cat Concerto (1946), and Johann Mouse (1952)-won Academy Awards for best animated short subject. Animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera produced more than 100 episodes for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).

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. William Hanna (left) and Joseph Barbera posing with some of their cartoon characters, 1988.

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