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List of Tom and Jerry episodes facts for kids

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Tom and Jerry is a super famous American animated cartoon series. It's all about a blue cat named Tom and a clever house mouse named Jerry. They are always chasing each other and getting into funny adventures!

This page lists the different Tom and Jerry cartoons that have been made over the years.

The Classic Cartoons: 1940–1958 (Hanna-Barbera/MGM)

The very first Tom and Jerry cartoons were made by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera at MGM. These are the ones most people think of when they hear "Tom and Jerry." They won many awards!

The Beginning: 1940s

The first cartoon was called Puss Gets The Boot in 1940. In this one, Tom was actually named Jasper and Jerry was called Jinx! Their famous names, Tom and Jerry, first appeared in The Midnight Snack in 1941.

Many important characters showed up in these early years:

  • Spike, the big bulldog, first appeared in Dog Trouble (1942).
  • Butch, a black alley cat, and Topsy, another cat, first appeared in Baby Puss (1943).
  • Nibbles, a tiny mouse who later became known as Tuffy, first showed up in The Milky Waif (1946).
  • Tyke, Spike's son, made his debut in Love That Pup (1949).

These cartoons were very popular and won many Academy Awards (also known as Oscars!). Some of the winners include:

  • The Yankee Doodle Mouse (1943)
  • Mouse Trouble (1944)
  • Quiet Please!!!!! (1945)
  • The Cat Concerto (1946)
  • The Little Orphan (1949)

The 1950s: More Adventures

The cartoons continued to be a big hit in the 1950s.

  • In The Two Mouseketeers (1952), Nibbles (the tiny mouse) spoke for the first time and was renamed Tuffy. This cartoon also won an Academy Award!
  • Johann Mouse (1953) also won an Academy Award.
  • In some cartoons, like The Million Dollar Cat (1944), Tom actually won a fight against Jerry!
  • Sometimes, Tom and Jerry even worked together, like in Neapolitan Mouse (1954).
  • The character Mammy Two Shoes, who owned Tom, made her last appearance in Push-Button Kitty (1952).

The last classic Tom and Jerry cartoon from this era was Tot Watchers in 1958.

New Styles: 1960s Cartoons

After the original series ended, new studios took over making Tom and Jerry cartoons.

Gene Deitch's Cartoons: 1961–1962

Thirteen cartoons were made by Gene Deitch and his team in Prague, Czechoslovakia. These cartoons had a different look and feel compared to the older ones. The first one was Switchin' Kitten (1961).

Chuck Jones's Cartoons: 1963–1967

Next, Chuck Jones, famous for his work on Looney Tunes, produced 34 new cartoons in Hollywood. These also had a unique style.

  • The first Chuck Jones cartoon was Pent-House Mouse (1963).
  • Bad Day at Cat Rock (1965) was the first to show Chuck Jones's signature at the end.
  • Some of these cartoons, like Matinee Mouse (1966), mixed new animation with clips from older cartoons.
  • The last cartoon from this era was Purr Chance to Dream (1967).

The Tom and Jerry Show: 1975 (Hanna-Barbera)

In 1975, Hanna-Barbera Productions brought Tom and Jerry to television for the first time with The Tom & Jerry Show. This show had 16 episodes, each split into three shorter parts, making a total of 48 cartoons.

  • The first episode, which included Stay Awake Or Else, The Ski Bunny, and No Way Stowaways, aired on September 6, 1975.
  • These cartoons were made especially for TV and were different because Tom and Jerry often worked together instead of always fighting.

Later Cartoons: 2000s

Made-for-TV Cartoon: 2000

  • The Mansion Cat (2000) was a special made-for-TV cartoon. It was the last short directed by William Hanna before he passed away in 2001.

Warner Bros. Animation Cartoon: 2005

  • The Karate Guard (2005) was a new Tom and Jerry cartoon made by Warner Bros. Animation. It was nominated for an Annie Award!
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