Sleepy Time Tom (1951)

 

Sleepy-Time Tom is another Tom and Jerry gem.

In this short film Tom comes home from spending a night on the town with his cat buddies (Butch, Meathead and (according to the Tom and Jerry Wiki) Lightning (though his design looks different to me here)). When he gets home, he is dead tired and goes straight to sleep. However, Jerry has been raiding the ice box while he was gone. This causes Tom's owner to be so upset that she says she will kick him out if he falls asleep while Jerry is stealing food. Tom does all he can to stay awake. 

This cartoon is a perfect showcase for Tom as a character. Though Jerry is also in this film, Tom is clearly the star. Tom completely shines here. Much of what makes this cartoon work is the character animation for Tom. Once again, he doesn't say a word here, but we can see every thought he is thinking. Because of this he feels more real to us than many characters in live action movies. There is not a single scene in this cartoon where we cannot relate to and understand Tom. We all have had times when there was work to do but we felt dead tired. The animation here so perfectly captures this that as much as we enjoy the slapstick comedy, we also really feel sorry for Tom. This also shows one of the main ingredients for why Tom and Jerry stands out among the many series of chase cartoons. Tom doesn't have to be a bad guy or a villain. He is a relatable character that we all see a little of ourselves in. This is because he is just like us, a guy simply trying to do his job. This makes it more appealing than simply watching an evil villain chase after an innocent hero. 

While this cartoon may not be as consistently hilarious as some other Tom and Jerry films, when the gags land, they land beautifully. No matter how many times I watch this cartoon, the coffee scene and the ending always make me laugh out loud. 

The credited animators on this film include Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and Ray Patterson. It would be reissued to theaters in 1958 and again in 1966. 

Below is the movie poster for this film. 

  

Jerry's Cousin (1951)

 

This short film introduced one of the most popular supporting characters in the Tom and Jerry franchise. This is Jerry's cousin, Muscles Mouse. Though this is his only theatrical short, the character has gone on to become a fan favorite. He would later appear in multiple episodes of TV's The Tom and Jerry Show (the one from the 2010's, not the one from the 1970's) as well as the Tom and Jerry in New York episode, Stunt Double Trouble (2021). A mouse named Freddie appeared in the direct to video movie, Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring (2002). This mouse had the exact same design as Muscles. However, there is no mention of this character being Jerry's cousin and in fact he doesn't get along with Jerry. This has led to a debate as to whether or not this is the same character. That feature film would get a video game adaption (for the Game Boy Advance) in which Freddie would be a boss. 

In this short film Jerry is once again having trouble with Tom. Jerry sends a letter to Muscles asking him to help with Tom. When Muscles comes over, he soon makes short work of Tom. 

This is a delightful cartoon. The main reason this film works is that Muscles is a wonderful character. The idea of Tom meeting an incredible strong mouse is a perfect story idea that really helps this film stand out. The mixture of his pure tough guy "don't mess with me" attitude and his protectiveness of Jerry helps make Muscles a character who is immediately appealing. While there may be funnier Tom and Jerry cartoons, the gags here all work very well. Once again, these gags are typical cartoon gags that work especially well because of great character animation and William Hanna's perfect timing. One of the best examples of this is the most famous gag in the cartoon. This is when Tom calls a group of hit men (or hit cats) to take out Muscles (this scene would later go on to internet fame as a meme). The gag on its own would only be amusing. However, the animation of Tom looking shady as he calls them, and the silly George Raft inspired walk of the cats make it truly hilarious. This film also has a near perfect ending. 

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera made have had this film on their mind when they made the Pixie and Dixie TV cartoon Cousin Tex (1958). The cartoon (which aired as part of The Huckleberry Hound Show) had meeces Pixie and Dixie being visited by their cousin Tex, who makes short work of the cat Mr. Jinks in a similar way to how Muscles does to Tom. 

This cartoon was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. This year it was the only film from a different studio than UPA to be nominated. Its competition was only two cartoons. The other two films were Gerald McBoing Boing (1950) and the Mr. Magoo cartoon Trouble Indemnity (1950). The winner that year would be Gerald McBoing Boing, which is truly a wonderful cartoon. You can watch both of these UPA film below. 

This film was released to theaters on April 7th, 1951. It would be reissued to theaters on My 24, 1958. The credited animators on this cartoon are Ray Patterson, Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse and Irven Spence. It would also be included in the feature length compilation, Tom and Jerry Festival of Fun (1962). Though this movie featured no new animation, Jerry's Diary (1949) was used as a framing device to make it feel like a feature length movie instead of simply a selection of cartoons. The cartoons included in this movie were Old Rocking Chair Tom (1948), The Little Orphan (1949), Jerry’s Cousin (1951), Professor Tom (1948), Mouse Cleaning (1948), Yankee Doodle Mouse (1943), Mouse Trouble (1944), Nit-Witty Kitty (1951), Push-Button Kitty (1952) and Saturday Evening Puss (1950).

Here is your typical ugly movie poster for this cartoon. 

Motion Picture Daily, 1951

Resources Used

Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Lenoard Maltin. 

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Jerry%27s_Cousin 

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/tom-and-jerry-festival-of-fun-1962/

https://lantern.mediahist.org/

Jerry and the Goldfish (1951)

 

In this short film, Jerry becomes good friends with a goldfish. Meanwhile Tom is listening to a radio cook show. When the show talks about a recipe involving fish, Tom gets very hungry and decides to cook the fish. Jerry must protect his little buddy. 

This is a wonderful short. Though this is another cartoon, where Jerry teams up with a friend against Tom, it feels like a pure example of what makes Tom and Jerry great. Besides the voice on this radio (provided by Daws Butler, who would later voice many characters on Hanna-Barbera's TV cartoons including Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound) and Tom's scream (provided by William Hanna), this cartoon plays without dialogue like a classic silent movie. The best Tom and Jerry cartoons are often the ones with the least dialogue and that is definitely true here. Because of this lack of dialogue this film is heavily carried by the character animation. Like always this is one of the best parts of this short. Some of the best character animation is early on in the film when Tom is listening to the radio. The way the expression on his face immediately changes is very funny as is his way of sneaking over to the fishbowl. There is a lot of great slapstick throughout this film. Jerry putting Tom (literally) through the wringer and the wonderful ending gag are just two of the comedy highlights here. Once again William Hanna's timing is simply perfect and even makes the simplest of gags work very well. 

The only real flaw, I find in this cartoon is that when it comes to the characters that Jerry befriended over the years, the fish is one of the least fun and interesting. However, since Tom and Jerry are so dynamic here that doesn't really hurt the cartoon. 

The animators on this film include Irven Spence, Ray Patterson, Ed Barge and Kenneth Muse. The cartoon would be reissued to theaters in 1958. In 1960, the radio scene was reanimated for television airings with the radio being replaced by a TV. This reanimated version would not appear in subsequent TV airings afterwards and today the original version appears on TV airings. Part of Scott Bradley's musical score would later be reused in Happy Go Ducky (1958). 

The following is a review from The Exhibitor magazine. "JERRY AND THE GOLDFISH. MGM - Cartoons. 7min. The little goldfish, a special pal of Jerry becomes the target for Tom, who wants to make a meal of him. Thus starts one of the fastest chases in any cartoon, with Tom, of course, never quite succeeding and the goldfish saved. The gags, treatment, etc., are well out of the ordinary class. This is one of the best in the series. EXCELLENT. (W -320). 

The plot of Jerry befriending a fish would later be used again in the Chuck Jones directed Tom and Jerry film, Filet Meow (1966). However, that cartoon was not a remake of this short. Besides the basic plot idea these cartoons have little in common. 

Here is a typically ugly movie poster for this film.

Casanova Cat (1951)

 

The first Tom and Jerry cartoon of 1951 is a gem that deserves to be more widely seen. 

In this short film, Tom is courting the lovely girl cat, Toodles. He brings her flowers and a pet mouse (Jerry). After Tom makes Jerry do various tricks for Toodles, the mouse decides to get revenge. Jerry writes a love letter to Butch (the black cat who appears in many of these cartoons) and signs it Toodles. When Butch comes up to Toodles' place, Tom and Butch fight over the lovely girl cat. 

This is a wonderful short. Tom and Butch fighting over a girl may have been done before and since, but this film makes the premise feel new and fresh. Every gag here is excellent. The gag with the flagpole is especially excellent. Though it may not be an original gag, the delivery of it is simply perfect. It moves at a fast pace that doesn't give you too much time to anticipate the gag but not too fast to where it loses its effect. The character animation on Butch in this scene is simply perfect as the pure confidence as he gives a suave smile makes the punch line even funnier. Speaking of character animation, the early scenes with Tom, Jerry and Toodles are also excellent. Without a single word these characters perfectly display all we need to know about them. We can see Tom's infatuation with Toodles and how hard he is working to impress her. We can see Jerry's growing frustration with Tom. We can also see Toodles being charmed by Tom's flirtations. With this the story and characters are set up quickly and effectively, allowing the film to spend the rest of its run time on slapstick gags. This shows how well William Hanna and Joseph Barbera understood not only slapstick comedy but also filmmaking. 

The reason this cartoon is so little seen today is because of a brief scene where Tom makes Jerry dance in blackface. This scene has kept the film from appearing on the Tom and Jerry Spotlight DVDs. However, the film has appeared occasional on the TV channels ME-TV and Boomerang with this scene edited out. It is unfortunate that this one gag has kept one of the great Tom and Jerry cartoons from being better known. 

The credited animators on this film are Irven Spence, Ray Patterson, Ed Barge and Kenneth Muse. This cartoon would be reissued to movie theaters in 1958. 

This is the final theatrical cartoon for Tom's girlfriend Toodles. However of clips her cartoons (including her) are reused in the cheater shorts, Smitten Kitten (1952) and Smarty Cat (1955). The Tom and Jerry Wiki lists her as being the same female cat in the Chuck Jones Tom and Jerry cartoon, Love Me, Love My Mouse (1966), but I personally disagree. Later she would have cameos in the direct to video movies, Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz (2016) and Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (2017). She would also appear in episodes of the TV shows, Tom and Jerry Tales, The Tom and Jerry Show (the 2014 version) and Tom and Jerry in New York as well as the video games Tom and Jerry in House Trap, Tom and Jerry Infurnal Escape, Tom and Jerry Tales and Tom and Jerry Chase. 

Motion Picture Daily, 1951


Below is the movie poster for this film. Tom doesn't look too bad, but Jerry looks awful. 

Cue Ball Cat (1950)

 

The first year of the 1950's showed Tom and Jerry films still at the consistant high quality that they had maintianed in the 1940's. The duo's last cartoon of 1950, surely continued this trend. 

This short film, like all the best Tom and Jerry cartoons, has a very simple storyline. Jerry is sleeping under a pool table. When Tom unknowingly hits him with a pool ball, a big fight begins between the two. 

This is an excellent cartoon. Out of this very simple premise, the filmmakers were able to get a true wealth of gags. Not only are the gags here very funny, but they are also very clever. In fact, this film might have some of the cleverest Tom and Jerry gags ever. A lot of these clever gags revolve around the use of objects around the pool hall. These is especially true for how the cue balls take on a life of their own. Tom's impossible tricks with the cue balls are just the beginning of these great gags. I love how the group of cue balls follow Jerry like a train, a gag that becomes even funnier with the use of train sound effects. I also love that these cue balls after wards form almost into a body sticking out of one of the holes, and that the number in the center of the top one turns into to eyes to give Jerry a mean look. As well as these gags this cartoon is also loaded with the violent slapstick one associates with Tom and Jerry. Once again, these violent gags work so well not because of the gags themselves but because of the delivery. William Hanna's timing and the character animation are both pitch perfect here and can make even the weakest gags work. I also love how this is a pure Tom and Jerry cartoon. There are no side characters and not dialogue. Instead all we have is Tom and Jerry and a wealth of slapstick gags. Often that is simply all you need. 

The credited animators on this film are Irven Spence, Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse and Ray Patterson. The cartoon was reissued to movie theaters in 1956. 

A clip from this cartoon is seen in the horror movie, Night of the Lepus (1972), where it can be seen on the screen at a dive in movie theater. Clips were also used in a 

Below is the movie poster for this film. I love the goofy look on Tom's face. 

Still the movie poster looks better than the cover for this Walton Super 8 release. Walton Super 8s were a series of films released for home viewing before home video. Besides Tom and Jerry, this London based company released many films starring Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. 

The Framed Cat (1950)

 

The Framed Cat is an underrated gem of the Tom and Jerry series. 

In this short film, Tom steals a piece of chicken and frames Jerry for eating it. To get revenge Jerry frames Tom for stealing Spike the bulldog's bone. 

This is a pure delight of a cartoon. Everything about this film works perfectly. It does just what a great 7-minute short should. That is to take a very simple story and tell it in the most entertaining way possible. That is definitely the case here as there is not one dull moment. I feel that anyone who is interested in becoming an animator should study the Tom and Jerry films and this is a perfect example of why. These characters perfectly express themselves and everything going on in their mind with minimal dialogue. There are many moments of great character animation here, but the highlight is the scene with the magnet and the bone. This is not only the funniest part of a film full of great gags but it also an example of character animation at its finest. What is so funny about this scene is not the gag itself, but the character animation. Tom's complete confusion as to why the bone keeps coming back to him and Spike's growing frustration are what make this scene funny. The timing on this scene is also perfect. During this time period William Hanna's sense of comedic timing was at its peak. The magnet making Tom turn around every time Spike moves the bone is a hilarious gag that would have fallen flat without great timing. 

In this film, Spike is missing white part on his chest, which appears in every other cartoon with the character. Instead in this film his whole body below his head is entirely gray. This is also a rare cartoon where Tom and Spike live in the same house. 

The credited animators on this cartoon are Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and Ray Patterson.

Below is the movie poster for this film. It is definitely better looking than many of the earlier movie posters for these cartoons. 

The Hollywood Bowl (1950)

 

In the vein of The Cat Concerto (1947) before it, this film once again features Tom trying to put on a concert and Jerry wanting to be a part of it. Tom has a big concert at the Hollywood Bowl as the conductor. Jerry wants to conduct alongside Tom, but Tom does not take to kindly to this. Tom tries his best to get Jerry out of his way, but the mouse proves to be incredibly stubborn. 

This is a delightful cartoon. While it may be similar to The Cat Concerto, it never copies the previous cartoon, not even to use one of the same gags. While this may not be the funniest Tom and Jerry short, the humor is still a lot of fun. The gags here mostly make one smile rather than laugh out loud but there is no problem with that. The one exception to that though is the climactic scene where members of Tom's orchestra start disappearing. The climax is truly hilarious. The character animation here is simply wonderful. Once again these characters come to life in a way even most live action movie characters don't. This is a completely dialogue less short but just from how they move and their facial expressions, we know everything about who these characters are and what they are thinking. The scenes with both of them conducting are character animation at its best. 

IMDB's trivia section states, "One of the very few times composer Scott Bradley used the full MGM Orchestra for the soundtrack, since the subject demanded it. He typically scored the MGM cartoons for a 20-piece ensemble, claiming 'You don't need more than 20 players for cartoon music.'" While it is important not to take anything IMDB says as absolute fact, this film definitely a larger and more orchestral score than the average Tom and Jerry cartoon. All the music Scott Bradley did for the Tom and Jerry films was fantastic but this short truly is a standout in this respect. The music here (including some great classical pieces) is simply wonderful. 

The credited animators on this cartoon are Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, Ray Patterson and Irven Spence. 

In the original release of this cartoon the opening titles were superimposed over a starry blue sky. However in the reissue the opening titles were over a simple blue background. Most TV airings of this film feature the reissue opening. 

Original 

Reissue

Below is the movie poster for this film. While not perfect, it is a great deal better than most of the MGM cartoon posters of this time.