Designs on Jerry (1955)

 

Designs on Jerry is a very iconic Tom and Jerry film and one of the first films cartoon fans think of when they think of the cat and mouse duo. Most every classic cartoon fan can remember the basic premise of the stick figures on Tom's blueprints coming to life. This premise is so well remembered that the 21st century TV series Tom and Jerry Tales would revisit it with the opening to each episode. 

In this short film, Tom decides to make it rich by creating a better mouse trap. He draws up a detailed blueprint and builds said mouse trap. He then goes to sleep with dreams about making it rich and plans to test the trap out on Jerry in the morning. However, while he sleeps the stick figure mouse on Tom's blueprint comes to life to warn Jerry. The stick figure cat also comes to life to catch the stick figure mouse. Jerry and his new friend must outwit this stick figure cat. 

While this cartoon may not be as laugh out loud funny as the cat and mouse duo's 1940's output, it more than makes up for this with its clever storyline. The premise of this film is irresistible. It is the kind of clever twist on the basic Tom and Jerry formula that makes for the best entries in this series. This cartoon follows the typical Tom and Jerry formula while still feeling like something unique. The juxtaposition of the traditionally designed Jerry with the more stylized blueprint drawings helps create some fun and very memorable visuals that stick in your mind while after the film is over. This cartoon also finds many fun and clever ways to use the fact that two of the characters are stick figures. That they can fight using pens and erasures and can transform their body into various shapes make this clever premise just as clever in the execution. Though Tom may have less screentime here than usual, he is still well utilized. The character animation on Tom and his dreams of becoming rich provide some fun visual gags at the start. 

The credited animators on this film are Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge. The credited background artist is John Didrik Johnsen. This one of the rare Tom and Jerry shorts he gets a credit on. For the most part he worked on the cartoons Tex Avery and Dick Lundy were directing for MGM at this time. The ending of this cartoon was later reused in the Tom and Jerry cheater cartoon, Shutter Bugged Cat (1967). Designs on Jerry is available on the DVD set, Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 1. This is the 93rd Tom and Jerry cartoon overall. 

Below are some storyboard drawings for this film.

Below is a layout drawing for this film. 

Here are a couple publicity stills. 

Here is a brief look at the continuity script. 

This cartoon is also available to watch for free (and legally) on YouTube.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used

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

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Designs_on_Jerry

 

Mouse for Sale (1955)

 

Mouse for Sale marks the 92nd Tom and Jerry short film. Though many of the Tom and Jerry cartoons had gone into CinemaScope by this time, this film is not in the CinemaScope format. By the next year, all Tom and Jerry cartoons would be in Cinemascope. 

In this short film, Tom reads in a newspaper about a pet store willing to pay lots of money for a white mouse. Tom paints Jerry white and sells him to the pet store. Tom's owner finds the money that Tom got and uses it to go shopping. She comes back having just bought the painted white Jerry. When Tom fights with Jerry his owner gets angry at him for fighting with her new pet. This leaves Tom to try and get the paint off of Jerry to prove that he is not really a white mouse. 

This is a charming little cartoon. The storyline is a wonderful twist on the classic Tom and Jerry formula. One of the most impressive factors to the Hanna and Barbera Tom and Jerry shorts is how the filmmakers were so often able to come up with new story ideas for a series that had such a simple premise. That is definitely true here as this short feels quite original even if it borrows an element or two from previous cartoons. Yet, while this cartoon makes some twists on the typical Tom and Jerry formula, it also stays true to what fans love about the series. We still get to enjoy seeing these two foes have a real battle of wits. Many of the ways the two tried to one-up the other were very clever. This cartoon also benefits from some strong character animation. The animation of Jerry dancing is simply delightful and adorable. Meanwhile Tom's over the top Tex Avery inspired takes are a lot of fun. If I had one complaint about this film, it is that while the humor is often clever, it is not really laugh out loud funny. As was becoming more common with the Tom and Jerry films of this period, I found myself smiling and chuckling at the gags but rarely laughing out loud. The only gag that is really laugh out loud funny is the ending gag. This is a perfect Tom and Jerry ending and just the type of clever twist that makes me love this series. 

The credited animators on this film include Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, Irven Spence and Ray Patterson. Robert Gentle is the credited background artist. This was not the first Tom and Jerry short where the Jerry being painted white was used as a plot point. That had been done before in The Missing Mouse (1953). However other than that simple idea, the storyline and the gags in each cartoon are very different from each other. The gag involving Tom painting a metal bolt as a piece of cheese and then using a magnet to catch Jerry was tried before by Butch (the black cat) in Trap Happy (1946). This cartoon is available on the DVD set, Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 3. The 2006 album, TOM AND JERRY & TEX AVERY, TOO! Volume 1: The 1950’s, features musical scores from various MGM cartoons. Included here is Scott Bradley's score for Mouse for Sale. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used

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

https://hanna-barberawiki.com/wiki/Mouse_for_Sale_(theatrical_short)#Home_availability

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Mouse_for_Sale

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/tex-tom-jerry-droopy-on-scott-bradley-soundtracks/

Pup on a Picnic (1955)

 

Pup on a Picnic marked the 91st Tom and Jerry short film and the first time that Spike and Tyke appeared in Cinemascope. 

In this short film, Spike the bulldog is taking his little son Tyke on a bulldog on a picnic. However, Tom and Jerry's fighting makes this picnic anything but peaceful. 


This is a very charming cartoon. The storyline is simple but is charming in its simplicity. When making a one-reel cartoon, sometimes you don't need anything more than a simple but clever premise. Tom and Jerry's fighting ruining Spike and Tyke's picnic is a perfect example of this. Our favorite cat and mouse duo are their usual charming selves here. Though the animation here is more limited than earlier Tom and Jerry shorts, the character animation still does a great job of expressing these characters' personalities without them speaking a word. Meanwhile Spike and Tyke are given great roles here. Simply seeing them try their best to enjoy a little family time together adds to the charm of this cartoon and Spike comes off as more likable here. The background art in this film is absolutely beautiful. There is a lot of detail put into the backgrounds makes them seem to come alive. One of the best moments here is when Spike and Tyke are walking to their picnic, you see their reflections in the water. The story could have still worked well without this moment, but it makes the film all the more charming. I remember even as a kid appreciating this detail. The beautiful nature backgrounds also help this film stand out from the suburban-based cartoons that were becoming very prominent in this series.  If I had one complaint to make about this short, it is that there are no big laughs in it. The gags work well enough, but they are more likely to make you smile, or chuckle than really laugh. This is sadly something that was becoming more and more true of the Tom and Jerry cartoons of this time period. 

The credited animators on this film are Ray Patterson, Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence. The credited background artist is Robert Gentle. The later Tom and Jerry short, Barbecue Brawl (1956) has a very similar story with Spike and Tyke trying to enjoy a barbecue and Tom and Jerry's fighting disturbing it. That care would even end with pretty much the same gag (Spoilers: involving ants End Spoilers). A gag involving Tom swinging into a pole and finding himself crushed by part of it was earlier used in Little Runaway (1952). Pup on a Picnic is available on the DVD set, Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 3. 

Like other Cinemascope cartoons of this time, this film was made in both Academy and CinemaScope aspect ratios. While the same animation cels were used in both versions, the camera shots were reframed, and different backgrounds were used for both versions. However, unlike those the Academy ratio version is the one used for TV, instead of a cropped version of the Cinemascope version. To see the difference between these two versions look below. 

A video from WB Kids' YouTube channel surprisingly shows clips from this film in its Cinemascope aspect ratio. 

The British band Bamboo used clips from this short (as well as the Tom and Jerry short Cat Napping (1951)) in the music video for their 1998 song, Bamboogie. 

Below is a production cel from this cartoon. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used

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

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Pup_on_a_Picnic

Southbound Duckling (1955)

 

Southbound Duckling marks the 90th Tom and Jerry film and the first Tom and Jerry cartoon of 1955. The film hit theaters on March 12, 1955.

In this short film, Quacker the duck decides to fly south for the winter, despite Jerry trying to convince him that domestic ducks don't fly south for the winter. Jerry eventually gives in and tries to help his friend fly south. However, with every attempt, Tom tries to eat Quacker. 

This is a delightful cartoon. The storyline is a bit of departure from your average cat chasing mouse short, while still retaining the slapstick charm that we all love about these films. Tom and Jerry are their usual delightful selves here. While the character animation may not be as lush as in the 1940's shorts, it is still very expressive and can always tell just what these characters are thinking without them saying a word (the duck gets all the dialogue in this short). This film also expands on Jerry's most likable character trait and that is his loyalty to his friends. I love how even though he doesn't like Quacker's plan to go south, he reluctantly agrees to help, when he sees that he can't talk him out of it. Tom also remains his sympathetic self. One of my favorite things about these cartoons is that Tom never feels like a villain but rather a character, we care about and kind of root for. Speaking of rooting for Tom, the ending gag is very satisfying to those of us who love the cat. Though I am not a fan of his cutesy voice, Quacker is used quite well here and there is a charm to his friendship with Jerry. The main problem with this film is that the gags are never laugh out loud funny. None of the gags fall flat but they are more likely to make you smile, or chuckle than really laugh. 

The credited animators on this film are Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence. Vera Ohman is the credited background artist, and Richard Bickenbach is the credited layout artist. Richard Bickenbach not only worked on William Hanna and Joseph Barbera's Tom and Jerry shorts but also on their later TV work. He would work on such Hanna-Barbera TV series as Quick Draw McGraw, The Huckleberry Hound Show, Top Cat, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo Where Are You and many more. He would also work on the Hanna-Barbera feature films, The Man Called Flintstone (1966) and Charolette's Web (1973) and the Loopy the Loop theatrical shorts. Vera Ohman's work with William Hanna and Joseph Barbera reaches past just the Tom and Jerry cartoons. She also worked on such Hanna-Barbera TV cartoon shows as The Huckleberry Hound Show, Quick Draw McGraw and The Yogi Bear Show as well as some of the Loopy De Loop theatrical shorts. Southbound Duckling would receive a semi-remake with the episode of TV's The Tom and Jerry Show entitled The Lost Duckling (1975). In that TV cartoon, both Tom and Jerry would help Quacker fly south for the winter. That cartoon marks Quacker's only appearance on that TV show. Southbound Duckling is available on the DVD sets, Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection: Vol. 3 and Tom and Jerry: Follow that Duck! 

Like some other Cinemascope cartoons of this time, this film was made in both Academy and CinemaScope aspect ratios. While the same animation cels were used in both versions, the camera shots were reframed, and different backgrounds were used for both versions. Sadly, many TV airings of this cartoon feature a cropped version of the Cinemascope version rather than airing it in widescreen or using the Academy version.

Below is a production cel from this film.

 

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Resources Used

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

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Southbound_Duckling

https://hanna-barberawiki.com/wiki/Southbound_Duckling#Home_availability

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/hit-the-beach-part-9/

  

Touché, Pussy Cat! (1954)

 

This marks the last Tom and Jerry cartoon to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. The other films nominated were Crazy Mixed Up Pup (1955, Walter Lantz, directed by Tex Avery), Pigs is Pigs (1954, Disney), Sandy Claws (1955, Warner Brothers, Sylvester and Tweety) and When Magoo Flew (1954, UPA, Mr. Magoo). The Oscar went to When Magoo Flew. This shows what high regard the UPA cartoons were held during this time period. In the 1950's film critics and those in the industry held the UPA cartoons in the same high regard that they held the Disney cartoons in the 1930's. They often felt that these shorts were pushing just what an animated cartoon could be in unexplored directions. This was heavily because of the stylized approach to design in those films that was greatly inspired by modern art. All the cartoons nominated this year were great choices. Crazy Mixed Up Pup was one of Tex Avery's last great films. Pigs is Pigs is a delightful and very funny Disney short that is more than a little influenced by the UPA style. Sandy Claws is one of the best Sylvester and Tweety shorts especially due to it being one of the few Looney Tunes where Art Davis was a credited writer. When Magoo Flew is a very strong Mr. Magoo cartoon and the little dialogue exchange at the end is a classic. 

This also marks the second film in a series of shorts that feature Jerry and Nibbles (or Tuffy if you prefer) as two Mouseketeers. The first of these shorts (The Two Mouseketeers (1952)) won an Oscar. Touché, Pussy Cat! would be followed by two more of these shorts, Tom and Chérie (1955) and Royal Cat Nap (1958). The characters would also use their Mouseketeer roles in multiple of the Del comic books.

In this short film, Mouseketeer Jerry tries to teach Mouseketeer in training Nibbles. However, Nibbles soon finds himself getting in trouble be picking a fight with Tom and Jerry must protect his little friend. 

While not quite as great as the first Mouseketeer cartoon, there is a lot to enjoy about this short. It is a very handsome looking film, something that especially obvious when you view it either in a widescreen format or on a big screen. Unfortunately, if you are viewing the cropped version that often airs on channels like Boomerang, you miss how lovely this film actually looks. The background art is simply wonderful. It gives the whole cartoon a sense of atmosphere that helps it stand out from many other Tom and Jerry. Most of the Tom and Jerry shorts of this time had suburban or barnyard settings, which helps this film stand out even more. Though this may not be the funniest Tom and Jerry shorts, there are some great gags here, such as Nibbles being very chivalrous to a lady mouse that walks by. This is one of those cartoons were you really root for Tom, and this makes the ending gag all the more satisfying. The cartoon is also full of great character animation that makes these characters feel completely real to us. Though Tom and Jerry don't talk, we can always tell exactly what they are thinking. 

The credited animators on this film are Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence. The credited background artist is Robert Gentle. This cartoon is available on the DVD sets Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection, Vol. 1, Tom and Jerry: Once Upon A Tomcat, Tom and Jerry: Merry Mice and Tom and Jerry: Classic Collection: Volume 4. It also appears on the Blu-ray set, Tom and Jerry: The Deluxe Anniversary Collection and the Laser Disc set The Art of Tom & Jerry: Volume II as well as a bonus feature on the Blu-ray for the feature film, The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954). Like some other Cinemascope cartoons of this time, this film was made in both Academy and CinemaScope aspect ratios. While the same animation cels were used in both versions, the camera shots were reframed and different backgrounds were used for both versions. Sadly, many TV airings of this cartoon feature a cropped version of the Cinemascope version rather than airing it in widescreen or using the Academy version. This marks the 89th Tom and Jerry cartoon and the final Tom and Jerry film of 1954. 

Below are some storyboard drawings for this film.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used

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

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Touch%C3%A9,_Pussy_Cat!#Availability

Pet Peeve (1954)

 

Though you may not be able to tell at first glance, Pet Peeve is a very important film in Tom and Jerry's filmography. This marked the first Tom and Jerry short to be released in Cinemascope. Cinemascope was a widescreen process that gave movie goers a larger picture unlike they had seen before. This was one of ways that cinema would try to compete with the new popularity of television. Because of the Tom and Jerry cartoons being created as short films for theaters, they also began to be made in Cinemascope. 23 Tom and Jerry cartoons were made in Cinemascope. Some exciting news for Tom and Jerry fans is that next year a Blu-ray set of all 23 of these films will be released. It will be entitled TOM AND JERRY: The Complete CinemaScope Collection and will be available on February 11th, 2025. For more information about Cinemascope, I recommend watching the video below. 

This film also introduces two new characters, George and Joan. This suburban married couple had replaced the black stereotyped character (often referred to as Mammy Two Shoes) as Tom's owner (in this short they are also Spike's owner). This change represented the changing times between the early Tom and Jerry shorts of the 1940's and these 50's cartoons. This is not only seen by no longer having a racial stereotype as a main character, but also by having the replacement be a suburban couple. Due to a changing America, cartoons of this era were gaining a much more suburban feel to them. Even the Disney characters who had been very much country-based characters in the 1930's cartoons had by this time become full suburbanites. George and Joan would appear in a total of eight Tom and Jerry shorts (including appearances of both characters together and solo appearances of Joan). The two characters would also appear in the Spike and Tyke spin-off short, Scat Cats (1957). Though the characters would never appear after the theatrical shorts, TV's The Tom and Jerry Show would have very similar characters named Rick and Ginger as Tom's owners. 

In this short film, George and Joan are upset when they see the bills. They decide to save money they can keep either Tom or Spike but not both. It is decided that whichever one catches and gets rid of Jerry can stay. 

This is a delightful cartoon and one of the best of the Cinemascope shorts. The premise is clever. In the tradition of the best Tom and Jerry shorts, the story is a clever play on the typical Tom and Jerry formula. It stays true to the cat vs mouse premise that we all love, while adding a nice little twist to it. Seeing Tom and Spike competing to capture Jerry is a lot of fun to watch. The gags themselves are quite good. While like most of the 1950's shorts there is not the sheer number of great gags that there would be in one of the 40's shorts. However, that does not mean there are not any great gags here. There are multiple moments that make me laugh out loud including the scene with the drawers in the desk and the door falling on Tom. The ending gag is also perfect. This ending gag made this short a favorite of mine as a kid. 

The credited animators on this short are Ed Barge, Irven Spence and Kenneth Muse. Robert Gentle is the credited background artist (his work here looks forward to his work on William Hanna and Joseph Barbera's TV cartoons). This is the 88th Tom and Jerry cartoon overall. It is available on the DVD set Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 3. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Pet_Peeve

https://www.animationscoop.com/blu-ray-preview-tom-and-jerry-the-complete-cinemascope-collection/

Downhearted Duckling (1954)

 

Sometimes what is viewed as acceptable subject matter for a silly comedy can change over time. Today if a cartoon centers around suicide, the subject would either be treated as very dark comedy (ala Futurama's suicide booths) or with the upmost seriousness. It definitely wouldn't be used as the basis for slapstick gags and satirically center around such a cutesy character as Quacker the duck. 

In this short film, Quacker reads Hans Cristian Anderson's The Ugly Duckling. He then becomes convinced that he is ugly. This idea gets him so downhearted that he decides to kill himself. As a way to kill himself he tries to have Tom eat him. Jerry sees this and tries to stop Quacker from doing this horrible thing.  

 Even though the subject matter may be dark, this is a pretty good cartoon. Quacker is quite likable here (even if I personally find his voice to be too cutesy at times) and it is hard to not feel for him. For any who has ever struggled with self-confidence (which is pretty much all of us), the pathos here are very effective. Yet at the same time there are some great gags here. There may not be as many great gags as there are in the 1940's Tom and Jerry shorts, there are a couple really funny moments here. The gag where Jerry tries to give Quacker a beauty treatment is laugh out loud funny. There is also some wonderful character animation here, especially Tom's reaction when Quacker first asks Tom to eat him. The background art may not be as elaborate here as in the earlier Tom and Jerry shorts, but it is still very pleasant to look at in a way that looks forward to the backgrounds in Hanna and Barbera's early TV cartoons. 

The credited animators on this short are Irven Spence, Ray Patterson, Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge. Robert Gentle is the credited background artist. This is the 87th Tom and Jerry short. The film is available on the DVD set, Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 3. The little girl duck at the end only appeared in this one theatrical short. She would however later appear in two episodes of TV's The Tom and Jerry Show, Wing Nuts (2018) and Novel Idea (2018). In that series the character was named Fifi. In this original short she is voiced by Red Coffey, who also voiced Quacker. The 2006 album, TOM AND JERRY & TEX AVERY, TOO! Volume 1: The 1950’s, features musical scores from various MGM cartoons. Included here is Scott Bradley's score for Downhearted Duckling. 

-Michael J. Ruhland 

Resources Used

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/tex-tom-jerry-droopy-on-scott-bradley-soundtracks/

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Downhearted_Duckling/Gallery

https://tomandjerry.fandom.com/wiki/Downhearted_Duckling