The Duck Doctor (1952)

 

This short film is a rarity in Tom and Jerry's filmography. That is because Tom and Jerry don't actually interact with each other in this film. This would only happen in one other cartoon, Tom and Chérie (1955). In The Duck Doctor, instead of interacting with each other they interact with Quacker the duck. There has been debate about whether this is Quacker or not because he is colored differently than he is in all his other appearances. However, since he has the same voice (provided by Red Coffey) and personality, I consider him the same character. His design here though is close to the duck from the Tex Avery MGM cartoon, Lucky Ducky (1948). 

In this short film, Tom decides to go duck hunting. Tom ends up shooting one of Quacker's wings. However the duck gets away from Tom and finds Jerry. Jerry helps patch up the duck's wing and tries to help protect him from Tom as he tries to join up with his family. 

This may not be one of my favorite Tom and Jerry cartoons. However, that is more a matter of preference than a comment on the quality of this cartoon. I personally prefer to watch Tom and Jerry fight each other rather than turning the focus over to the supporting characters. 

Still, I must admit that this is an excellent cartoon and probably the second-best cartoon with Quacker the duck (That's My Mommy (1955) is the best). Much of the reason for this is simply that the gags are often very funny. This is especially true of the gags involving the anvil. Anvils are pretty much a cartoon cliché by this point with how many gags involving them have been done over the years. However, the anvil gags here are so good that they still manage to stand out. The character animation of Tom towards the second anvil gag is simply wonderful making a simple joke truly fantastic. I also really enjoy the outdoor farm setting for much of this film. It allowed for some great background art and helped the short stand out. The moments between Jerry and Quacker are quite effective in their cuteness. The ending moment of this film is not really funny, but it is simply adorable. 

The credited animators on this film were Irven Spence, Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse and Ray Patterson. This was the 64th Tom and Jerry short. 

Below is the movie poster for this film, which admittedly looks better than most of the Tom and Jerry posters. Although the coloring of Quacker is all wrong. 

 

The Flying Cat (1952)

 

The Flying Cat marked the first Tom and Jerry film to be released in 1952 (and the 63rd short film overall). It also marked the second and last cartoon to co-star Jerry's little yellow canary buddy. The character had previously appeared in Kitty Foiled (1948). The Tom and Jerry Wiki (which calls this character Cuckoo) states that the red bird in Two Little Indians (1953) is the same character colored red but I personally don't see it. He does however have a small cameo in Hic-cup Pup (1953). Two cheater cartoons, Life with Tom (1953) and Matinee Mouse (1966) feature clips from his two co-staring cartoons but feature no new animation with the character. Unlike many other supporting characters in Tom and Jerry shorts this character would not appear much in the later Tom and Jerry feature length movies or TV cartoons.  

In this short film, Tom gets a hankering to eat the little canary and Jerry sets out to save his little buddy. The usual slapstick follows until Tom crashes into a room and finds a girdle attached to him. However, the girdle gives him a pair of wings and he discovers he can now fly. Now that Tom can fly, Jerry and the little bird need to keep on their toes. 

This is an excellent cartoon. In many ways this film is exactly what you might expect from a Tom and Jerry cartoon. It moves at a fast pace and the gags never stop. Meanwhile not a single word is spoken. All there is here is pure cartoon slapstick from start to finish. Every single gag here lands perfectly and this is truly a laugh out loud funny cartoon. William Hanna's timing here is not only near perfect, but it is absolutely perfect. When the film ends, I am always amazed that 7 minutes had passed by. Simply put this is the typical Tom and Jerry formula but done so perfectly that it truly stands out. Yet the adding of having Tom be able to fly, does add a tiny fun twist on the formula that really works. This is one of the best Tom and Jerry films of the 1950's. 

The credited animators on this film are Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence, Ed Barge, Ray Patterson. Clips from this film would later be used in the Tom and Jerry cartoon, Matinee Mouse. Characters can be seen watching this cartoon in the movies, Strange Brew (1983) and Striptease (1996).

Below is the usual ugly movie poster for this film. 

Cat Napping (1951)

 

Cat Napping marked the last of eight Tom and Jerry cartoons released in 1951 and 62nd Tom and Jerry short film. 

In this short film, Jerry is napping on a hammock, when Tom comes by wanting to nap on the same hammock. Tom kicks Jerry off the hammock and of course Jerry seeks revenge on his feline foe. 

This is a very fun cartoon. If it doesn't fully live up to earlier Tom and Jerry shorts that is more because those cartoons set up such a high standard than anything wrong with this film. While there aren't as many laugh out loud moments here as the shorts of the 1940's, there aren't any jokes that fall flat either. It just that this is a cartoon that makes you smile more than laugh out loud. There is nothing wrong with that and this cartoon is simply a delight. Once again Willaim Hanna's timing is pitch perfect. The whole cartoon moves at a very quick pace, and it is hard not to get caught up in the comic energy here. Scott Bradley's very energetic score only adds to this energy and fun. The film also benefits from some wonderful character animation. One of the few laugh out loud moments here comes mainly from the character animation. This is a wonderful moment when Tom finds Spike's dog collar and tries to picture who it belongs to. The animation in this scene allows you to watch Tom's mind working. The joke in itself is fine but it is this little touch that makes it truly funny. 

A group of ants would appear in this cartoon. They would later appear in the Tom and Jerry shorts, Pup on a Picnic (1955) and Barbecue Brawl (1956). They would later be reoccurring characters on TV's Tom and Jerry Kids Show.

After going to a creamy-tan color in his last appearance, Spike goes back to a light gray here. This is the last time he would be the last time he would appear as this color until 1990 in the TV series, Tom and Jerry Kids Show. Despite a better print existing until very recently Cartoon Network and Boomerang have only been showing a very faded poor looking print of this cartoon. It wasn't until 2020 that Boomerang would start showing a much better print. 

The credited animators on this film are Irven Spence, Ray Patterson, Ed Barge and Kenneth Muse. It is available on the DVD set Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection, Vol. 1, as well as the induvial DVDs Tom & Jerry's Greatest Chases Vol. 3 and Tom and Jerry: In the Dog House. 

There would be an episode of The Tom and Jerry Show called Cat Napped. However, that episode would bear no relation to this short film.

The movie poster for this film uses the title, Fraidy Cat, which is the name of a 1942 Tom and Jerry cartoon. 

Nit-Witty Kitty (1951)

 

This was one of my favorite Tom and Jerry cartoons as a kid and I still love it today. 

In this short film Tom gets hit in the head and thinks he is a mouse. As a mouse, Tom makes Jerry's life completely miserable by eating all the cheese for himself and going into Jerry's mousehole. Jerry does whatever he can to turn Tom back to normal. 

This film is simply wonderful. The plot idea itself is very creative and a wonderful twist on the typical Tom and Jerry formula. This gives it a unique feel that makes it stand out from the pack. Adding to this unique charm is that through much of the film Tom gets the better of Jerry. As a Tom fan (even as a kid I found myself rooting for Tom) this turnabout was delightful. Making it work even better was the great character animation of Jerry as he gets more and more frustrated with Tom. Seeing Jerry have the same sort of frustrated reaction to his plans backfiring as we usually see on Tom make this cartoon all the more enjoyable. The character animation on Tom as he thinks he is a mouse. He not only acts different from his usual self, but he moves differently and reacts differently. Even if we haven't studied the animation in these shorts, we subconsciously know how Tom is supposed to move and the facial expressions he should have. The drastic change here in the way he is animated changes who the whole character is even if his design remains mostly the same. Because of this Tom becomes a whole new character and this not only shows why this film is so delightful but also how real these characters have become to us by this point. When it comes to the humor, this film lacks the sheer number of great gags we saw in the 1940's Tom and Jerry shorts, but it makes up with simply how funny the gags that work are. The ending gag is one of my favorite Tom and Jerry ending and always puts a smile on my face. One could argue that it is a predictable ending, but the delivery is so great that is truly hilarious. This film also begins with a great cartoon-y moment with some delightfully funny and abstract animation of Tom after he has been hit. It is no wonder this cartoon was a favorite of mine as a kid. Not only this but it holds up wonderfully now that I am in my 30's. 

The credited animators on this film include Ray Patterson, Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse and Irven Spence. A clip from this cartoon would later be used in the Tom and Jerry cartoon, Shutter Bugged Cat (1967) and it can be seen on the TV in Paul Mazursky's Alex in Wonderland (1970). This is the 61st Tom and Jerry short film. 

Below is the typically ugly movie poster for this film. Jerry especially looks horrible. 

Slicked-Up Pup (1951)

 

This short film marked the second screen appearance of Spike the bulldog's young son Tyke. The character had not appeared in a cartoon since Love That Pup (1949) and wouldn't appear again until That's My Pup! (1953). Like in his previous film he does not talk here, only letting out a few barks. He would not gain the ability to use words until 1990 with TV's Tom & Jerry Kids Show (a delightful and underrated TV series). This cartoon however did feature a slight change in both Tyke and Spike. This is a change in color. The two go from the light gray they were in their previous cartoon (or cartoons in the case of Spike) to what the Tom and Jerry Wiki refers to as "creamy-tan." They would remain this color for the rest of their career in theatrical shorts but would revert back to their original color in Tom and Jerry Kids Show. 

In this short film Tom accidently gets Tyke dirty as he is chasing Jerry. This makes Spike very angry. Spike tells Tom that he is stepping out for a bit but if Tyke is messy when he comes back, he will pulverize the poor cat. Unfortunately for Tom, Jerry overhears this and sees it as the perfect opportunity to get back at his foe. Jerry does everything he can to get Tyke messy, while Tom does all he can to clean Tyke up. 

This may not be the most original story with the idea of Tom having to keep something (or in this case someone) clean or else having been done a few years earlier in Mouse Cleaning (1948). However with Tom and Jerry the point is never the originality of the premise but rather the execution. Luckily the execution is wonderful here. Like always the best laughs don't come from the gags themselves but rather the great character animation. The character animation couldn't be better here. Jerry tricking Tom into playing a game of Tic-Tac-Toe on Tyke's body is a standard cartoon gag. However watching Tom carefully thinking about his next move and being so delighted with himself after doing it is hilarious. The same is true of his brief pride from winning the game of Tic-Tac-Toe before he realizes what he has done. Once again without saying a word Tom is one of the most expressive cartoon characters out there and he always feels completely real to us. This cartoon also features a truly clever extended gag at the end with Tom trying to disguise Tyke as a chicken. The sheer ridiculousness of this gag and the idea that anyone would be fooled is laugh out loud funny. This film also benefits from a wonderful score by Scott Bradley. While Scott Bradley's music is always wonderful, this is an especially lively and fun score. 

 The credited animators on this cartoon include Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and Ray Patterson. This is the 60th Tom and Jerry cartoon overall. 

Below is the movie poster for this film.

His Mouse Friday (1951)

 

Though you will never see this cartoon on Boomerang or METV, there is a lot to enjoy about it. 

In this short film, Tom finds himself adrift out at sea. When Tom arrives on an island, he sees tries to find food. This is when he spots Jerry and decides he would make a great snack. Jerry disguises himself in blackface so that Tom will think he is a cannibal and be afraid and go away. 

Just looking at the plot description above it is easy to understand why this film is not shown on TV today. The racial stereotypes are simply no longer considered to be appropriate for any children watching TV today. The film though is available on DVD appearing on the DVD set Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 3. There is a very strange bit of censoring here. In the final scene (slight spoilers) a small native pokes Jerry with an arrow and states, "Mmmm... barbecued mouse!" In this censored version (using a zoom and a pan), the small native is kept offscreen, yet we can still here his dialogue. However, when we see the large natives that corner Tom as well as Jerry in blackface, it becomes hard to understand, what this small bit of censorship actually accomplishes. 

Though this film may not be politically correct there is a lot to enjoy here for Tom and Jerry fans. The slapstick in the early scenes is hilarious. This is especially true of Tom's attempts to get food before he spots Jerry. The gag with the coconut is especially funny due to how perfect William Hanna's timing at this time was. Though very impolitically correct hearing the deep voice come out of Jerry as he is in blackface, took me by surprise the first time I saw this and made me laugh out loud. Tom's imitation of Jerry later is equally funny.  

Unfortunately, though this film has some great gags, there are less gags as a whole than other Tom and Jerry shorts of this era. The ending is also too predictable and not as funny as it should be. Yet neither of these flaws keep this from being a fun cartoon. 

The credited animators are Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence, Ray Patterson and Ed Barge. The film would be reissued into theaters in 1958 and again in 1964. 

Heard on the soundtrack is a song called Chloe (Song of the Swamp). This song was written by Neil Moret and Gus Kahn in 1927 and was very popular with jazz and swing musicians. This song had been recorded by a large number of artists including the All-Star Orchestra, Tracy Brown Orchestra, The Colonial Club Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo and The Ravens. However, the most famous version of this song is a 1945 parody version by Spike Jones and His City Slickers (which he performed in the feature film, Bring on the Girls (1945)). Below you can listen to Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of this song as well as Spike Jones' parody version.

  

Below is the movie poster for this film. 




Nothing can ever compare to the ugliness of this cover for the 1973 Walton Super 8 version of the film to watch at home. What the heck is this?

Resources Used

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

https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/a-musical-up-roar-1949-51/

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.