History of Tom and Jerry Timeline

(1940 - Present)

Tom and Jerry is an iconic American animated series created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1940. The slapstick comedy centers on the endless rivalry between Tom, a house cat, and Jerry, a clever mouse. The franchise has spanned theatrical shorts, television series, feature films, and video games, winning seven Academy Awards and becoming one of the most beloved cartoon duos of all time. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

MGM Cartoon Era

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera join MGM's cartoon studio

1937

Director William Hanna and storyman Joseph Barbera began working together at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's animation department in Culver City, California. Their creative partnership would soon produce one of the most successful duos in animation history.

Puss Gets the Boot premieres, introducing cat-and-mouse duo

Feb 10, 1940

The animated short Puss Gets the Boot, directed by Hanna and Barbera, introduced a cat named Jasper and a mouse named Jinx. The short was a critical and commercial success and earned an Academy Award nomination, prompting MGM to commission more cartoons featuring the pair.

Image source: Puss Gets the Boot

First Tom and Jerry Academy Award nomination

1941

Puss Gets the Boot received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons at the 13th Academy Awards, marking the beginning of Tom and Jerry's remarkable awards history.

Tom and Jerry officially named in The Midnight Snack

Jul 19, 1941

After a studio contest, animator John Carr suggested the names 'Tom' and 'Jerry,' which debuted in the second cartoon of the series, The Midnight Snack. The names became iconic and stuck for the rest of the franchise.

The Yankee Doodle Mouse wins first Oscar for Tom and Jerry

1943

The wartime-themed short The Yankee Doodle Mouse won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, becoming the first of seven Oscars for the Tom and Jerry series.

Image source: The Yankee Doodle Mouse

Tom and Jerry enter World War II propaganda shorts

1943 - 1945

During World War II, several Tom and Jerry shorts incorporated patriotic themes, including war bonds drives, reflecting the era's national mood while maintaining the duo's slapstick appeal.

Image source: Tom and Jerry filmography

Mouse Trouble wins the Academy Award

1944

The short Mouse Trouble won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 17th Academy Awards, cementing the series' dominance in the category.

Quiet Please! earns another Oscar win

1945

Quiet Please!, featuring Jerry enlisting the help of Spike the bulldog against Tom, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, continuing the series' award-winning streak.

Image source: Quiet Please!

Gene Kelly dance sequence with Jerry in Anchors Aweigh

Jul 14, 1945

Jerry Mouse appeared alongside Gene Kelly in the live-action MGM film Anchors Aweigh, performing a famous musical dance number that showcased groundbreaking integration of animation and live action.

Image source: Anchors Aweigh (film)

The Cat Concerto wins an Academy Award

1946

In this celebrated short, Tom performs Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in a formal concert while Jerry disrupts him from inside the piano. The film won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film and is widely regarded as one of the greatest cartoons ever made.

Image source: The Cat Concerto

The Little Orphan wins the Academy Award

1948

The Thanksgiving-themed short The Little Orphan, featuring Jerry caring for a small mouse named Nibbles, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

Image source: Little Orphan Annie

Johann Mouse nominated for final Hanna-Barbera Oscar

1952

Johann Mouse, set in Vienna with narration by Hans Conried, was the last Hanna-Barbera-era Tom and Jerry short to receive significant acclaim, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

Image source: Johann Mouse

Fred Quimby retires from MGM cartoon studio

1955

Producer Fred Quimby, who had supervised the Tom and Jerry series through its golden years, retired from MGM. Hanna and Barbera took over production duties as the studio's animation budgets began to shrink.

Image source: Fred Quimby

MGM closes its animation studio

May 15, 1957

MGM shut down its cartoon studio amid rising production costs, ending theatrical Tom and Jerry production under Hanna and Barbera after 114 shorts. The decision prompted the duo to found their own studio, Hanna-Barbera Productions.

Image source: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio

Television Era

Gene Deitch directs new Tom and Jerry cartoons in Prague

1961 - 1962

Rembrandt Films contracted animator Gene Deitch to produce 13 new Tom and Jerry shorts in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The low-budget cartoons had a distinctive surreal style and were met with mixed reactions from audiences.

Image source: Gene Deitch

Chuck Jones takes over Tom and Jerry production

1963 - 1967

After leaving Warner Bros., legendary animator Chuck Jones produced 34 Tom and Jerry shorts through Sib Tower 12 Productions (later MGM Animation/Visual Arts). His stylized redesigns gave the characters a fresh look before theatrical production ended again in 1967.

Image source: Chuck Jones

The Tom and Jerry Show debuts on television

Sep 6, 1975 - Nov 8, 1975

Hanna and Barbera reunited to produce a new television version in which Tom and Jerry became friends rather than adversaries, a change made to satisfy broadcast standards concerns about violence in children's programming.

Image source: The Tom & Jerry Show (1975 TV series)

The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show premieres

1980 - 1982

Filmation produced this television series which returned Tom and Jerry to their classic chase format, pairing new shorts with segments starring other classic MGM characters like Droopy.

Image source: The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show

Tom and Jerry Kids premieres on Fox

Sep 8, 1990 - Dec 12, 1993

This Hanna-Barbera series featured child versions of Tom and Jerry chasing each other alongside young versions of Spike and Tyke, introducing the characters to a new generation of viewers.

Image source: Tom & Jerry Kids

Tom and Jerry Tales premieres on Kids' WB

Sep 23, 2006 - Mar 22, 2008

This anthology-style series revived the classic chase format with modern animation, airing two seasons and earning praise for returning the duo closer to their theatrical roots.

Image source: Tom and Jerry Tales

Films and Specials

Tom and Jerry: The Movie released theatrically

Jul 30, 1992

The first full-length theatrical Tom and Jerry feature saw the cat and mouse become friends and speak dialogue, a controversial departure from the silent slapstick formula. The film received largely negative reviews.

Image source: Tom and Jerry: The Movie

Tom and Jerry: The Movie released theatrically

Tom and Jerry direct-to-video film series begins

2002

Warner Bros. launched a long-running series of direct-to-video movies, beginning with Tom and Jerry: The Magic Ring, keeping the franchise active throughout the 2000s and beyond.

Image source: Jerry and Tom

Tom and Jerry direct-to-video film series begins

Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory crossover

Jun 27, 2017

A direct-to-video adaptation inserting Tom and Jerry into the Roald Dahl classic was released, part of a trend of crossover films pairing the duo with licensed properties.

Image source: Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory crossover

Modern Revivals

The Karate Guard marks first theatrical short since 1967

Sep 27, 2005

Co-directed by original collaborators Joseph Barbera and Spike Brandt, this short premiered in select theaters, marking the first new Tom andJerry theatrical cartoon in nearly four decades.

Image source: The Karate Guard

The Tom and Jerry Show debuts on Cartoon Network

Apr 9, 2014 - 2021

Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Renegade Animation, this long-running CGI-flavored 2D series brought the classic chase dynamic to a modern audience across multiple seasons.

Image source: The Tom and Jerry Show (2014 TV series)

Live-action/animated Tom and Jerry film released by HBO Max

Feb 26, 2021

Warner Bros. released a hybrid live-action/CGI Tom and Jerry movie set in New York City, directed by Tim Story, which became a notable streaming hit despite mixed reviews.

Image source: Tom and Jerry (2021 American film)

Key Facts

Tom and Jerry was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, debuting with the short 'Puss Gets the Boot' on February 10, 1940.
The original series was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) from 1940 to 1958, winning seven Academy Awards for Best Animated Short Film.
After MGM closed its animation studio in 1958, Gene Deitch directed 13 Tom and Jerry shorts in Czechoslovakia from 1961 to 1962.
Chuck Jones took over production from 1963 to 1967 at Sib Tower 12 Productions, giving the characters a distinctive new visual style.
The franchise remains active today with TV series, direct-to-video films, and the 2021 hybrid live-action/animated movie, proving the cat-and-mouse rivalry's enduring popularity.

Source

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