Tom and Jerry in the 1940s
Puss Gets The Boot - (9 min. 15 sec.) 1940
Tom paints a phony mousehole and Jerry runs into it, knocking
himself out. After reviving, the chase continues until Mammy
overhears Tom breaking a vase. She tells Tom if he breaks another
thing it's out in the cold for him. Jerry throws a glass in the
air and Tom catches it. Jerry then goes wild and throws all kinds
of dishes in the air, all of which Tom catches... but he's
holding a huge heap of them. Jerry then bathes in Tom's milk and
dries himself with Tom's tail. Tom can take no more and hammers
Jerry's rear end, letting the dishes fall. Tom is dumped outside
while Jerry basks in his glory.
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The Night Before Christmas
- (8 min. 47 sec.) 1941
On Christmas Eve Jerry sees a swiss cheese present on a trap
and then plays with his reflection on a Christmas tree ornament.
He hops on presents, and a stuffed lion, and then on Tom who
after being startled tries to grab Jerry and instead electricutes
himself. Jerry gets away on a toy train, hides in a glove box and
then hits Tom. The miffed cat wants to tear into Jerry, but the
mouse holds up mistletoe and tries to kiss Tom. He then hits Tom
on the head and gets chased out the mail slot. Tom then seals it
shut! Jerry freezes outside in the snow, and being xmas eve Tom
feels pity and goes out to let him in. But Jerry is a frozen
corpse so Tom, picking him up by his stickpin tail heats him over
the fire. In thanks Jerry pulls a hidden mousetrap from behind
Tom's milk bowl. The show ends with Jerry retrieving his swiss
cheese present from a trap which was really just a music box.
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Fraidy Cat - (8
min. 11 sec.) 1942
Tom gets scared listening to "The Witching Hour" on
the radio, so it's time for Jerry to go to work. He rattles
window shades and blows around a blouse with a vacuum. Tom thinks
it's a ghost and faints! After he revives you see a great scene
with the vacuum sucking away all Tom's nine lives with Tom
hanging onto a stairpost. After discovering the truth it's the
usual chase type stuff until Tom mistakes Mammy for Jerry and
attacks her. The finale scenes are Jerry scaring himself with his
own reflection.
……………….
Sufferin' Cats! -
(7 min. 50 sec.) 1943
Jerry, being chased by a fishing-pole-carrying Tom, runs into
another alley cat. The heat rises as the two cats fight over the
mouse, who winds up in a Jerry sandwich. After being ejected by
smelling pepper, Jerry plays the two cats against each other and
then disguises himself with a beard and moustache. He then throws
tacks on the ground to slow the cats down but they catch him and
threaten to cut him in two and take half each! But Tom wants it
all and smacks the alley cat, they battle and then start after
Jerry again. The two cats get caught in a door so Jerry, seeing
his opportunity, hammers them both with a 1x6.
………………
The Million Dollar Cat -
(7 min. 10 sec.) 1944
Tom inherits one million dollars... the catch... he mustn't
harm any living thing... even a mouse! He moves to 1 Park ave and
Jerry is at 1/2 Park ave. This one is just continuous Jerry
provoking Tom until he can't stand it anymore. He gets in Tom's
cab, eats Tom's Jello and pulls Tom's cumberbun many times. Tom
starts a fire and gets Jerry to jump out a window but Jerry
survives and devoures all of Tom's breakfast. After pushing Tom
out of his own bed he really starts the hammering until Tom blows
his stack. Thomas actually talks in this one saying "I've
thrown a million dollars to the wind... but I'm happy" as he
starts to crush Jerry with everything he can grab.
……………….
The Mouse Comes To Dinner
- (7 min. 18 sec.) 1945
Jerry starts to eat food set out by Mammy until Tom hammers
him on the head. Tom and his girlfriend then start to eat with
Jerry as a waiter. Jerry spits in his face...Tom heats him in a
spoon...Jerry makes him eat his own tail...Tom uses Jerry as a
corkscrew. Tom gets hit by the female cat for coming on too
strong and then he gets hit by pies and set on fire. Tom
eventually gets christened as the "S.S.Drip" and sinks
into a bowl of punch.
.……………..
Springtime For Thomas
- (7 min. 37 sec.) 1946
Love is in the air... Tom is enamored with a white female and
totally ignores Jerry (he even kisses him). Jerry, with his
devil-conscience, send a phoney love letter to the neighbor cat
who comes to claim his girl. They proceed to crush each other
(with Jerry's help of course) with Tom being turned into a
croquet ball and hit with a mallet. He finally loses and, giving
up on women, has fun chasing Jerry all over the place...but...
this soon ends as Jerry suddenly is cupid struck by a little
brown girl mouse. Oh well
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Part Time Pal - (7
min. 50 sec.) 1947
Mammy warns Tom that he's OUT if the refrigerator is gotten
into by a mouse. Tom guards it but he then falls into a cider
barrel... he goes wild! Tom empties the fridge himself, getting
turkey and cake all over the kitchen. Mammy runs downstairs but
Jerry hides Tom. Jerry then stops Tom from kicking Mammy and
lighting her on fire. Thomas then drinks rum and pours water on
Mammy while she's sleeping. The house gets wrecked and even after
dark the black maid is seen chasing Tom down the street.
……………..
Kitty Foiled - (7
min. 20 sec.) 1948
Tom is after Jerry (again) and finally has him when the house
canary hits Tom. Tom then help the canary by rolling Tom up in
the window blind. When the coast is clear the canary heads back
to his cage only to be swallowed by Tom. Jerry to the rescue...
he lifts up a floor slat and pinches Tom's tail. Jerry and the
canary dress up as indian and papoose which works for a second
but eventually Tom corners the canary... who has a gun! Tom
laughs but Jerry drops a lightbulb and Tom thinks he's done for.
This is a great scene with a parody of "Scarface"
starring George Raft. After recovering, Tom gets hold of Jerry
again and ties him to a toy train track. He gets on the engine
and plans to run Jerry over (the look on Tom's face is great),
but just before he hits Jerry the canary picks up a bowling ball
and drops it just in front... causing Tom to fall through the
floor. Last scene is Jerry and the canary singing "My Blue
Heaven."
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The Little Orphan -
(7 min. 50 sec.) 1949
Jerry invites a little orphan mouse "Nibbles" to a
Thanksgiving dinner. Nibbles is ALWAYS hungry! He drinks Tom's
milk, climbs on the fully decorated (by Mammy) table with the
help of a noodle (which he eats) and starts devouring everything
in sight! Jerry tries to stop him but he eats pies and candles
and a large orange whole... he looks like a blimp till Jerry
squishes it out of him, when it proceeds to hit Tom. The cat
disguises himself as an indian and attacks, but gets hit with
chanpaign and stuck with a fork. There are arrows flying and
knife choping before Tom gets thrown out of the house by Nibbles
and surrenders. The end is Tom and Jerry and Nibbles siting down
to feast...with Nibbles eating everything before Tom and jerry
can taste it.
……………….
Little Quacker - (7
min. 7 sec.) 1950
Tom finds a duck egg and wants to cook it, but it hatches and
Tom gets to have roast duckling. Jerry to the rescue! Tom manages
to chop off his own tail, have a roof fall on his head and a
falling tree crush him. The cat then uses a decoy which the
duckling falls for... but jerry replaces it with dynamite which
blows Tom's head off. After getting hit with a hammer Tom chasess
them both with a pair of shears but cuts up momma duck instead.
Oops! She yells for her husband Henry who grinds Tom with
clippers and a lawn mower. This ends with Jerry and the duckling
being pulled in a rubber boat by momma duck.
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