Thomas Cat is a fictional character and one of the two titular main protagonists in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's series of Tom and Jerry theatrical animated short films. Created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, he is a grey and white anthropomorphic domestic short haired mute Tuxedo cat who first appeared in the 1940 MGM animated short Puss Gets the Boot. The cat was known as "Jasper" during his debut in the short; however, beginning with his next appearance in The Midnight Snack he was known as "Tom" or "Thomas". He will appear, along with co-star Jerry Mouse, in what will be their first theatrical film appearance since 1993's , Tom and Jerry, which is scheduled to be released on March 5, 2021. As of July 2019, the film is currently being filmed.
History
Tom and Jerry cartoons
His name, "Tom Cat", is based on "tomcat", a phrase which refers to male cats. He is usually mute and rarely heard speaking with the exception of a few cartoons. His only notable vocal sounds outside of this are his various screams whenever he is subjected to panic or, more frequently, pain. He is continuously after Jerry Mouse, for whom he sets traps, many of which backfire and cause damage to him rather than Jerry. His trademark scream was provided by creator William Hanna. Tom has changed over the years upon his evolution, especially after the first episodes. For example, in his debut, he was quadrupedal. However, over the years, he has become almost completely bipedal and has human intelligence and he is similar to his previous appearance, in 1945 shorts he had twisted whiskers and his appearance kept changing. In the 1940s and early 1950s, he had white fur between his eyes. In newer cartoons, the white fur is gone. As a slapstick cartoon character, Tom has a superhuman level of elasticity. Tom is usually defeated in the end, although there are some stories where he outwits and defeats Jerry. Tom has variously been portrayed as a house cat doing his job, and a victim of Jerry's blackmail attempts, sometimes within the same short. He is almost always called by his full name "Thomas" by Mammy Two Shoes.
''Anchors Aweigh'' and ''Dangerous When Wet''
Tom and Jerry appeared together in the 1945 TechnicolorMetro-Goldwyn-MayermusicalAnchors Aweigh where Tom briefly appears as a butler for King Jerry, the latter who has a dance sequence with Gene Kelly, and also in another musical with the same studio Dangerous When Wet, where, in a dream sequence, main character Katie Higgins does an underwater ballet with Tom and Jerry, as well as animated depictions of the different people in her life.
Voice actors
Despite almost every short depicts Tom being silent, there are some cartoons featured him speaking, with his first film appearance in 1993 ' being an example, as Tom and Jerry talk throughout the film. Here are several of his voiceover actors:
Harry E. Lang : Vocal effects in the Hanna-Barbera era shorts and Mouse in Manhattan as one of the alley cats, speaking in the shorts: The Million Dollar Cat, Mouse Trouble, The Mouse Comes to Dinner, Quiet, Please!, Trap Happy, Part-Time Pal and The Missing Mouse
William Hanna : Vocal effects in the Hanna-Barbera era shorts, ', The Tom and Jerry Show, Tom and Jerry and speaking in the shorts: The Lonesome Mouse, The Zoot Cat, The Million Dollar Cat, The Mouse Comes To Dinner, Quiet, Please!, Trap Happy and Solid Serenade
Jerry Mann : speaking in the 1944 short: The Zoot Cat, speaking in the 1946 short: Solid Serenade
Billy Bletcher : speaking in the 1944 short: The Bodyguard, laugh in the 1946 short: Solid Serenade
Ira "Buck" Woods : singing in the 1946 short: Solid Serenade
Stepin Fetchit : speaking in the 1948 short: Mouse Cleaning
Ken Darby : "singing" in the 1950 short: Texas Tom
Daws Butler : speaking in the 1950 short: The Framed Cat, speaking in the 1957 short: Mucho Mouse
Gene Deitch : vocal effects in the Gene Deitch era shorts
Tom Kenny: One of his 9 lives in The Tom and Jerry Show
Dave B. Mitchell: One of his 9 lives in The Tom and Jerry Show
Rene Mujica: One of his 9 lives in The Tom and Jerry Show
Tom has had a number of different voice actors over the years. When the character debuted in Puss Gets the Boot, voice actor Harry E. Lang provided the screeches and meows for Tom. He would continue to do so until Sufferin Cats. Beginning with the short The Night Before Christmas, co-creator William Hanna provided the vocal effects for the character until the last Hanna-Barbera short Tot Watchers. During this time period, Lang occasionally did the speaking voice for Tom between 1944–1953. Billy Bletcher also voiced him in a few shorts between 1944–1947. Stepin Fetchit also voiced him in a sequence in the short Mouse Cleaning. In 1961–1962, when Gene Deitch took over as director after the MGM cartoon studio shut down in 1957, he did vocal effects for Tom throughout that time period. When Chuck Jones took over during 1963–1967, he, Jim Pabian, Abe Levitow and Mel Blanc voiced Tom. In The Tom and Jerry Show, Tom was voiced by John Stephenson. Lou Scheimer voiced him in The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show in 1980–1982. Frank Welker voiced him in Tom and Jerry Kids in 1990–1993. Other voice actors include Richard Kind, Jeff Bennett, Bill Kopp, Spike Brandt, Billy West, Don Brown, Alan Marriott, and Marc Silk. In The Tom and Jerry Show, his vocal effects are provided by show's sound designer Rich Danhakl and archival recordings of William Hanna from the original theatrical shorts.
In popular culture
Tom and Jerry were planned to appear as a cameo in the deleted scene "Acme's Funeral" from the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
