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Tom and Jerry first appear under their own names in the cartoon "The Midnight Snack" by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera

Tom and Jerry (also known as Tom & Jerry) is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.

Tom and Jerry (also known as Tom & Jerry) is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series centers on the rivalry between a cat named Tom and a mouse named Jerry. Many shorts also feature several recurring characters.

Created in 1940 as the MGM cartoon studio struggled to compete with Walt Disney Productions and Leon Schlesinger Productions, Tom and Jerry's initial short-film titled Puss Gets the Boot proved successful in theaters and garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Short Subject (Cartoon). Hanna and Barbera later directed a total of 114 Tom and Jerry shorts for its initial MGM run from 1940 to 1958.

Historical Significance

Tom and Jerry (also known as Tom & Jerry) is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.

Key People

William Hanna

animator

American animator

–

Joseph Barbera

animator and cartoonist

American animator and cartoonist

–

Events Before

  1. American entertainer Danny Kaye (28) weds American songwriter Sylvia Fine (26) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, until his de

    American entertainer Danny Kaye (28) weds American songwriter Sylvia Fine (26) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, until his death in 1987

  2. "The Grapes of Wrath", directed by John Ford and based on John Steinbeck's novel of the same name, starring Henry Fonda

    "The Grapes of Wrath", directed by John Ford and based on John Steinbeck's novel of the same name, starring Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell, is released

  3. American actress Lana Turner (19) weds American bandleader Artie Shaw (29) in a Las Vegas elopement; divorce after 4 mon

    American actress Lana Turner (19) weds American bandleader Artie Shaw (29) in a Las Vegas elopement; divorce after 4 months

  4. Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discover carbon-14 (radiocarbon dating) at the University of California Radiation Laboratory

    Martin Kamen and Sam Ruben discover carbon-14 (radiocarbon dating) at the University of California Radiation Laboratory in Berkeley, California

  5. Hattie McDaniel becomes 1st African American woman to win an Oscar for "Gone With The Wind"

    Hattie McDaniel (June 10, 1893 – October 26, 1952) was an American actress, singer-songwriter, and comedian.

Events After

  1. World War II: Representatives of 26 nations at war with the Axis powers sign the Declaration of the United Nations, pled

    World War II: Representatives of 26 nations at war with the Axis powers sign the Declaration of the United Nations, pledging to make no separate peace deals

  2. The US and 25 other countries sign the Declaration by United Nations against the Axis

    The Declaration by United Nations was the main treaty that formalized the Allies of World War II and was signed by 47 national governments between 1942 and 1945.

  3. Nazi officials hold the notorious Wannsee Conference in Berlin to coordinate the "Final Solution", the extermination of

    Nazi officials hold the notorious Wannsee Conference in Berlin to coordinate the "Final Solution", the extermination of Europe's Jews

  4. Novelist Anthony Burgess (25) weds Llewela Jones

    Novelist Anthony Burgess (25) weds Llewela Jones

  5. Glenn Miller and his Orchestra are awarded the first-ever gold record for selling 1 million copies of "Chattanooga Choo

    Glenn Miller and his Orchestra are awarded the first-ever gold record for selling 1 million copies of "Chattanooga Choo Choo"

More from the 1940s

D-Day: The Normandy Landings

Allied forces launch the largest amphibious invasion in history on the beaches of Normandy, France, marking the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation.

wars conflicts

World War II: Representatives of 26 nations at war with the Axis powers sign the Declaration of the United Nations, pled

World War II: Representatives of 26 nations at war with the Axis powers sign the Declaration of the United Nations, pledging to make no separate peace deals

Mahatma Gandhi begins a march for peace in East Bengal

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist, and political thinker who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign…

birth

Omar al-Bashir is born

Omar al-Bashir is born

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 19, 1941?
Tom and Jerry (also known as Tom & Jerry) is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Best known for its 161 theatrical short films produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the series centers on the rivalry between a cat named Tom and a mouse named Jerry. Many shorts also feature several recurring characters.
Why is Tom and Jerry first appear under their own names in the cartoon "The Midnight... significant?
Tom and Jerry (also known as Tom & Jerry) is an American animated media franchise and series of comedy short films created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
Who was involved in Tom and Jerry first appear under their own names in the cartoon "The Midnight...?
Key figures include William Hanna (animator), Joseph Barbera (animator and cartoonist).

Explore More

July 19 in HistoryYear 1941