The Tom and Jerry Show @ The Cartoon Scrapbook

Prod. Notes:

September 1975 - September 1977, ABC

Hanna-Barbera

Cast:

Tom ........................................................................................................ (silent)

Jerry ..................................................................................................... (silent)

Synopsis:

In 1975, everyone’s favorite animated cat and mouse team were back on Saturday mornings, this time splitting the bill with a 30-foot tall purple gorilla. Hanna-Barbera’s hour-long The New Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape Show debuted in the fall with one major difference from the original cartoon: Tom and Jerry were good friends!

As a response to a growing concern that cartoons were becoming too violent, the producers thought it would be in the viewers’ best interest (as well as their own) to have the former enemies make amends and be on the same team. The decision, surprising at first, nevertheless proved to be a winning formula and took nothing away from the brilliance of the series.

Making Tom Cat and Jerry Mouse (donning a red bow tie this time around) friends opened up new opportunities for comedy and adventure. In each episode, the two would appear in three seven-minute shorts, getting themselves into a variety of situations - from job-related mayhem to crime-solving to foiling the plots of evil villains. Now that they were working on the same side, Tom and Jerry were twice as effective.

Although all the other characters on the show had the power of speech - and sometimes even abused that power - Hanna-Barbera stuck to their guns when it came to giving a voice to their stars. Tom and Jerry remained mute.

In the show's second season, Mumbly was added to the lineup in his own segments and the show was re-titled The Tom and Jerry/Grape Ape/Mumbly Show. The new lineup lasted two months before Grape Ape became too big for the show and was spun off to his own series, leaving Tom and Jerry and Mumbly to carry the load. This prompted yet another name change, this time to The Tom and Jerry/Mumbly Show; but the load proved too heavy to carry and the show was cancelled after that season. Grape Ape and Mumbly landed on their feet by securing jobs on Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics, but Tom and Jerry were out of work for a few years.

Episodes:

No Way, Stowaways / The Ski Bunny / Stay Awake Or Else...

No Bones About It / An Ill Wind / Beach Bully

Mammmoth Manhunt / The Wacky World Of Sports / Robin Ho Ho

Safe But Not Sorry / Gopher Broke / The Super Bowler

Tricky McTrout / The Tennis Menace / Cosmic Cat And Meteor Mouse

Castle Wiz / Grim And Bear It / The Flying Sorceress

The Kitten Sitters / Termites Plus Two / Planet Pest

The Hypochondriac Lion / Give 'Em The Air / The Egg And Tom And Jerry

Watch Out, Watch Dog / The Super Cyclists / The Police Kitten

The Outfoxed Fox / Towering Fiasco / The Lost Duckling

Beanstalk Buddies / Two Stars Are Born / Son Of Gopher Broke

The Sorcerer's Apprentices / Hold That Pose / The Supercape Caper

Chickenrella / Double Trouble Crow / Jerry's Nephew

See Dr. Jackal And Hide! / Planet Of The Dogs / The Campout Cutup

Triple Trouble / The Bull Fighters / Cruise Kitty

It's No Picnic / Big Feet / The Great Motorboat Race

Opening Lyrics:

"Set your dial for a while!

Have a laugh, wear a smile!

It's The Tom & Jerry Show!

You'll begin with a grin

When you first tune us in

On The Tom & Jerry Show!

Introducing that world-famous cat...TOM!

And that magnificent mouse...JERRY!

(instrumental solo)

Lots of zing, lots to sing!

Everything's gonna swing!

So, get ready - here we go!

Big or small, short or tall,

You will all have a ball

On The Tom & Jerry Show!"