The 1975 Tom & Jerry Show

My personal favorite version of the cat and mouse.
On
November 12, 2007
Regardless of how many negative posts, criticisms, rants and insults of it that come out of the woodwork, Hanna-Barbera's 1975 version of Tom & Jerry shall always hold dear to me! To each his own...

I've been a fan of it ever since 1979, when they first aired locally in my hometown, N'Awlins, every Monday-Friday afternoon @ 3:30 on ABC (now FOX) affilliate WVUE-TV Channel 8, on The Tom & Jerry Hour. It was a mixed bag of T&J cartoons, theatrical (1940 to 1967) and TV (1975 to 1977). This was how I first learned of these made-for-TV T&Js from H-B. The theatricals were great, but I (being a child of the 1970s) somehow grew more attatched to the 1970s version. Sometimes WVUE aired the main title sequence from The Tom & Jerry Show separately from the 48 7-minute T&J stories, sometimes they aired the end credits.

I later read in Stuart Fischer's book KIDS' TV: The First 25 Years that they originally aired in 1975 on The (New) Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show. I remember thinking, "Ah! So that's where they came from!" This is also how I learned of The New T&J's originally pairing with The Great Grape Ape, which I only discovered via repeats on ABC Sunday Mornings! (Yep, I missed out on the original run on ABC, and I had just come into it.)

I decided that the 1970s T&J was my sole favourite, from its first airing on WVUE to its reairing in the 1980s on WNOL-TV Channel 38 (now a WB affilliate) and Superstation WTBS, which, on Tom & Jerry And Friends, showed 7-minute 1975 T&J cartoons framed inbetween main and end title sequences! I also realize that a huge number of serious animation fans have and continue to liken New Tom & Jerry to New Coke, calling it a cheap imitation of the originals, and thus giving them a bad rep over the years.

Hence my web presence, The New Tom & Jerry Info Site @ http://www.1975tomjerry.50megs.com/, which I launched in March 1997, to show all and sundry that there was someone out there who took interest in them and, to a degree at least, put an end to all the bad press they've been getting. (And my avatar, too!) Until January of this year, Boomerang from Catoon Network has done the 1975 T&J's justice by showing them periodically on Boomerang Saturdays (1976, 1977 and 1978). I'm rather disappointed that they neglected to show them this month during the weekly Friday T&J marathons; they seem to be limited to the 1940-67 MGM theatricals, Filmation's 1980-82 version (The Tom & Jerry Comedy Show) and that 1990-93 Fox revival Tom & Jerry Kids (that grey stripe between Tom's eyes was not his best feature, IMHO!).
Like I said, to each his own. Everyone here has his/her favourite version of Tom & Jerry; mine is and shall forever remain H-B's "black sheep" 1975 TV version. Just because a Tom & Jerry cartoon, be it old or new, is nonviolent does not mean it cannot be watched and enjoyed. (I mean, check out the sports-themed New T&Js! And Spike! And Hoyt Curtin's jazzy underscore!)

So, if you will, sing along!!!


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!
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