Tom and Jerry's 80 Birthday

The plots to their stories (short and feature length) are the same, their friendship is more often than not tested, but they're one of best known cartoons.  Tom and Jerry is now 80 years old.

Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera introduced Tom and Jerry in Puss Gets The Boot (although they were nicknamed Jasper and Jinx) all the way back on the 10th of February 1940.  Other people have taken over creating the duo, but the work Hanna and Barbera started mustn't be underestimated.  True there are moments are classed as "of the times" such as Mammy Two Shoes (who we never really see her face), and blackfaces when Tom gets blasted in the face.  Despite these moments, Tom and Jerry have never stopped entertaining us and bring laughter.

Their first full length movie Tom and Jerry: The Movie I found entertaining with their new found ability to talk and the development of a new layer of their friendship (which I think is the main theme of the story) despite it's poor performance at the box office.

Spike the bulldog and his son Tyke ("Father and Son" as they're named in short) are often the main sources for Tom's grief besides Jerry.  A common plot is that Spike thinks that Tom is "bothering" his son and makes threats to Tom and Jerry starts using to his advantage (mainly because it gives him protection).  Butch the black cat can be Tom's ally or rival depending what Jerry has done to them, or whoever Tom has fallen in love with during the short.  Nibbles the little grey mouse brings out a protective side from Jerry.

The BBC's webpage about Tom and Jerry.

Thanks you for these 80 years of entertaining us Tom and Jerry, keep up the good friendship - or should say chase?

I hope that you will come, see and enjoy at Eden Court.