# Tom&Jerry cartoon **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2003, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430 "2003-04-04T11:40:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/1 "2003-04-04T11:40:48Z")
I read in [this Straight Dope Staff Report](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mbannedbugs.html) that Angel Puss was one of 11 cartoons censored by United Artists in 1968. Having fond memories of watching a Tom&Jerry cartoon I could swear was called Angel Puss, I wondered why it was banned and did some searches for the name. It turns out that a major star in Angel Puss is Black Sambo who eventually dispatches Tom with a double-barrelled shotgun. Needless to say, this is _not_ the cartoon I remember. In that, Tom dies when a grand piano falls on him. He comes to heaven, but is not allowed in due to his sins against Jerry. He’s allowed one final chance: if, in one hour, he manages to get Jerry to sign a document saying he forgives Tom, he’ll be allowed into Heaven. Otherwise, it’s straight to Hell, where the Devil (in the shape of Spike the bulldog) awaits. Tom eventually manages to persuade Jerry to sign the document, but the pen has no ink in it and Tom falls to Hell. It all turns out to be a dream. If this isn’t Angel Puss, what is it? What’s this cartoon’s name? I’ve never seen the cartoon with Sambo, and I’d be prepared to swear that the cartoon I saw was called Angel Puss. Does anyone know? I’ve tried to websearch for the components (Tom, Jerry, Hell, Heaven, piano, God, Devil, sign, cartoon) but I still can’t narrow it down to a manageable number of hits. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/2 "2003-04-04T13:59:41Z")
You might want to check [here](http://www.bcdb.com/pages/Hanna-Barbera/T/Tom_and_Jerry/index.html). It gives a listing and descriptions of T & J cartoons, as well as a lot of others. ---
**Author:** ![Maria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Maria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maria)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/3 "2003-04-04T14:16:05Z")
Lots of cartoons are no longer PC, containing war time caricatures of Germans and Japanese, for example. It’s too bad they can’t be viewed at all, not even as film history. ---
**Author:** ![SojournerSamson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SojournerSamson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SojournerSamson)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/4 "2003-04-04T14:49:27Z")
Cartoons deserve the same respect as films,plays, and the written word. Why wouldn’t the ratings apply? “May contain sensitive content” or “Viewer discretion advised”. I think I recall the cartoon, didn’t Tom awaken from his nightmare and pet Jerry while feeding him? Also I always liked the plump, bedroom-slippered foot of Tom’s human. Ialways thought she was black. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/5 "2003-04-04T15:10:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SojournerSamson \* > **I think I recall the cartoon, didn’t Tom awaken from his nightmare and pet Jerry while feeding him?** Yup, and Jerry had a priceless look of confusion on his face. ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/6 "2003-04-04T15:44:02Z")
Another bit of T&J trivia… IIRC, there have only been 2 instances where Tom spoke. I think I can remember one. Tom has Jerry cornered. Tom reads a book called “The Behavior of Mice” (or something like that) which tells him that cornered mice never fight back. Tom approaches Jerry and a huge fight ensues. Then Tom, beaten and staring at the camera says in a very low, booming voice, “Don’t you believe it!”, referring to the books advice. Can anyone remember the other one? Gonna go Google now… ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/7 "2003-04-04T15:50:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by malaka \* > \*\*Another bit of T&J trivia… > > IIRC, there have only been 2 instances where Tom spoke. I think I can remember one. Tom has Jerry cornered. Tom reads a book called “The Behavior of Mice” (or something like that) which tells him that cornered mice never fight back. Tom approaches Jerry and a huge fight ensues. Then Tom, beaten and staring at the camera says in a very low, booming voice, “Don’t you believe it!”, referring to the books advice. > > Can anyone remember the other one? > > Gonna go Google now… \*\* Hmmm…seems my memory ain’t so good. According to this site: [http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=2925&p=s](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=2925&p=s) and another one… [http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=3027](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=3027) ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/8 "2003-04-04T16:07:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SojournerSamson \* > \*\*Also I always liked the plump, bedroom-slippered foot of Tom’s human. Ialways thought she was black. \*\* I always assumed she was the housekeeper. Boy were _her_ legs thick! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/9 "2003-04-04T16:14:57Z")
I don’t recall Tom speaking in “Quiet Please”, he may have but if he did I don’t remember. There’s at least two where Tom sings: “[The Zoot Cat](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=4971)” and “[Solid Serenade](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=3002)”. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/10 "2003-04-04T16:27:58Z")
**Priceguy** , according to the link provided by **Turek** , the cartoon you saw was called “Heavenly Puss.” ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/11 "2003-04-04T16:44:22Z")
Is you is or is you ain’t my baby… ---
**Author:** ![rsvp9146](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rsvp9146](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsvp9146)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/12 "2003-04-04T17:21:25Z")
I remember seeing a Popeye cartoon as a kid where they were going off on the Japanese, calling them names and showing them with the hats and buck teeth. Something you’d never see today. Also i remeber seeing some Tom and Jerry stuff where they wore black face makeup like Al Jolson. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/13 "2003-04-04T19:19:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by malaka \* > Another bit of T&J trivia… > > IIRC, there have only been 2 instances where Tom spoke. I think I can remember one. Tom has Jerry cornered. Tom reads a book called “The Behavior of Mice” (or something like that) which tells him that cornered mice never fight back. Tom approaches Jerry and a huge fight ensues. Then Tom, beaten and staring at the camera says in a very low, booming voice, “Don’t you believe it!”, referring to the books advice. > > Can anyone remember the other one? > > Gonna go Google now… Tom does the “Don’t you believe it.” line in both [_The Missing Mouse_](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=2925&p=s) and [_Mouse Trouble_](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=3069), the former being the “explosive white mouse” episode you linked and the latter involving the mouse-catching manual. I don’t recall Tom speaking in [_Quiet Please_](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=3027), but it’s possible. Tom also spoke in [_Trap Happy_](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=4983), when Butch the Exterminator relabeled his “Mouse Exterminator” bag to “Cat Exterminator”. Quoth Tom, “C…A…T. Cat. \”. This is the only other spoken (as opposed to sung) line I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/14 "2003-04-04T19:28:42Z")
Whoops. Tom also did an impression of a frightened woman–“Eeeeek! A mouse! Help! Come quick!” or words to that effect–on the phone to Butch to get him to come over at the beginning of _Trap Happy_. He also did a “French lovair” bit on Toots (and Spike) in, IIRC, [_Solid Serenade_](http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=3002&p=s) (the “Is you is or is you ain’t” short **Jeff** and **Juanita** mentioned) in which he went on about her eyes and about kissing her. It could have been one of the other “Tom in love” cartoons, though. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/15 "2003-04-04T19:43:07Z")
So in _Solid Serenade_ who did the vocal? I saw it just a few weeks ago, and it sounded to me like Fats Waller. Can anybody confirm this? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/16 "2003-04-04T21:30:44Z")
Well, the song is by [Louis Jordan](http://www.tomandjerryonline.com/tunes.cfm?id=1), but I don’t think Tom’s version was him. If I had to guess, I would say that it was probably [George Fisher](http://www.tomandjerryonline.com/thecrew.cfm), who was the main voice at the time, and who voiced Uncle Pecos. That’s just a guess, but voice actors tend to be very deft mimics, and I imagine Fisher could have produced a credible imitation of Fats or of Louis Jordan. Guesses aside, I haven’t been able to find any special voice credits for the short. Another Tom Speaks moment: “Gee, I’m throwing away a million dollars…but I’m _happy_!” in _Million Dollar Cat_. You can hear sounds, including “Is You Is” and some of Tom’s lines at [Tom & Jerry Online](http://www.tomandjerryonline.com/sounds.cfm) ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/17 "2003-04-04T22:26:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rsvp9146 \* > \*\*I remember seeing a Popeye cartoon as a kid where they were going off on the Japanese, calling them names and showing them with the hats and buck teeth. Something you’d never see today. > \*\* They made a WWII propaganda cartoon called “You’re a Sap, Mr. Jap”, which featured Popeye taking on the Japanese Navy. It had some really awful charicatures of Japanese people. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/18 "2003-04-04T23:59:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sauron \* > \*\ ***Priceguy** , according to the link provided by **Turek** , the cartoon you saw was called “Heavenly Puss.” \*\* That’s it! That’s sufficiently close to Angel Puss for my brain to screw it up. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tom-jerry-cartoon/166430/19 "2003-04-05T03:15:07Z")
Sometimes Tom’s owner is a big black lady who looks like Aunt Jamima, sometimes its a white 1950s housewife. Anyhow, in the words of Tom the Cat; [AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!](http://www.tomandjerryonline.com/sounds/tjscream1.wav)