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 W.B. 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. I don't think it's all the 1975 version of T&J so much; I think a great many 'toon fans have prided themselves on being hooked on the originals and declaring any version out of that scope as inferior.

Hence my web presence, The New Tom & Jerry Info Site, 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. Until January 2004 (so far), Boomerang from Catoon Network has done the 1975 T&J's justice by showing them periodically on Boomerang Saturdays (1976, 1977 and 1978). They neglected to show them in April 2004 during the weekly Friday T&J marathons; they seem to be limited to the 1940-67 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 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!). But CN more than made up for this with the addition of the 1975 T&Js to their rotation in May 2005.

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 made-for-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!) In the days of political correctness, this was the only way Hanna-Barbera could return Tom & Jerry to TV, and that's exactly what they did! But then, PC-ness has nothing to do with my enthusiasm for this series.

So, if you will, sing along!!!  :) ;) :D ;D 8)



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!

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/2267/hbtomjerryshowgp4.jpg


Which version of T&J do you fancy?  ::)

Which version of T&J do you fancy?  ::)
The ultra-violent pre-1960's cartoons which were undoubtedly the inspiration behind Itchy & Scratchy.  :D

I have no big problem with the 70's H-B cartoons of which you speak, but the early 80's Filmation version was absolute crap, IMO.

I love the earliest episodes of Tom and Jerry, the ones produced by Fred Quimby and directed by Hanna-Barbera.  I can tolerate the Chuck Jones episodes.  I absolutely despise the Gene Deitch ones, so much so that I rather pull out my own hair then have to watch them!  LOL!!

I'm not too familiar with the 1975 version, I'm sure I've watched it but I haven't seen it in a while.

the episodes of which u speak are my least favorite because it often had them working together as friends.
tom and jerry were not meant to be all buddy-buddy......

You know what, I really liked the early 90's "Tom and Jerry Kids" cartoon the best.  I don't really know why.  Maybe it was that catchy theme song :)

"It's the Tom and Jerry Kids, gotta be there where all the action is"

I really think that Warner Bros. should release a complete series dvd set of H-B's 1975 Tom & Jerry Show.
Just all 16 episodes starring the cat and mouse.

I love the earliest episodes of Tom and Jerry, the ones produced by Fred Quimby and directed by Hanna-Barbera.  I can tolerate the Chuck Jones episodes.  I absolutely despise the Gene Deitch ones, so much so that I rather pull out my own hair then have to watch them!  LOL!!


This I agree with as The 70s versions were like that lake.....You know "Placid"
They where cheaply drawn had a poor story line & they same crappy soundtracks!
Hanna Babra cartoons were the worst to watch when I was  kid .....I only watched the Flintstones as there was "F"-all on to watch besides them!.WB ruined Bugs Bunny during the 70s as well!
Goes to show what hand-cell animation vs 70s style is.Now with todays computer animation it is a little better!
Mission Hill was the last hand-cell ever done ! production costs killed that!

I liked the early stuff the best. The details they added made the difference.

Those two hacks had no business touching T/J!
>:(

Back when Tom & Jerry hit its stride in the '40s and '50s, cartoons often ran before movies.  They weren't in the realm of children's television.  I mean, the only reason why Hanna-Barbera is regarded as classic is because the stuff that has been geared for children since the '80s has been utterly vapid.  I'm not going to pick on one program in particular, but the stuff my nieces watch is horrendous!
::)