Purr-Chance to Dream
Encyclopedia
"Purr-Chance to Dream" is a 1967 Tom and Jerry
cartoon short directed by Ben Washam
, a longtime animator under Chuck Jones
dating back to the 1940s, and produced by Jones. It was the last theatrical Tom and Jerry short released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the last of the Chuck Jones shorts in Tom and Jerry series, the last Tom and Jerry cartoon released during the Golden Age of American animation, and the second-to-last animated short related by MGM in the Golden Age (The Bear That Wasn't
, released at the end of 1967, would be the final one), and The Karate Guard (released in 2005) was the next Tom and Jerry
cartoon from Warner Bros.
It is also the last Tom and Jerry cartoon with Carl Brandt as the music composer.
The title is a play-on-words of "perchance to dream" a famous quotation from William Shakespeare
's play Hamlet
, though the plot of this cartoon bears no resemblance to the play. Like several Chuck Jones-produced Tom and Jerry shorts, this one arguably tends to focus more on poses and personality than on storyline and plot.
Tom wakes up after a nightmare of being turned into a nail-shape and pounded into the ground by a bulldog. When he sees Jerry catching a bone, he grabs him but Jerry wallops him on the head with it and runs off, stopping at the bulldog's house. When Tom approaches it, he is reminded of his dream and runs off in horror.
Instead, a small bulldog (first seen in The Cat's Me-Ouch!
) comes out. When Tom grabs Jerry, Spike grabs his tail and rapidly eats away at Tom's fur, spinning in a blur, and pounding his head to the ground.
Tom has several attempts at catching Jerry, even stuffing an oversized bone with dynamite, spraying himself with dog repellent, or playing fetch with the dog by throwing a stick into a safe, and hurling the safe into a deep pit.
However, every time, the minuscule pup manages to eat away at Tom until he is literally several pieces of hair on the ground. It turns out that all this was a dream. Tom takes some medicine and playing music before going back to sleep and calmly dreaming of being pounded once again into the ground.
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
cartoon short directed by Ben Washam
Ben Washam
Benjamin Alfred Washam was an American animator who is best known for working under director Chuck Jones for nearly 30 years. Washam worked at Warner Bros. Cartoons from 1941 until 1962, mainly under the direction of Chuck Jones. He also worked on made-for-television cartoons in the early 1960s...
, a longtime animator under Chuck Jones
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
dating back to the 1940s, and produced by Jones. It was the last theatrical Tom and Jerry short released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the last of the Chuck Jones shorts in Tom and Jerry series, the last Tom and Jerry cartoon released during the Golden Age of American animation, and the second-to-last animated short related by MGM in the Golden Age (The Bear That Wasn't
The Bear that Wasn't
The Bear That Wasn't is a 1946 children's book by film director and Looney Tunes alumnus Frank Tashlin. In 1967, Tashlin's former Termite Terrace colleague Chuck Jones directed an animated short film based upon the book for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
, released at the end of 1967, would be the final one), and The Karate Guard (released in 2005) was the next Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
cartoon from Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
It is also the last Tom and Jerry cartoon with Carl Brandt as the music composer.
The title is a play-on-words of "perchance to dream" a famous quotation from William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's play Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, though the plot of this cartoon bears no resemblance to the play. Like several Chuck Jones-produced Tom and Jerry shorts, this one arguably tends to focus more on poses and personality than on storyline and plot.
Plot
Instead, a small bulldog (first seen in The Cat's Me-Ouch!
The Cat's Me-Ouch!
The Cat's Me-Ouch! is a 1965 cartoon produced and directed by Chuck Jones. The short features a tiny bulldog who would go on to make another appearance in the final Tom and Jerry cartoon produced by Chuck Jones, Purr-Chance to Dream in 1967.- Plot :...
) comes out. When Tom grabs Jerry, Spike grabs his tail and rapidly eats away at Tom's fur, spinning in a blur, and pounding his head to the ground.
Tom has several attempts at catching Jerry, even stuffing an oversized bone with dynamite, spraying himself with dog repellent, or playing fetch with the dog by throwing a stick into a safe, and hurling the safe into a deep pit.
However, every time, the minuscule pup manages to eat away at Tom until he is literally several pieces of hair on the ground. It turns out that all this was a dream. Tom takes some medicine and playing music before going back to sleep and calmly dreaming of being pounded once again into the ground.