Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection is a series of two-disc DVD sets, released by Warner Home Video

Warner Home Video

Warner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . The company launched in the United States with twenty films on VHS and Betamax videocassettes in late 1979...

. Originally planned as an uncut, chronological set, the issued Spotlight Collection sets wound up including selected 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...

shorts on each volume. Volume one was released on October 19, 2004, volume two on October 25, 2005, and the third and final volume on September 11, 2007.

Volume 1 does not include any cartoons where Mammy Two Shoes, an African-American maid character, speaks; she is briefly seen, though not heard, in The Little Orphan. By contrast, Mammy appears in several cartoons on Volume 2, although production errors led to a mixing of audio tracks so that some cartoons include the original Mammy Two Shoes dialogue performed by Lillian Randolph

Lillian Randolph

Lillian Randolph was an American actress and singer, a veteran of radio, film, and television. An African American, she worked in entertainment from the 1930s well into the 1970s, appearing in hundreds of radio shows, motion pictures, short subjects, and television shows.-Early years:Born...

, while others include redubbed dialogue tracks commissioned by Turner Entertainment

Turner Entertainment

Turner Entertainment Company, Inc. is an American media company founded by Ted Turner. Now owned by Time Warner, the company is largely responsible for overseeing its library for worldwide distribution Turner Entertainment Company, Inc. (commonly known as Turner Entertainment Co.) is an American...

in the mid-1990s to censor the Black dialect

African American Vernacular English

African American Vernacular English —also called African American English; less precisely Black English, Black Vernacular, Black English Vernacular , or Black Vernacular English —is an African American variety of American English...

in the character's dialogue.

Contents of each volume

The following 112 shorts were directed by William Hanna
William Hanna
William Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...

and Joseph Barbera
Joseph Barbera
Joseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....

at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio
The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio was the in-house division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture studio in Hollywood, California during the Golden Age of American animation, responsible for producing animated short subjects to accompany MGM feature films in Loew's Theaters...

in Hollywood, California. All shorts were released to theaters by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...

between 1940 – 1958. The Hanna-Barbera/MGM cartoons are a total of 114 shorts.

Spotlight Collection, Vol. 1

A superscripted one ( ¹ ) denotes cartoons presented in the CinemaScope
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...

aspect ratio using a new anamorphic widescreen
Anamorphic widescreen
Anamorphic widescreen, when applied to DVD manufacture, is a video process that horizontally squeezes a widescreen image so that it can be stored in a standard 4:3 aspect ratio DVD image frame. Compatible playback equipment can then re-expand the horizontal dimension to show the original widescreen...

transfer. Most cartoons on Disc One are uncut.

Disc 1

The Yankee Doodle Mouse
The Yankee Doodle Mouse
The Yankee Doodle Mouse is a 1943 American one-reel animated cartoon. It is the eleventh Tom and Jerry short produced by Fred Quimby, and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical supervision by Scott Bradley and animation by Irven Spence, Pete Burness, Kenneth Muse and George Gordon...
Sufferin' Cats!
Sufferin' Cats!
Sufferin' Cats! is a 1943 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 9th Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on January 16, 1943 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer....
Baby Puss
Baby Puss (1943 film)
Baby Puss is a 1943 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 12th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby, Baby Puss was released to theaters on Christmas day, 1943 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer....
The Zoot Cat
The Zoot Cat
The Zoot Cat is a 1944 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 13th Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on February 26, 1944 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer...
The Million Dollar Cat
The Million Dollar Cat
The Million Dollar Cat is a 1944 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 14th Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on May 6, 1944 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer...
The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard (1944 film)
The Bodyguard is a 1944 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 15th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby and animated by Ken Muse, Ray Patterson, Irven Spence and Pete Burness. The cartoon features Spike the bulldog in his second role,...
Mouse Trouble
Mouse Trouble
Mouse Trouble is a 1944 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 17th Tom and Jerry short produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with music by Scott Bradley . The cartoon was animated by Ray Patterson, Irven Spence, Ken Muse and Pete Burness...
Tee for Two
Tee for Two
Tee for Two is a 1945 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 20th Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on July 21, 1945 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. The cartoon name is a pun on the phrase "Tea for two". It was the last wartime Tom and Jerry cartoon.-Plot:The...
Flirty Birdy
Flirty Birdy
Flirty Birdy is a 1945 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 21st Tom and Jerry short. It was made and released on September 22, 1945 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. The cartoon was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and produced by Fred Quimby...
Quiet Please!
The Milky Waif
The Milky Waif
The Milky Waif is a 1946 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 24th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby in Technicolor, released in theaters on May 18, 1946, and re-released in theaters on January 9, 1954 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer...
Solid Serenade
Solid Serenade
Solid Serenade is a 1946 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 26th Tom and Jerry short, produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on August 31, 1946 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer...
Cat Fishin'
Cat Fishin'
Cat Fishin' is a 1947 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 27th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby and animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, Michael Lah, Pete Burness and Ray Patterson...
The Cat Concerto
The Cat Concerto
The Cat Concerto is a 1946 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 29th Tom and Jerry short, produced in Technicolor in 1946 and released to theatres on April 26, 1947 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical...
Kitty Foiled
Kitty Foiled
Kitty Foiled is a 1948 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 34th Tom and Jerry short. It was released in theaters on June 1, 1948. The cartoon was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with animation by Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse, Irving Levine and Ed Barge...
The Truce Hurts
The Truce Hurts
The Truce Hurts is a 1948 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 35th Tom and Jerry short. The title is a pun on 'the truth hurts". It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on July 17, 1948 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer.-Plot:...
Salt Water Tabby
Salt Water Tabby
Salt Water Tabby is a 1947 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 31st Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on July 12, 1947 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. The cartoon was animated by Ed Barge, Michael Lah and Kenneth Muse, with uncredited animation by Ray Patterson...
The Invisible Mouse
The Invisible Mouse
The Invisible Mouse is a 1947 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 33rd Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was released on September 27, 1947.-Plot:...
The Little Orphan
The Little Orphan
The Little Orphan is a 1949 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 40th Tom and Jerry short, released in theatres on April 30, 1949 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with music by Scott Bradley...
Heavenly Puss
Heavenly Puss
Heavenly Puss is a 1949 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 42nd Tom and Jerry short, created in 1948, and released on 9 July 1949. It was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and produced by Fred Quimby...

Disc 2

Texas Tom
Texas Tom
Texas Tom is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 49th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ray Patterson, Irven Spence and Ed Barge and released to theatres on March 11, 1950...
Jerry and the Lion
Jerry and the Lion
Jerry and the Lion is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 50th Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on April 8, 1950 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. The cartoon was animated by Irven Spence, Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, and Ray Patterson. It was directed by...
Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl
Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl
Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl is a 1950 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 52nd Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The cartoon, as the title suggests, is set at the Hollywood Bowl in California, where Tom is conducting a large orchestra. The cartoon...
Jerry and the Goldfish
Jerry and the Goldfish
Jerry and the Goldfish is a 1951 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 56th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby...
Cue Ball Cat
Cue Ball Cat
Cue Ball Cat is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 54th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby...
Slicked-up Pup
Slicked-up Pup
Slicked-up Pup is a 1951 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 60th Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. The cartoon was scored by Scott Bradley and animated by Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and Ray Patterson...
Jerry's Cousin
Jerry's Cousin
Jerry's Cousin is a 1951 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 57th Tom and Jerry short. Made in 1950, but released in 1951 on April 7 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was nominated for the 1950 Academy Award for Best Short Cartoon, but lost to Gerald McBoing-Boing, a UPA production...
Cat Napping
Cat Napping
Cat Napping is a 1951 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 62nd Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby.- Plot :...
The Flying Cat
The Flying Cat
The Flying Cat is a 1952 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 63rd Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. The cartoon's music was composed by Scott Bradley, and the animation was by Keneth Muse, Irven Spence, Ed Barge and Ray Patterson.- Plot...
The Two Mouseketeers
The Two Mouseketeers
The Two Mouseketeers is a 1952 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 65th Tom and Jerry short, produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on March 15, 1952 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical supervision...
Smitten Kitten
Smitten Kitten
Smitten Kitten is a 1952 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 66th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was the only Tom and Jerry cartoon to be animated by one animator...
Johann Mouse
Johann Mouse
Johann Mouse is the 75th one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley and Jakob Gimpel and narration by Hans Conried...
Two Little Indians
Two Little Indians
Two Little Indians is the 78th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1952 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Ray Patterson, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and Ed Barge with backgrounds by Robert...
Baby Butch
Baby Butch
Baby Butch is the 84th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge with backgrounds by Vera Ohman...
Mice Follies
Mice Follies (1954 film)
Mice Follies is the 85th one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, Irven Spence and Ray Patterson with backgrounds by Robert Gentle...
Designs on Jerry
Designs on Jerry
Designs on Jerry is the 93rd one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge with backgrounds by John Didrik Johnsen...
Pecos Pest
Pecos Pest
Pecos Pest is the 96th one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera scored by Scott Bradley and released in theaters on November 11, 1955 by Metro Goldwyn Mayer....
Touché, Pussy Cat!
Touché, Pussy Cat!
Touché, Pussy Cat! is the 89th one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1954 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley...

¹
The Flying Sorceress
The Flying Sorceress
The Flying Sorceress is the 98th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1955, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, Irven Spence and Lewis Marshall, with backgrounds by Robert Gentle and...

¹
Blue Cat Blues
Blue Cat Blues
Blue Cat Blues is the 103rd one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley...

¹

Bonus features

Commentary by Jerry Beck on: The Zoot Cat, Kitty Foiled, Heavenly Puss
"Behind the Tunes: The MGM Orchestra" (documentary on the music of Tom and Jerry)
"How Bill and Joe Met Tom and Jerry" {documentary on the origin of the series}
Jerry Dances with Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...

{excerpt from Anchors Aweigh
Anchors Aweigh (film)
Anchors Aweigh is a 1945 American musical comedy film directed by George Sidney in which two sailors go on a four-day shore leave in Hollywood, accompanied by music and song, meet an aspiring young singer and try to help her get an audition at MGM...

}
Tom and Jerry Swim with Esther Williams
Esther Williams
Esther Jane Williams is a retired American competitive swimmer and MGM movie star.Williams set multiple national and regional swimming records in her late teens as part of the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team...

{excerpt from Dangerous When Wet
Dangerous When Wet
Dangerous When Wet is an Technicolor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical starring Esther Williams, Fernando Lamas, and Jack Carson, directed by Charles Walters, and featuring an animated swimming sequence starring Williams with the famous cat-and-mouse duo, Tom and Jerry.-Plot summary:Katie Higgins is...

}

Spotlight Collection, Vol. 2

A superscripted one ( ¹ ) denotes cartoons in the standard Academy ratio presented in newly remastered versions. A superscripted two ( ² ) denotes cartoons presented in the CinemaScope aspect ratio using a new anamorphic widescreen transfer.

Disc 1

Puss Gets the Boot
Puss Gets the Boot
Puss Gets the Boot is a one-reel animated cartoon and the first Tom and Jerry short, although not billed as such in the cartoon. It was released on June 24, 1940 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer...

¹
The Midnight Snack
The Midnight Snack
The Midnight Snack is a 1941 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 2nd Tom and Jerry short, produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on July 19, 1941 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer and re-released in 1948 and 1957. It was produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with...

¹
The Night Before Christmas
Fraidy Cat ¹
Dog Trouble
Dog Trouble
Dog Trouble is a 1942 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 5th Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor, released to theatres on April 18, 1942 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer and reissued for re-release in 1952. It was animated by George Gordon, Irven Spence, Jack Zander, Cecil Surry and Bill...

¹
Puss n' Toots
Puss n' Toots
Puss n' Toots is a 1942 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 6th Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on May 30, 1942 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer and re-issued in 1957...

¹
The Bowling Alley Cat
The Bowling Alley Cat
The Bowling Alley Cat is a 1942 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 7th Tom and Jerry short. It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on July 18, 1942 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer and reissued for re-release in 1948.-Plot:...
Fine Feathered Friend
Fine Feathered Friend
Fine Feathered Friend is a 1942 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 8th Tom and Jerry short released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and reissued for re-release in 1949. It was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby...
The Lonesome Mouse
The Lonesome Mouse
The Lonesome Mouse is a 1943 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 10th Tom and Jerry short. This is notable for being the first speaking role of the cat and mouse duo. It was created and released in 1943, and re-released to theatres in 1950. It was directed by William Hanna and Joseph...
Puttin' on the Dog
Puttin' on the Dog
Puttin' on the Dog is a 1944 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 16th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was released in theatres on 28 October 1944, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The cartoon was animated by Pete Burness, Ray...
The Mouse Comes to Dinner
The Mouse Comes to Dinner
The Mouse Comes to Dinner is a 1945 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 18th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby.- Plot :...
Mouse in Manhattan
Mouse in Manhattan
Mouse in Manhattan is a 1945 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 19th Tom and Jerry short released in American theaters on July 7 1945. It is one of the few episodes that only one of the duo plays a major role.-Plot:...
Springtime for Thomas
Springtime for Thomas
Springtime for Thomas is a 1946 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 23rd Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby.- Plot :...
Trap Happy
Trap Happy
Trap Happy is a 1946 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 25th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was animated by Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Michael Lah, Ray Patterson and Pete Burness. The music was composed by Scott Bradley...
Part Time Pal
Part Time Pal
Part Time Pal is a 1947 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 28th Tom and Jerry short. It was animated by Michael Lah, Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, Pete Burness and Ray Patterson, produced in Technicolor by Fred Quimby, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and released to theaters on March 15,...
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse is a 1947 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 30th Tom and Jerry short. The cartoon was released on 14 June 1947, and was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby and animated by Ed Barge, Michael Lah, Kenneth Muse and Al Grandmain. The episode...
Old Rockin' Chair Tom
Old Rockin' Chair Tom
Old Rockin' Chair Tom is a 1948 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 36th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was animated by Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Ray Patterson and Irven Spence and was released to theaters on September 18,...
Professor Tom
Professor Tom
Professor Tom is a 1948 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 37th Tom and Jerry short, directed by the duo's creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby, and animated by Ray Patterson, Irven Spence, Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge....
The Cat and the Mermouse
The Cat and the Mermouse
The Cat and the Mermouse is a 1949 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 43rd Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby...
Polka-Dot Puss
Polka-Dot Puss
Polka-Dot Puss is a 1949 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 39th Tom and Jerry short produced in 1948 and released on February 26, 1949...

Disc 2

Saturday Evening Puss
Saturday Evening Puss
Saturday Evening Puss is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 48th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera who created the cat and mouse duo ten years earlier...
Little Quacker
Little Quacker
Little Quacker is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 47th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It is the first Tom and Jerry short to be released in the 1950s...
Safety Second
Safety Second
Safety Second is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 51st Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. The working title for this cartoon was F'r Safety Sake before Hanna and Barbera finally settled for Safety Second...
Sleepy-Time Tom
Sleepy-Time Tom
Sleepy-Time Tom is a 1951 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 58th Tom and Jerry cartoon that was created by directors William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby, scored by Scott Bradley and animated by Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and Ray Patterson...
Cruise Cat
Cruise Cat
Cruise Cat is the 71st one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley.This is one of the few where Tom gets the better of Jerry for most of the cartoon until the tables turn...
Nit-Witty Kitty
Nit-witty Kitty
Nit-Witty Kitty is a 1951 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 61st Tom and Jerry cartoon. It was released to theaters on October 6, 1951 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer.-Plot:...
Push-Button Kitty
Push-Button Kitty
Push-Button Kitty is a 1952 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 70th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby.- Plot :...
Triplet Trouble
Triplet Trouble
Triplet Trouble is a 1952 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 67th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby...
The Missing Mouse
The Missing Mouse
The Missing Mouse is the 73rd one reel American animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1951, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was the first and only cartoon in the Hanna-Barbera era that the music was not composed by Scott Bradley. Instead, Edward...
Jerry and Jumbo
Jerry and Jumbo
Jerry and Jumbo is the 74th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1951, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley...
Just Ducky
Just Ducky
Just Ducky is the 77th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1951 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Irven Spence, Ed Barge, Ray Patterson, Kenneth Muse and Al Grandmain with backgrounds by...
Little School Mouse
Little School Mouse
Little School Mouse is the 83rd one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1952 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley...
Tom and Chérie
Tom and Chérie
Tom and Chérie is the 94th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1955 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley...

²
Muscle Beach Tom
Muscle Beach Tom
Muscle Beach Tom is the 101st one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The cartoon was animated by Lewis Marshall, Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, and Irven Spence , with backgrounds by Robert Gentle and layouts by Richard Bickenbach...

²
Down Beat Bear
Down Beat Bear
Down Beat Bear is the 102nd one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, Irven Spence and Lewis Marshall, with backgrounds by Robert Gentle and...

²
Tot Watchers
Tot Watchers
Tot Watchers is the 114th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1957, produced and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. The short was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on August 1, 1958, over a year after it was produced...

²
Mucho Mouse
Mucho Mouse
Mucho Mouse is the 108th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. It was released on September 6, 1957 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...

²

Bonus features

An introduction by Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...

(similar to the introduction to the third volume of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection) where Goldberg explains that the Tom and Jerry cartoons may contain racial stereotyping (particularly centered on the appearance of Mammy Two-Shoes) that may offend some modern-day viewers.
Audio Commentaries: Commentary on Saturday Evening Puss, Puss Gets the Boot, The Night Before Christmas, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse by MADtv
MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licensed the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise had no connection with the humor magazine outside the animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first...

castmember Nicole Parker
Nicole Parker
Nicole Frances Parker is an Emmy Award-winning actress and singer best known for her work on Fox's sketch comedy show MADtv. In July 2009, she concluded her run as Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked...

and Animation Historian Earl Kress
Documentary: Animators as Actors: Actor's workshop of where the inspiration for character personalities come from
Featurette: The Comedy Stylings of Tom and Jerry (featuring appearances by Mark Kausler, Jerry Beck, and MADtv castmembers Nicole Parker and Ike Barinholtz
Ike Barinholtz
Isaac "Ike" Barinholtz is an American actor, comedian and screenwriter. Barinholtz is most notable for his membership in the recurring cast of comedians on sketch comedy series MADtv from 2002-2007.-Early life:...

)
Production Sketches: 1941 Pencil Sketch: The Midnight Snack

Spotlight Collection, Vol. 3

Vol. 3 completes the Hanna-Barbera Tom and Jerry cartoons, save for Mouse Cleaning
Mouse Cleaning
Mouse Cleaning is a 1948 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 38th Tom and Jerry short. The title is a play on "house cleaning". It was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on December 11, 1948 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer...

and Casanova Cat
Casanova Cat
Casanova Cat is a 1951 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 55th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. This cartoon marks the final appearance of Toodles Galore during the Golden Age of Hollywood animation.- Plot :A newspaper headline...

. According to a Warner Home Video press release, these cartoons were omitted from the set for racial stereotyping. (These cartoons are presented uncut on as part of the European PAL DVD set Tom and Jerry - The Classic Collection, with Casanova Cat appearing on Vol. 3 of this series.)

Disc 1

A Mouse in the House
A Mouse in the House
A Mouse in the House is a 1947 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 32nd Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge, Richard Bickenbach, Don Patterson and Michael Lah, and was released to theatres on August...
Hatch Up Your Troubles
Hatch Up Your Troubles
Hatch Up Your Troubles is a 1949 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 41st Tom and Jerry short produced by Fred Quimby and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with musical supervision by Scott Bradley and animation by Ed Barge, Ray Patterson, Irven Spence and Kenneth Muse...
Love That Pup
Love That Pup
Love That Pup is a 1949 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 44th Tom and Jerry short released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby, scored by Scott Bradley, and animated by Ed Barge, Ray Patterson, Irven Spence and Kenneth Muse.- Plot :Spike...
Jerry's Diary
Jerry's Diary
Jerry's Diary is a 1949 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 45th Tom and Jerry short released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, produced by Fred Quimby, scored by Scott Bradley, and animated by Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge.-Plot:Tom places a bunch of traps in front...
Tennis Chumps
Tennis Chumps
Tennis Chumps is a 1949 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 46th Tom and Jerry short released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and produced by Fred Quimby. The cartoon's music was scored by Scott Bradley, and the footage was animated by Ray Patterson, Irven...
The Framed Cat
The Framed Cat
The Framed Cat is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 53rd Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was animated by Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and Ray Patterson.- Plot :...
His Mouse Friday
His Mouse Friday
His Mouse Friday is a 1951 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 59th Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby for Metro Goldwyn Mayer. It was animated by Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence, Ray Patterson and Ed Barge and released in theatres on July 7,...
The Duck Doctor
The Duck Doctor
The Duck Doctor is a 1952 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 64th Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It stars a Quacker as a little wild duck, rather than the yellow duckling.- Plot :...
Little Runaway
Little Runaway
Little Runaway is a 1952 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 68th Tom and Jerry short directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby. It was animated by the usual team of animators who worked under Hanna and Barbera, credited to Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and...
Fit to Be Tied
The Dog House
The Dog House (1952 film)
The Dog House is the 72nd one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1952 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. It was animated by Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Ray Patterson, Irven Spence, with backgrounds by John Didrik Johnsen...
That's My Pup!
That's My Pup!
That's My Pup! is the 76th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1952 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The short was animated by animators Kenneth Muse, Ray Patterson, Ed Barge and Irven Spence, with backgrounds by...
Life with Tom
Life with Tom
Life with Tom is the 79th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence and Ed Barge with backgrounds by Robert Gentle...
Puppy Tale
Puppy Tale
Puppy Tale is the 80th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence, with backgrounds by John Didrik Johnsen...
Posse Cat
Posse Cat
Posse Cat is the 81st one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1952. As with all Tom and Jerry cartoons at the time, it was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley...
Hic-cup Pup
Hic-cup Pup
Hic-cup Pup is the 82nd one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1952 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, Ray Patterson and Irven Spence with backgrounds by Robert Gentle...
Downhearted Duckling
Downhearted Duckling
Downhearted Duckling is the 87th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short. It was created in 1953, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and produced by Fred Quimby, with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Irven Spence, Ray Patterson, Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge with backgrounds...
Neapolitan Mouse
Neapolitan Mouse
Neapolitan Mouse is the 86th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Ed Barge, Irven Spence, Ray Patterson and Kenneth Muse, with backgrounds by John...
Mouse for Sale
Mouse for Sale
Mouse for Sale is the 92nd one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. It was released on May 21, 1955 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
Smarty Cat
Smarty Cat
Smarty Cat is the 95th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1954, and released on October 14, 1955 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The cartoon was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley...

Disc 2

(All cartoons in CinemaScope - 16:9 widescreen)

Pet Peeve
Pet Peeve (1954 film)
Pet Peeve is the 88th one-reel animated Tom and Jerry short, directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence, with backgrounds by Robert Gentle...
Southbound Duckling
Southbound Duckling
Southbound Duckling is the 90th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short. Released on March 12, 1955 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence...
Pup on a Picnic
Pup on a Picnic
Pup on a Picnic is the 91st reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1953 directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera and produced by Fred Quimby with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Ray Patterson, Kenneth Muse, Ed Barge and Irven Spence, with backgrounds by Robert Gentle...
That's My Mommy
That's My Mommy
That's My Mommy is the 97th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1955, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley....
The Egg and Jerry
The Egg and Jerry
The Egg and Jerry is the 99th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. It is a CinemaScope remake of 1949's Hatch Up Your Troubles, and the first of the Cinemascope remakes of a few cartoons...
Busy Buddies
Busy Buddies
Busy Buddies is the 100th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Irven Spence, Lewis Marshall, Kenneth Muse and Ed Barge, with backgrounds by Robert Gentle and layouts...
Barbecue Brawl
Barbecue Brawl
Barbecue Brawl is the 104th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. It was animated by Ed Barge, Irven Spence, Lewis Marshall and Kenneth Muse, with backgrounds by Robert Gentle and layouts by...
Tops with Pops
Tops with Pops
Tops with Pops is the 105th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. It is a shot-for-shot CinemaScope remake of 1949's Love That Pup...
Timid Tabby
Timid Tabby
Timid Tabby is the 106th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, copyrighted 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Lewis Marshall, Kenneth Muse, Irven Spence, Ken Southworth and Bill Schipek, with backgrounds by...
Feedin' the Kiddie
Feedin' the Kiddie
Feedin' the Kiddie is the 107th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. It is a CinemaScope remake of 1948's Academy Award winning cartoon, The Little Orphan...
Tom's Photo Finish
Tom's Photo Finish
Tom's Photo Finish is the 109th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Kenneth Muse, Bill Schipek, Lewis Marshall, Jack Carr, Herman Cohen and Ken Southworth, with...
Happy Go Ducky
Happy Go Ducky
Happy Go Ducky is the 110th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1956, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley, and marks the penultimate appearance of Quacker the duckling. The cartoon's working title was One Quack Mind before the...
Royal Cat Nap
Royal Cat Nap
Royal Cat Nap is the 111th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created 1957, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with music by Scott Bradley...
The Vanishing Duck
The Vanishing Duck
The Vanishing Duck is the 112th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, created in 1957, directed and produced by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley. The cartoon was animated by Lewis Marshall, Kenneth Muse, Carlo Vinci and James Escalante, with backgrounds by Robert Gentle...
Robin Hoodwinked
Robin Hoodwinked
Robin Hoodwinked is the 113th one reel animated Tom and Jerry short, copyrighted 1957 and released on June 6, 1958 after the MGM cartoon studio had effectively closed down. It was the penultimate Tom and Jerry cartoon that was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera with music by Scott Bradley...

Bonus features

Cat and Mouse: The Tale of Tom and Jerry: a documentary on the history of the Tom and Jerry shorts, and the censorship issues the series has had to deal with.
The Karate Guard: a 2005 Tom and Jerry short directed by co-creator Joseph Barbera
Joseph Barbera
Joseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....

.

Controversy

The Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection sets have received intense negative consumer reaction, due to the edits in certain cartoons on each set.

The first set contained three edited shorts (The Milky Waif, The Truce Hurts and The Little Orphan), which Warner stated was a mistake (with the wrong prints being used). All three of these shorts originally included various characters in blackface

Blackface

Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...

. A replacement program was begun at the end of 2006, two years after the set's initial release. Warner Home Video has corrected the problem and the set can be purchased without any problems.

The second volume contained four shorts (The Lonesome Mouse, Polka-Dot Puss, Saturday Evening Puss and Nit-Witty Kitty) with edited sound tracks, again reported to be due to use of incorrect prints. These four shorts contained the censored Mammy Two Shoes audio track, instead of the original. However, Warner corrected the problem and the discs do contain the original Mammy Two Shoes tracks.

Consumers have also expressed disappointment at the fact that, although advertised as being "restored and remastered", none of the cartoons on the first volume are restored, as the original film negatives for all pre-1951 shorts were lost in the 1967 MGM Vault fire

1967 MGM Vault fire

The 1967 MGM Vault fire was a major fire that erupted on Saturday, May 13, 1967 at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's studio at Vault #7. An electrical fire burned the vault and destroyed hundreds of silent films, including A Blind Bargain, The Big City, The Divine Woman and, more famously, London After Midnight...

. Therefore, Warner had to rely on backup prints of these shorts, so many of them look unrestored or badly restored. Warner has for the same reason not been able to restore the original titles back into the shorts; many titles on these sets are re-issues (like The Midnight Snack). In a similar manner, Warner has not been able to restore the lost sequence to The Yankee Doodle Mouse. However, all widescreen/CinemaScope cartoons are restored in their original aspect ratios.

Complaints also arose over Mouse Cleaning and Casanova Cat being omitted from Volume 3 because of racial stereotyping, according to a Warner Home Video press release. These two shorts were the only Tom and Jerry shorts from the Hanna-Barbera era not present on DVD. These two shorts can be found on the European Classic Collection DVDs.

Other notes on sets

Due to an error, Texas Tom (1950) was accidentally included on both Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Touché, Pussy Cat! (1954), on Volume 1, uses an unreleased stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...

mix of its soundtrack. This mix is missing a few lines of dialogue present in the mono mix, specifically the character Tuffy
Tuffy
Tuffy is a fictional character from the Tom and Jerry cartoon series. He is the little grey, diaper-wearing orphan mouse whose cartoon debut came in the 1946 short The Milky Waif. Tuffy was later featured in the 1949 Academy Award-winning short The Little Orphan...

singing "Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques
"Frère Jacques" , in English sometimes called "Brother John" or "Brother Peter", is a French nursery melody. The song is traditionally sung in a round. When the first singer reaches the end of the first line the next person starts at the beginning...

" while painting an unflattering caricature of Tom (the score accompaniment to "Frère Jacques" is still present in the soundtrack without the singing).

Touché, Pussy Cat! (1954) and Pup on a Picnic (1955) were originally produced simultaneously in standard Academy and CinemaScope formats. The CinemaScope versions (which are missing non-critical information present at the top, bottom and left sides of the frame in many shots from their Academy versions) are included on the Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collections. In addition, Touché, Pussy Cat! is included on Volume 1 and presented in a 2.55:1 ratio correctly, while Pup on a Picnic is included on Volume 3, but presented in a 1.85:1 ratio instead of a 2.55:1 ratio. This (Pup on a Picnic on Volume 3) makes characters have tall, thin-looking appearances.

Two other shorts (Pet Peeve (1954) and Southbound Duckling (1955) on Volume 3) were originally produced simultaneously in standard Academy and CinemaScope formats. The CinemaScope versions of each of these shorts are missing non-critical information present at the top and bottom of the frame in many shots from their Academy versions. This is not an error, but a consequence of working in both aspect ratios. Contrary to the CinemaScope versions, the Academy versions are missing information present at the left and right sides of the frame in many shots from their CinemaScope versions. Also, the Volume 2 DVD states that there are 40 shorts included. However, two shorts (Pet Peeve and Southbound Duckling) that are stated to be included on the DVD back cover and inside are missing from the disc they are stated to be on.

Contrary to the other versions that were on MGM/UA Home Video, His Mouse Friday (1951) is included on Volume 3. However, it is presented in an edited version. The uncut version is not included on the set.

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.