Non-motoring > Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons?	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Old Sock	Replies: 27

Wed 14 Apr 10 07:48   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Old Sock

There was a time when these lovable characters could be found plugging the gaps in programme scheduling at the BBC - often just before the reassuringly dulcet tones of Richard Baker-delivered news. However, I can't remember the last time I saw 'directed by Fred Quimby' on any channel :-( Were they deemed too violent / non-PC (T-a-a-a-mass!!) for today's kiddies, or simply past their sell-by date? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 08:17   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - MrTee43

Tom and Gerry were great. The quality of the early cartoons are unsurpassed imo, and they were genuinely funny and clever. "THOMAS ! is dat youse in dat kitchen" Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 08:30   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - AshT

They're repeated ad nauseum on one of the kids' channels on Sky - no idea which channel but one of my kids is bound to know - and the old episodes are amongst the very few programmes on there that I can watch. I really miss them from the interludes on the BBC too - I recall they were often on between the football scores and the news on a Saturday; I can remember watching and laughing with my father who has a similar sense of humour to me. 30 odd years down the line I'm still laughing at it with my own boys. The sheer quality just shows up much of modern children's cartoons as absolute dross - I shudder at the thought of watching Spongebob. One of the other TV highlights of my early years was The Muppet Show - the whole family watched it and enjoyed it at teatime every Sunday. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 08:36   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - spamcan61

Yep, they're over on Cartoonito on Sky for example, my son still watches them:- www.cartoonito.co.uk/shows/tom-and-jerry-kids I quite like Spongebob, it's the oh so politically correct Wonderpets that drives me nuts. www.nickjr.co.uk/shows/wonderpets/index.aspx Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 08:43   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - bathtub tom

Try 'Shaun the sheep' as a modern alternative. www.shaunthesheep.com/ I see it's on BBC1 in the afternoons. My grandson enjoys it almost as much as that damn meerkat! Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 09:06   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Redviper

I remember watching T&J with my parents and laughing so hard it was brilliant, and I agree it does show what poor quality modern cartoons are, but I would exempt The Simpsons from this. Also I have every episode of "Willow the Wisp" now that was a quality cartoon, Kenneth Williams is brilliant - I believe this was also used as a filler by the BBC The Muppet show was also a family highlight on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon along with Supergran and Bullseye – all brilliant. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 09:29   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Boxsterboy

The early Fred Quimby directed Tom & Jerrys were sooo much better than the later Hannah Barberra directed ones. I suspect Fred is long since brown bread. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 10:38   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - CGNorwich

Fred Quimby never directed anything. He became associated in the public mind with the Tom and Gerry cartoons because of his insistance on prominent billing as Producer and readiness to accept the credit for the work of the animators. He was heartily disliked by those on the creative side and renowned for his complete lack of a sense of humour. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 11:31   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Old Sock

>> renowned for his complete lack of a sense of humour. LOL - what a great attribute for a cartoon 'producer'. A bit like a Punch & Judy man who hates kids! Ah, so it looks like T&J is still aired on the subscription channels - but being a tightwad I might never see it again :-( Oh yes, Roobarb & Custard - and that amazing 'vibrating' visual property. Bob Godfrey was it? Noah & Nelly etc.... Seems like only yesterday. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 10:52   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Alanovich

According to FQ's wikipedia page, Hanna and Barbera first came up with the T&J idea, and Quimby simply rubber stamped it. Then they assumed control when he retired. Appears they were always involved. I think the drop in quality is more a case of flogging a dead horse, much in the way Only Fools and Horses ran too long, and Phil Collins should have shut up in 1980. Fawlty Towers did the right thing, quit at the top. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 09:46   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - AshT

Yes, I remember Willow The Wisp - it was one of the short cartoons the BBC used to put on to bridge the gap between then end of children's programmes and the evening news. Other ones I remember watching in that slot were Roobarb and Custard, Captain Pugwash, and Magic Roundabout; all unique and brilliant in their own ways. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 10:45   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Fenlander

Pinky and Perky ( www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA1nTaSrfB4 ) are the earliest kids TV I remember. After the football results on Sat afternoon before the evening light entertainment?? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 10:40   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Alanovich

They're shown on the Boomerang channel, ad infinitum. The old Fred Quimby ones are still worth watching, but there is a modern series called "Tom and Jerry Tales", which I guess was made in the last 5-10 years, which is dire. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 12:30   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - WobblyDog

As has been said, T&J still regularly appear on the satellite channels and is still popular with my kids (probably for the same reasons as I liked it). My favourite from that era though has to be Roadrunner. The desolate desert landscapes and ridiculous schemes the coyote used to come up with to try and catch the fast chicken...fantastic :) Plus all those things he used to get from Acme - I wonder if that was the equivalent of Lidl or Aldi in its day? I wouldn't write off SpongeBob either. On first glance it might appear brash but it is one of those shows that is very well, and cleverly, written. The characters (especially Spongebob himself) are quite endearing and have a level of development that is light years beyond T&J. Last edited by: WobblyDog on Wed 14 Apr 10 at 12:31 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 12:42   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Alanovich

For a grown up cartoon, nothing can hold a candle to "Ren & Stimpy" from the 1990s. Still not available to purchase on DVD so far as I know, and no longer broadcast on UK TV. A shame. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 12:58   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - WobblyDog

Plenty available on Amazon by the looks of things but reading the reviews it looks like some of the UK versions are censored/cut and there is a recommendation to get the US versions. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 13:04   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Alanovich

Ah, thanks. Last time I browsed there were no DVDs available. Very good. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 14:07   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Redviper

I second “Roadrunner” – the animation, the “plots” and even the humour with no speech came across very well Another favourite of mine was the “Pink Panther” (not the film) I loved this, and the speechless humour came across very well and made this a firm favourite. I’ve even got the theme by Henry Mancini on CD I love it Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 14:13   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Bellboy

i understand tom and jerry was banned from the bbc because it was deemed too violent oh and beep beep.................................. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 14:22   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Alanovich

Where do you understand that from Bellboy? Sounds like more "the world's gone PC mad" mythology to me. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 15:46   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Armel Coussine

Old Tom and Jerry are best. Roadrunner A1 too.... I love those boxes labelled 'Acme Anvil Company'... And the evil Daffy (not the bumbling Donald) Duck. Ren and stimpy were fine and reminded me of the bloodthirsty cartoons the children watch in the Simpsons. In recent years, on TV, rather grim but sometimes hilarious, and very beautiful graphically: Monkey Dust. Where's it gone? Why can't I easily find DVDs to send my cartoon-enthusiast Belgian buddy Pierre? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 15:54   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Old Sock

Ah, 'Monkey Dust' :-) As you say, beautifully grim - though probably a bit too close to the bone for mass consumption. Bernard Manning tomatoes, anyone? Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 16:07   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Statistical Outlier

AC, there are a huge number of Monkey Dust sketches on YouTube - I was introduced to them by a friend a few months ago. Ranges from hilarious to hilariously disturbing, very good indeed. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 16:15   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Crankcase

If you want disturbing (in a nice way) but incredibly watchable you need Mr Salad Fingers, for my money. Only a few episodes but each gets weirder. www.fat-pie.com/salad.htm Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 17:30   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Zero

>> i understand tom and jerry was banned from the bbc because it was deemed too >> violent >> >> oh and beep beep.................................. which is why I prefer Itchy and scratchy ( as shown on the simpsons) There was a definite switch in T&J style, when they tried to update it, to bring into the modern society (and change the way it was produced - cheaper) , and it never had the charm, wit or great drawing of the orginal series. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 21:36   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Ted

Roadrunner was first class but what about the original Popeye series we used to watch after or before the wrestling on a Saturday teatime with Kent Walton ? Also, another of the Yank ones...Foghorn Leghorn ! Seriously funny. Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 21:39   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Ted

www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9999 Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 14 Apr 10 22:29   Whatever happened to 'Tom & Jerry' cartoons? - Iffy

...before the wrestling on a Saturday teatime with Kent Walton... I spent a short time in the company of the boxing promoter Mickey Duff one afternoon many years ago. Someone raised the subject of the wrestling on ITV and how the bouts were fixed. "It must be straight," said Mickey. "Because nobody bets on it." Reply to this message | Report message