Classic Stars, Final Big-Screen Performances 1985-2015

These were the last times we saw our favorite classic stars from the 1920s-60s perform on the big screen. They have all passed on now. RIP

This list covers wide-release, theatrical movies from the last 30 years, and does not include television work or made-for-TV movies. 

1985
Bob Hope, Spies Like Us
Van Johnson, The Purple Rose of Cairo

The Purple Rose of Cairo

1986

Jackie Gleason, Nothing In Common

Jane Wyatt, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

John Carradine, Leon Ames, Maureen O'Sullivan, Peggy Sue Got Married

Peggy Sue Got Married

1987

Karl Malden, Nuts

Dorothy Lamour, Creepshow 2

Ann Southern, Lilian Gish, Bette Davis in The Whales of August

The Whales of August also starred Vincent Price

1988
Mel Blanc Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Voice over work)

1989
Eddie Albert, The Big Picture
Audrey Hepburn, Always

Always was directed by Steven Speilberg and was a remake of A Guy Named Joe

Burt Lancaster, Field of Dreams

Field of Dreams (1989)

1990

Mike Mazurki, Dick Tracy
Troy Donahue, Cry Baby
Ralph Bellamy, Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman (1990)

Vincent Price, Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

1991

Richard Widmark, True Colors

Phil Harris, Rock-A-Doodle (Voiceover work)

Jimmy Stewart, An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (Voiceover work)

Producer Steven Speilberg was thrilled that Jimmy Stewart accepted the role of Wylie Burp

Gregory Peck and Martin Balsam, Cape Fear (1991)

Cape Fear was directed by Martin Scorcesse and also starred Robert Mitchum

1993

Harry Carey, Jr. Tombstone
Art Carney, Last Action Hero
Tony Curtis, Naked in New York
Buddy Ebsen, The Beverly Hillbillies
Herbert Lom, Son of the Pink Panther

1994
Gene Kelly, Lena Horne, Cyd Charisse, Howard Keel, June Allyson in That's Entertainment III
George Burns, Radioland Murders
Jack Palance, City Slickers 2
Dub Taylor, Maverick
Jessica Tandy, Camilla
Katherine Hepburn, Love Affair

Love Affair was directed by Warren Beatty

Don Ameche, Corrina Corrina

Corrina, Corrina (1994)

1995
Alec Guiness, Mute Witness
Pat Buttram, A Goofy Movie (Voiceover work)
Jean Simmons, How To Make An American Quilt
Hope Lange, Just Cause

1996
Ben Johnson, The Evening Star (1996)
Hume Cronyn, Marvin's Room (1996)
Silvia Sidney, Mars Attacks! (1996)
Shelly Winters, Portrait of a Lady (1996)

The Portrait of a Lady also starred Nicole Kidman and Barbara Hershey

1997

Teresa Wright, The Rainmaker

Donald O'Connor, Out to Sea

Out to Sea also starred Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau

Robert Mitchum Dead Man (1997)

Dead Man also starred Johnny Depp

1998
Janet Leigh, Halloween H0

Halloween H20 also starred Leigh's real life daughter, Jaime Lee Curtis

John Gielgud, Elizabeth

Elizabeth also starred Cate Blanchett

1999
Ray Walston, My Favorite Martian
Red Buttons, The Story of Us
Gloria Stuart, The Love Letter

2000
Walter Matthau, Hanging Up
Jack Lemmon, The Legend of Bagger Vance
Patricia Neal, Cookie's Fortune (2000)

Cookie's Fortune was directed by Robert Altman

2001

Robert Stack, Recess: School's Out (Voiceover work)

Anne Bancroft, Heartbreakers

Charlton Heston, Planet of the Apes (2001)

Planet of the Apes was directed by Tim Burton

Ann Miller Mulholand Drive

Marlon Brando The Score

The Score also starred Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton

2002
Rod Stieger, Poolhall Junkies

2003

Kevin McCarthy, Looney Tunes: Back in Action

John Forsythe, Charles Angels 2

Peter Ustinov, Luther

Luther (2003)

Ricardo Montalban, Spy Kids 3D: Game Over

Spy Kids 3D was directed by Roberto Rodriguez

2004 Ossie Davis, She Hate Me
2005 Don Knotts, Chicken Little (Voiceover work)
2006 Paul Newman, Cars (Voiceover work), James Garner, The Ultimate Gift
2007 Cliff Robertson, Spider Man 3, Theodore Bikkel, The Little Traitor
2008 Leslie Neilsen, Superhero Movie
2009 Lynn Redgrave, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Rod Taylor, Inglourious Basterds
2010 Dennis Hopper, Alpha and Omega (Voiceover work), Ernest Borgnine, Red, Eli Wallach, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
2011 Jill Clayburgh, Bridesmaids
2012 Peter O'Toole, For Greater Glory, Lauren Bacall, Ernest and Celestine (voiceover work), Ruby Dee, A Thousand Words
2013 Leonard Nimoy, Star Trek Into Darkness
2014 Mickey Rooney A Night At the Museum 3, Christopher Lee, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Watch the trailer for Creed, coming this fall

I'm more excited for this movie to come out. Seeing Sly Stallone in the trainer role seems to be good casting and a natural progression for the character. I think Michael B Jordan will be great in it - he was so good in Fruitvale Station a few years ago. 

The Sunshine Boys (1975)

I first watched this movie on television about 25 years ago, and it was a pleasure to watch it again for the first time in so many years. It's still a very funny film and I found myself laughing many times throughout. I love the character that Walter Matthau brings to life - an old vaudevillian comedian who will not give up acting, even if it means working in commercials. It sort of reminded me of when Betty White and Abe Vigoda did a Snickers commercial a few years ago for the Super Bowl.

Richard Benjamin plays the nephew who is trying to reunite the old man with his old comedy partner played by George Burns.

Some modern productions of The Sunshine Boys  update the characters to be pioneer TV stars rather than vaudevillians, which I suppose works just as well. But in the original play and this film, the whole vaudeville thing really works well. George Burns was an actual vaudevillian, so he was absolutely perfect for the role as Matthau's partner. When this movie came out in the 1970s, we still had vaudeville stars still living, but today there aren't any around anymore. Mickey Rooney was probably the most famous vaudevillians still living until he passed away this year.

I like Burns' line when he says to Matthau, "You know...I don't think we get along too good". That really sums up the movie in a way. The two comedians are able to reunite, and in a way say their last goodbye, realizing they are better off going their separate ways. I love the movie because it portrays two people who can't get along, but really love each other - sort of like a family member or friend you use to have, but just can't be with them too often. Such a great story, and great humor by Neil Simon.

It'd be cool to see this show performed live on stage.

Reaction to new 007 Spectre trailer

I enjoyed the latest video podcast from James Bond YouTuber Calvin Dyson - check out his channel here.   He talks about the latest trailer for Spectre and is really excited about it. I am really looking forward to this movie as well, having enjoyed the previous film.  Hopefully Calvin will have another video up soon where he dissects the trailer in more detail. Check out the video below -




In case you haven't seen the full trailer, check it out here....

Force Mejeur (2014)

Force Mejeur is one of the most unforgettable films I've seen in recent years, and its ending kept me thinking about it well after I left the theater. In the film, a family - mom, dad, and two young children - go on a skiing trip in the French Alps, hoping to enjoy a few days of fun. After a fear-inducing avalanche occurs, we begin to see what may or not be the beginning of the end of the couple's marriage. The couple's arguments are often fused with dark comedic elements, and at times I was reminded me at times of George & Martha from Virginia Woof.  In one of the film's best sequences, another couple comes stops by their hotel room to intervene and help provide an objective ear. There are also more scenes of people brushing their teeth and peeing than in any other movie I can remember. This is a movie that could be set anywhere - in any setting, any country. Even in the Jurassic World park. But the ski slope setting is perfect, though. On one hand, it adds to the film's literal and figurative "coldness". Also, I only went skiing once in my life (I fell down a hill and never went again!), so I never enjoyed the kind of skiing this family does. Skiing for this family is like going to the beach or the pool for other families. I loved looking at all of the beautiful snow-covered landscapes. I hope you are able to have the chance to view this though-provoking film, one of the best in recent years.

New trailer for "Hunger Games: Mockingjay 2" is out

The new trailer for Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is out.

I'm so looking forward to this movie; the last movie was one of the best in the series in my opinion.

 Here is the trailer in case you have not seen it yet


 

Summer Rental (1985)

Summer Rental came out 30 years ago in the summer of 1985. I only saw it for the first time recently, and liked it. John Candy is amusing in it as a Chicago dad who takes his wife and two kids (one is Joey Lawrence) to Florida.

They rent a beach house and predictably, some things go wrong, which brought to mind a Jimmy Stewart movie called Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962), which this is sort-of like.

The movie ends with the family entering a sailing race with the help of a pirate played by Rip Torn. It is worth seeing if you are curious about the other films in John Candy's filmography.

Run Lola Run (1999)

Synopsis: A young woman with punkish red-dyed hair gets a call from her boyfriend in desperate need of money to pay someone off. It's not fully explained, but his life is threatened if he doesn't pay it back by a noon. High noon.

The young woman - whose father is a wealthy banker - frantically runs around the city trying to get the money before something happens to the BF. (She must really love him, though he seems like a loser to me). And yes, she tries to get it from dear old dad, who may or may not be having an affair.

Every time Lola gets to her destination, the film "resets" itself from the beginning in order to show the viewer a different outcome, which makes you think about which version is the "real" one and which version you like best. There's so much running in the film that it can make you exhausted.

An interesting experimental film intercut with some animated sequences. I saw this movie when it first came out in 1999, and enjoyed it, but since then I had forgotten what happened. It was fun to watch it again, but I couldn't help but wonder why Lola couldn't contact any one else to round up the money. Not as many friends as George Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life - remember what happens in the end, the main character has all his friends provide money.  

Also interesting - these are days before cell phones, so there's no cell phone use. Could be a different movie if made today. Still excellent and suspenseful. 

Here is an interesting review from Deep Focus Lens on this film:

The Goonies (1985)

Last Thursday night I went to a free Park District screening of The Goonies, a movie that I have never seen before. A recent discussion on the Lambcast about this movie piqued my interest in seeing it; it sounded really cool. For a free movie, it wasn't a bad deal! Some of the dialogue was a bit hard to hear so I may need to watch the film again, but I loved the adventure through the underground caves with all the booby traps. Really cool stuff. For the most part the film holds up well with the exception of a few 80s references, and the fact that no one uses cell phones (I always seem to notice that when watching movies of the 80s and 90s...not so much the 1970s or earlier).  The host of the event made a little announcement before the movie started: "This movie is celebrating its 30th anniversary!" Sigh! Has it really been that long? And to think, 30 years prior to 1985 was 1955, which feels like 100 years ago.

Hester Street (1975)

Hester Street tells the tale of a young Jewish couple's migration to New York at the turn of the 20th century.

Carol Kane is very good as the young wife torn between her traditions and modern American culture. Doris Roberts, in an excellent supporting performance, plays a neighbor in the apartment building where the couple lives (if you've only seen her in her television roles then you haven't seen one of her best performances).

The immigrant husband is played by Steven Keats, an actor who sadly passed away at a young age several years ago.

The film, shot in black-and-white with much of the dialogue in the language of the immigrants, is so authentic in its recreation of this era - at times I felt I was watching a documentary.   The costumes, music, and set design are all impressive and deserve praise.

Available on DVD. Other reviews of the film:

The Movie Night's Group Guide to Classic Film

Cinema Fanatic

Vintage Everyday

Laura's Miscellaneous Musings 

Kennedy Center Honors 2015

The annual Kennedy Center awards are given to people in the performing arts who have made an impact on American culture. Usually there are 5 recipients per year, but this year, there are 6  (Sources: Rolling Stone.com, Washington Post), a welcome change, I think; I'm sure there is a large backlog of worthy recipients - why not open it to 10?

This year's  honorees include:

George Lucas, creator of Star Wars and Indiana Jones. A filmmaker receiving a Kennedy Center distinction is rare; in the past 40 years, only a handful have been selected: Steven Spielberg, Billy Wilder, and Martin Scorsese are among the few.

Rita Moreno, a consummate performer who has excelled on the stage and screen for over 60 years. (Oscar-winner for West Side Story).

Cicely Tyson, another consummate actor of stage and screen for over 60 years, with a legacy of legendary film (Sounder) and television performances  (The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Roots, King, A Woman Called Moses)

Also honored: from the field of popular music: The Eagles and Carol King, and the field of classic music: conductor Seiji Ozawa.

The Kennedy Center televisions specials are always some of the most entertaining and classy shows on television. Not only do you get to learn about the career of a lesser-known performer from those influenced by them, but you also get to enjoy a variety of performances in one program: where else can you see a ballet performance, a classical piece, a Broadway performance, a soliloquy or monologue from a play, and a rock performance in on program?

Welcome Stranger (1947)

This post is part of The 1947 Blogathon hosted by Shadows and Satin and Speakeasy.   Click here for a list of all the participating blogs in the blogathon.

"BETTER" than Going My Way??

Plot synopsis: A curmudgeonly small-town doctor (Barry Fitzgerald) decides to take a vacation (his "first in 30 years") and hires a replacement -- preferably a "mature" man, a "man of substance". His replacement turns out to be a singing doctor played by none other than Bing Crosby. At first they don't get along, and Bing has a tough time adjusting to the locals. But then, he eventually wins over everyone (the movie plays out much better than it sounds).

If that synopsis sounds familiar, then you may be familiar with Bing & Barry's first pairing, Going My Way; screenwriter Frank Butler was a co-writer on both pictures.

In fact, Paramount's ad campaign went so far as to proclaim Welcome Stranger even "Better!" than Going My Way.

Wow. That's quite a praise. I did like Going My Way so this has some big shoes to fill.

I could just imagine the word-of-mouth during the summer of 1947 -

Hey Barney, did you see that new picture with Bing Crosby and that little Irish fellow?  

You mean that new one where they play doctors?

Yes, sir! That picture had me in stitches! I was laughing to beat the band!

Does Bing sing in it? 

Yeah he sings about 3 or 4 new songs. One I can't get out of my head: "Smile Right Back at the Sun". Oh, and he does a fun square dance number.

Is it just as good as Going My Way?

Yeah...those posters were right...it's even better. This one leaves out all that religious stuff. And Joan Caufield is is it too.

Wow, she's one of my favorite picture stars. I can't wait to see it!

Here's how the marquee of the Oakland Theater in Oakland, California looked in 1947 when the film showed there. (Photo credit: Theaters of Oakland, California by Jack Tillmany, Arcadia Publishing, 2006)

Welcome Stranger was released June 13, 1947

Welcome Stranger was the second of 3 movies to star Bing and Barry. Their first teaming was of course 1944's wartime success Going My Way which earned Oscars for both actors and became the biggest hit movie of 1944 (and Best Picture Oscar winner). (Their 3rd and last movie together, 1949's Top of the Morning, co-starring Ann Blyth, didn't do as well as the first two).

Welcome Stranger was sort of like the Jurassic World of 1947. It's story and screenplay borrowed the same formula from the original hit, and brought back it's colossal star attractions (Bing & Barry were as big as dinosaurs at that time, especially Bing, who was the T-Rex of movie stars back then) in a surefire attempt to recapture the magic of that earlier picture.

And sure enough, Welcome Stranger became a big hit at the box office. [1]

According to the book Box Office Hits by Susan Sackett, Welcome Stranger was the #1 box office success for 1947 in terms of rental figures.* The book features essays on each of the Top Five box office hits of 1947, and ranked them in this order:

1) Welcome Stranger, Paramount ($6,100,000)
2) The Egg and I, Universal ($5,500,000)
3) Unconquered, Paramount ($5,250,000)
4) Life With Father, Warner Bros ($5,057,000)
5) Forever Amber, 20th Century Fox ($5,000,000)

*In the book, Sackett explains that rental figures represent the amount of money paid to the distributors of a film (IE studios) by those who rent a film (IE, the movie theaters). 

After watching the movie, I can see why the movie was such a hit. It has the wonderful appeal and chemistry of Bing and Barry, plus some snappy new songs, and some really funny moments throughout the picture that - in my opinion - hold up pretty good after all these years (almost 70 years later!). Barry made me laugh with just his facial expressions alone! My favorite jokes in the movie are the ones about Bing's real-life Hollywood pals Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra - I won't give away the jokes but they cracked me up! True, those jokes may be dated to a younger audience--- but if you know about Bing, Bob, and Frank then you'll laugh! I also liked it whenever Barry calls Bing a "young man" (Bing was 43).

Yep, they were right

So.... did I enjoy Welcome Stranger more than Going My Way? Hmmm. Well, that's not a easy one to answer!  I only recently experienced Welcome Stranger after many years of searching for a copy of it - and I loved it.  Going My Way, which I first saw years ago, is the sentimental favorite. But since it's fresh in my mind, I'll give Welcome Stranger the edge! Hats off to that promotional team!

As long as you can suspend your disbelief that Bing Crosby is a surgeon, then I think you will enjoy this movie too, which is part musical, part comedy and part romance  - yes Bing falls for Joan Caufield, but that's not really a spoiler (not only her, but another lovely lady has a crush on him, Wanda Belix). The film also has some dramatic moments, but not too melodramatic; a scene involving an emergency appendectomy will leave you laughing more than wincing.

  Bing teaches Barry to catch fish with a song

About the film, Greenbriar Picture Shows wrote: "Hayrides, square dances, and picket-fence values call up pleasant memory of Will Rogers and a middle America he presided over. Bing Crosby feels very much like Will's successor in Welcome, Stranger, dispensing pills and common sense with song" [2]

Finally, I discovered a very interesting WordPress blog by a real country doctor - A Country Doctor Writes - he has practiced small-town medicine for over 30 years, just like Barry Fitzgerald in the movie.  In his insightful post on Welcome Stranger, the doctor writes -

"a wonderfully relevant commentary on medicine in 1947, and also today....the tension between practical wisdom and academic theory in medicine exists today as much as it did in 1947...it portrays a bygone era, and at the same time it makes us think about where we are today." [3]

I also highly recommend this film, and give it an "A".

A must see for Bing Crosby fans, fans of whimsical comedy-romance-musicals of the 1940s, and anyone curious to see how Bing and Barry follow up Going My Way.

Trivia and Miscellaneous

---

Available on VHS cassette tape (hard to find) and DVD in the Bing Crosby 6 movie collection. (Thank you to YouTuber Nicoley133 for providing information about the DVDs)

Directed by Elliott Nugent (The Cat and the Canary, Give Me a Sailor, The Male Animal, My Favorite Brunette). Cinematography by Lionel Lindon (Oscar winner for Around the World in 80 Days).

Co-starring Robert Shayne, Thurston Hall, and Percy Kilbride ("Pa Kettle" from The Egg and I) . Pioneering black actors Clarence Muse and Clarence Brooks have small uncredited roles in the early train sequence .[4,5] Frank Faylen ("Ernie" from It's a Wonderful Life) has a small role as a sick reporter; his character pays off in the end when he delivers Bing some important news.

Despite the ad proclamations about this film being "Better" than Going My Way, Welcome Stranger did not receive any Academy Award nominations - not even any for Best Song.

No one in the film actually says "Welcome, Stranger!" In my research of this film I discovered that "Welcome Stranger" was the title of a very popular (at the time) 1920 Broadway Play (written by Aaron Hoffman and produced by Sam Harris) about a narrow-minded New England town that overcomes their prejudice and accepts a newcomer. [5] That's about the only thing the play and 1947 Bing movie have in common (in the play, the newcomer is a Jew). A silent film based on the play opened in 1924. [6]  The play's title (also inspired by a sacred scripture teaching to "welcome the stranger") grew to become something of a catchphrase and was borrowed for this 1947 Bing-Barry picture.

References

---

1. The Hollywood Reporter Book of Box Office Hits by Susan Sackett (Watson-Guptill Publications, May 1996, pages 66-71)

2. Greenbriar Picture Shows (blog). Another Bing Crosby Collection (published December 16, 2010)

3. A Country Doctor Writes (blog). Welcome Stranger (published January 11, 2011)

4. Black Cinema Connection (blog). Clarence Brooks (published September 29, 2014)

5. African American Registry (website). Clarence Muse: A Pioneer Film Actor (accessed July 12, 2015)

6. The Jewish Forum: A Monthly Magazine, Volume 3. (Jewish Forum Publishing Company, January 1, 1920, page 630)

7. Lake Worth Playhouse (website). Lake Worth Playhouse History (accessed July 1, 2015)

Additional photos

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Here are some photos showing the chapter on 1947 from the book Box Office Hits by Susan Sackett, with Welcome Stranger getting an impressive 2-page spread:

Five Easy Pieces (1970)

At the start of the film we're introduced to Jack Nicholson's character, an oil rigger who lives in a trailer park with his waitress girlfriend Rayette (Karen Black). Jack goes out drinking and fools around with other women (including Sally Struthers), while Rayette dreams of becoming a country singer.

Jack learns that his father is not in good health, so he travels to to his hometown on a road trip with Rayette.

As the movie unfolds, we learn that Jack comes from a more upper class family, and at one point in his life he was interested in becoming a pianist, which he didn't pursue.

I like how Jack's character interacts with his sister (Susan Anspach) and his father who doesn't recognize him anymore.  His brother is played by Ralph Waite.

While the film focuses on Jack's point-of-view mainly, I think Rayette is an equally important and memorable character in the film.

Her character seems to represents a life that Nicholson wants to put behind, but he doesn't know how.

The ending is open-ended and sad and leaves you wondering what will become of the characters.

I cared more about what would happen to Rayette than I did Jack's character.  I didn't like Jack's character. He may move on to pursue he dreams, but the way he treats Rayette throughout the movie is pretty awful. After all of the time he spent with his family, he still remains selfish and impulsive up until the very end. 

The movie Nashville (1975) features a character that longs to be a country singer (Barbara Harris' character); in the end of the film, she leads the entire crowd in song after a tragedy. I like to think that her character and Rayette from Five Easy Pieces are the same people. 

Another review of this movie from What I Watched Last Night

1947 Blogathon: Tom and Jerry shorts of 1947

This post is one of my contributions to The 1947 Blogathon hosted by Shadows and Satin and Speakeasy.   Click here for a list of all the participating blogs in the blogathon.

The animated cat and mouse team of Tom and Jerry (T&J) made their big-screen debut in 1940 and for the next 18 years appeared in 114 shorts for Metro Goldwyn Mayer until the studio shut down their animation department. All of these shorts of this era were directed by animation pioneers William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. T&J shorts have become so popular over the years that they are still shown on television today.  I've seen every T&J short ever produced (including the ones directed by Chuck Jones and Gene Deitch in the 1960s) and some of my favorites were released in 1947.

Here's a roundup of all of the 1947 shorts, with my star rating (4 being the best, 1 the worst).

Cat Fishin' (four stars out of four)

Released in February 1947

Many episodes in the T&J series usually took place in a house with Tom chasing Jerry all over the place....with Jerry eventually upstaging Tom, or"winning" (though in some rare cases Tom "wins"). In this 1947 episode, all of the action takes place at a fishing creek, where Tom uses Jerry as "bait" to catch some lunch. Two other antagonists give Tom a hard time: Spike the bulldog (in charge of guarding the creek), and a large, sharp-toothed fish who enjoys slapping Tom and Spike in the face with its tail. There are gags-a-plenty in this episode. The animation and attention to detail is particularly well done, especially Tom's "tackle box". I also love the score composed by Scott Bradley. Just close your eyes and listen to the score and you'll be amazed. Watch this episode here on Y-Tube thanks to Movie Cartoon channel!


Dr Jekyll and Mr Mouse (four stars out of four)
This is one of my all-time favorite episodes, from 1947. Tom wants nothing more but to enjoy his saucer of milk in solitude, but Jerry keeps interrupting.  Tom then mixes the milk with all kinds of poison (acid, bleach, bug powder, moth balls and more!) to fix Jerry once and for all. However, the plan backfires when Jerry takes a sip of the concoction, mutates, and develops super-strength with the ability to twirl Tom around by his whiskers. The potion doesn't last for long though, and Tom eventually gets the idea to taste the potion himself. What happens next is one of the funniest gags of any T&J! Watch this episode here on Y-Tube thanks to Ken1a's channel!  Released in June of 1947

Salt Water Tabby (four stars out of four)

This is another one of my favorites. In this hilarious 1947 episode, the cat & mouse duo engage in more buffoonery, this time at the beach. Tom flirts with a cute female kitten, traps Jerry in a bottle of soda pop, and eats a clam sandwich, shell and all! Eventually a crab makes his way in Tom's swimsuit and claws Tom in the butt. Watch this episode here on Y-Tube thanks to Domit Ahlesa's channel!  Released in July of 1947, just in time for summer.

The Cat Concerto (three stars out of four)
This time, the T&J series attempts to be little more "classy", with Tom playing the role of a concert pianist in a large concert hall. While he's playing, a little mouse (Jerry) runs all over the piano keys while Tom tries to shoo him off.  It's fun to watch the slapstick take place while listening to some classical favorites. Though it was not widely released to theaters until April of 1947, it won the 1946 Oscar for Best Animated Short (at the 1947 ceremony).  Ironically, a virtually identical Bugs Bunny short was released by Warner Bros in 1947 ("Rhapsody Rabbit") featuring Bugs fending off a mouse, resulting in  a bit of controversy. Imagine that - Bugs Bunny and Looney Tunes gang having such a rivalry with Tom & Jerry! (Incidentally, Tom and Jerry won more Oscars - 7 in total - for Best Animated short than Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes)

Watch The Cat Concerto here on Y-Tube thanks to MUSICANDO's channel!
Compare it with the nearly identical Bugs Bunny cartoon (thanks to Gene Terel's channel!)


A Mouse in the House (two stars out of four)

Released in August of 1947

T&J shorts of the 1940s featured the recurring character of Tom's caretaker, a black maid who would often scold Tom with a broomstick for not catching Jerry. The character's name is credited as "Mammy"; she was voiced by the great Lilian Randolph, star of radio film and TV (including The Great Gildersleeve and my favorite movie It's a Wonderful Life).

"There's a mouse in the house!!"

In this 1947 episode's situation, Mammy has two cats (Tom and "Butch" - a black tabby cat who appeared in other roles in other episodes). The two cats do nothing but sit around on the couch all day. Meanwhile Jerry raids the refrigerator and leaves food all over the kitchen. Mammy challenges the cats to find the mouse - the victor  will stay and the loser will be kicked out of the house. Some of the gags are pretty funny: Tom scrambles to look for the mouse while Jerry is standing right in front of him. Later Tom dresses up in drag as Mammy to fool Butch. Another gag in is edited out of US television broadcasts nowadays - it's when both cats stick their heads in a stove and get their heads burned--when they emerge, they both look like blackface minstrels. This type of blackface gag sprang up several times in T&J shorts, as well as in other studio's cartoons at the time. Not one of the best T&J shorts, in my opinion.

Watch the censored version here on Y-Tube (thanks to Kulsum Balu's channel)
Watch the un-censored version here on Y-Tube (thanks to Margret Shauna's channel)

Released in March of 1947

Part Time Pal (two stars out of four)
Here's another 1947 T&J short that I don't consider one of the standouts. However it does has some amusing moments, and its share of "adult" humor. For example, I always get a kick out of seeing an intoxicated Tom for most of the short. Yep, that's right - Tom literally hits the sauce, falling into a hard cider barrel while falling down the stairs. While he's wasted, he becomes Jerry's best chum - they even raid the refrigerator together. You have to see it to believe it; I'm not doing it justice by just describing it. The finale involves an inebriated Tom attempting to splash a pitcher of cold water on a sleeping Mammy ("One for the Money...Two for the show....Three to make ready...and four to go!"); Jerry actually feels bad for Tom rather than relishing in his pain this time!
Watch this episode here on Y-Tube thanks to Margret Shauna's channel!

The Invisible Mouse (three stars out of four)
This was the last T&J short released in 1947 (it was released in September of that year). In this episode Jerry manages to fall into a bottle of invisible ink, and has some fun driving Tom crazy with his newfound invisibility. Watch this episode on Y-Tube here (thanks to Margret Shauna's channel)


The next Tom and Jerry cartoon would not be released for another 8 months (Kitty Foiled in June of 1948)



I hope you enjoyed this post. One day I hope to review - and eventually rank - all of the Tom and Jerry shorts!