Down Beat Bear is a 1956 Tom and Jerry cartoon produced and directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
Plot[]
Jerry prances into his home inside the Cabinet radio and hangs up his hat. He pokes himself out of the flap and turns on a loud music tune.
Tom enters, sits down and reads a newspaper, but the music makes Tom turn off the radio. An irritated Jerry comes from inside the radio and turns it back on. Tom's head throbs from the loudness. Jerry and Tom then proceed to toggle the radio on and off until Tom hides behind the radio when Jerry turns it on, and then Tom pulls the plug. Jerry peeps out and attempts to turn the radio on, but fails. Before Tom can quell the radio again, a news bulletin announces on loose that there is a domesticated dancing bear, who wandered away from the carnival.
We interrupt this program to announce that a dancing bear has wandered away from the carnival. He is a trained bear and will dance if he hears music. DO NOT BE ALARMED - he is harmless. Contact your local police. A BIG REWARD will be paid for the return of the dancing bear.
Just then, the bear dances down the street, stumbles by Tom and Jerry's house, spots fruit on a nearby table and munches on them. Tom spots the bear and extends his arm stealthily across the room and grabs the phone to call the police.
Meanwhile, Jerry plugs back in the radio. The bear then jumps into the house, grabs Tom before he can begin to call, and starts up a dance. Jerry looks astounded and sees this is a great opportunity to play with the cat. As the bear dances past the radio, Tom turns it off. The bear stares blankly at the cat, then drops him and resumes eating the fruit. Tom again attempts to use the phone, but Jerry is ready to turn the radio back on. Tom grabs the mouse, but the station button is still within reach and soon the cat is dragged across the floor by the bear. Tom then stuffs the bear into a closet, cuts the plug, and chases the mouse.
Jerry escapes the cat and hides in a full automatic record player. Tom cannot see him. Jerry plays a classical-music record. The bear breaks out of the closet when he hears the music, takes the door with him and runs right into the cat. Both cat and bear have their hands poked through a hole in the door and thus the bear can begin a tango dance (La Cumparsita). Tom recovers and knocks on his side of the door. The bear closes the door on him and pushes Tom into a grandfather clock. He wonders where the cat may have gone and then he grabs the door. However, Tom takes the place of the pendulum inside while the bear continues the tango alone.
Jerry escapes the cat and hides in a full automatic record player. Tom cannot see him. Jerry plays a classical-music record. The bear breaks out of the closet when he hears the music, takes the door with him and runs right into the cat. Both cat and bear have their hands poked through a hole in the door and thus the bear can begin a tango dance (La Cumparsita). Tom recovers and knocks on his side of the door. The bear closes the door on him and pushes Tom into a grandfather clock. He wonders where the cat may have gone and then he grabs the door. However, Tom takes the place of the pendulum inside while the bear continues the tango alone.
Tom spots the mouse waltzing by himself on top of the record player and breaks the record over Jerry's head. The chase resumes briefly until Jerry jumps on a piano and starts playing The Blue Danube. Tom then flees, but is soon met by the bear. Tom grabs a scraper and hits the mouse off the piano with it as he is passing by. Jerry lands on top of a ukulele and plays a jazz rhythm. Tom then tricks the bear into dancing right through the floor grate, and he breaks the ukulele while Jerry is playing. Jerry turns on a small portable radio and a second bulletin plays announcing a larger reward for the dancing bear.
Your attention, please. We interrupt this program to announce that the reward for the missing bear has been doubled! If you see this missing bear, notify your police department at once!
Tom tries yet again to use the phone, but is interrupted by the music from the small radio. Tom dives through the various floor grates and then traps the bear in a folding couch. Tom chases Jerry outside, catches him, and takes the radio. He throws it into the air, but it slides across a branch and clicks on against an offshoot.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. This is your host at Melody Time, bringing you 6 hours of continuous dance music.
Tom is shocked in bitterness when he hears that the music will continue for six hours and the bear asks him for a dance. To finish his reasons, he accepts it and lets Jerry escape. While Tom dances with the bear, the words "THE END" fade in onto the moon behind them as the cartoon ends.
Availability[]
- Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection: Volume 2 (Warner Bros.)
- Tom and Jerry: Santa's Little Helpers (Warner Bros.)
Notes[]
- This short was considered for an Academy Award in 1956, but was not nominated.[2]