Jerry’s Diary is a 1949 Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera.
Plot[]
Tom sets a lot of traps by Jerry’s mousehole. Suddenly, a radio tells the cat that it is "Be Kind to Animals Week" and that he should be extra kind to animals just this week. Tom is initially reluctant, but eventually goes along with it. He removes the traps and places a pie reading “To Jerry with Love” in front of the mousehole. Tom knocks at the wall, but there is no answer. He removes the heating vent and notices that Jerry has a diary on his desk. The cat takes the diary and begins reading it. On April 5, Jerry describes the events that happened in Tee for Two, where Tom uses Jerry as a tee and ends up tearing up a big chunk of the green, then runs Jerry through the ball cleaner. The cat laughs at this, but then he reads about a part where Jerry is forced to hold the tee and Tom hits the ball, but it bounces against a rock and into his teeth, breaking them.
This peeves Tom off, so he reads another section of the book describing the events in Mouse Trouble. Tom pulls out a book, opens it, and begins laughing at it. Jerry becomes curious and tries to read the book, but Tom turns around. Jerry climbs onto the pages and Tom slams the book shut. He reaches into the book and notices that Jerry is looking at something in his fist. Tom tries to see what it is, but Jerry looks away. The mouse then offers to see what he was looking at. Tom looks closely, and then Jerry punches Tom in the eye.
This memory upsets Tom even more, so he throws away the flowers that he was going to give to Jerry. He reads about the events that happened on June 3. A clip from Solid Serenade plays where Tom chases Jerry across an ironing board. The cat dives into a sink, but Jerry drains it before Tom hits. Jerry runs up to a window and removes the piece of wood keeping it open. The window closes on Tom’s neck, causing him to scream in pain.
Tom gets even angrier, so he kicks away the box of chocolates that he was going to give to Jerry. He turns to another section of the book where Jerry describes what happened on the 4th of July. A clip from The Yankee Doodle Mouse plays, where Tom lights a firecracker and tosses it towards Jerry’s mousehole. Jerry tosses it back hear Tom’s fort. Tom gives it back to Jerry, who gives it back to Tom, who gives it back to Jerry, who gives it back to Tom. Suddenly, Jerry takes the firecracker away. Tom takes it back, Jerry takes it away, and Tom takes it back. Just then, the firecracker explodes in his face. Jerry dives into a teapot and Tom stuffs a lit firecracker into it. The fuse depletes, but nothing happens, so Jerry safely leaves through the spout. Tom sticks his head into the teapot, causing the firecracker to explode and leave him in blackface.
Now infuriated, Tom tears up Jerry’s diary in frustration. At this time, the mouse walks around the corner. He notices the pie, and asks that if he can have it. Just as Tom is about to act, the radio comes back on and asks if Tom got a surprise for his animal friend. Tom nods. The radio says “Well, let him have it!” He throws the pie in Jerry’s face. The mouse, confused, shrugs his shoulders.
Availability[]
Notes[]
- The beginning and end of this cartoon were used in the intro and outro to the Tom and Jerry cartoons on German television.[3][4]
- Despite being credited as such, Ed Barge provided no animation towards this short, not counting his archival animation from Solid Serenade.