Life with Tom is a 1953 American one-reel animated cartoon and is the 79th Tom and Jerry cartoon directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. This is a compilation short.
Plot[]
A mailman delivers two packages and whistles out loud. Tom approaches to see that nothing is in his mailbox but he spots a package in Jerry's mailbox, and opens it to find a book entitled "Life with Tom". He hides in the bush as Jerry walks towards his mailbox and retrieves a letter. Tom then hears a radio program which announces the publication of "Life with Tom" by Jerry Mouse revealing that Jerry's book is his autobiography. Tom opens the book and flips the page to "Dedicated to Tom --- Without whom --- I could do very well". Tom flips forward a few pages.
He ends up on the seventh chapter of the book, which reads, "Chapter VII Life with Tom wasn't always one continuous battle ... one day, believe it or not, Tom took me fishing. 'Twas a sunny summer morning and the first thing I knew ---".
This leads to the beginning of 1947's Cat Fishin' where Tom uses Jerry as bait, and the segment ends where Spike gives chase. Back to the present day, where the book reads: "To this day Tom still thinks he caught a new species of dog fish ---". This makes Tom furious and he overhears Butch, Meathead, Lightning and Topsy laughing. He skims to another page.
The book reads "Chapter XI On Thanksgiving day, my little nephew and I dressed up as pilgrims --- Tom, of course, also got into the act ---".
The scene segues into the beginning of 1949's The Little Orphan where Jerry and Nibbles are walking along the dinner table dressed as pilgrims and ends where Tom surrenders, waving the white flag. Back to the present day, Tom hears Spike and Tyke laughing. He extends his neck out to see what page the father and son dogs are reading and flips forwards a couple of pages. He lands on a page that reads:
"Chapter XX A dog may be man's best friend but my best friend happens to be a canary ---- For once I really was in trouble"
The scene changes to the beginning of 1948's Kitty Foiled where the canary is shocked to witness Tom and Jerry's violent exploits, and ends where Tom plunges down a hole aboard a train about an inch from Jerry, as a bowling ball was thrown into the floor in front of the train.
Back again to the present day. With everyone laughing at his expense, Tom is eventually infuriated to discover he is a laughing stock. He marches over to Jerry's hole, furiously tears off the facade and then smashing the book over Jerry to possibly serve Jerry right. Offended by Tom's behavior, Jerry shows him the letter that he had received that morning, revealing that he received $50,000 in royalties for the book, of which half is for Tom in accordance to his wishes. Flattered to discover a check for himself, Tom – realizing that even through the ups and downs, Jerry still considers him a friend – has a change of heart about the autobiography and he now starts seeing the funny sides of it all and bursts out laughing as Jerry looks on proudly.