The Million Dollar Cat

The Million Dollar Cat
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Released:	May 6, 1944 Reissue: February 24, 1951
Runtime:	7 min. 10 sec.
Series:	Tom and Jerry
MPAA Number:	9112
Production Number:	109
Copyright Renewed:	April 22, 1971
Starring:	Tom Cat Jerry Mouse
Crew
Voice Characterizations:	William Hanna (uncredited) Jerry Mann (uncredited)
Director:	Bill Hanna Joseph Barbera
Written By:	William Hanna (uncredited) Joseph Barbera (uncredited)
Producer:	Fred Quimby
Animated By:	Irven Spence Ken Muse Pete Burness Ray Patterson
Assistant Animators:	Barney Posner (uncredited)
Layout Artist:	Harvey Eisenberg (uncredited)
Film Editor:	Fred McAlpin (uncredited)
Sound Effects:	Fred McAlpin (uncredited)
Musician:	Scott Bradley

The Million Dollar Cat is a 1944 Technicolor one-reel animated cartoon and is the 14th Tom and Jerry short. It was released to theatres on May 6, 1944, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was re-released on February 24, 1951. This short is the first of a few in which Tom emerges victorious over Jerry.

Plot

While Tom is throwing darts at an apple on Jerry's head à la William Tell (he even throws one between his legs while blindfolded), a telegram arrives. Though it is meant for the owner, Tom reads it himself and discovers that he thinks he has been left a million dollars in a will from his owner's eccentric aunt, making him ecstatic. Jerry also reads the letter and gets ecstatic. Jerry points out that the will has a condition which would cause Tom to forfeit his newly acquired wealth if he harms any living animal, even a mouse.

The next day, news of Tom's inheritance quickly spreads and he moves to 1 Park Avenue. He quickly becomes accustomed to his lavish lifestyle, but Jerry keeps showing up and tormenting Tom with the "Even A Mouse" line in the telegram. Jerry tries to push Tom's buttons by smacking him in the face with his own dickey, assaulting him in his limousine, stealing his sundae, and hogging all of the bed sheets with his nightcap while he tries to sleep (Tom is about to hit Jerry with a baseball bat, but changes his mind and hits himself out of grief).

The next morning, after Jerry steals Tom's bathroom towel, he tries to get Jerry to leave by hanging a fire exit sign on the window and starting a fire in front of the bathroom door. Jerry promptly jumps out of the window. The cat cheers before sitting down to enjoy his breakfast, but when he grabs his napkin, however, he uncovers Jerry, who eats Tom's breakfast. As a final insult, he attacks Tom with the rest of the breakfast material, reminding him that as long as the "Even A Mouse" rule stands, Jerry can do whatever he wants to him, then he once again smacks Tom's dickey in his face.

This proves to be the final straw and Tom finally draws the line, and loses his temper; his face boils over with his rage. An extremely mad and violent Tom grabs the telegram, tears it into pieces, and even shoves the "Even A Mouse" piece into Jerry's mouth after Jerry holds it up to remind Tom in desperation, literally forcing him to eat his words. Jerry swallows it in horror at what is about to happen, as Tom leaps into the air with a loud and insane scream before attacking Jerry by slamming the crockery and breakfast tray on him. After a few seconds, Tom holds Jerry in place and says to the audience "Gee... I'm throwing away a million dollars... BUT I'M HAPPY!", and then continues attacking Jerry as the short concludes.

Availability

• DVD - Tom and Jerry's Greatest Chases, Vol. 2
• DVD - Tom and Jerry Spotlight Collection Vol. 1, Disc One
• DVD - Tom and Jerry Golden Collection Volume One, Disc One

Gallery

• Screenshots
• Production
• Other

Layout drawing

Production drawing

Poster

Original credits

Notes

• This is one of the few shorts where Tom seemingly wins, since he is happy at the end as he attacks Jerry, even though he loses his chance of earning a million dollars from doing so.
• This was the first cartoon where the William Hanna Tom Scream was used for when Tom gets shocked after he sees Jerry in the car. It was one of the screams (recorded by William Hanna) that first debuted in "What's Buzzin' Buzzard?" (1943).
• Although the smoking in "Texas Tom" has been removed in Boomerang UK airings, the smoking scene in the car in this short is left intact.
• A Merrie Melodies cartoon short entitled "The Wabbit Who Came to Supper" (1942) from rival studio Warner Bros. shares a similar premise as this short.
• The original titles have been found on YouTube, but it is unknown if they will be acquired for future releases.