Old Rockin' Chair Tom
Encyclopedia
Old Rockin' Chair Tom is a 1948 American one-reel animated cartoon
and is the 36th Tom and Jerry
short
directed by William Hanna
and Joseph Barbera
and produced by Fred Quimby
. It was animated by Ed Barge
, Kenneth Muse
, Ray Patterson
and Irven Spence
and was released to theaters on September 18, 1948. This cartoon has the longest Mammy Two Shoes on screen appearance. It even features the first appearance of Lightning in a theatrical release of a Tom and Jerry cartoon.
Fed up with Tom's failure, Mammy retires him. She then calls in "Lightning", a bright ginger cat who lives up to his name as he rushes onto the scene and speedily kicks Jerry out of the house and into the dumpster.
Tom then panics as Lightning speeds past him and flips him over, then Lightning kisses Mammy's hand. Mammy praises Lightning's etiquette and efficiency. Jerry tries to sneak back into the house, but Lightning kicks him out again.
Lightning passes by Tom and twists him around, and dresses him up with a fake beard as Mammy advises him to "take good care of poor old Uncle Tom..." as she goes upstairs, leaving Lightning in charge. The cat then begins to show his true nature by raiding the fridge, until he drops a bottle of milk. This wakes up Mammy, who believes it is Tom raiding the fridge. Lightning then frames Tom by dumping the fridge contents at Tom's feet, stuffing leftovers into his hands and cramming Tom inside a watermelon.
Mammy enters and sees Tom, but not Lightning standing next to him. She asks Tom if he has been in the fridge and Lightning nods Tom's head. Lightning offers to throw Tom out of the house, and Tom is kicked into the dumpster, where he sees Jerry. As Lightning is set to kick him, Jerry just kicks himself out. Together, the duo plot to remove Lightning from the house for good.
Later Tom and Jerry, armed with a magnet and iron, sneak into the house, and place the iron by a sleeping Lightning's mouth, and the magnet behind his rear. This causes Lightning to swallow the iron, waking him up.
As Lightning chases after Jerry, Tom uses the magnet to attract the iron, and therefore pull Lightning back into his fist. Tom then tosses the magnet to Jerry, but Jerry is too light and is dragged along with Lightning until he runs into the iron and latches onto the magnet. Lightning grabs onto a piano
leg and Tom, Jerry and Lightning begin a tug-of-war. The duo wins and Lightning is sent through the piano and into a wall, where a whole set of plates fall on the ginger cat.
Mammy hears the chaos and enters the room, but soon Jerry starts to terrorise her again by shaking the stool she is standing on. She calls for Lightning, but Lightning is unable to come to the rescue, as Tom is controlling his movements behind the kitchen wall. Eventually, after praying that someone will help her, Mammy calls for Tom, who grabs Jerry and pretends to beat him up, but in reality, Tom and Jerry are hitting a pan with wooden sticks and rattling it. Tom helpfully kicks Lightning out of the house, but he ends up smashing his foot after striking the iron as he kicks him.
Later, Tom, with his broken foot wrapped in bandages, is given a nice pie
from Mammy as a token of her gratitude, as well as an apology for her misunderstanding. Tom takes most of the pie, but leaves the remainder by his side for Jerry, who, using the magnet, brings the pie and dish to his hole, and happily tucks into his well-earned food.
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
and is the 36th Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry
Tom and Jerry are the cat and mouse cartoon characters that were evolved starting in 1939.Tom and Jerry also may refer to:Cartoon works featuring the cat and mouse so named:* The Tom and Jerry Show...
short
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
directed by William Hanna
William Hanna
William Denby Hanna was an American animator, director, producer, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century. When he was a young child, Hanna's family moved frequently, but they settled in Compton, California, by...
and Joseph Barbera
Joseph Barbera
Joseph Roland Barbera was an influential American animator, director, producer, storyboard artist, and cartoon artist, whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of fans worldwide for much of the twentieth century....
and produced by Fred Quimby
Fred Quimby
Frederick C. "Fred" Quimby was an American cartoon producer, best known as a producer of Tom and Jerry cartoons, for which he won seven Academy Awards...
. It was animated by Ed Barge
Ed Barge
Edward John "Ed" Barge was an American animator.Barge was born to Alfred Edward and Margaret G. Barge in San Jose, California. In 1916, the family moved to Bakersfield, where his father was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad and Pacific Western Oil Co. before retiring in 1954...
, Kenneth Muse
Kenneth Muse
Kenneth Lee Muse was an American animator. He is best known for his work on the Tom and Jerry series at MGM.-Biography:...
, Ray Patterson
Ray Patterson (animator)
Raymond "Ray" Patterson was an American animator, producer, and director. Patterson was born in Hollywood, California, and was the brother of animator Don Patterson.-Early career:...
and Irven Spence
Irven Spence
Irven Spence was an American animator. He is best known for his work on MGM's Tom and Jerry animated shorts. Spence has been credited variously as Irven Spence, Irvin Spence, and Irv Spence....
and was released to theaters on September 18, 1948. This cartoon has the longest Mammy Two Shoes on screen appearance. It even features the first appearance of Lightning in a theatrical release of a Tom and Jerry cartoon.
Plot
Mammy Two Shoes is standing on a chair, screaming in panic, being harassed by Jerry. She calls for Tom, who lazily wakes up and then rejuvenates instantly when he sees the mouse. Tom chases Jerry away from Mammy, but Jerry trips him. Jerry goes back to Mammy and rocks the stool up and down until Tom chases him again. Jerry then opens up a door and the ironing board, followed by the iron, fall on Tom's head. Tom catches Jerry trying to cut down the stool, and Jerry gives him the axe. Mammy urges Tom to hit Jerry, but each time Jerry ducks and eventually he chops down the stool. Tom supports Mammy on his head, until he loses his balance. Jerry opens the door of the basement stairway. Tom goes through the doorway, with Mammy still on him, and crashes down into the basement causing several pieces of crockery to smash outside the door.Fed up with Tom's failure, Mammy retires him. She then calls in "Lightning", a bright ginger cat who lives up to his name as he rushes onto the scene and speedily kicks Jerry out of the house and into the dumpster.
Tom then panics as Lightning speeds past him and flips him over, then Lightning kisses Mammy's hand. Mammy praises Lightning's etiquette and efficiency. Jerry tries to sneak back into the house, but Lightning kicks him out again.
Lightning passes by Tom and twists him around, and dresses him up with a fake beard as Mammy advises him to "take good care of poor old Uncle Tom..." as she goes upstairs, leaving Lightning in charge. The cat then begins to show his true nature by raiding the fridge, until he drops a bottle of milk. This wakes up Mammy, who believes it is Tom raiding the fridge. Lightning then frames Tom by dumping the fridge contents at Tom's feet, stuffing leftovers into his hands and cramming Tom inside a watermelon.
Mammy enters and sees Tom, but not Lightning standing next to him. She asks Tom if he has been in the fridge and Lightning nods Tom's head. Lightning offers to throw Tom out of the house, and Tom is kicked into the dumpster, where he sees Jerry. As Lightning is set to kick him, Jerry just kicks himself out. Together, the duo plot to remove Lightning from the house for good.
Later Tom and Jerry, armed with a magnet and iron, sneak into the house, and place the iron by a sleeping Lightning's mouth, and the magnet behind his rear. This causes Lightning to swallow the iron, waking him up.
As Lightning chases after Jerry, Tom uses the magnet to attract the iron, and therefore pull Lightning back into his fist. Tom then tosses the magnet to Jerry, but Jerry is too light and is dragged along with Lightning until he runs into the iron and latches onto the magnet. Lightning grabs onto a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
leg and Tom, Jerry and Lightning begin a tug-of-war. The duo wins and Lightning is sent through the piano and into a wall, where a whole set of plates fall on the ginger cat.
Mammy hears the chaos and enters the room, but soon Jerry starts to terrorise her again by shaking the stool she is standing on. She calls for Lightning, but Lightning is unable to come to the rescue, as Tom is controlling his movements behind the kitchen wall. Eventually, after praying that someone will help her, Mammy calls for Tom, who grabs Jerry and pretends to beat him up, but in reality, Tom and Jerry are hitting a pan with wooden sticks and rattling it. Tom helpfully kicks Lightning out of the house, but he ends up smashing his foot after striking the iron as he kicks him.
Later, Tom, with his broken foot wrapped in bandages, is given a nice pie
Pie
A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients....
from Mammy as a token of her gratitude, as well as an apology for her misunderstanding. Tom takes most of the pie, but leaves the remainder by his side for Jerry, who, using the magnet, brings the pie and dish to his hole, and happily tucks into his well-earned food.
Voice cast
- Lillian RandolphLillian RandolphLillian Randolph was an American actress and singer, a veteran of radio, film, and television. An African American, she worked in entertainment from the 1930s well into the 1970s, appearing in hundreds of radio shows, motion pictures, short subjects, and television shows.-Early years:Born...
as Mammy Two Shoes (original version) (uncredited) - Thea VidaleThea VidaleThea Vidale , is an American stand-up comedian and actress.She began her career doing stand-up comedy in comic clubs in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Los Angeles...
as Mammy Two Shoes (dubbed version) (uncredited)