13 of the Funniest Jokes and Gags from Tom & Jerry
There’s probably not a more underrated comedy duo than Tom & Jerry. The animated cat and mouse’s slapstick antics have upped the ante of comedic violence for decades, given that they can’t get injured since they’re just drawings. (Thank God.) Their setups, timing and (sometimes literal) punchlines cannot be bested by mere flesh-and-blood humans. Just ask literal brain injury magazine cover boy Johnny Knoxville.
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Here are some of the funniest classic bits that Tom & Jerry have dropped on us (and each other) since 1940…
‘I’m Just Wild About Jerry’
Tom treats Jerry like a toy (literally), but there’s one game he shouldn’t play with him: croquet.
‘Mouse Trouble’
This Oscar-winning short not only has Tom read a book on how to catch Jerry but ends with Tom’s untimely death. Come up to Heaven and see him sometime.
Jerry’s Hammer Time
In “Trap Happy,” Tom enlists the help of Butch to exterminate Jerry. Unfortunately for them, gas won’t do, and their hammer is used against them.
The Birth of Monster Jerry
Seriously, could you tear a phonebook in half? Neither can Tom.
‘Yankee Doodle Mouse’
In this Oscar-winning patriotic short, Tom is mortified by a giant explosive but gets a moment of relief. Then he learns the hard way that sometimes dynamite comes in small packages.
‘The Milky Waif’
There’s hell to pay when Tom spanks Jerry’s nephew, Nibbles, with a flyswatter.
‘When You Need Me, Just Whistle’
‘Little Quacker’
When Jerry tries to help Little Quacker find his mama, the two still have to contend with Tom hunting them down. Frankly, this could have gone grisly if either Tom or Quacker connected with their axes.
When Tom Thought He Was Shot
‘Little Runaway’
While Tom displayed some impressive highwire work chasing Jerry and a baby seal, he sticks the landing into a glass of water a little too well.
When Tom & Jerry Teamed Up
Both Tom and Jerry had enough of three mischievous kittens in “Triplet Trouble,” so they decided to team up to become the most unstoppable force in all of slapstick.
‘Duel Personality’
In this short, Tom and Jerry realize that their ongoing feud needs to end, so they might as well settle it through a duel. The problem is, no matter which weapon they choose, it just smacks up in their faces (again, sometimes literally).
‘Puttin’ on the Dog’
Tom tries to disguise himself with a dog mask to infiltrate a sleeping dog yard to get Jerry, but it doesn’t fool Spike for long.