Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released the first episode of Tom and Jerry on February 10, 1940. Since then, this animated series, which has become a cult favorite, has been awarded seven Oscars.
The first episode about the legendary confrontation between a cat and a mouse was called Puss Gets the Boot. In the nine-minute story, a cat named Jasper enjoys tormenting a mouse named Jinx.
The adventures of the two sworn enemies were so popular with the audience that MGM commissioned animators William Gunn and Joseph Barber to make a sequel. In the sequel, the characters were renamed Tom and Jerry in honor of the popular US Christmas cocktail.
In honor of the animated series’ 85th anniversary, Warner Bros. will stream classic episodes about the confrontation between the favorite childhood characters on its YouTube channel throughout February.