Jerry and the Lion

Jerry and the Lion is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 50th Tom and Jerry short. Created in 1949, it was produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on April 8, 1950 by Metro-Goldwyn Mayer. The cartoon was animated by Irven Spence, Ed Barge, Kenneth Muse, and Ray Patterson. It was directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and produced by Fred Quimby. Scott Bradley arranged the music, Robert Gentle did the backgrounds, and Frank Graham provided the (uncredited) voice of the lion that befriends Jerry in the cartoon.

Directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. Produced by Fred Quimby.

Dialogue

Radio Announcer: Attention! Attention, everyone. We interrupt this program to bring you this warning. A ferocious lion has just escaped from the circus. I repeat, a ferocious lion has just escaped from the circus. You are advised to bar your windows and doors immediately. [Tom, panicked, immediately locks all the windows and doors in the house and hides behind an upturned table with a shotgun]

[Jerry, having overheard the warning, now comes out from hiding from in a teapot, but when he sees the lion's eyes hiding in the shadows, he just has time to scream, just before the lion catches Jerry, who tries to flee, but fails, when the lion catches and pounces him, just to ask him for favors, not scare or threaten him]

Lion: Shh! Don't give me away, pal. Don't let 'em catch me. If they take me back to that circus, I'll go crazy. I can't stand that corny music. Or that "crackle, crackle crackle" of them popcorn bags. Say you'll help me get back to the jungle. Please?

[Lion says please with bright white teeth, almost as if posing for a smile. Jerry then nods his head, meaning yes]

Lion: Gee. Thanks, pal. Thanks. Uh, there's just one more little thing.

[Lion opens and closes his mouth, points to open mouth]

Lion: I'm hungry.

Voice cast

• Paul Frees as Radio Announcer
• Frank Graham as the Lion
• Billy Bletcher as Tom (laughing)
• William Hanna as Tom (screaming) / Jerry