Of all the cartoons Hanna-Barbera produced over the years, the only ones that are really worth a damn are the Tom and Jerry classics. Scooby Doo, Jabberjaw, etc. all had great characters and designs, but the animation itself was, even to my pre-pubescent eye, pretty damn sad. Not so with T&J. Those two entertained me for years and years, both on screen and in the comics. Hopefully this new short, directed by Joseph Barbera himself, will be the start of a rekindling of the cat and mouse’s careers.

SHERMAN OAKS/ATLANTA, January 9: On January 27, Cartoon Network in the U.S. will premiere The KarateGuard, a new 7-minute animated short featuring the classic characters Tom and Jerry, and directed by the 94-year-old animation legend Joseph Barbera.

Barbera created the characters 65 years ago with his late partner William Hanna, who passed away in March 2001. The classic Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts were produced and animated by Hanna and Barbera at MGM and were shown ahead of the studio’s films from 1940 to 1957. The original series of more than 100 theatrical shorts won seven Academy Awards.

In The KarateGuard, Jerry, the clever mouse, takes up martial arts to defend himself against his arch-nemesis, Tom, the mischievous cat. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, this new Tom and Jerry theatrical short has already been submitted for a 2006 Academy Award nomination in the animated short film category.

“When we created these characters, we had no idea how popular and beloved Tom and Jerry would become,” Barbera said in a statement. “It was such a thrill to direct this short. With all the creativity coming from animators in the field today, it is great to see that animation is more popular than ever.”

“It is truly an honor to have Joe here at our studio contributing his invaluable experience, wisdom and creativity,” added Sander Schwartz, the president of Warner Bros. Animation. “He was not only a trailblazer in the field of animation, but also a pioneer in setting standards that are still used throughout the industry today. To have him direct this historic film celebrating the 65th anniversary of Tom and Jerry is remarkable.”

“Across all kid and family audiences, Tom and Jerry cartoons have consistently ranked among the Top 10 shows on Cartoon Network since its launch in 1992,” noted Bob Higgins, the SVP of programming and development for Cartoon Network. “They remain a favorite today on Boomerang as well. We’re certain that this new addition to Joe Barbera’s legacy of Tom and Jerry shorts will be an exciting bonus for the millions of fans who tune in on a daily basis.”

Animation