10 February Tom and Jerry first appeared in Puss Gets the Boot in 1940

 

Tom and Jerry made their screen debut in Puss Gets the Boot on February 10, 1940.

William Hanna and Joseph Barbera established the American animated media phenomenon Tom and Jerry in 1940, along with a series of comedic short films. The series, which is most known for its 161 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer theatrical short films, is centered on the rivalry between the titular Tom and Jerry, a mouse and cat. Multiple recurring characters can also be found in many shorts.

The first short in what would eventually become the Tom and Jerry cartoon series, Puss Gets the Boot is an animated short from 1940 that was made in the United States, though neither character was yet known by these names. Produced by Fred Quimby and Rudolf Ising, it was directed by William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, and Rudolf Ising. It was based on The Cat and the Mice, an Aesop fable. As was customary for MGM shorts at the time, Rudolf Ising receives sole credit. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer opened it in theaters on February 10, 1940.