SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1975

The New Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show, a new cartoon series from Hanna-Barbera, premiered - 8:30 (EDT) on ABC Saturday Morning. Here the long-popular Tom and Jerry, after years of rivalry, have (in order to appease ABC Standards and Practices!) become the best of friends (and Jerry dons a red bowtie, so the animators would be able to "fragment" his movements), in episodes wherein they roamed the world competing in sports, enduring on-the-job misadventures, running afoul of dastardly villains, solving mysteries and helping others.

Each hour-long telecast of New Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape was split into five segments in a specific format: alternating with three 7-minute New Tom & Jerry segments were two 10-minute ones concerning a 40-foot purple ape, Grape Ape (voiced by the late Bob Holt) and his fast-talking beagle buddy, a carnival hustler answering to the unlikely moniker of Beegle Beagle (voiced by Marty Ingels), or "Beegley Beagley," as G.A. would lovingly refer to him. It was Hanna-Barbera Productions, Incorporated's only new series for the 1975-1976 television season. It also marked the official television debut of Tom and Jerry, and it's just as well, what with all-new installments of the cat-and-mouse duo.

The first shows on the agenda that week were as follows:

"No Way, Stowaways" with Tom & Jerry
"That Was No Idol, That Was My Ape" with Grape Ape
"The Ski Bunny" with Tom & Jerry
"The All-American Ape" with Grape Ape
"Stay Awake Or Else..." with Tom & Jerry

It would add a new component series, The Mumbly Cartoon Show, in its second and final season on ABC Saturday Morning in 1976-77 as The Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape/Mumbly Show and The Tom & Jerry/Mumbly Show (when Grape Ape parted ways with the cast in November 1976 only to resurface on Sunday mornings in 1977-78 as The Great Grape Ape Show). Following the completion of its network run in September 1977, the 48 New Tom & Jerry cartoons from 1975 (now The Tom & Jerry Show, which featured each 7-minute New Tom & Jerry cartoon framed in-between main and end title credits) were mixed with the backlog of theatrical-era MGM Tom & Jerry cartoons from 1940-67 for syndication. This, of course, is the version of Tom & Jerry which serious animation fans have and continue to take to with such disdain.

Yes, in spite of every slight, insult, rant and defiling ever cast at this particular version of the beloved cat-and-mouse, it still gets as much airtime as does the classic T&J shorts (thank you CN and Boomerang!). And it remains my firm favorite to this very day.

And now that the premiere telecast (Show #TJGA-1) of the original New Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show is part of Warner's Saturday Morning Cartoons - 1970s Volume 2, we fans have the means to celebrate!!

A Happy, Heartfelt 35th Anniversary!! (September 6, 1975-September 6, 2010)

And now, if you will, kindly SING ALONG!!!


THE TOM & JERRY/GRAPE APE SHOW -MAIN TITLE
Words and Music by William Hanna, Joseph Barbera and Hoyt Curtin; published by Anihanbar Music, Inc. (BMI)

Have a laugh, wear a smile!
Stick with us for a while!
It's The Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show!
(Beegle Beagle: "GO GET 'EM!")
You'll begin with a grin
When you first tune us in
On The Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show!
(Beegle Beagle: "WE GOT 'EM!")

Introducing TOM & JERRY!
And that big, big, big star... THE GREAT GRAPE APE!
(Beegle Beagle: "With that groovy Grape Ape beat! YOW!!")

(Beegle Beagle: "HERE HE IS!")
HE'S THE GREATEST!
(GRAPE APE: "I am, I am! Grape Ape, Grape Ape!")
(Beegle Beagle: "MISTER GIGANTUS!")
HE'S THE LATEST!!
(GRAPE APE: "Love that Tom and Jerry!")

Lots of zing, lots to sing!
Everything's gonna swing!
So, get ready—here we go! (Beegle Beagle: "HERE WE GO!")
Big or small, short or tall,
You will all have a ball
On The Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show!
(GRAPE APE: "Grape Ape, Grape Ape!")

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Aaron Handy III - [email protected]
My TV Web Shrine - http://tvwebshrine.tvheaven.com/