Jerry and the Lion

Jerry and the Lion
Tom and Jerry series
Reissue title card
Directed by	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Produced by	Fred Quimby
Story by	William Hanna Joseph Barbera
Voices by	Frank Graham Paul Frees William Hanna Billy Bletcher
Music by	Scott Bradley
Animation by	Irven Spence Ed Barge Kenneth Muse Ray Patterson
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s)	April 8, 1950, September 1957 (re-release)
Color process	Technicolor Perspecta (reissue)
Running time	6:48
Language	English
Preceded by	Texas Tom
Followed by	Safety Second

Jerry and the Lion is a 1950 one-reel animated cartoon and is the 50th Tom and Jerry short. 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.

Tom is listening to music on the radio, but hears a crash from the kitchen, where he sees Jerry stealing food from the fridge. When Tom tries to stop Jerry, Jerry squeezes a tomato into Tom's face. Jerry runs toward his mousehole; but when Tom closes the door, the mouse sneaks through his own mousehole door, and squeezes another tomato into the cat's face. When Tom returns to his chair and radio, a news bulletin then comes and announces that a ferocious runaway lion has escaped from the circus, warning everyone to close their windows and doors.

Tom frantically closes all the windows, puts a couch in front of the door, and grabs a gun and safari hat to defend himself. Tom hides behind a table, while Jerry, who overheard the warning, sees someone hiding in the shadows, and screams in fear when he sees two angry eyes, but before he can break away or even try to do anything, the runaway lion grabs him and befriends Jerry, asking Jerry to help him get back to the jungle. Jerry agrees, and after the lion thanks him, he admits he is hungry.

Jerry and the lion sneak to the kitchen, but as Jerry picks out some ham, Tom spots him. Tom stops Jerry with his gun, takes the ham, and catches Jerry by his tail. The lion, hiding behind a curtain, eats the ham in one bite, and when Tom hears it crunching and nervously points the gun at the curtain, Jerry raises the gun, causing it to go off at the ceiling. Jerry then acts like he has been shot and hits the floor. Tom, horrified, believing he shot Jerry, runs off, with Jerry and the lion running in the opposite direction.

Tom returns with a first aid kit, but finds that Jerry is nowhere to be found. Tom looks for the lion, but finds Jerry in another room, with the lion perched on a lamp. Tom points the gun at Jerry, causing Jerry to start throwing punches. When Tom grabs Jerry, the lion smacks Tom, sending Tom flying halfway across the room. Jerry and the lion then hide in an umbrella holder. Tom grabs an umbrella and opens it, causing the lion to fall on him, flattening the cat.