Tom and Jerry are two of the most popular cartoon {#blank#}1{#/blank#}(character) in the world. In the short cartoons, Tom is always trying {#blank#}2{#/blank#}catch Jerry, but he never has any {#blank#}3{#/blank#} (succeed). Almost every cartoon ends with Tom in trouble and Jerry laughing at him. The{#blank#}4{#/blank#} (story) are full of fun and have a long history.

    William Hanna and Joseph Barbera both worked for MGM in the late 1930s. Their boss told {#blank#}5{#/blank#} to make funny cartoons for cinemas. Together they thought of the idea of a cat trying to catch a mouse. They thought it would be {#blank#}6{#/blank#}(fun) to make the mouse clever and always get the cat into trouble.

    The first Tom and Jerry cartoon {#blank#}7{#/blank#} shown in cinemas in 1940. It was a great success, so their boss told Hanna and Barbera to make more. Over the next seventeen years, Hanna and Barbera made a huge number of Tom and Jerry cartoons. Most of the cartoons are about seven  {#blank#}8{#/blank#}(minute) long.

    In total, Hanna and Barbera made 114 Tomand Jerry cartoons. The cartoons were so {#blank#}9{#/blank#} (well) that they won {#blank#}10{#/blank#} number of awards. The famous cat and mouse are still popular today. The cartoons are still shown on TV now.