SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1975 (bel.)

(A day of infamy for Tom & Jerry fans!)

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 Show 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. 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



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.

A Happy, Healthy 30th Anniversary to The New Tom & Jerry Show!! (Grape Ape and Beegle Beagle are 30, too, so let's give them some props as well!)

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



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

Set your dial for a while!
Have a laugh, wear a smile!
The Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show!
You'll begin with a grin
When you first tune us in:
The Tom & Jerry/Grape Ape Show!

Introducing that famous cat and mouse...TOM & JERRY!
And there it is...it's THE GREAT GRAPE APE!
("I am, I am, Grape Ape, Grape Ape!" "Love that Tom and Jerry!")

(instrumental solo)

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!



Aaron Handy III
[email protected]
http://tvwebshrine.150m.com/