Shear Terror

Isn’t it fun when one cartoon character wants to chop off the head of another with garden shears? Sure, it’s laughs-o-plenty. When it’s accompanied by good animation.

That’s the situation that greets viewers of the Tom and Jerry cartoon “Fine Feathered Friend” (1942). Tom chases Jerry into a barn. Tom’s pleased.



But he can’t stop in time when Jerry decides to bring down the shears. Great pose.



Tom pulls his head back in time.



Jerry slips dues to the force and falls on his butt. He jumps up, turns 180 degrees in mid-air and then runs out of the scene.



Tom picks up the shears and resumes the chase.



You can see Tom actually slices Jerry. But the shears must be dull or made of rubber because the mouse slips through them every time.



We’re still into the early Tom and Jerry years, so the animators credited on screen are Ken Muse, Pete Burness, George Gordon and Jack Zander. Mark Kausler reveals in the comments who did what scenes.