William Hannah was the voice of Tom Cat's signature screams on Tom and Jerry

If you are a fan of the famous cat and mouse duo, Tom and Jerry, you know that Tom has a distinctive yell. In my neck of the woods, children would tease each other by saying that someone was screaming like Tom. It was also common to hear boys tell each other that Tom screamed like a little girl.

During the cartoons, Tom has been set on fire, beaten and bashed, had doors slammed in his face, and bowling balls and anvils dropped on his head. His tail has been cut off, pool balls have gone down his throat, and he's been bitten by dogs, so this cat has a right to shout to the high heavens because of the pain.

Since 1941, the cries that emanate from the cat when he is in distress have been referred to as “Tom scream”. For those who were not aware, the man behind the iconic sound was William Hanna of Hanna Barbera, who together with Joseph Barbera, created some of the most beloved cartoons ever.

The duo met in 1937, while working at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), and began a collaboration that first received acclaim for the iconic cat and mouse, Tom and Jerry.

The duo created Hanna Barbera, in 1957, and it became the most successful television animation studio in the entertainment business. The team created or produced popular animations such as The Smurfs, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, The Huckleberry Hound Show, The Jetsons, and Scooby-Doo.

The 'Tom scream", however, belongs to William Hannah alone. Three videos of Tom's various screams are included here and the first one that can be seen below has the one that is my personal favorite.

Dates differ on when the Tom scream made its official debut. Some records indicate July 5, 1941, in the cartoon episode titled "The Alley Cat." Others say William Hanna's earliest performance of the iconic sound was for MGM in 1940 in the animated shorts, "Fraidy Cat" and "Dog Trouble."

Tom's signature sound that has been recorded and recycled was first heard in "Puss n' Toots and has been used in many other MGM cartoons. Fans with sharp ears have long suspected that others were utilizing Hanah's iconic Tom scream because it is so distinctive.

William Hanna later did several variations of the Tom scream for additional MGM cartoons. MGM used the screams until 1957 when their animation studio was shut down.

Tom's yell was brought back during the 1960s Chuck Jones era of MGM cartoons and used for Chuck's version of the Tom and Jerry show. Once Jones stopped creating his version of the cat and mouse team in 1967, Tom's signature scream ceased. It is not used in later animation.

Recordings of "Tom's scream" that were archived continue to exist, and were used later by the WB in The Tom and Jerry Show and Shiver Me Whiskers.

New screams were created for The Tom and Jerry Show by Rich Danhaki, the uncredited series sound designer/sound effects editor. As the old saying goes, "Aint nothing like the real thing baby" and long-time fans can tell the difference.

In addition to being an American animator, voice actor, and cartoonist, William Hanna was also a musician. His creative genius is responsible for entertaining children and adults for more than 80 years.

Tom and Jerry cartoons can be seen on MeTV's Toon in With Me, on MeTV Toons, and other streaming services.

William Hannah's gave Tom Cat a distinctive sound that is like no other. For those of us who grew up with Tom and Jerry cartoons, it brings back fond memories for children of all ages each time we hear it.