Mouse Hole

Lore & Background

In "Johann Mouse," set in 19th century Vienna, Tom Cat and Johann Mouse (Jerry) live in the house of composer Johann Strauss. Whenever Strauss plays the piano, Johann comes out of his hole to dance to the music, and Tom repeatedly tries to catch him to no avail. The hole is Johann's point of emergence and retreat. One day, Strauss goes away on a journey. Tom realizes the key to catching Johann is through music, so he teaches himself to play the piano using Strauss' written tutorial, "How to Play the Waltz in Six Easy Lessons." As Tom plays, he lures Johann out of his hole and captures him. However, the house servants praise Tom's playing, so he lets go of Johann and continues performing. Tom's piano playing and Johann's dancing spread by word-of-mouth across Vienna, eventually reaching Emperor Franz Joseph I. Tom and Johann are commanded to perform at the palace. They perform with vigor, but Tom eventually succumbs to his instincts and tries to chase Johann, failing again while the audience claps.

Reader's Guide

The Mouse Hole in "Johann Mouse" is the location from which Johann Mouse emerges to dance when piano music plays. It is his home and safe haven. Tom uses music to lure him out, but the hole itself is not described in detail in the source. The hole's function is to provide a starting point for Johann's appearances and a retreat from Tom's chases.

Did You Know?

• The short won the 1952 Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons, the seventh and last Oscar for a Tom and Jerry short.
• The piano arrangement was created and played by Jakob Gimpel, a Polish-born concert pianist who also played for Bugs Bunny in "Rhapsody Rabbit."
• A record album directly adapted from the short was released in May 1953, with Bret Morrison substituting Hans Conried as narrator.
• Joseph Barbera considered "Johann Mouse" and "The Cat Concerto" to be his favorite Tom and Jerry cartoons.