Spike (MGM)

Spike is a fictional character from the "Tom and Jerry" series, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. In some cartoons, he was known as "Butch" or as "Killer". He is a stern bulldog who is particularly disapproving of cats, but a softie when it comes to mice. Spike has a few weaknesses that Tom tries to capitalize upon: his possessiveness about his bone and his ticklishness. He made his first appearance in the 1942 "Tom and Jerry" cartoon "Dog Trouble", and his first speaking role was in 1944's "The Bodyguard", where he was voiced by Billy Bletcher up until 1949, from which point he was voiced by Daws Butler and at the same time began to talk somewhat like comedian Jimmy Durante. In his very first appearance, Spike was shown to be extremely sadistic, chasing and attacking both Tom and Jerry on sight, which forced the two to work together to get rid of him.

In 1949's "Love That Pup", Spike was given a puppy son, Tyke, who became another popular supporting character in the "Tom and Jerry" cartoons. A short-lived "Spike and Tyke" cartoon series was produced by MGM in 1957; only two entries were completed. Within a year, the MGM cartoon studio had shut down, and Hanna and Barbera took Spike and Tyke and retooled them to create one the first television successes for Hanna-Barbera Productions, "Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy". Spike and Tyke would not appear in new "Tom and Jerry" cartoons, until 1980s "The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show", and 1990s "Tom and Jerry Kids" (In which Tom and Jerry themselves were made younger, but Spike and Tyke remained the same age, and appeared both with Tom and Jerry, and in new episodes of their own). He had also made a cameo in the 1967 MGM Animation/Visual Arts production "Matinee Mouse", which reused footage from "Love that Pup" and "The Truce Hurts", and added some new animation in the final punchline. Spike would continue to appear in "Tom and Jerry" full length features released in the early 2000s and finally, "Tom and Jerry Tales".

Spike also appeared (sans Tyke) in the Filmation's The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show, and makes a brief appearance in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit".

This Spike is not to be confused with another character of the same name who appeared in Tex Avery and Michael Lah's "Droopy" cartoons, and four solo shorts, for MGM.However, the two characters were essentially combined into one in the "Tom and Jerry Comedy Show", where the "Tom & Jerry" version of Spike would also appear in the new Droopy cartoons, filling the role of the other Spike as an antagonist of Droopy. They were not separated as distinct characters again, until the feature "".

Featured Cartoons

Key

LT* = prototype

Tom and Jerry

* "Dog Trouble" LT*
* "The Bodyguard"
* "Puttin' on the Dog"
* "Quiet Please!"
* "Solid Serenade" LT*
* "Cat Fishin'"
* "The Invisible Mouse"
* "The Truce Hurts"
* "Heavenly Puss"
* "Love That Pup"
* "The Framed Cat"
* "Slicked-up Pup"
* "Cat Napping"
* "Fit to be Tied"
* "The Dog House"
* "That's My Pup!"
* "Two Little Indians"
* "Life with Tom"
* "Hic-cup Pup"
* "Pet Peeve"
* "Pup on a Picnic"
* "Smarty Cat"
* "Barbecue Brawl"
* "Tops with Pops"
* "Tom's Photo Finish"
* "Tot Watchers" (Cameo appearance)
* "Matinee Mouse" (Cameo appearance)
* "The KarateGuard"

Spike and Tyke

* "Give and Tyke"
* "Scat Cats"

The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show

* "Spike's Birthday"

Tom and Jerry Tales

* "Feeding Time"
* "Joy Riding Jokers"
* "Spook House Mouse" (Cameo Appearance) LT*
* "Spaced Out Cat"
* "Dog-Gone Hill Hog"
* "Tomcat Jetpack"
* "Zent Out of Shape"
* " I Dream of Meanie"
* "Game, Set ,Match!"
* "Catfish Follies" (Cameo Appearance)

Direct-to-video and TV Special

* "The Mansion Cat" (cameo appearance)
* ""
* "" LT*
* "" LT*
* ""

Trivia

*Spike has had three renames so far (In order): Killer, Butch, and Spike. Coincidentally, Butch (Cat) is the name of another character in Tom and Jerry.

Voice Actors

* Billy Bletcher (1944 - 1949)
* Daws Butler (1949 - 1957)
* Lou Scheimer: The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show
* Maurice LaMarche:
* Frank Welker:
* John Di Maggio:
* Michael Donovan: Tom and Jerry Tales