Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Little Orphan

  • 1949
  • Approved
  • 8m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
2.2K
YOUR RATING
The Little Orphan (1949)
AdventureAnimationComedyFamilyShort

The Bide-a-Wee Mouse Home has sent the orphan mouse, Nibbles, to spend Thanksgiving with Jerry. But Jerry's cupboard is bare, and Nibbles is always hungry. They start by raiding Tom's milk d... Read allThe Bide-a-Wee Mouse Home has sent the orphan mouse, Nibbles, to spend Thanksgiving with Jerry. But Jerry's cupboard is bare, and Nibbles is always hungry. They start by raiding Tom's milk dish, but Tom wakes up and drains it. Fortunately, Mammy has just put out a huge Thanksgivi... Read allThe Bide-a-Wee Mouse Home has sent the orphan mouse, Nibbles, to spend Thanksgiving with Jerry. But Jerry's cupboard is bare, and Nibbles is always hungry. They start by raiding Tom's milk dish, but Tom wakes up and drains it. Fortunately, Mammy has just put out a huge Thanksgiving feast, just ready for the raiding. And that's just what Jerry and Nibbles do, grabbing ... Read all

  • Directors
    • Joseph Barbera
    • William Hanna
  • Writers
    • William Hanna
    • Joseph Barbera
  • Star
    • William Hanna
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    2.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Joseph Barbera
      • William Hanna
    • Writers
      • William Hanna
      • Joseph Barbera
    • Star
      • William Hanna
    • 17User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 1 win total

    Photos18

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 12
    View Poster

    Top cast1

    Edit
    William Hanna
    William Hanna
    • Tom
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    • Directors
      • Joseph Barbera
      • William Hanna
    • Writers
      • William Hanna
      • Joseph Barbera
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews17

    7.72.1K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    8planktonrules

    cutesy Tom and Jerry short

    This short features Nibbles as Jerry's nephew. In some other cartoons he's referred to by other names and is generally SUPER-cutesy, but in this case the little white mouse is a little more entertaining and less cloying. This time, the white mouse has an amazing appetite--eating a whole orange at once! Well, after getting him to cough it up, Jerry takes Nibbles for some real food. And, being Thanksgiving, they dress up in costumes and raid the humans' feast. But, these cute little mice dressed as pilgrims are foiled by Tom who appears in Indian head dress. And, the rest of the cartoon consists of Tom trying to kill the little rodents. An exceptional cartoon with some good laughs and excellent animation.
    7CuriosityKilledShawn

    Good Mousekeeping

    Despite winning an Oscar the PC Brigade still managed to have this short censored to keep us sheltered people in the 21st century safe from whatever material was appropriate in 1948.

    Jerry babysits little Nibbles for Thanksgiving, trouble is the baby mouse likes to eat a bit too much, and after they help themselves to Tom's milk a small war begins with Nibbles and Jerry dressed as settlers and Tom dressed as an Native American. The dinner table (set for guests unknown) is their battleground and the cutlery are their weapons.

    The cuts made to this cartoon are very noticeable, but it doesn't distract too much from the overall enjoyment.
    9Antzy88

    A classic cartoon with Tom, Jerry and Nibbles

    This classic, Oscar-winning cartoon has the little grey orphan mouse Nibbles visit Jerry. Nibbles has a little note asking Jerry to feed him, as he's always hungry. A veritable banquet has just been prepared by Mammy Two Shoes, the black maid, and Nibbles starts to go into overdrive at the sight of so much food! It's not long, however, before Tom, dressed up as an Indian (as in Cowboy enemy, rather than person from India), gets in on the act.

    This cartoon is so cool, has plenty of laughs, especially when Nibbles' appetite gets out of hand.

    The version of 'The Little Orphan' that I am reviewing here is the uncensored original that I have been fortunate enough to see and appreciate before the political-correctness brigade supposedly forced the distributor to cut a scene where a candle scorches Tom and turns him black. The cut is very clumsy and the result is that this section of the cartoon no longer makes much sense. (Some versions have Mammy Two Shoes' fleeting appearance removed for similar racial reasons).

    Great cartoon, but definitely preferable in the uncut version.
    8blanbrn

    Classic and traditional fun and sweet action paced "Thanksgiving" themed episode!

    Every year around the holiday of thanks I always view this classic 8 min "Tom and Jerry" short from 1948 called "The Little Orphan" as it is so nice and fun to watch! Set at the "Thanksgiving" holiday little cute baby mouse Nibbles visits Jerry in his little mouse hole hideaway and given to the brown mouse is a note, as Nibbles has come to eat for the "Thanksgiving" holiday, and he's hungry and Jerry is out of food, so it starts with sips of Tom's milk. Then the chase is on between the three and the cartoon is full of action as the pace is fast as plenty of food is set at the "Thanksgiving" dinner table. Tom plays out the part of an Indian so well as he's a pretty sharp knife thrower only both mouses outsmart by bounces off of Jello and taking cover in melted butter. The episode ends on a fun and cute note as Nibbles for sure has one huge appetite as the turkey is all his he's one stuffed little mouse! Overall fun likeable "Thanksgiving" episode one to watch every year before turkey day!
    10Eric-157

    One of the best Tom & Jerry Movies

    The Academy are doing right to give an OSCAR to this picture.

    Jerry´s nephew is coming to Thanksgiving Day and he is very, very, very, very hungry !

    The "little orphan" is fearless and eat all things on Thanksgiving-Day-Table. One of the best scenes is when Jerry and the orphan are Pilgrim Fathers and Tom is an Indian. There weapons are forks and spoons and all other things at home Tom & Jerry need to make a strong life to another.

    There´s a remake of the film on the Sixties done by Chuck Jones with the same story and choreography, but in his own style. Look the Original !!!

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    Mouse Trouble
    7.9
    Mouse Trouble
    Quiet Please!
    7.7
    Quiet Please!
    The Yankee Doodle Mouse
    7.7
    The Yankee Doodle Mouse
    The Two Mouseketeers
    7.5
    The Two Mouseketeers
    The Cat Concerto
    8.2
    The Cat Concerto
    Hatch Up Your Troubles
    7.4
    Hatch Up Your Troubles
    Heavenly Puss
    8.1
    Heavenly Puss
    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
    7.8
    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Mouse
    Jerry's Cousin
    7.7
    Jerry's Cousin
    Solid Serenade
    8.1
    Solid Serenade
    The Cat and the Mermouse
    7.5
    The Cat and the Mermouse
    Johann Mouse
    7.4
    Johann Mouse

    Related interests

    Still frame
    Adventure
    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Nibbles' second appearance after The Milky Waif (1946) and the first Tom and Jerry cartoon in which Nibbles and Jerry work as a team against Tom.
    • Alternate versions
      The original print has a scene showing Tom being set on fire, then burnt into an African-American caricature (complete with knotted hair-do). Later prints have reanimated Tom so that he no longer looks "black" though some network TV prints omit the gag entirely.
    • Connections
      Edited into Life with Tom (1953)
    • Soundtracks
      Throw Another Log on the Fire
      (uncredited)

      Music by Murray Mencher

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 30, 1949 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El pequeño huérfano
    • Production companies
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Cartoon Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 8m
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.