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 FestivalIMDb TIFF Portrait StudioHispanic Heritage MonthSTARmeter 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 Bodyguard

  • 1944
  • Approved
  • 7m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
The Bodyguard (1944)
AnimationComedyFamilyShort

Spike the bulldog, grateful to Jerry for getting him out of the dogcatcher's van, offers to help the little mouse any time he whistles. Tom, Jerry's feline tormentor, seeks to overcome this ... Read allSpike the bulldog, grateful to Jerry for getting him out of the dogcatcher's van, offers to help the little mouse any time he whistles. Tom, Jerry's feline tormentor, seeks to overcome this new disadvantage.Spike the bulldog, grateful to Jerry for getting him out of the dogcatcher's van, offers to help the little mouse any time he whistles. Tom, Jerry's feline tormentor, seeks to overcome this new disadvantage.

  • Directors
    • Joseph Barbera
    • William Hanna
  • Writer
    • Otto Englander
  • Stars
    • Billy Bletcher
    • William Hanna
    • Harry Lang
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    1.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Joseph Barbera
      • William Hanna
    • Writer
      • Otto Englander
    • Stars
      • Billy Bletcher
      • William Hanna
      • Harry Lang
    • 11User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos41

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 35
    View Poster

    Top cast3

    Edit
    Billy Bletcher
    Billy Bletcher
    • Spike
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    William Hanna
    William Hanna
    • Jerry
    • (uncredited)
    • …
    Harry Lang
    • Jerry's Whistling
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • Joseph Barbera
      • William Hanna
    • Writer
      • Otto Englander
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    7.81.5K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10ccthemovieman-1

    Spike-To-The-Rescue Gags Make This A Big Winner

    "Thanks, chum. I'm your pal for life!"

    So says big Spike, the bulldog, after Jerry unhitches the rear of the Dog Catcher truck and lets him out. Jerry had been in the area when he heard Spike's plea for help. Now he has a handy friend "Anytime you ever needs me," says the tough and grammatically-incorrect dog, "just whistle."

    Well, it doesn't long for Jerry take the dog up on the offer. Later, while he's in the middle of two slices of bread and a couple of olives, Jerry gives his first whistle!

    This is a very funny cartoon. Yes, Jerry blows the whistle a few times, but in each case what happens to Tom is different with the sight gags and they're good. In this case, Tom deserves his punishment. He just doesn't seem to learn. Spike, with a bit of an Irish brogue, is hilarious.

    The jokes were so good they didn't need the usual long chase scenes. What's also different in this one is that Tom actually comes up with a plan that works! The artwork was good, too, with some great expressions and reactions on Tom's face. Finally, this animated short also has an unusual, and very good, finish.

    Overall, one of the top-echelon Tom and Jerry cartoons.
    Michael_Elliott

    The Bodyguard

    The Bodyguard (1944) **** (out of 4) Without question one of the best films in the long-running series, this one has Jerry helping a bulldog out of a dogcatcher's van and the dog offers to help him whenever he needs it. All Jerry has to do is whistle and the dog will be there to protect him, which of course means Tom gets beat up countless ways. THE BODYGUARD was the first truly great film in the series and it really doesn't matter how many times I've seen it, I laugh as hard each and every time. What makes this one so much fun is just how brutal it is in regards to the cartoon violence. Tom is constantly getting punched and thrown around, which leads to fast action and a lot of fun. The animation, music score and sound effects are all wonderful as well. Certainly one of the best Tom and Jerry ever did.
    6CuriosityKilledShawn

    And I will always ha-ate yooooooo!!!

    Tom and Jerry are involved in a chase, as per damn usual. Jerry, when hiding, springs Spike loose from the Pound Van. As a reward, Spike says he will help-out Jerry whenever he is in trouble. All he has to do is whistle and Spike will be there to save him.

    So the chase continues and just when Tom has him in his clutches, Jerry whistles for Spike and Tom gets a clobbering. Not so imaginative and the chase is kinda generic. There are a couple of sneaky tricks when Tom tries to stop Jerry from whistling but it's nothing special at all and the final gag isn't that great.

    A thoroughly generic cartoon.
    7blanbrn

    Fun one as pal if you need help just whistle!

    "The Bodyguard" a "Tom and Jerry" short involves Spike trying to stay away from the local dog catcher as he does not want to go to the pound! Upon seeing a chase a plan forms he decides to protect Jerry from Tom's chases as he tells the little mouse whenever you need help just whistle! This one for sure has Tom taking many cat poundings at the hand of the mighty bulldog! However the sounds of whistling doesn't last forever! Overall well done early tale from the cartoon classic series!
    8BA_Harrison

    Spike does it again.

    The Bodyguard sees the return of Spike the bulldog, and a return to form for Tom and Jerry (after the disappointing episodes, The Zoot Cat and Baby Puss).

    After rescuing Spike from the dogcatcher's van, Jerry is told by the grateful dog that if he ever needs help, all he has to do is whistle. Which spells trouble for Tom—until the wily cat tricks the mouse into chewing some specially prepared bubble gum, which makes him unable to call for his protective canine pal.

    I liked Spike's first appearance in Dog Trouble, and even though he's less ferocious in this one, and even talks, The Bodyguard proves to be another very funny episode. Tom gets clobbered by Spike in a variety of amusing ways, and there are plenty of laughs to be had at the expense of the poor cat—at least until the very end, which sees Spike recaptured, and Jerry running for his life.

    More like this

    Puttin' on the Dog
    7.7
    Puttin' on the Dog
    The Million Dollar Cat
    7.7
    The Million Dollar Cat
    Mouse Trouble
    7.9
    Mouse Trouble
    Tee for Two
    7.7
    Tee for Two
    The Zoot Cat
    7.4
    The Zoot Cat
    The Bowling Alley-Cat
    7.7
    The Bowling Alley-Cat
    The Mouse Comes to Dinner
    7.7
    The Mouse Comes to Dinner
    Sufferin' Cats!
    7.4
    Sufferin' Cats!
    Mouse in Manhattan
    7.8
    Mouse in Manhattan
    Fine Feathered Friend
    7.5
    Fine Feathered Friend
    Quiet Please!
    7.7
    Quiet Please!
    Solid Serenade
    8.1
    Solid Serenade

    Related interests

    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
      This episode marks the first time Spike speaks
    • Goofs
      Stray dogs usually do not wear collars so Spike the dog should not have been picked up by the dog catcher since he is wearing a collar.
    • Quotes

      Tom: [laughs evilly] In me power!

    • Connections
      Edited into Tom & Jerry: Cartoon Festival Vol. 1 (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      I'm Sitting on Top of the World
      (uncredited)

      Written by Ray Henderson

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 22, 1944 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El guardaespaldas
    • Production companies
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Cartoon Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 7m
    • 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.