The Cat Above and the Mouse Below (1961 film)

The Cat Above and the Mouse Below is a 1961 American animated musical film released by Walt Disney Productions and Buena Vista Pictures. It is first of the three Tom and Jerry musical films by Disney other than MGM. The film involves Tom, an opera singer that stars in a concert titled "Signor Thomasino Catti-Cazzaza Baritone" who shall perform to sing Largo al Factotum from The Barber of Seville and Jerry has to stop Tom's concert once and for all. Like most Disney musical films (such as Mary Poppins) The Music and Lyrics were written by The Sherman Brothers and the Background music was provided by Buddy Baker. The feaurette was shown before the 1961 re-release of Make Mine Music.

Information
Directed by - Robert Cormack and Tom Ray

Written by - Roy Williams and Chuck Jones

Voices of - Bill Roberts and Dale McKennon

Music by - The Sherman Brothers and Buddy Baker

Production company - Walt Disney Productions

Distributed by - Buena Vista Distribution

Release Date - March 3, 1961

Running Time - 26 Minutes

Country - United States

Language - English

Sequels
In 1962, Disney released a follow up to the first film titled "Cat and Dupli-cat" Released in February 20, 1962 and it has 3 songs (MGM Released a 6 Minute version in 1967 and it olny has 1 song) and in 1975, 13 years after the second film, the third and the final Tom and Jerry Musical Feaurette was "The Ballad of Rita the Cat" unlike the first two films, Tom and Jerry did not sing, they're both silent in this film.

1964 Version
On February 25, 1964, MGM released a 6 Minute version of the original 1961 film of the same name and it was directed by Chuck Jones instead of Robert Cormack and Tom Ray (although he was an animator in this version). Jones was co written with Roy Williams in the 1961 version. Bill Roberts (voiced Michigan J. Frog in One Froggy Evening) provides the singing voice of Tom in the 1961 version, but in the 1964 version, he is voiced by Terence Monk and Dale McKennon provides Jerry's singing in the 1961 version, but in the 1964 version, he is voiced by Stan Freberg. Lots of scenes exclusive to the 1961 version were cutted out because it is 6 Minutes and scenes (such as Jerry shooting a plunger at Tom's face) are intact in this version. The 1964 version is the Second Chuck Jones Tom and Jerry cartoon after Pent House Mouse in 1963

VHS Release
in 1981, the film was first released on VHS for the first time and it is the part of the Neon Mickey series in the 80's. The film released again on VHS in 1990 part of Mini Classics series and again for last time in 1997 part of The Tom and Jerry Feaurette Collection along with the other 2 films "Cat and Dupli-cat" and "The Ballad of Rita the Cat". The 1997 VHS Includes Both the original 1961 and the 1964 versions of the film. (The 1964 version appears at the end of the original version)