Thanks to some research by arthur1815 it appears that I CAN use TOMMY AND JERRY as the name for my new mid-twentieth century wargames rules.
Apparently the combination of names was first used by the British author Pierce Egan in his book LIFE IN LONDON, OR THE DAY AND NIGHT SCENES OF JERRY HAWTHORN ESQ. AND HIS ELEGANT FRIEND CORINTHIAN TOM. This book was published in 1821 and later gave rise to a stage play entitled TOM AND JERRY, OR LIFE IN LONDON.
To help publicise his book and play Pierce Egan created a fortified version of eggnog to which he added ½ fl oz of brandy. He called the drink TOM AND JERRY ... and the book, the play, and the drink all proved very popular.
The drink remained popular in the US until the early 1920s and it is mentioned in DANCING DAN'S CHRISTMAS by Damon Runyan:
Apparently the combination of names was first used by the British author Pierce Egan in his book LIFE IN LONDON, OR THE DAY AND NIGHT SCENES OF JERRY HAWTHORN ESQ. AND HIS ELEGANT FRIEND CORINTHIAN TOM. This book was published in 1821 and later gave rise to a stage play entitled TOM AND JERRY, OR LIFE IN LONDON.
To help publicise his book and play Pierce Egan created a fortified version of eggnog to which he added ½ fl oz of brandy. He called the drink TOM AND JERRY ... and the book, the play, and the drink all proved very popular.
The drink remained popular in the US until the early 1920s and it is mentioned in DANCING DAN'S CHRISTMAS by Damon Runyan:
This hot Tom and Jerry is an old time drink that is once used by one and all in this country to celebrate Christmas with, and in fact it is once so popular that many people think Christmas is invented only to furnish an excuse for hot Tom and Jerry, although of course this is by no means true.So now that I have a name, all I need to do is to write the rules to go with it!
So that would have been the origin of the cartoon Tom and Jerry. I have wondered. That the thing is a trope and in the public domain, as your researches have indicated, then I don't reckon the associated cartoon companies will get much legal traction if they try the heavying routine.
ReplyDeleteArchduke Piccolo,
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that the term 'Tom and Jerry' has been around for nearly two hundred years and is well out of copyright. That said, a certain large company involved in the 'hobby' has tried to stop people using the term 'space marine' despite the fact that it was in usage in the 1930s, long before the company was formed ... so it pays to be careful.
All the best,
Bob