For some reason, my 6 DVDs of Tom and Jerry cartoons neglected to include Busy Buddies, but thanks to the marvels of the internet, it was easy to catch up with. This episode introduces us to Jeannie the babysitter, who was so irresponsible in Hanna-Barbera/MGM's final effort Tot Watchers. While Jeannie is on the telephone gassing to her friend, the baby is out of its cot and it is up to Tom and Jerry to ensure that he comes to no harm.
A fun cartoon that sees cat and mouse working together for a change, Busy Buddies is full of silly escapades for the tiny tot, whose crawling is accompanied by a delightfully whimsical score. The animation might not be the best from Hanna-Barbera, with the simpler backgrounds that typified their later T&J 'toons, but it's a darn sight better than what was to come a little down the line with the Gene Deitch era. As I mentioned in my review for Tot Watchers, the baby seems to have been the influence for Baby Herman's character in the Roger Rabbit shorts.