Tom and Jerry was created in 1940 by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. It consists of 114 short animated cartoons made between 1940 and 1957. The cat and mouse duo, Tom and Jerry, quickly became popular for their slapstick chase and fight scenes. Over the decades, the cartoon went through different production companies and styles, while still focusing on the comedy of Tom's attempts to catch Jerry. Tom and Jerry has won 7 Academy Awards and influenced pop culture through its iconic characters and metaphor of a "cat and mouse fight".