Tom Cat

Thomas "Tom" Cat is the main character of the Tom and Jerry franchise, playing both the antagonist and protagonist, depending on the plot.

His goal in life is to catch Jerry Mouse, usually to eat him, but sometimes it appears to be the thrill of the chase. While on other occasions, they're bosom buddies. Again, this all depends on the plot.

Tom was introduced as a character in a theatrical short series, with his first appearance in Puss Gets the Boot, and subsequently appeared in other media, such as TV series and direct-to-video films. He rarely speaks, relying on a range of vocal effects to express his emotions, which are usually made up of painful yells and screams, originally performed by William Hanna and Clarence Nash, before only Hanna's was used, which are still in use today long after his passing. His most memorable speaking role occurred in Tom and Jerry: The Movie, in which his voice came out from Richard Kind's.