Tom and Jerry began as MGM theatrical shorts in 1940, created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, with Hanna himself providing many of Tom's screams and yelps. Those vocal reactions became a signature of the series because Tom rarely spoke, so his pain had to carry the comedy. Clips of the yell later circulated in early cartoon compilations and then in meme edits, gameplay videos and remixes. It survives as a popular scream meme because the performance is expressive without words, instantly tied to slapstick failure, and easy to drop onto any painful moment.