The last Tom & Jerry cartoon of the classic Hanna and Barbera era in which Tom had a light blue section between his eyes. From the next cartoon ("Two Little Indians") onwards during the golden age of the series he lost this since ("Johann Mouse").
Although not as famous as fellow voice artists Mel Blanc or Paul Frees, Red Coffey was known for his excellent duck characterizations. He was also a stand up comedian.
This is the first Tom & Jerry cartoon to have a MGM opening title with a blue background and the first cartoon to have a 1953-55 opening title.
Classic attention to background detail in this short, from the cattails on the pond to the barnyard scenes. This was a hallmark of shorts released during this era, as they were still shown as part of a cinematic program. Television was slowly gaining popularity, but Americans, young and old alike, still went to the movies in droves.
During the postwar baby boom years, American children were learning to swim in huge numbers. The curious looking device Jerry attempts to inflate is a pair of old fashioned water wings, the precursor to today's PFD.