 In 1992 , Barbera met with pop musician Michael Jackson , an avid cartoon fan , in an unsuccessful attempt to arrange for him to sing in Tom and Jerry : The Movie . Barbera drew five quick sketches of Tom and Jerry for Jackson and autographed them . Jackson autographed a picture of himself and his niece Nicole for Barbera with the words : " To my hero of yesterday , today , and tomorrow , with many thanks for all the many cartoon friends you gave me as a child . They were all I had . – Michael " 
