Simon and Garfunkel originally performed under what stage names?

Before becoming the legendary folk duo Simon and Garfunkel, two teenagers from Queens tried their hand at pop stardom under different identities. The names they chose in 1957 would follow them through their first hit record and onto national television. But what did these future legends call themselves?

Reveal answer and learn more:

▼

The answer is: Tom and Jerry

In 1957, Art Garfunkel became Tom Graph, and Paul Simon transformed into Jerry Landis. No, they weren't huge fans of MGM's cartoon cat-and-mouse duo. That's just a happy coincidence that's been causing confusion for over 60 years.

Their debut single, "Hey Schoolgirl," caught fire. The song sold over 100,000 copies and landed them a spot on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand." There they stood, two teenagers from Queens, performing their hit in matching outfits for a national audience. The song earned them a $4,000 payout, serious money for high school kids in the 1950s.

But, unlike the cartoon, this Tom and Jerry duo wasn't destined to last. After high school, college pulled them in different directions. Garfunkel headed to Columbia University, Simon to Queens College. By the time they reunited in 1963, they'd outgrown their pop personas. The music scene had changed too. Folk was in, and their teenage alter egos felt out of step with the times.

When they emerged with "The Sound of Silence" in 1964, they did it under their real names. Tom Graph and Jerry Landis were retired, making way for Simon and Garfunkel to become one of music's most influential duos. The transformation from pop-chasing teenagers to folk-rock pioneers was complete, though somewhere in Queens, there might still be a few old 45s with "Tom and Jerry" printed on the label. Just don't ask them about cartoon cats and mice.